Guest host on Beck suggests if Obama elected, political correctness will kill comedy: "[E]veryone will be so scared of saying anything"
On Glenn Beck, guest host Michael Graham discussed political correctness in comedy with comedian Nick DiPaolo. Asking DiPaolo if his "comedian friends" thought that "if we have a President Obama, comedy will be dead," Graham said, "[E]veryone will be so scared of saying anything," and added: "You'll be scared to order blackened red fish, because you're afraid that an African-American or Native American will beat the crap out of you for it."
On the May 29 edition of CNN Headline News' Glenn Beck, guest host Michael Graham discussed political correctness in comedy with comedian Nick DiPaolo. Asking DiPaolo if his "comedian friends" thought that "if we have a President [Barack] Obama, comedy will be dead," Graham said, "[E]veryone will be so scared of saying anything," and added: "You'll be scared to order blackened red fish, because you're afraid that an African-American or Native American will beat the crap out of you for it."
Appearing on the June 20, 2007, edition of Glenn Beck, Graham stated that while watching a spoof of a scene from the series finale of HBO's The Sopranos featuring former President Bill Clinton and Sen. Hillary Clinton, he wanted to see someone "whack" the Clintons.
From the May 29 edition of CNN Headline News' Glenn Beck:
GRAHAM: Are your comedian friends telling you what my talk show's telling me, which is, if we have a President Obama, comedy will be dead? Not because of any, you know, political action or government action, because everyone will be so scared of saying anything.
You'll be scared to order blackened red fish, because you're afraid that an African-American or Native American will beat the crap out of you for it.
DiPAOLO: Well, I think this campaign's actually been a blessing, because you've got a woman and an African-American, you know, running for the Democratic nomination. Because all of a sudden, all this political correctness, that they -- this environment that they created over the last 20 years --
GRAHAM: Yeah.
DiPAOLO: -- is coming back to bite them in the ass.
GRAHAM: You are absolutely right. Nick DiPaolo --
DiPAOLO: And I'm enjoying it.
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Might I suggest their reading the satires of Jonathan Swift, perhaps classics of the genre in their own right.
For starters, of course, Gulliver's Travels, oft mistaken as a classic of juvenile fiction when, in fact, such was intended as a satire of men and manners (the point of which is widely missed in many of the children's editions, which concentrate only on the first two voyages--Lilliput and Brobdignag--and ignore the others, especially so the climatic one to where the yahoos [representing Vice] and hooyhnhms [representing Virtue] resideth).
Also worth recommending from the Swift repretoire would have to be "A Modest Proposal," which took issue @ English policies towards the poor of Ireland by suggesting, tongue-in-cheek, that the children of poor families be fattened and slaughtered as meat for the wealthy.
Not to mention "The Predictions for the Year 1708" (written as "Isaac Bickerstaff"), which was a classic among April Fool's leg-pulls ... not to mention his intending such as an indictment of such who take almanacks, and the "prognostications" so published, rather literally--especially so the poorer and less-educated sort.
After all, the object of satire is to express moral outrage without being too preachy about it.
PHXDOS, Are you saying that Gullivers Travels isn't a true story.
Signed,
Glenn Beck
The daily phoenix wrote:
>>For starters, of course, Gulliver's Travels, oft mistaken as a classic of juvenile fiction when, in fact, such was intended as a satire of men and manners (the point of which is widely missed in many of the children's editions, which concentrate only on the first two voyages--Lilliput and Brobdignag--and ignore the others, especially so the climatic one to where the yahoos [representing Vice] and hooyhnhms [representing Virtue] resideth).
What are you talking about? Who exactly thinks that *Gulliver's Travels* is juvenile fiction, except those people who never picked up a book in their lives and watched the cartoon version? And are you trying you own hand at satire with the verb "resideth?" Beyond that, I don't even know what your point is. I can't see how Swift's works, which don't even translate that well to our age, have to do with the previous post.
Graham was trying to make the point that Barak Obama will mean the death of Comedy.
Comedy survived the election of Hiram Revels, it survived the election of Barak Obama, and it will survive if he is elected president.
Graham has no point.
Pete, Come on, do you really think he was seriously trying to make that point, the death of comedy? If he was serious he wouldn't have had a comedian on to make the point, he would have had some sociological thinker on or something.
Apparently we see it differently, I see it as a harmless fluff tongue-in-cheek piece by a host and a comedian. You see it far more seriously than I do.
You need a sociologist for that sh!t. Damn straight.
