Friday, February 12, 2010
Upcoming RAG Appearances
If you're in New York this long weekend:
Sunday, Valentine's Day: I'll be a panelist on The End Of The Week As We Know It -- Scott Blakeman's funny and informative live comedy/public affairs show at The Tank, 354 West 45th St. At only $10, it's an inexpensive way to spend Valentine's Day (No, we can't guarantee that you'll get laid at the end of the evening. On the other hand, considering you won't have to dish out several hundreds of dollars on dinner, wine, flowers, etc. -- and still not get laid -- you won't feel like you're getting screwed either. So it works out. More details and ticket-ordering stuff here.
Monday, President's Day: I'll be performing with talented folks such as Jim Mendrinos, Ellen Karis, Brian McKim and others at the Gotham Comedy Club, 288 W. 23rd Street. The event is called "GOP Laughs" and celebrates the launch of the online site of the same name. Yep, we're not conceding the comedic landscape to Jon Stewart, Saturday Night Live, etc. Those of us on the right side of the aisle can be funny too -- and we're out to deliver our supply-side no-holds barred humor!! (Don't think we can tickle your funny bone? Then why is it called the "Laffer Curve"? Hey now!!!) Purchase tickets right here!
And looking ahead:
Friday, February 19: If you're down in DC for the always interesting CPAC, you should check out the even more fun parallel XPAC extravaganza. In particular, check out the late-night XPAC Comedy Show! A few of the same folks bringing you GOP Laughs will be on stage -- plus a few others. Cutting- edge conservative comedy at its finest!!! Exact location to be determined, but check the XPAC site during the week for more info.
Okay, hope to see some or many of you over the next week!!
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Sunday, Valentine's Day: I'll be a panelist on The End Of The Week As We Know It -- Scott Blakeman's funny and informative live comedy/public affairs show at The Tank, 354 West 45th St. At only $10, it's an inexpensive way to spend Valentine's Day (No, we can't guarantee that you'll get laid at the end of the evening. On the other hand, considering you won't have to dish out several hundreds of dollars on dinner, wine, flowers, etc. -- and still not get laid -- you won't feel like you're getting screwed either. So it works out. More details and ticket-ordering stuff here.
Monday, President's Day: I'll be performing with talented folks such as Jim Mendrinos, Ellen Karis, Brian McKim and others at the Gotham Comedy Club, 288 W. 23rd Street. The event is called "GOP Laughs" and celebrates the launch of the online site of the same name. Yep, we're not conceding the comedic landscape to Jon Stewart, Saturday Night Live, etc. Those of us on the right side of the aisle can be funny too -- and we're out to deliver our supply-side no-holds barred humor!! (Don't think we can tickle your funny bone? Then why is it called the "Laffer Curve"? Hey now!!!) Purchase tickets right here!
And looking ahead:
Friday, February 19: If you're down in DC for the always interesting CPAC, you should check out the even more fun parallel XPAC extravaganza. In particular, check out the late-night XPAC Comedy Show! A few of the same folks bringing you GOP Laughs will be on stage -- plus a few others. Cutting- edge conservative comedy at its finest!!! Exact location to be determined, but check the XPAC site during the week for more info.
Okay, hope to see some or many of you over the next week!!
Labels: political humor, stand-up comedy
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
(P)Syke(s)!
Kathleen Parker basically hits the nail on the head on the pseudo-controversy involving comic Wanda Sykes at the White House Correspondents Dinner last weekend:
Sykes' Limbaugh joke was not funny for the reason she cites -- plus the fact that it was too complicated. For a political joke you want a sentence or two of set-up and then -- BAM! -- a punch line. Trying to thread together "hoping Obama fails" to "country failing" to "treason" to "20th hijacker" is just too complicated -- even in a room of political junkies.
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There's nothing un-funnier than Saturday night's jokes reviewed by the caffeinated light of Monday morning.
Which is why we probably shouldn't quarterback a comedian over coffee when she was performing for a crowd primed on cocktails.
Exactly.
Parker is also pretty spot on in explaining why Sykes' stuff on Rush Limbaugh wasn't funny (whereas the president's -- "Sorry, RNC, Rush Limbaugh does not qualify as a troubled asset." -- was).
I do disagree with Parker in one respect -- that "No one's drug addiction is amusing." Au contraire! One's own addiction isn't funny -- someone else's is. Well, at least a few degrees of separation away. Addiction of a close family member absolutely sucks. But, sorry, addiction problems of the wealthy or otherwise high-and-mighty can be a source of much humor.
Keith Richards' blood transfusions. Any member of the Kennedys. Britney Spears. It's not nice, but it is part of the human condition: We are wired to experience schaedenfreude of the misfortunes of those who are materially or status-wise "better" than us -- yet who nonetheless fall prey to various temptations.
Mocking celebrity addiction is a humor stock-in-trade going back to Aristophanes when royalty were the only "celebrities" to make fun of.
