All I've got is the ridunkulous feud between David Letterman and Sarah Palin.
I'm sure you've all heard by now that Letterman used Palin's recent trip to NYC as an opportunity to make some off-color jokes about her daughter, Bristol. Or at least he thought they were about Bristol. Turns out that Palin's 14-year-old daughter, Willow (where in the eff does she come up with these names?), was the one who accompanied her mother to New York. So, Palin assumed that Letterman was actually making jokes about her younger daughter being hit on by Elliot Spitzer and getting knocked up by A-Rod.
I assumed that most normal people would think:
1. The first joke was more of a dig at Elliot Spitzer than anyone.
2. The second one was a nod to A-Rod's philandering ways, as well as a reminder that Bristol is, in fact, a teenage mom.
3. Neither of these jokes had anything to do with the 14-year-old because, not only is that gross, but it also doesn't make any sense.
I either assumed wrong, or Sarah Palin is not a normal person. She and her supporters are calling for Letterman's head, and Palin suddenly thinks she's heading up NOW.
Sure, it may be in poor taste to make sexual jokes about a young girl, even an 18-year-old, but I doubt there would have been such an uproar had the joke been made about, say, Jamie Lynn Spears. And I'm sure there have been worse jokes made about her...possibly even on this very blog.
As far as the politicians' rally cry of "Don't pick on my family," if they're of age and in the public eye, they're fair game for comedians, talk show hosts, gossip rags, and bloggers. That's just the way it goes. Palin complained to Matt Lauer on Today that Obama's family was never picked on (would that have made her feel better?), but his girls are 8 and 11. They haven't done anything yet that's worth ridiculing! And, come on, it's not like this is something brand new. The Bush girls were constantly skewered on late night TV as hard-partying airheads, and the media made some pretty brutal attacks on Chelsea Clinton's looks.
Sure, Letterman's poorly-researched jokes may have been low blows, but Palin's eagerness to pounce on him and go so far as to suggest that he's a pedophile (or at least a pervert) who condones child rape is even lower. She refused to accept Letterman's explanation that the comments were about Bristol, telling Lauer, "You and anybody else are extremely naive to believe that very convenient excuse." So, it's naive to believe Letterman's totally logical assertion that the joke about one of Palin's daughters getting knocked up was meant for the one who actually did get knocked up, but it makes perfect sense to jump to the conclusion that David Letterman is a pervy old man who thinks raping young girls is hilarious?? Interesting.
At first, Letterman didn't seem to think an apology was in order, but he finally caved tonight. I doubt that will stop the "Fire David Letterman" rally set for tomorrow afternoon, though. It's kind of hard to stop a shitstorm already in progress.
I don't know, I can see Palin's side in that if I had a daughter, I would want to defend her if someone was saying rude things about her. But there were probably a million ways she could have responded to the jokes, all of which would have been better than the way she did.
What do you guys think? If you aren't up to speed on all of this madness, check out these vids:
Letterman explains his jokes
Palin responds on Today
I'm sure you've all heard by now that Letterman used Palin's recent trip to NYC as an opportunity to make some off-color jokes about her daughter, Bristol. Or at least he thought they were about Bristol. Turns out that Palin's 14-year-old daughter, Willow (where in the eff does she come up with these names?), was the one who accompanied her mother to New York. So, Palin assumed that Letterman was actually making jokes about her younger daughter being hit on by Elliot Spitzer and getting knocked up by A-Rod.
I assumed that most normal people would think:
1. The first joke was more of a dig at Elliot Spitzer than anyone.
2. The second one was a nod to A-Rod's philandering ways, as well as a reminder that Bristol is, in fact, a teenage mom.
3. Neither of these jokes had anything to do with the 14-year-old because, not only is that gross, but it also doesn't make any sense.
I either assumed wrong, or Sarah Palin is not a normal person. She and her supporters are calling for Letterman's head, and Palin suddenly thinks she's heading up NOW.
Sure, it may be in poor taste to make sexual jokes about a young girl, even an 18-year-old, but I doubt there would have been such an uproar had the joke been made about, say, Jamie Lynn Spears. And I'm sure there have been worse jokes made about her...possibly even on this very blog.