You make a good point, but I suppose there could be an element of truth in what they are saying. It's probably not a huge stretch to think that certain people or groups will use race to try and invalidate criticisms, funny or unfunny, about Obama. I can see that happening. On the other side of the coin, there will also be those who will say Obama supporters will use his race as a shield from criticism, in order to invalidate it.
Tired angles, both of them.
Concerning satire...
Rec'd an old email concerning Obama and the National Anthem in which it states that Obama wants to change the National Anthem to the Pepsi song about----I'd like the world to sing in perfect harmony, etc. Outrageuos as it sounds people real believe that email. The info in the email was a satirical piece written by someone in Phoenix last year. But now, that "satire" has a life of its own. So as small it may seem now, the "death of comedy" line will reappear down the road.
I would change the Anthem to "It's A Small World" (Disney) but I would fear the rath and lose the vote of Small People in America. Didn't want to say midget because it is not PC, satirically speaking
Tommy,
That may be, but you know as well as I and MMFA that some will take what they say as gospel, even iwhen it is from a bobblehead like Glen Beck.
Since any thinking person couldn't for a second believe that political correctness will reign supreme with an Obama presidency needs to have their head examined!
It's just like the right-wing talking point that a return of the Fairness Doctrine will forever silence right-wing talk, when all it will do is force both views to be heard equally and that no one corporation can own more than one media type in a given market......
I can certainly understand (but I don't care) why the right-wing is nervous......
Tommy,
"The discussion is with a comedian"
True..... but Beck interviewed him as if he was being for real and not as a comedian...
I agree with you that those that do fall for it are at fault.... but perhaps that is why MMFA feels it necessary to thread this here? Because of the precieved 'reality' of the discussion.
'Predictions For The Year 1708' compliments of thedailyphosdex...feel free to substitute punditry for astrology:
-- I HAVE long considered the gross abuse of astrology in this
kingdom, and upon debating the matter with myself, I could not
possibly lay the fault upon the art, but upon those gross impostors
who set up to be the artists...
who import a yearly
stock of nonsense, lies, folly, and impertinence, which they offer
to the world as genuine from the planets, though they descend from
no greater a height than their own brains. -- Jonathan Swift
Thanks for the great read phosdex...
I am not sure if you're talking to me or not, but I will go on record, absolutely, in front of God and everybody here, that if Barack Obama wants to ban all comedy, I will be against it.......what in the world will he do with you, if that is the case?
HAHA!!!
It's just like the right-wing talking point that a return of the Fairness Doctrine will forever silence right-wing talk, when all it will do is force both views to be heard equally and that no one corporation can own more than one media type in a given market......
The fairness doctrine was before my time and I'm not entirely familiar with it. However, is it fair to say that it authorizes the FCC to determine which "views" are aired equally? I know the question isn't conducive to a quick response, but my impression is that the doctrine permits political appointees at the FCC to determine which "views" must be aired to the public. Particularly with respect to social policy, foreign affairs, economics and so forth, I think there's many different ways at looking at a particular policy, not just a "left" or "right" standpoint. Using the FD, how is it decided which opposing view must get equal time?
But since propaganda takes much longer to take hold while the truth will set you free in the blink of an eye, I can understand why Reagan didn't want his propaganda media wing to be subjected to opposing arguments.
IMO, the revival of the Fairness Doctrine would have to be contingent on giving the FCC the power to regulate, basically, all political/social commentary on "the people's airwaves. It's a bad idea, especially given the proclivities of the bureaucrats and career politicians. We've already had Sen. Stevens try to impose regular-TV standards on cable TV broadcasts... what's to stop the ol' debbil of "mission creep" from spreading past the parameters of talk radio?
As for the concept of politically-correct speech... just imagine how boring Dave Chappelle's show would've been, or how dry Carlos Mencia would be today, if they had to constantly worry about Speech Police yammering about how they were "offended" by what these men say.
Like the way Robert Byrd did on national TV?
No, I'm sorry, but it's not about the right to use the "N"-word. It goes far deeper than that. Nobody SHOULD be using it, but do we want it enforced by the way of law?
I think blamiong your lack of comedic talent on the stifling effects of PC is about the same as tapping the mic and saying "Is this thing on?"
I remember going to comedy clubs in the 80s when there was that big stand-up boom, and that was the easiest way for the hack to blame somebody else.
The other desperate save was meeting the silence after the bomb with a wave of the hand over the head, accompanied by a "whooosh" sound.
A lot of very unfunny people seemed convinced that they were too edgy or too smart for the room.