Labels: political humor, Wanda Sykes, White House Correspondents Association Dinner
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Obama Stands Up
The president's White House Correspondents Dinner stand-up routine is here. He was very good -- one of the better political comedic performances I've seen. (Wanda Sykes' otherwise good performance was marred by a tasteless joke near the end about Rush Limbaugh's kidneys failing. Sykes is a good enough comic to know that wishing someone dead just isn't funny. Jokes about Limbaugh's Oxycontin addiction, now that is fair game -- and any conservatives upset about that need to get over it.)
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One thing I've noticed about Obama is that he (or his joke-writers) have a rather ironic idea of what "self-deprecating" humor is. For this president, the self-deprecation is in recognizing how, uh, awesome the Obama White House. For example: "During the second 100 days, we will design, build and open a library dedicated to my first 100 days." He followed that up with, "I believe that my next 100 days will be so successful, I will be able to complete them in 72 days -- and on the 73rd day I will rest."
This isn't the first time that Obama has used a joke to allude to himself (or his administration) in Biblical terms. Again, from the Al Smith dinner:
Even though it does no real good to overanalyze humor (sometimes a cigar is just a cigar), Obama's approach does confirm something I've noted before about Obama Era comedy: Boomer presidents Clinton and Bush allowed themselves to become the punchlines for all sorts of jokes: Clinton helped feed the lady-lovin' Bubba rogue image by making jokes about putting astroturf in his pick-up; Bush joked about being a C-student. The media (and late-night comics) followed those cues and treated the presidents accordingly.
Even though it does no real good to overanalyze humor (sometimes a cigar is just a cigar), Obama's approach does confirm something I've noted before about Obama Era comedy: Boomer presidents Clinton and Bush allowed themselves to become the punchlines for all sorts of jokes: Clinton helped feed the lady-lovin' Bubba rogue image by making jokes about putting astroturf in his pick-up; Bush joked about being a C-student. The media (and late-night comics) followed those cues and treated the presidents accordingly.
At the WHCD, Bush even went so far to do a filmed skit of himself walking around on his hands and knees looking for weapons of mass destruction; Clinton, of course, once did a routine based on Ken Starr's investigation. It's early, but this administration doesn't play that way. The closest Obama got to a "dig" at himself was in the "three commerce secretaries" line. Heck, even the biggest PR disaster -- the Air Force One Manhattan flyover -- was "blamed" on Sasha and Malia!
This isn't an attack on the president's humor, but just an observation.
The only criticism I might put down is a technical performance-related caveat: This is the second time I've seen Obama do planned comedy; the first was at the Al Smith charity dinner in New York before the election: His timing is good with respect to the material (that was especially notable Saturday evening) when he used body-language to accent his "hip-hop lingo" joke about/with Michael Steele. However, he has yet to master the talent of being so comfortable with the material that he doesn't look like he's seeing/reading it for the first time.
The president has a "tell" where he ends up cracking himself up with his own jokes -- which you'll do if you're not as familiar with it as you should be. Now, this doesn't mean that you shouldn't smile during stand-up. Sure, definitely, but a deadpan "straight" delivery can often make a generally funny routine hilarious. In fact, that's one reason why John McCain was much funnier than Obama at the aforementioned Al Smith dinner.
For what it's worth.
Labels: Barack Obama, comedy, political humor
Thursday, November 06, 2008
Obama Ha-Ha
Last night, yours truly participated in a post-election wrap-up at New York City's famous 92 Street Y. It was sponsored by Caroline's comedy club. It was a free-wheeling discussion -- not as heavy on the yuks as more than a few members of the audience thought it might be. However, we did get to kick around the topic of political humor in the Age of Obama. Yours truly got in an off-the-cuff zinger in an exchange with Roseanne Barr.
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Labels: Barack Obama, political humor
Friday, October 17, 2008
Campaign Bile Steps Aside For Humor
Thursday night, John McCain and Barack Obama attended the annual Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation Dinner in Manhattan. A fundraiser for the Archdiocese of New York and city Catholic charities, the dinner is a a customary stop for presidential candidates every four years.
They engaged in some self-deprecatory humor and good-natured roasting of each other and a few other political dignitaries (Bill & Hillary, Mike Bloomberg and Rudy Giuliani were favorite targets). Given the serious circumstances the country finds itself in, some people might not like the fact that our presidential candidates are bantering back and forth. I think this actually says something good about our country and its electoral process -- that politicians can put aside their very earnest, heart-felt differences, and get partisans on both sides laughing with each other instead of at each other.
For what it's worth, I thought McCain was slightly better than Obama -- but probably because McCain has been a guest of honor at the dinner before (in a non-presidential year) -- and enjoys doing the stand-up stuff.
Anyway, Ben Smith at Politico provides direct links to both routines. I must say, as an amateur comic myself, I approve of their messages!
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They engaged in some self-deprecatory humor and good-natured roasting of each other and a few other political dignitaries (Bill & Hillary, Mike Bloomberg and Rudy Giuliani were favorite targets). Given the serious circumstances the country finds itself in, some people might not like the fact that our presidential candidates are bantering back and forth. I think this actually says something good about our country and its electoral process -- that politicians can put aside their very earnest, heart-felt differences, and get partisans on both sides laughing with each other instead of at each other.
