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Printed from https://www.writing.com/main/newsletters/action/archives/id/3708-.html
Comedy: May 05, 2010 Issue [#3708]

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Comedy


 This week:
  Edited by: Robert Waltz
                             More Newsletters By This Editor  

Table of Contents

1. About this Newsletter
2. A Word from our Sponsor
3. Letter from the Editor
4. Editor's Picks
5. A Word from Writing.Com
6. Ask & Answer
7. Removal instructions

About This Newsletter

"I had thought — I had been told — that a 'funny' thing is a thing of a goodness. It isn't. Not ever is it funny to the person it happens to. Like that sheriff without his pants. The goodness is in the laughing itself. I grok it is a bravery... and a sharing... against pain and sorrow and defeat."
- Valentine Michael Smith
(Robert Heinlein,
Stranger in a Strange Land)


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Letter from the editor

POLITICAL HUMOR


         Sure, some people think that politics is one big joke - or perhaps they focus their laughter on one particular politician or party - but still, politics can fuel many a wisecrack. It gets even funnier when the politicians themselves make the jokes - especially when they poke fun at themselves.

         Love him or hate him (or anything in between), it seems Barack Obama has a sense of humor.

         This year, at the annual White House Correspondents' Dinner, the President even out-joked professional comedians (Republicans, this is your cue to chorus, "That's because he's a clown!" Democrats, this is your cue to activate your squirt flowers.)

         But look, I'm not here to shill for one party or the other - except maybe the Comedy Party, which considering some of the stuff the politicians get away with, would be a refreshing break. Imagine how the nuclear disarmament talks with the Russians would have gone if the Comedy Party were in charge:

         Comedy Party President: "Mr. Medvedev, nuclear weapons aren't funny. Let's go fission!"

         Medvedev: "That pun doesn't even make sense."

         CPP: "I told you it wasn't funny. So what do you say, Dim? We'll disarm 3000 of our warheads if you do the same."

         Medvedev: "Nyet, tovarisch... I do not think so."

         CPP: "Oh, come on... we'll throw in a freighter full of whoopie cushions."

         Medvedev: "Fart jokes do not translate to Russian."

         CPP: "So we both have the right to arm bears?" 1

         Medvedev: "In Soviet Russia, nukes disarm YOU."


         Okay, maybe not. But we were discussing Obama's jokes.

         Here's a story on it from the Guardian, a British newspaper (since all the American newspapers have a political bias, according to the political party other than the one in the bias): http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/may/02/barack-oboma-outjokes-jay-leno

         Obama began saying was busy and had hesitated over coming. "Biden talked me into it. He leaned over and he said, 'Mr President this is no ordinary dinner. This is a big (ELECTRONIC BLEEP)in' meal'."

         Okay, maybe some of you don't think it's funny that the President of the United States, Commander in Chief of the US Military, Leader of the Free World, would deliberately say the F word in front of people.

         Me, I think it's hilarious.

         Here's a link to the actual comedy routine: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aYsGwLWqWI4

         Which leads me to the next observation, which is that in comedy, you always need to know your audience. Would he have gotten away with that joke at a church dinner? Probably not, unless it was an exceedingly cool church. But in this context, everyone knew that he was referring to Biden's open-mike gaffe at the signing of the health care bill.

         It appears that the principal function of a vice-president, these days, is to appear so unappetizing to the President's political opponents that none of them would consider taking any action that would cause the VP to become the P.

         Hey, it worked for Bush, right? And it would've worked for McCain. And it worked for Clinton, and the first Bush, and Reag---- wait, it didn't work for Reagan. So much for that theory.

         The laughter isn't restricted for our political overlords, though - save some for our corporate overlords, too. Why, I heard that as a Goldman Sachs executive was going through security on his way into the Capitol Building, he was asked to turn out his pockets - and when he did, five senators fell out.

         Oh, wait, that's really a political joke, too. Speaking of which, you notice no one's talking about Goldman Sachs anymore? Yeah, that's because there was that oil rig disaster in the Gulf of Mexico. A particularly conveniently-timed disaster for any OTHER large corporation trying to stay out of the news right now... hmmm....

         Anyway, with all the divisive political ranting going on in the US right now, we can all use some good comedy. So go out there and laugh it up - and laugh all the way to the polls in November.


Editor's Picks

Some political humor:

 
BARNYARD POLITICS  [E]
Never have so many done so little for so few.
by Oldwarrior


 Invalid Item  []

by A Guest Visitor


 The Community Interest Guarding Act  [E]
"How to Spark a Dragging Economy" Satire
by Chris Kenyon


 Republican in Hiding  [13+]
Republican running for re-election and trying not to be associated with the President.
by thisoddlife


 Because Pubes Are Important...  [18+]
A satirical look at American politics and the importance of a candidate's image.
by jonathan william


 Learning about Political Stereotypes  [E]
Lessons learned from Democrats and Republicans.
by sdereign


 Invalid Item  []

by A Guest Visitor

 
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Ask & Answer

Last time, in "Comedy Newsletter (April 7, 2010), I griped about taxes.

Aennaytte: Free & Wild in GoT : You have done it again! I laughed my head off! Taks? Now there's a four letter word for you. *Laugh* Oh, ugh, that reminds me ... freelancers have to file four times a year. *Sick* I'll keep your advice in mind and try for a hearty laugh when I send the check to the IRS.

         Hope you were able to reattach your head. Otherwise, social interactions might have been awkward.


redfern-p: stunning! *Smile*
although i'm thinking that "taxes" in general are just a joke!
loved this news letter ...thanks..

paul *Smile*


         Thanks for the feedback!


And that's it for me for another month - see you in June! Until then,

LAUGH ON!!!

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Footnotes
1  For those who didn't get this horrible pun: In Russian, "medved" means "bear." Sickle my bad puns yet?

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