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Making Fun of Barack Obama
By Tommy ChristopherJul 16th 2008 3:02PM
Filed Under:eDemocrats, Barack Obama, Featured Stories, 2008 President, Humor
"Dying is easy, comedy is hard." - Sir Donald WolfitThe New York Times is reporting that humor is having a difficult time gaining traction with Barack Obama. On the heels of the New Yorker flap (covered by David Knowles here, and by me here and here), the Times examined the political humor landscape, and found it curiously Obama-free.
Why? The reason cited by most of those involved in the shows is that a fundamental factor is so far missing in Mr. Obama: There is no comedic "take" on him, nothing easy to turn to for an easy laugh, like allegations of Bill Clinton's womanizing, or President Bush's goofy bumbling or Al Gore's robotic persona.Humor is sort of a hobby of mine, so my first reaction was, "C'mon, these guys are just lazy. You can make a joke out of anything."
"The thing is, he's not buffoonish in any way," said Mike Barry, who started writing political jokes for Johnny Carson's monologues in the waning days of the Johnson administration and has lambasted every presidential candidate since, most recently for Mr. Letterman. "He's not a comical figure," Mr. Barry said.
I did a quickie Google of Barack Obama Humor, to see what was out there. What I found will amaze you...
...if you are easily amazed. I clicked on the About.com Barack Obama Humor Roundup, as it seemed a good place to get a fair sampling of what's out there. Before I get to that, though, here's my favorite joke from the Times article, by Bill Maher:
"I have this joke: What does he have to do? Dunk? He bowled a 37 - to me, that's black enough."This joke works because it's really about white people. It would be like the English making fun of me for sucking at cricket; the joke's on them for liking cricket.
Most of the humor there, as Late Night writer Mike Sweeney notes in the Times piece, is about people peripheral to Obama, such as Rev. Wright. Those jokes that actually are about Obama fall, mainly, into two categories: He walks on water, or he's black, and that's a new thing for white people.
After reading the article, I thought about it for awhile, and it really was hard to come up with anything that didn't fall into one of these categories.
That's too bad. There's a lot of fun to be had by challenging stereotypes with humor. I would love to see an Obama parody of the famous Wayne Brady sketch from "Chappelle's Show." As the Times points out, white writers can't really get away with much racial humor, the way a black writer can.
So, why can't all of these late-night comedy shows just call down to the bullpen and bring in some black talent to handle Obama's at-bats? I guess you can only spread Larry Wilmore so thin.
A few weeks ago, I was mulling a "news from the future" story, where it turned out the most paranoid anti-Obamatics turned out to be right. I wish I had done it now, in light of the New Yorker cover, but constructing alternate realities gives me a headache. In the story, President Obama immediately enslaves the white race, but repeals the law a few weeks later, explaining, "I just couldn't wait to start telling them to 'Get over it.'"
The problem with this kind of racial satire, as with the New Yorker cover, is that you run into "Chappelle's Conundrum," where you get the wrong people laughing, for the wrong reasons.
Until late night shows either hire some more black talent and/or get more comfortable around the racial minefield, we'll have to rely on hysterical blog comments for amusement.
In the meantime, here are a few of my favorites from About.com:
"Barack Obama was in New Hampshire Sunday. When informed of this, President Bush excitedly asked, 'Did we catch 'em?' --Seth Meyers
"Well, congratulations to Barack Obama, the big winner of the Democratic caucus. Stunning victory. He got 57% of the youth vote, 35% of the female vote, and 100% of Iowa's black vote, a guy named Larry." --Jay Leno (Jay blew the punch line. It should have been, "and both black votes.")