For what it's worth, I thought McCain was slightly better than Obama -- but probably because McCain has been a guest of honor at the dinner before (in a non-presidential year) -- and enjoys doing the stand-up stuff.
Anyway, Ben Smith at Politico provides direct links to both routines. I must say, as an amateur comic myself, I approve of their messages!
Labels: Barack Obama, John McCain, political humor
Monday, October 06, 2008
SNL "Bails" On The Democrats --UPDATED!!
ADDENDUM (10/7/08): Had to take this post down to do some fiddling with it. NBC has taken the bailout skit video off its site and its co-owned HULU video portal (see below). However, Michelle Malkin provides transcript and videoshots.
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While Saturday Night Live did offer up another great Tina Fey-as-Sarah Palin skit this week (with Jason Sudekis doing a rather hilarious Joe Biden), it also included a lengthy, complex, skit on the bailout and the subprime policies that precipitated the crisis. It was not exactly flattering to congressional Democrats:
Whoever wrote this skit knows their stuff, because there are details in it that would go over the head of all but the most intense political junkie.
UPDATE: The scrubbing of this video has been pretty complete. In addition to it vanishing from NBC and Hulu, all versions of it posted to YouTube return the following message: "This video is no longer available due to a copyright claim by NBC Universal." Interestingly, many other SNL skits from this season -- particularly the Palin/Fey ones -- are still up there on YouTube. Now, there may be legitimate legal issues involved. Two characters lampooned happen to be real-life couple Herbert and Marion Sandlers who made billions off of subprime mortgages they sold to Wachvia. A caption on the skit reads, "People who should be shot." Ooops
Anyway, Michelle Malkin takes that and adds the Soros factor to assess what may have happened.
UPDATE II: Shh...don't tell anyone, but right click on this link and "Save As" to your computer.
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While Saturday Night Live did offer up another great Tina Fey-as-Sarah Palin skit this week (with Jason Sudekis doing a rather hilarious Joe Biden), it also included a lengthy, complex, skit on the bailout and the subprime policies that precipitated the crisis. It was not exactly flattering to congressional Democrats:
Whoever wrote this skit knows their stuff, because there are details in it that would go over the head of all but the most intense political junkie.
UPDATE: The scrubbing of this video has been pretty complete. In addition to it vanishing from NBC and Hulu, all versions of it posted to YouTube return the following message: "This video is no longer available due to a copyright claim by NBC Universal." Interestingly, many other SNL skits from this season -- particularly the Palin/Fey ones -- are still up there on YouTube. Now, there may be legitimate legal issues involved. Two characters lampooned happen to be real-life couple Herbert and Marion Sandlers who made billions off of subprime mortgages they sold to Wachvia. A caption on the skit reads, "People who should be shot." Ooops
Anyway, Michelle Malkin takes that and adds the Soros factor to assess what may have happened.
UPDATE II: Shh...don't tell anyone, but right click on this link and "Save As" to your computer.
UPDATE III: Late Tuesday afternoon, NBC released the following statement: "UPON REVIEW, WE CAUGHT CERTAIN ELEMENTS IN THE SKETCH THAT DIDN'T MEET OUR STANDARDS. WE TOOK IT DOWN AND MADE SOME MINOR CHANGES AND IT WILL BE BACK ONLINE SOON."
Stay tuned.
Labels: political humor, satire, Saturday Night Live
Sunday, March 16, 2008
Weekend Funnies
1) The full biography of Eliot Spitzer -- as it was meant to be. (This is a great site -- check out both the Rudy Giuliani and Barack Obama entries -- didn't know about Obama's three other kids, did ya?)
2) Speaking of the latter, Barely Political finally exposes the truth about the presidential contender's ethnic background.
3) All those celebrites that the Huffington Post hasn't managed to gobble up? Got 'em right here!
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2) Speaking of the latter, Barely Political finally exposes the truth about the presidential contender's ethnic background.
3) All those celebrites that the Huffington Post hasn't managed to gobble up? Got 'em right here!
Labels: Eliot Spitzer, political humor
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Be careful how you vote!
My dad emailed me this joke:
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While walking down the street one day a US Senator is tragically hit by a truck and dies.
His soul arrives in heaven and is met by St. Peter at the entrance.
"Welcome to heaven," says St. Peter. "Before you settle in, it seems there is a problem. We seldom see a high official around these parts, you see, so we're not sure what to do with you."
"No problem, just let me in," says the man.
"Well, I'd like to, but I have orders from higher up. What we'll do is have you spend one day in hell and one in heaven. Then you can choose where to spend eternity."
"Really, I've made up my mind. I want to be in heaven," says the Senator.
"I'm sorry, but we have our rules."
And with that, St. Peter escorts him to the elevator and he goes down, down, down to hell. The doors open and he finds himself in the middle of a green golf course. In the distance is a clubhouse and standing in front of it are all his friends and other politicians who had worked with him.
Everyone is very happy and in evening dress. They run to greet him, shake his hand, and reminisce about the good times they had while getting rich at the expense of the people.
They play a friendly game of golf and then dine on lobster, caviar and champagne.
