Should comedy be around during a time of crisis?  An argument was made recently on The View, that during a time of crisis, that everything should super serious, and the politicians should refrain from humor.

Case in point, poking fun of Palin, for her hopy changy speech, and writing on her hand, and that she should handled at all times with kid gloves.

So, when the economy is at it's lowest, people want jobs, and there is a endless war going on, should humor be placed off the side, until a more appropriate time?

???

Comedy is good.  Life is too short to be serious all the time.  There are times to be serious but you also need to laugh.

I don't think there's any time when comedy is more necessary than a time of crisis. Was it elizabeth hasselbeck who made that comment?

Ever hear of Bob Hope et al and the USO?  Nuf said

I don't think there's any time when comedy is more necessary than a time of crisis. Was it elizabeth hasselbeck who made that comment?


It was.  She argued that things should be taken very seriously, in times of crisis, and that the focus should be on getting jobs, and fixing the economy, rather than cheap jokes and silliness.

It was.  She argued that things should be taken very seriously, in times of crisis, and that the focus should be on getting jobs, and fixing the economy, rather than cheap jokes and silliness.




Her point wasn't in general, though, her problem was that it came from the White House.  She could have gotten her point across better by not flipping out over it. 

Her point wasn't in general, though, her problem was that it came from the White House.  She could have gotten her point across better by not flipping out over it. 


Booooo Hooooo!  Someone hurt Sarah Palin's feelings, with a joke and it came from a White House official.

Yeeesh....

I bet that Elizabeth Hasselbeck, didn't fint this funny, either.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wVF1ZezJA68

People have been using comedy as a 'safety valve' against very serious events for years. This is a healthy way society copes with the stupidity of the world.

Yes -- with a caveat:  I object to comedy at this time in which the joke is on those being harmed by the crises.

Satire, yes.  Ridicule, no.

Yes -- with a caveat:  I object to comedy at this time in which the joke is on those being harmed by the crises.

Satire, yes.  Ridicule, no.


I agree.

I agree.


In my generation, we were raised to jeer at the less fortunate.  Now that most of he TV comics in America are Gen-X, they do lots of jeering at the less fortunate.  I don't mean just the self-proclaimed "redneck" or "insult" comics, but relatively funny characters, such as Demeteri Martin, who drew a picture of beanbag chair and said, "If you're sitting in one of these and your over forty, you failed!"

Did it hit me where I live?  Not exactly.  I don't have a beanbag chair!

However, the concept of "failure" is fraught with personalized shame in American culture.  Perhaps, Demeteri, there's an a 40-year-old in a beanbag chair and he's stressed to the edge of self destruction because his unemployment is about to run out, and he can't afford his son's epilepsy medication.  So he turns on the TV to watch some comedy and cheer himself up, so you, Demeteri, with your hookers and blow waiting in the limo, call him a failure.  Maybe he decides you're right and gets his shotgun out of the cabinet....

Should comedy be around during a time of crisis?  An argument was made recently on The View, that during a time of crisis, that everything should super serious, and the politicians should refrain from humor.


"My fellow Americans, I'm pleased to tell you today that I've signed legislation that will outlaw Russia forever.  We begin bombing in five minutes."
  - Ronald Reagan, unaware that the mic was live.

The only politician who was Super Serial About Everything was Al Gore, and even he had the time to do a few guest-starring gigs on Futurama.

Once we get outside the world of the politicians, gallows humor is the only way some of us survive.  Don't make me suggest that the clucking hens at The View perform a google image search on I'm Falling For You for Valentine's Day.  (It's safe for work, but you go to the special hell - with me - if you so much as smirk.)

"My fellow Americans, I'm pleased to tell you today that I've signed legislation that will outlaw Russia forever.  We begin bombing in five minutes."
   - Ronald Reagan, unaware that the mic was live.



Stalin was rolling in his grave: "They put that bozo in charge, and they're winning the war!  How could this be, comrades?"

Comrade Stalin did not fall asleep during politburo meetings.  He did not call reporters sons of bitches under his breath, rather, he sent them to freeze to death in Siberian gulags.  And yet...

http://www.inthe00s.com/smile/12/dontknow.gif

Right now, we need humor, now more than ever.

"My fellow Americans, I'm pleased to tell you today that I've signed legislation that will outlaw Russia forever.  We begin bombing in five minutes."
   - Ronald Reagan, unaware that the mic was live.

The only politician who was Super Serial About Everything was Al Gore, and even he had the time to do a few guest-starring gigs on Futurama.