"According to a new poll, Barack Obama has a 24-point lead over Hillary Clinton in North Carolina. Obama is doing particularly well with one important demographic: voters." --Amy Poehler
"During an interview, Vice President Dick Cheney's wife said that Vice President Cheney and Barack Obama are actually distant cousins. When Dick Cheney found out, he said, 'I knew there was something creepy about that guy.'" --Conan O'Brien
Recent Comments
(Page 1 of 8)Diana3:54PMJul 16th 2008
"Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton campaigned for the first time together in Unity, New Hampshire, today. Isn't that cute? Unity, New Hampshire. For real. Their tour goes from Unity to Tolerate, Rhode Island; and Getting on My Nerves, Virginia; and then Crazy Makeup Sex, California." --Jimmy Kimmel
"Today Jesse tried to reach out to Obama, and Obama said, 'Keep your hands where I can see them!'" --Jay Leno
"It was quite a weekend, politically. Yesterday, an estimated 75,000 people attended a Barack Obama rally on the banks of the the Willamette River. ... And if you believe the media, listen to this. After the rally, Barack Obama fed them all with just five loaves of bread and two fish. Amazing!" --Jay Leno
"Hillary Clinton said if her pastor had made the comments that Reverend Wright had made, she would have left that church. Interesting distinction she makes. She also says if her pastor had been blown by Monica Lewinsky, she would have stayed." --Bill Maher
"The founders of Ben & Jerry's ice cream are endorsing Barack Obama instead of Hillary Clinton, which makes sense because Baracky Road is a catchier name for an ice cream than Pantsuits and Cream." --Conan O'Brien
"In New York, Catholic groups have forced an art gallery to shut down an exhibition of a six-foot image of Jesus in chocolate. Or, as Democrats call it, Barack Obama." --Bill Maher
"According to a new report by a genealogy company, Barack Obama's great-great-great-grandfather was born in Ireland. Yeah, that should really solidify Obama's support among Irish African-Americans raised in Hawaii." --Conan O'Brien
"Senator Barack Obama was in Los Angeles last night for a huge campaign fundraiser. That shows you what a great country this is -- when an African-American with a Kansas mother and a Kenyan father, who spent time growing up in Indonesia and is running for president, spending time in a state where Spanish-speaking people have elected an Austrian governor." --Jay Leno
"Senator Obama answered doubts about his inexperience by saying he has gained tremendous insight from his work as a community organizer, civil rights attorney, constitutional law professor, key club president, 4H treasurer, lunch room monitor, two years of jazz, and four years of tap." --Amy Poehler
~Compiled by Daniel Kurtzman
JUDY fERGUSON3:55PMJul 16th 2008
Anyone that thinks intelligence is ignorant is ignorant! Only a dummy would make fun Obama dressed in Muslim Clothing. Muslims are very important people in this Country and we have thousands living in every State. Stereotyping people is not good for you and it is not good for America. Americans are hated by foreigners because we are known as occupiers
and want to brag about land that was stole from the Native Americans.
I am proud to know that there is one American that will not allow anyone to intimidate him or his wife, and that mans name is Barack Obama, and this is what I would call real intelligent! Obama did not only find his voice, but he also found his mind!
ANYBODY-BUT-OBAMA3:58PMJul 16th 2008
The New Yorker Magazine got it right this week. The cover says what a lot of Americans are thinking and have been thinking for a long time. BHO is a question mark.
We really don't know who he is, what he believes or what he plans to do. His "change" is unknown.
Does that mean that if he is president he will be the first black president? That is change. What does he mean? Some people just find that scary.
And if he does make it to the oval office, this legacy will follow him throughout his term.
There will always be doubts of his intentions.
Basically, the democrats have the wrong person running.
The DNC is pushing a man who just recently started wearing a flag pin just to get the photo op.
I'm not voting for him.
JOHN McCAIN IN NOVEMBER.
Peggy4:12PMJul 16th 2008
Judy Ferguson,
What an interesting post. Glad to know Obama finally found his mind. Precisely when and where did he first lose it?
maryj4:13PMJul 16th 2008
It is not that comics could not find something to joke about obama--they are afraid of being accused of being racist.
bonbon4:18PMJul 16th 2008
yes stereotyping is wrong, yet many black people, and the Obama fans/nuts on this site alone, label anyone who states they will not vote for Obama as a RACISTS.
seems sterotyping has a sterotype.