Also present is the devil, who really is a very friendly guy who has a good time dancing and telling jokes. They are having such a good time that before he realizes it, it is time to go.
Everyone gives him a hearty farewell and waves while the elevator rises...
The elevator goes up, up, up and the door reopens in heaven where St. Peter is waiting for him.
"Now it's time to visit heaven."
So, 24 hours pass with the senator joining a group of contented souls moving from cloud to cloud, playing the harp and singing. They have a good time and, before he realizes it, the 24 hours have gone by and St. Peter returns.
"Well, then, you've spent a day in hell and another in heaven. Now choose your eternity."
The senator reflects for a minute, then he answers: "Well, I would never have said it before, I mean heaven has been delightful, but I think I would be better off in hell."
So St. Peter escorts him to the elevator and he goes down, down, down to hell.
Now the doors of the elevator open and he's in the middle of a barren land covered with waste and garbage.
He sees all his friends, dressed in rags, picking up the trash and putting it in black bags as more trash falls from above.
The devil comes over to him and puts his arm around his shoulder. "I don't understand," stammers the senator. "Yesterday I was here and there was a golf course and clubhouse, and we ate lobster and caviar, drank champagne, and danced and had a great time. Now there's just a wasteland full of garbage and my friends look miserable. What happened?"
The devil looks at him, smiles and says, "Yesterday we were campaigning. Today you voted."
Labels: political humor
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
Czar Lute?
Apparently, Czar "Juice" Harp, Czar "Lead" Guitar and Czar "War" Drum were unavailable for this position coordinating Iraq policy.
And, of course, Czar Lyre was rejected for rather obvious reasons.
His Iraqi counterpart, Czar Qawai, was unavailable for comment.
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And, of course, Czar Lyre was rejected for rather obvious reasons.
His Iraqi counterpart, Czar Qawai, was unavailable for comment.
Labels: Iraq War, political humor
Friday, April 13, 2007
RAG's Improv & Stand-Up Schedule!!
This is where you can find me this weekend starting tonight -- Friday the 13th (Black Friday as it is known) !
1) Friday, April 13 & Saturday, April 14: Improv at its bet with the talented cast of characters from The Yes Show. If you're a fan of "Who's Line Is It Anyway" -- or would like to figure out what those folks on NBC's "Thank God You're Here" should really be doing -- please drop by.
Location: Stonestreet Sudios, 48 W. 21st Street, Eighth Floor.
Time: 8:00 P.M.
Cost: $15 gets you great improv AND free beer! What a deal!
2) Sunday, April 15: Some bipartisan biting stand-up featuring the good (though deeply misguided) folks from "Laughing Liberally" and their conservative counterparts! Last summer's "Laughing With The Enemy" was so much fun (catch the excerpt right here), we decided to do another go-round. Appropriately enough, it's on the traditional Tax Day (don't worry, procrastinators, taxes this year aren't actually due until the 17th, so you can come see the show! I'll be exploring such diverse topics as the articulateness of Barack Obama and the, ahem, "abortive" presidential campaign of Rudy Giuliani!
On the left will be:
Lee Camp
Costaki Economopoulos
Katie Halper
On the right will be:
Greg Banks
Robert A. George (Oh, yeah, that's me!)
Daniel Nainan
Location: The Tank, 279 Church Street (between Franklin & White) in Tribeca.
Time: 8 p.m.
Cost: $10 (more ruthlessly inexpensive humor -- though I can't promise free beer at this one).
I hope to see you!
1) Friday, April 13 & Saturday, April 14: Improv at its bet with the talented cast of characters from The Yes Show. If you're a fan of "Who's Line Is It Anyway" -- or would like to figure out what those folks on NBC's "Thank God You're Here" should really be doing -- please drop by.
Location: Stonestreet Sudios, 48 W. 21st Street, Eighth Floor.
Time: 8:00 P.M.
Cost: $15 gets you great improv AND free beer! What a deal!
2) Sunday, April 15: Some bipartisan biting stand-up featuring the good (though deeply misguided) folks from "Laughing Liberally" and their conservative counterparts! Last summer's "Laughing With The Enemy" was so much fun (catch the excerpt right here), we decided to do another go-round. Appropriately enough, it's on the traditional Tax Day (don't worry, procrastinators, taxes this year aren't actually due until the 17th, so you can come see the show! I'll be exploring such diverse topics as the articulateness of Barack Obama and the, ahem, "abortive" presidential campaign of Rudy Giuliani!
On the left will be:
Lee Camp
Costaki Economopoulos
Katie Halper
On the right will be:
Greg Banks
Robert A. George (Oh, yeah, that's me!)
Daniel Nainan
Location: The Tank, 279 Church Street (between Franklin & White) in Tribeca.
Time: 8 p.m.
Cost: $10 (more ruthlessly inexpensive humor -- though I can't promise free beer at this one).
I hope to see you!
Labels: political humor, Robert George comedy
Monday, April 09, 2007
A Robert George Comedy Weekend!!
Hey, New York, fans!
You have a rare opportunity to catch your sort-of humble host -- politico, pundit & punster -- Robert George, three times this coming weekend (April 13-15) -- in two different comedic formats!