And yet, ANSWER is calling for a boycott over the "meaningless" scarf.
Perhaps it is not so meaningless afterall.
Perhaps it is not so meaningless afterall.
- LEATHERHELMET / Saturday May 31, 2008 7:38:33 PM EDT
It has meaning now because Michelle Malkin and her cohort's anti-Arab bigotry has intimidated a corporation into pulling an innocuous ad and validating her hatred against a portion of the American public.
Ever since appearing in blackface became unacceptable, a lot of the talent dried up and went into punditry.
king,
I hope you're happy...I just blew hot coffee all over my keyboard and screen.
That was funny...I don't care who you are.
If you run out of anything to do...and mmfa has an opening...I suggest you look into it. This thread is a perfect example of why they need more humor in the staff room at mmfa...this is a nothing article.
Worrier,
I didn't realize Air America was still on? :-)
AA, I think the point has been made about conservative humor, no need for backup.
but, huh?
Worrier,I didn't realize Air America was still on? :-) (Barney Fife)
Seriously, did anybody understand the joke?Was it just typical conservative humor (no point, no basis in reality,not funny in any way), or did I miss it?
I didn't realize Air America was still on?
You don't realize that the sky is blue and that water is wet, either.
AA,
Try cutting and pasting into an empty notepad document first. Then Ctrl+A to select all. Copy and paste again into MMFA's dialogue box. For some reason MMFA keeps the formating of the place you originally cut and pasted from unless you do that.
how will the election of Barack Obama change anyone's PC-driven trepidation over ordering "blackened red fish"?
how is some imagined "political correctness" environment "coming back to bite" the Democrats "in the ass"?
Not really sure what either of these guys is saying here. Sounds more like it's just an excuse to ridicule Democrats while employing some dusty buzzwords to me.
I didn't think it possible the guest host could be a bigger jackass than the host,
but......
Hillary gave LBJ credit for helping Luther King realize his dream.Wasting no time, Obama supporters called this "playing the race card".
Go figure.
Not so much what was said but how it was said. It was a dismissive comment about how Obama has views that are good starting points, but like MLK Jr, it would take a president to get it done. It had the racial undertones, she was equating her self to LBJ (obviously) and Obama to MLK, with no real basis for the analogy at all.
I really would like to know what exactly is playing the race card and what is pointing out that something does in fact have racial undertones. Everyone cries race card at every opportunity, when most of the time, the allegations are justified and people just don't like to hear about it because they have this seriously flawed idea that race doesn't matter in America while the prominent members of society (the elite) are on TV proving it wrong. Voters are proving it wrong, too. The race card is a term used by someone playing the denial card, and that one's the real trump card.
Hillary's comment belittling King's struggle was unnecessary, but it wasn't playing 'the race card'. She merely suggested that King needed a President to realize his dream.
Fortunately, the President and the dreamer are one and the same, this time.
Elect Barack Obama in 2008!
Belittle? I don't believe pointing out a historical fact in anyway belittles what MLK did. Does suggesting MLK did it all himself belittle what LBJ did? I would say yes. Both men did a great service to our country. Let's leave it at that.
While I don't mean to belittle LBJ's signing of the Civil Rights bill, I must point out, he simply used a pen.
MLK and others gave their lives for the right to be treated as a human being. King marched the streets holding nonviolent protests while dogs and fire hoses were used to stop him. He was beaten, jailed and his family lived under constant death threats. And the government he was trying to change choose to secretly wiretapped him.
While Hillary was right, it took LBJ's signature to make it law it took MLK's life and many many others to demand civil rights.
Pearlene, you are the best. Well put.
Hillary's comment belittling King's struggle was unnecessary, but it wasn't playing 'the race card'.
Belittling? No way. She simply pointed out that MLK & LBJ were both responsible in making the Civil Rights Act possible.
It was the Obama surrogates, supporters & the media that played the race card on this one.
I'm pretty certain most comedians [and others] will not deliberately deliver jokes that offend Obama if they are even borderline racist in anyway.
However, you'll have folks out there that will claim racism in regards to any jokes at Obama's expense.
It's sadly true; a whole lot of satirical takes on the Obama presidency or jokes at his expense--equal to those made about all earlier presidents--are going to be attacked as having "undercurrents" of racism. Many Obama supporters this year have been so unjust on this issue as it applied to political criticisms, that they will certainly find in humor about Obama darker more suspicious "undercurrents." One piece of evidence-- just a few weeks ago a minor uproar happened when SNL dared to give the role of Obama to a white actor. You'd think we were watching a minstrel show of the 20's! No, thin skins will make the Lettermans and Lenos of the country afraid to say much of anything satirical about Mr. Obama. Oh, and Jon Stewart will pull all his punches, saving his satire for Republicans or perhaps still for Hilllary as he's done all year.