As far as the politicians' rally cry of "Don't pick on my family," if they're of age and in the public eye, they're fair game for comedians, talk show hosts, gossip rags, and bloggers. That's just the way it goes. Palin complained to Matt Lauer on Today that Obama's family was never picked on (would that have made her feel better?), but his girls are 8 and 11. They haven't done anything yet that's worth ridiculing! And, come on, it's not like this is something brand new. The Bush girls were constantly skewered on late night TV as hard-partying airheads, and the media made some pretty brutal attacks on Chelsea Clinton's looks.
Sure, Letterman's poorly-researched jokes may have been low blows, but Palin's eagerness to pounce on him and go so far as to suggest that he's a pedophile (or at least a pervert) who condones child rape is even lower. She refused to accept Letterman's explanation that the comments were about Bristol, telling Lauer, "You and anybody else are extremely naive to believe that very convenient excuse." So, it's naive to believe Letterman's totally logical assertion that the joke about one of Palin's daughters getting knocked up was meant for the one who actually did get knocked up, but it makes perfect sense to jump to the conclusion that David Letterman is a pervy old man who thinks raping young girls is hilarious?? Interesting.
At first, Letterman didn't seem to think an apology was in order, but he finally caved tonight. I doubt that will stop the "Fire David Letterman" rally set for tomorrow afternoon, though. It's kind of hard to stop a shitstorm already in progress.
I don't know, I can see Palin's side in that if I had a daughter, I would want to defend her if someone was saying rude things about her. But there were probably a million ways she could have responded to the jokes, all of which would have been better than the way she did.
What do you guys think? If you aren't up to speed on all of this madness, check out these vids:
Letterman explains his jokes
Palin responds on Today
Comments
You didn't hear her campaigning her ass off against Jaimie-Lynn-Bobby-Joe-Sue Spears jokes either.
I think Letterman should get her on the show to make herself look even more stupid.
I agree that the joke was certainly a low blow and that the mother daggers needed to come out, but by creating this intense media bru-ha it would seem she is trying to knock Kate Gosslein off every tabliod cover in favor of her most righetous self.
And if Bristol allows herself to waffle back and forth in interviews and as the "public spokesperson" for abstinance after previously stating that abstinance was unrealistic, then she's officially fair game for public ridicule.
Lots of comedians tell jokes that are in poor taste or not funny. Nothing new there. The annoying part is the idiots on the other side of the joke wasting our lives by whining about it.
To be honest with you I wouldn't have even considered those jokes terribly offensive regardless of which daughter, because they're more aimed at A-Rod and Spitzer anyway. And child sexualization is a HUGE issue in my opinion.
Plus I agree wholeheartedly with everything God said. Palin just wanted more attention, she's already whored out the teen mom daughter to the media - did you see Bristol on the Today show with her dad?
No reasonable person could think that the joke was about Willow, and frankly I'm insulted that the Palin camp thinks they can try to convince us that this is the case. Disingenuously accusing someone of "endorsing child rape" is ten times worse than telling an unfunny joke about a teenager getting knocked up. This makes me angrier at her than anything that happened during the election. I'm glad his apology was specific and limited.
I'd rather Letterman be president.
nothing more
The Huffington Post (I know, I know) ran an interesting post about all the previous times late night hosts have slammed Bristol before this (even insinuating John Edwards knocked her up). The fact that Palin is focusing on Dave and this instance proves she's just an opportunist.
He shouldn't have apologized - he should've said "Suck it up you humourless wench!" and gotten on with things. Things like this are the reason the public ridiculed her in the first place. She's an ass who digs drama and fame. It's only ever been about HER. I'm so sick of hearing about her.
If you had a daughter, you'd defend her too, no matter how old she was.
You're right, I would want to protect my daughter if someone made a remark like that about her, and I said as much. But I wouldn't accuse the person of condoning rape. Those aren't words you throw around lightly. Maybe I'd say he was getting old and forgot how to be funny. Or maybe I'd just say he was an asshole and call it a day. Painting the picture of a pervy old man who gets off on child rape is going WAY too far.
As for wordsx3's comment, an unwed mother is still an unwed mother. I don't care whether you're living with parents or your partner. If you don't step up immediately, you have no room to talk trash.
I believe I'm calling this debacle "sanctimonious bullshit," though I do not claim to speak for the commentators here or the blog itself.
Letterman goofed. Oops. Damage done, deal and turn the page.
If we focused our energies on something like feeding homeless children instead of trolling blogs, I bet many more kids would have a meal tonight.
Just a thought.
By the way Beck-EYE, the Penguins won the Stanley Cup!!!!!!!!!!
J-Fred