You have a rare opportunity to catch your sort-of humble host -- politico, pundit & punster -- Robert George, three times this coming weekend (April 13-15) -- in two different comedic formats!
1) Friday, April 13 & Saturday, April 14: I will be performing improv with a talented cast of performers in The Yes Show. If you're a fan of "Who's Line Is It Anyway" -- or would like to figure out what those folks on NBC's "Thank God You're Here" should really be doing -- come to The Yes Show.
Location: Stonestreet Sudios, 48 W. 21st Street, Eighth Floor.
Time: 8:00 P.M.
Cost: $15 gets you great improv AND free beer! What a deal!
2) Sunday, April 15: Robert George returns to the stand-up stage for another partnership with the good (though deeply misguided) folks from "Laughing Liberally." Last summer's "Laughing With The Enemy" was so much fun (catch the excerpt right here), we decided to do another go-round. Appropriately enough, it's on the traditional Tax Day (don't worry, procrastinators, you can come see the show: Uncle Sam has given East Coast folks two extra days to file -- no joke!).
I'll be exploring such diverse topics as the articulateness of Barack Obama and the, ahem, "abortive" presidential campaign of Rudy Giuliani!
I'll be exploring such diverse topics as the articulateness of Barack Obama and the, ahem, "abortive" presidential campaign of Rudy Giuliani!
On the left will be:
On the right will be:
Robert A. George (Oh, yeah, that's me!)
Location: The Tank, 279 Church Street (between Franklin & White) in Tribeca.
Time: 8 p.m.
Cost: $10 (more ruthlessly inexpensive humor -- though I can't promise free beer at this one).
I hope to see you at least once this weekend!
Labels: political humor, Robert George comedy
Friday, April 06, 2007
Easter Weekend Bits & Pieces
A Happy Good Friday and a wonderful Easter to all those who observe (and, heck, those who are on the lookout for Easter bunnies too)!
Some nuggets to digest for the weekend.
1) Russ Douthat asks the question that I've been wondering myself. (FYI, I think the honest answer is "No.")
2) Time's Joe Klein has an editorial meltdown.
3) The Onion News Network looks at the human cost of immigration:
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Some nuggets to digest for the weekend.
1) Russ Douthat asks the question that I've been wondering myself. (FYI, I think the honest answer is "No.")
2) Time's Joe Klein has an editorial meltdown.
3) The Onion News Network looks at the human cost of immigration:
Labels: George W. Bush, political humor, Rudy Giuliani
Sunday, April 01, 2007
Ragged Thots Endorses...
...Joe Biden as the next President -- of the Run-DMC Words of Wisdom Posse.
...Sam Brownback as the next President -- of Oz.
...Hillary Clinton as the next President -- of "The View".
...Chris Dodd as the next President -- of Cuba.
...John Edwards as the next President -- of the Hair Club For Men.
...Newt Gingrich as the next President -- of Amazon.com.
....Rudy Giuliani as the next President -- of the American Association for Marriage & Family Therapy.
...Al Gore as the next President -- of the Tracy Flick Appreciation Society.
...Mike Gravel as the next President -- of, uh, who the hell is Mike Gravel?
...Chuck Hagel as the nextPrince President -- of Denmark.
...Mike Huckabee as the next President -- of Applebee's.
...Dennis Kucinich as the next President -- of Lambda Lambda Lambda.
...John McCain as the next President -- of the Baghdad Hilton.
...Barack Obama as the next President -- of the Strom Thurmond Biracial Solidarity Society.
...Condoleezza Rice as the next President -- of the Oakland Raiders.
...Bill Richardson as the next President -- of Aztlan.
...Mitt Romney as the next President -- of The Waffle House.
...Al Sharpton as the next Vice President -- of the Strom Thurmond Biracial Solidarity Society.
...Tom Tancredo as the next President -- the West Coast Domestic Workers Association.
...Fred Thompson as the next President -- of the Screen Actors Guild.
...Tommy Thompson as the next President -- of the Wisconsin Dairy Products Association.
...April 1st as the next federal holiday.
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...Sam Brownback as the next President -- of Oz.
...Hillary Clinton as the next President -- of "The View".
...Chris Dodd as the next President -- of Cuba.
...John Edwards as the next President -- of the Hair Club For Men.
...Newt Gingrich as the next President -- of Amazon.com.
....Rudy Giuliani as the next President -- of the American Association for Marriage & Family Therapy.
...Al Gore as the next President -- of the Tracy Flick Appreciation Society.
...Mike Gravel as the next President -- of, uh, who the hell is Mike Gravel?
...Chuck Hagel as the next
...Mike Huckabee as the next President -- of Applebee's.
...Dennis Kucinich as the next President -- of Lambda Lambda Lambda.
...John McCain as the next President -- of the Baghdad Hilton.
...Barack Obama as the next President -- of the Strom Thurmond Biracial Solidarity Society.
...Condoleezza Rice as the next President -- of the Oakland Raiders.
...Bill Richardson as the next President -- of Aztlan.