Arla Crane4:19PMJul 16th 2008
I thought the New Yorker Cover was slander, not satire. It was tasteless and offensive. Shame on them. I won't be buying their magazine anytime soon.
Susan4:19PMJul 16th 2008
Tommy Christopher,
Spin, Spin, Spin.
You are so in love with Obama it makes you kind of a joke!
Katherine4:20PMJul 16th 2008
"What do Barack Hussein Obama and Osama bin Ladin have in common?
They both have friends who bombed the Pentagon!"
Hahahahahah! ohhhhhh, harr harr, what a knee slapper.
Swando4:22PMJul 16th 2008
Amazing...I never realized how many bigots and crackpots subscribed to AOL! The crap and prejudice I've heard about Obama on this site amazes me!
I guess it's gonna take a full-fledged depression before some of you cretins finally get it through your heads that Republicanism is BAD for you and the average American!
NO-OBAMA4:27PMJul 16th 2008
The New Yorker Magazine got it right this week. The cover says what a lot of Americans are thinking and have been thinking for a long time. BHO is a question mark.
We really don't know who he is, what he believes or what he plans to do. His "change" is unknown.
Does that mean that if he is president he will be the first black president? That is change. What does he mean? Some people just find that scary.
And if he does make it to the oval office, this legacy will follow him throughout his term.
There will always be doubts of his intentions.
Basically, the democrats have the wrong person running.
The DNC is pushing a man who just recently started wearing a flag pin just to get the photo op.
I'm not voting for him.
JOHN McCAIN IN NOVEMBER.
OBAMA IS A JOKE4:29PMJul 16th 2008
Obama is a genius. He has taken advantage of being an "unknown".
He's playing the part of being the newcomer to Washington politics who has "no connections". That part is true.
He has coupled that with the beautiful message of "change and hope" for the future like so many politicians before him. It works.
Over the last three weeks Obama has taken virtually every position on every major issue.
His people have been given the opportunity to extract from public opinion polls the best possible combination of positions to take to get the most possible votes.
Day by day as he flips and flops on issues as he learns more and more about what America wants to hear.
By the DNC he'll have all the information he needs to know who he's going to be until the election.
For the time between the DNC and the election Obama will follow a straight line but imaginary platform that will get him elected.
During those last two months the public will have become so enamored with his sweet talk that they will forget all the wishy-washiness we are seeing now.
IN JANUARY THE REAL BARACK OBAMA WILL APPEAR.
For now --- like a parentless child --- he continues to search for his identity.
God help us all!
I'm voting for John McCain in November.
Swando4:36PMJul 16th 2008
"I'm not voting for him.
JOHN McCAIN IN NOVEMBER. "
Yes, we get it already! You're not voting for Obama! I, however, am, because I don't want another 4 years of Bush-lite under John McSame!
dennis4:36PMJul 16th 2008
There's no doubt in my mind that the better candidate if Barack, but I worry about the hatred that the low life of this country preach, using the 1st and second amendments to hide behind. The rest of the free world must be wondering how the United States can survive with such bigotry in the country that professes to be for all peoples of all color, religion, I am ashamed that we have not put all that behind us years ago!
Wish Belkin4:39PMJul 16th 2008
(Obama calls home)
O - Hey sweety.
M - Hi baby, when you coming home?
O - I should be there by Wednsday at the latest.
M - That's good, we can...BEEP..CLICK...BUZZ
O - What the heck was that?
M - Relax, it's just FISA.
Ron Paul for President !! (write it in)
Tommy Christopher4:40PMJul 16th 2008
Jeez, can't you people lighten up for a second?
And, Kat, your joke is pretty messed up. You know that Obama is in no way a friend of Bill Ayres, and the deaths on 9/11 may seem funny to you, but not to me.