It was the Obama surrogates, supporters & the media that played the race card on this one.
LBJ signed a bill. He was never beaten, jailed, attacked by dogs or sprayed with fire hoses. He never lived under constant death threats nor were his phone lines wiretapped by his government. While I'm thankful that LBJ signed the bill it was the blood, sweat and lives of MLK and others that gave LBJ the opportunity to sign a bill.
Pointing out that fact is NOT "playing the race card" it's simply the TRUTH!
Racism is alive and well in the Afro American community and we already know it without Glenn Beck.
Hillary spoke the truth, but some people in America want a black man to be President so she was called a racist. Shame on them.
Racism is alive and well in the Afro American community and we already know it without Glenn Beck.
It's AFRICAN American community, Afro is a freaking hair style! The fact that you're calling African Americans 'Afro' shows your lack of knowledge.
Hillary spoke the truth, but some people in America want a black man to be President so she was called a racist. Shame on them.
Hillary no more spoke the truth than you did! If it wasn't for MLK and others, LBJ wouldn't have a damn bill to sign in the first place!
The shame is totally yours!
I guess the greatest trick conservatives ever mastered was the art of projection.
Did I forget to mention deflection is probably the second finest asset in the conservative handbook?
We can chalk up the realization of the Bizarro World to the cons.
Nice job dandec.
A little comedic corn in the water and the carp rise in a boil.
Still waiting for someone to explain that one to me.
All this thread proves is that the Glen Beck Show can be just as lame when its lame host isn't hosting it.
Call me crazy, or wouldn't we want a president we don't make fun of. Don't we want a president that is not the laughing stock of the world. Who do these guys talk to? I don't understand what they are talking about.
Are you kidding me. What? Is (if he is is elected) President Obama send out the PC police and arrest you or shut down your radio or TV station?
The one we should fear is HRC and her Mafia of troups who will re-instate the fairness doctrine and all Media will be stifle.
I don't worry since McCain will be President no matter who the Democratic opponent is. Especially Obama.
I happen to agree that the Afro Americans are not about to allow anyone to say anything that they will construe as racist.
It has already been going on for months, so many people voted for Obama because of white guilt.
If there is a God, then hopefully we will not have to worry about it.
Why haven't you defended sexism and why have you allowed the MSM to turn Obama into a Messiah? Surely, if he is a racist he has to expect it to be returned.
The Bill Clinton Administration had more blacks than white, and yet no one defended him when he was called a racist. It was allowed so it could help to defeat his wifes candidacy.
People are going to wake up without the right wing press, and hopefully it will be in time to vote for John McCain and save this country from grief.
Sadly it will be too late for Hillary.
With a Democratic Congress and since McCain is not so conservative, I think it will save pain and more aggravated racism in this country.
Any reason why African Americans should tolerate racism?
"It has already been going on for months, so many people voted for Obama because of white guilt."
Have any statistics to back that up?
"The Bill Clinton Administration had more blacks than white, and yet no one defended him when he was called a racist. It was allowed so it could help to defeat his wifes candidacy."
I actually agree with you here somewhat. Rampant sexism against Hillary was allowed in the MSM and even liberal pundits who should have known better involved themselves in tarring innocent Hillary statements as racist.
"People are going to wake up without the right wing press, and hopefully it will be in time to vote for John McCain and save this country from grief. Sadly it will be too late for Hillary."
So you are one of those "Democrats" who is going to vote for a Republican if your candidate doesn't win?
"With a Democratic Congress and since McCain is not so conservative, I think it will save pain and more aggravated racism in this country."
You'll have to diagram that sentence for me. Are you saying that Obama is a racist or are you saying that an Obama presidency will aggravate racism in this country?
McCain has already made it very clear that he is going to stack the Supreme Court with Scalia and Thomas clones, and that he is itching to start a war with Iran. If McCain gets elected, what makes you think that there will be a Democratic congress? Our "majority" in the senate right now is based on Joseph Lieberman, who is a McCain sycophant.
Hillary supporters who say they are voting McCain when they otherwise would have voted for the Democrats are either cutting off their noses to spite their faces, or are (as I've discovered in other forums) Republican "Operation Chaos" type troublemakers trying to pass themselves off as troubled Dems. Which are you?
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/racism