...Mitt Romney as the next President -- of The Waffle House.
...Al Sharpton as the next Vice President -- of the Strom Thurmond Biracial Solidarity Society.
...Tom Tancredo as the next President -- the West Coast Domestic Workers Association.
...Fred Thompson as the next President -- of the Screen Actors Guild.
...Tommy Thompson as the next President -- of the Wisconsin Dairy Products Association.
...April 1st as the next federal holiday.
Labels: April Fool's Day, political humor, satire
Wednesday, March 07, 2007
Talented Pals
My erstwhile colleague Ryan Sager has returned to his old stomping grounds to launch and edit "New York Sun Politics." Looks quite good.
Meanwhile, my comedic comradette in arms, Julia Gorin (and her partners in crime) have a new "America Show" segment up:
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Meanwhile, my comedic comradette in arms, Julia Gorin (and her partners in crime) have a new "America Show" segment up:
Labels: julia gorin, New York Sun, political humor, politics, ryan sager
Saturday, January 27, 2007
Comedy Saturday
Since, we seem to be on a YouTube roll here this week, let me do my bit -- but with humor instead of music.
I finally got around to getting my "Laughing Liberally/Laughing With The Enemy" stand-up show from last summer in my hands and in uploadable form! This is a good synopsis with my best bits included and good stuff from a few of the other performers.
Enjoy:
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I finally got around to getting my "Laughing Liberally/Laughing With The Enemy" stand-up show from last summer in my hands and in uploadable form! This is a good synopsis with my best bits included and good stuff from a few of the other performers.
Enjoy:
Friday, January 19, 2007
A Jew, an Arab and A Black Guy walk into a blog...
It's rare that I get to do a two-fer shout-out, but here's one.
My New York Post colleague Max Gross also freelances for the Forward, one of the oldest publications focusing on the Jewish community. In the latest issue, he has an article on Dean Obeidallah, the Palestinian-Italian comic I've gotten to know over the last year. (Dean and I "closed" the Laughing Liberall/Laughing With The Enemy show in August. Though I don't usually hawk liberal enterprises, the LL guys and gals were nice enough to include some of my act in Laughing Liberally DVD, so if you're interested, you can purchase it here.
Max writes about Dean's new project: He's the creator and producer of "The Watch List" which highlights Arab- and Muslim American comics. It's accessible on Comedy Central's "Motherload" broadband site.
Max and I attended the launch party for the "Watch List" a couple weeks back. Anyway, good article by Max -- and go check out the "Watch List" videos, when you get a chance. Oh, and yeah, buy the DVD too. I might even get a few shekels out of it, if enough are sold!
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My New York Post colleague Max Gross also freelances for the Forward, one of the oldest publications focusing on the Jewish community. In the latest issue, he has an article on Dean Obeidallah, the Palestinian-Italian comic I've gotten to know over the last year. (Dean and I "closed" the Laughing Liberall/Laughing With The Enemy show in August. Though I don't usually hawk liberal enterprises, the LL guys and gals were nice enough to include some of my act in Laughing Liberally DVD, so if you're interested, you can purchase it here.
Max writes about Dean's new project: He's the creator and producer of "The Watch List" which highlights Arab- and Muslim American comics. It's accessible on Comedy Central's "Motherload" broadband site.
Max and I attended the launch party for the "Watch List" a couple weeks back. Anyway, good article by Max -- and go check out the "Watch List" videos, when you get a chance. Oh, and yeah, buy the DVD too. I might even get a few shekels out of it, if enough are sold!
Labels: Dean Obeidallah, Laughing Liberally, Max Gross, political humor
Tuesday, December 19, 2006
Eclipsed Mooney
I went to see comedian Paul Mooney Sunday night at Caroline's on Broadway in New York.
I've seen Mooney several times before. A legend in social observational comedy, he was a close friend of and writer for Richard Pryor.
Indeed, Pryor insisted that Mooney's work be added to the regular "Saturday Night Live" stable when he hosted the show for the first time; it was the only time that SNL allowed a host to bring in his own writer. That was the episode which featured the legendary (Mooney-written) Pryor-Chevy Chase insult trade-off. Mooney went on to write for "In Living Color" and Dave Chappelle.
If there is anyone that managed to take the N-word to creative heights, it would have to be Mooney. One can't ever sugarcoat the experience of a Mooney comedy show. It's very disturbing whether one is white or black. But, it is true social satire with a very sharp point.
Mooney recently announced that -- in the wake of the Michael Richards meltdown -- he would no longer use the word "nigger" in his act:
It seems impossible; it is what has made him. Mooney can say that he used it likes an alcoholic, but the truth is, a Mooney show was an exegesis on one of the most controversial taboo words in American history. Seeing and hearing Mooney made one recognize the banality of the average rappers use of the word.
Now, don't get me wrong, Mooney can still be funny without using the N-word or any curse words -- as seen in this clip from his appearance on Greta Van Susteren.
However, there is more to what Mooney does than just tell jokes -- in the same way that comics such as Pryor, Lenny Bruce, George Carlin, Chris Rock do more than just "tell jokes." It is observational humor about politics and social mores going beyond simple relationships and family structure.