Once we get outside the world of the politicians, gallows humor is the only way some of us survive.  Don't make me suggest that the clucking hens at The View perform a google image search on I'm Falling For You for Valentine's Day.  (It's safe for work, but you go to the special hell - with me - if you so much as smirk.)


You ARE going to a special hell!  ;)

One reason I know I'd never do well as a politician is a tendency to take the mickey out of pretty much everything: it's not really fair, IMO, that the press jump on pretty much any witticism that politicians make - "It was a joke, stupid" ought to be the end of the matter, but never is.

MPs over here with a sense of humour rarely rise much above back bench level (Tony Banks being made minister for Sport was an exception - though when the news of that came through, he was on live TV and thought it was a joke :) ).

Yes -- with a caveat:  I object to comedy at this time in which the joke is on those being harmed by the crises.

Satire, yes.  Ridicule, no.


I fully agree with you there Max.

One thing that always disgusts me is when people attack and smear others, and hide under the shield of "comedy".  And it is even more disturbing to me when people do the exact same thing back at them, and then they scream "they are attacking me!"

One of the greatest things about the original Saturday Night Live is that they would poke fun at politicians equally.  Democrats, Republicans, Conservative, Liberal, Moderate, they pretty much treated everybody the same.  And it was obvious they meant it in humor, not to be insulting.

But today, things seem to be vastly different.  They throw not even disguised insults and slaim it is "comedy".  I was watching one "comedian" on TV last year (forgot who he was), and he said a "joke" that went something like "What does Trig Palin call Sarah?  Grandma."

And people actually laughed at that and thought it was funny.  I thought it was disgusting and in poor taste.  But that seems to be what most "political humor" is today.

Makes me pine for the days of Mark Russel again.

I fully agree with you there Max.

One thing that always disgusts me is when people attack and smear others, and hide under the shield of "comedy".  And it is even more disturbing to me when people do the exact same thing back at them, and then they scream "they are attacking me!"

One of the greatest things about the original Saturday Night Live is that they would poke fun at politicians equally.  Democrats, Republicans, Conservative, Liberal, Moderate, they pretty much treated everybody the same.  And it was obvious they meant it in humor, not to be insulting.

But today, things seem to be vastly different.  They throw not even disguised insults and slaim it is "comedy".  I was watching one "comedian" on TV last year (forgot who he was), and he said a "joke" that went something like "What does Trig Palin call Sarah?  Grandma."

And people actually laughed at that and thought it was funny.  I thought it was disgusting and in poor taste.  But that seems to be what most "political humor" is today.

Makes me pine for the days of Mark Russel again.


I wasn't aware the Palin family was an aggrieved party...
???

Makes me pine for the days of Mark Russel again.


Damn, that brought back some serious retro vibes.  Mark Russell is probably the reason I ever took an interest in politics.  Back in the early 80s, I had to ask my parents to explain half the jokes, but once I started getting them, he just got funnier.  The best part is that he was truly nonpartisan; you never knew who was going to get it, nor why, only that it was going to be funny.

Interestingly enough, he performed as recently as August of 2009, so he's not entirely retired.

For a little walk down memory lane (and for anyone who remembers Clinton I, which should cover a lot of people around here), here's a sample of what's floating around Youtube - his look at Campaign 96.

Mark Russel ruled!!!!!!!!!!!  Unlike the fools who claim to be funny today but rely on profanity and sexual innuendo.  Mostly no talent and no brains.

Mark Russel ruled!!!!!!!!!!!  Unlike the fools who claim to be funny today but rely on profanity and sexual innuendo.  Mostly no talent and no brains.


I am not that familiar with Mark Russel, but I agree with the rest.  I love comedians like Bill Cosby who can be relevant without being vulgar.

While I agree with Hasselbeck that the focus should be on the "issues," I see no harm in throwing in a joke here and there to lighten the mood.  It annoys the crap out of me that, had this joke been on a democrat, she probably would have said nothing....in fact, she HAS said nothing about Palin's comments towards Obama and his use of the "teleprompter" ???  Double standard? ???

While I agree with Hasselbeck that the focus should be on the "issues," I see no harm in throwing in a joke here and there to lighten the mood.  It annoys the crap out of me that, had this joke been on a democrat, she probably would have said nothing....in fact, she HAS said nothing about Palin's comments towards Obama and his use of the "teleprompter" ???  Double standard? ???


It can't be more double standard, if was placed in a box called double standard!

;D