Glad you got a laugh out of it.
belle4:42PMJul 16th 2008
TO JUDY fERGUSON3:55PMJul 16th 2008
Anyone that thinks intelligence is ignorant is ignorant! Only a dummy would make fun Obama dressed in Muslim Clothing. Muslims are very important people in this Country and we have thousands living in every State. Stereotyping people is not good for you and it is not good for America. Americans are hated by foreigners because we are known as occupiers
and want to brag about land that was stole from the Native Americans.
I am proud to know that there is one American that will not allow anyone to intimidate him or his wife, and that mans name is Barack Obama, and this is what I would call real intelligent! Obama did not only find his voice, but he also found his mind!
-------------------------------------------------
So it is okay for Obama to speak up for his wife, but when Bill Clinton spoke of for Hillary he was put down by the news media and people like you. Obama and his wife are no different than any other person running for a political office. They need to use some of their intelligence to understand what happens when you are in the public eye. Most of the people holding a public office are intelligent so Obama is not special because you think he is the first intelligent person to run for President. So in reality Obama is ignorant like a fox, and one I would not want in my (hen) White House.
rhodem50004:52PMJul 16th 2008
Why does every one keep calling him a black -african american? The fact is he's as white as he is black. The only thing his black father did for him was be a sperm donor. It was the white side of the family ( the side he's decided to disallow that got him where he is today. If he can ignore those who raised him and pretend he's all black for political gain. What will he do if elected to people he doesn't even know.?
Erika5:04PMJul 16th 2008
Comment by Judy
July 16th, 2008 at 12:00 pm
Not that it’s relevent, but I’m black. I think that cartoon actually hit the nail on the head. That is the Obama’s at their core. No Christian can have the views he has on abortion, gay rights, etc. He is almost anti-christian. Remember, our beliefs override our obligation. He wouldn’t have said the things he’s said or voted the way he’s voted as a Christian man.
Dear white people:
We don’t all drink the kool-aid. Yes, we are happy a black person has a chance to the White House, but he is not representative of most black people in this country. I have the conversation over and over again and yes, black people will vote for him simply because he is half black. I know it’s sad and disrespectful to our forefathers who died so we could be treated equally and just. Now, we are becoming the racists…how sad. But there are some level minded thinking people who see Mr. Obama and his wife for who they are.
Dear Black People:
Wake up. You run to the church every Sunday morning and yet God hasn’t given you the eyes to see this man for who he is. Incredible. You wonder why some white people have negatives to say about our community and our ability to think freely…because we do. Every black person that steps into leadership, you jump right on the bandwagon. Why does Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton still have a voice after their many blunders…You won’t let them go. You need a leader because you won’t think independently and know that the battle you are waging is now over. Are there racist people in the world;yes, but they no longer can stop you from getting an education, jobs, housing. There are now laws on the books to help you. I make less than $40K a year and I’m doing great because I don’t spend my money on cars, jewelry; and stupid stuff that doesn’t matter. It almost seems we had more integrity as a people when we had nothing.
Mr. Obama sounds good to you because you are inexperienced, just like him.
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Vote AGAINST Obama3:30PMJul 16th 2008
Race is not the issue. The issue is that Obama is a RACIST elitist bigot, together with his wife, and they have long term connections to RADICALS and American enemies. For this reason Obama can never get elected.
I told the DNC from the beginning of the primaries, that Hillary is the MOST VIABLE candidate. But the DNC WONT LISTEN, they betrayed the American voters, messed with the people's votes, STOLE Hillarys votes and gave them to Obama etc... People are not stupid, the DNC betrayed them, and we will NEVER vote for a racist bigot obama. We vote Hillary or McCain.
Never Obama.
The ONLY WAY to UNDO the wrong they have done, is to NOMINATE HILLARY FOR PRESIDENT. One way or another she will be our president because we want Hillary.