The joke that he makes above about the kid and the chocolate cake is still funny, but it is funnier when the N-word is used. Furthermore, there are parts of his act which revolve around the power of the word -- such as, "I say 'nigger' as much as I can because it makes my teeth whiten."
Anyway, I was curious to see what a "nigger-free" Mooney show would seem like. This was his first weekend of performances
Anyone who's seen him before can tell the difference between this Mooney and the man of yore.
As he said, he now just uses "black man" or "African-American." His famed "Nigger Wake-Up Call" routine (the moment when a 'celebrity' or 'buppie" black person suddenly realizes his true status in American society) has been replaced with a sanitized "wake-up call." Take my word for it; it doesn't have the same impact. There are parts that are still quite funny, but it sounds like one's favorite band playing a show where the guitars are slightly out of tune.
But what struck me as most tragic was that Mooney had allowed Michael Richards' "breakdown" (as Mooney refers to it) to emasculate Paul Mooney the wrathful social observer.
The commenter on all these fascinating celebrity shenanigans and their racial subtext was struck dumb when it came to the most blatant use of it publicly in decades. A has-been named Michael Richards killed the beastly Paul Mooney - and it is a tragic loss.
I am not a native-born American. I can't say that I've grown up and lived the same sort of American life that Paul Mooney has.
While I can respect this decision to stop using the word, I feel he owes it to the audience that has supported him for years to explain himself. He was the man who had elevated the word to a existential height forcing people to think about it.
Now, he doesn't even reference once -- in his act -- his decision NOT to use it? And "why?"
Indeed, he didn't even reference the Richards incident AT ALL (Oh, and despite what he said in the interview above, he did use the word "bitch"). He can talk about Nicole Richie's arrest, Britney Spears and Lindsay Lohan's problems, plus various racial situations going back years -- but he can't even MENTION the Richards incident?
The worst thing a comedian can be is dishonest. And Paul Mooney was being dishonest with his audience Sunday night. And will continue to be if he chooses to not merely no longer use the "word", but even avoid discussing the incident that has forced him to make the biggest creative decision of his entire life.
Sad.
And ironic too: The man who created the "nigger wake-up call" has chosen to take a "Kramer sleeping pill."
UPDATE: BET.com's Jennifer Daniels is much harsher on Mooney and has a much lower opinion of his talent than I. However, she comes to a similar conclusion about his sincerity:
Technorati Tags: Paul Mooney, Michael Richards, comedy, Caroline's
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I've seen Mooney several times before. A legend in social observational comedy, he was a close friend of and writer for Richard Pryor.
Indeed, Pryor insisted that Mooney's work be added to the regular "Saturday Night Live" stable when he hosted the show for the first time; it was the only time that SNL allowed a host to bring in his own writer. That was the episode which featured the legendary (Mooney-written) Pryor-Chevy Chase insult trade-off. Mooney went on to write for "In Living Color" and Dave Chappelle.
If there is anyone that managed to take the N-word to creative heights, it would have to be Mooney. One can't ever sugarcoat the experience of a Mooney comedy show. It's very disturbing whether one is white or black. But, it is true social satire with a very sharp point.
Mooney recently announced that -- in the wake of the Michael Richards meltdown -- he would no longer use the word "nigger" in his act:
But, for those who've seen him, the idea of an "N-word"-less Mooney show would be like Bill Maher hosting his show for the last six years -- and not mentioning George W. Bush.AP: You helped pioneer the use of the n-word in black comedy many years ago, didn't you?
Mooney: Oh yeah. I had a romance with the word. I worked with Richard Pryor using the word. It was so destructive - it was created by whites to hurt and destroy - and we were trying to defuse it, trying to desensitize people to it. We did it every chance we got, we would drive people crazy. We were very funny at it. But Richard backed off the word in the early 1980s. He went to Africa and came back and said he didn't see any n-people there. But I said, 'That's him, that's not me.' I was very much into it like an alcoholic was into (liquor).
AP: Any idea how many times you've used the word?
Mooney: Oh, honey, you can't count it! If I had a dollar for every time I used the n-word I'd be a billionaire.
.................
AP: So, what happened last week? You heard about Richards at the Laugh Factory - he was caught on tape attacking black audience members.
Mooney: I have known Michael Richards for something like 20 years. We're friends. But I heard about the tape and I said, 'That doesn't sound like a comic routine. That sounds like a breakdown.' Then I saw the tape and I had an out of body experience. It was so ugly, so horrible. I hadn't heard (the n-word) like this - from someone I knew. Suddenly, I was directly connected. I was able to look at it not just through my eyes but through the eyes of the world. I had always thought it was endearing. It's NOT. It's not an equal opportunity word. I don't want everyone running around saying it.
.......................AP: Do you think your comedy will suffer - can you be as edgy without the shock value of the word? I mean, you've used it constantly for so long.
Mooney: I'm an n-word alcoholic and I will not be drinking from the n-bar. I will say 'black' or I will say 'African American.'
AP: Can you tell me a joke that you've told in the past with the n-word and show me how you'll change it?
Mooney: There was a white lady baking a cake for her little white son. She turned her back and he took the chocolate icing and smeared it on his face and said, "Mommy, look! I'm black!" She slaps him and says, "Don't ever do that again. Now go tell your father what you did." So the boy goes to his father and does the same thing and gets slapped again. The father sends him to his grandfather and he does it again and the grandfather slaps him, too. So the boy goes back to his mother and she says, "Well, Timmy, what have you learned today?" He says, "I learned I've only been black five minutes and I already hate white people."
AP: Ha!
Mooney: Believe me, it will get just as big a laugh. Oh yeah, honey, it's a new Mooney. And another thing - I will not be using the b-word (to refer to women) anymore either.
AP: Oh?
Mooney: I'll say 'heifer' instead. In my wildest dreams, I never thought I'd be saying this, but it's a whole new world. A new time. I can't change the past, but one person can change the future - anything can happen. I'm taking my stand.
It seems impossible; it is what has made him. Mooney can say that he used it likes an alcoholic, but the truth is, a Mooney show was an exegesis on one of the most controversial taboo words in American history. Seeing and hearing Mooney made one recognize the banality of the average rappers use of the word.
Now, don't get me wrong, Mooney can still be funny without using the N-word or any curse words -- as seen in this clip from his appearance on Greta Van Susteren.
However, there is more to what Mooney does than just tell jokes -- in the same way that comics such as Pryor, Lenny Bruce, George Carlin, Chris Rock do more than just "tell jokes." It is observational humor about politics and social mores going beyond simple relationships and family structure.
The joke that he makes above about the kid and the chocolate cake is still funny, but it is funnier when the N-word is used. Furthermore, there are parts of his act which revolve around the power of the word -- such as, "I say 'nigger' as much as I can because it makes my teeth whiten."
Anyway, I was curious to see what a "nigger-free" Mooney show would seem like. This was his first weekend of performances
Anyone who's seen him before can tell the difference between this Mooney and the man of yore.
As he said, he now just uses "black man" or "African-American." His famed "Nigger Wake-Up Call" routine (the moment when a 'celebrity' or 'buppie" black person suddenly realizes his true status in American society) has been replaced with a sanitized "wake-up call." Take my word for it; it doesn't have the same impact. There are parts that are still quite funny, but it sounds like one's favorite band playing a show where the guitars are slightly out of tune.
But what struck me as most tragic was that Mooney had allowed Michael Richards' "breakdown" (as Mooney refers to it) to emasculate Paul Mooney the wrathful social observer.
The commenter on all these fascinating celebrity shenanigans and their racial subtext was struck dumb when it came to the most blatant use of it publicly in decades. A has-been named Michael Richards killed the beastly Paul Mooney - and it is a tragic loss.
I am not a native-born American. I can't say that I've grown up and lived the same sort of American life that Paul Mooney has.
While I can respect this decision to stop using the word, I feel he owes it to the audience that has supported him for years to explain himself. He was the man who had elevated the word to a existential height forcing people to think about it.
Now, he doesn't even reference once -- in his act -- his decision NOT to use it? And "why?"
Indeed, he didn't even reference the Richards incident AT ALL (Oh, and despite what he said in the interview above, he did use the word "bitch"). He can talk about Nicole Richie's arrest, Britney Spears and Lindsay Lohan's problems, plus various racial situations going back years -- but he can't even MENTION the Richards incident?
The worst thing a comedian can be is dishonest. And Paul Mooney was being dishonest with his audience Sunday night. And will continue to be if he chooses to not merely no longer use the "word", but even avoid discussing the incident that has forced him to make the biggest creative decision of his entire life.
Sad.
And ironic too: The man who created the "nigger wake-up call" has chosen to take a "Kramer sleeping pill."
UPDATE: BET.com's Jennifer Daniels is much harsher on Mooney and has a much lower opinion of his talent than I. However, she comes to a similar conclusion about his sincerity:
Don't get me wrong – I applaud your decision. I just question your reasons behind it.
It would be one thing if you'd have some life-changing experience, like Richard Pryor, or if you were forced to re-examine your material like Dave Chappelle, or if you had a skit that caught fire and you had White people in your face, like Chris Rock. Maybe you just needed another reason to be on television, since Chappelle's meltdown put you off the air. I guess that's as good a reason as any.
Something about a television camera in a person's face that always seems to make one have an epiphany.But if it's one thing about Black folks, it's this: We know when someone is being less than sincere. We've had a lifetime of having to measure good intentions from dealing with White people, so we can spot a fraud amongst our own right away. You've made a rather bold resolution, just weeks before the New Year. Only time will tell if you'll stick by it – or if you ever intended to. Good luck to you if you did. God help you if you didn't.
UPDATE: Another outlet for topical humor, SNL's "Weekend Update," makes use of the "Kramer" incident in a different, but hilariously funny way. It also is more evidence that this has been one of the more consistently funny "Saturday Night Live" seasons in some time.
Technorati Tags: Paul Mooney, Michael Richards, comedy, Caroline's
Labels: comedy, Michael Richards, Paul Mooney, political humor
