Politics and comedy are a combustible mix, as a minor dust-up in New Orleans this past weekend reminds us. On Saturday a Barack Obama impersonator named Reggie Brown got yanked offstage at the Republican Leadership Conference after the hosts who invited him decided they had had enough. The controversy shows what can happen when a pan-political jokester plies his trade in front of a hyper-partisan crowd.
We can reasonably assume that event organizers believed that putting an Obama impersonator before an audience of die-hard Obama-haters would be a stroke of entertainment genius. The wisdom of this is dubious on several levels. Beyond racial insensitivity, the decision betrays a fundamental naivete about the priorities of show business. Republicans may have thought they were paying for a modern-day minstrel act, but Reggie Brown arrived with his own agenda -- and like any comedian worth his salt, he followed his comedic instincts, wherever they might lead him.
Some critics saw racism in Brown's jokes about the president, like the line about Michelle celebrating Black History Month all February long while Barack celebrates only half. This charge ignores the reality that Brown aimed his fire at Republicans and Democrats alike (even though the crowd clearly preferred the Obama stuff). The comedian made a polygamy joke about Mitt Romney, stoked the flames of the Anthony Weiner scandal, cracked wise about Tim Pawlenty's spinelessness, and even worked in an unfortunate reference to Barney Frank's derriere. The funniest joke of Brown's entire routine was one that targeted Barbara Bush -- proof positive that when it comes to political humor, nothing is sacred.
In a written apology event organizers today said they had "no tolerance for racially insensitive jokes," but this expression of remorse is disingenuous, to put it mildly. Not until Brown started in on the Michele Bachmann gags did his Republican hosts see fit to give him the hook. In silencing the comedian they may have hoped to minimize the fall-out, but instead they damaged themselves by looking like they can't take a joke.
This episode demonstrates anew that political operatives don't understand the realities of professional humor. Comedians are not court jesters afraid of offending the king. Their stock in trade is to skewer any and all elected officials, which is precisely what Brown did. If the folks at the Republican Leadership Conference weren't savvy enough to grasp this basic principle, then they deserve what they got.
In the final analysis the big beneficiary in all this -- and rightly so -- is the heretofore obscure Reggie Brown. The man does a first-rate Barack Obama. Here's hoping we'll see more of him.
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The thing is that the president of this country is often the most consistently skewered person in the country, and it's been that way for as far back as I can remember. Somebody the Republican Leadership conference will allegedly be supporting could theoretically be president at this end of this it's-going-to-feel-like-two-thousand-years-long campaign. And even if they don't become president, they're going to be in a media glare, and as a result, get skewered. They should probably remove the stick from their rear ends and lighten up a skosh.
They can't take a joke. Not sophisticated humor anyway. BUT, how many political gatherings have been skewered by humor gone bad? Alot! And this shows how gun shy the republicans really are on this subject. I wouldn't criticize the repubs for removing Brown from the stage, after all he certainly did not fit in to that crowd, I would criticize them for booking him in the first place. It just shows a petty desparation on their part to discredit the president to their members any way they can.
I guess Rich Little better get ready for a large amount of political bookings!
"Blessed is he who can laugh at himself - for he shall never cease to be amused."
Seems like humor now must be a form of entertainment that has a target - right or left, gay or straight, religions - too bad we have lost that abililty to watch or listen to the humor than is not an attack, but poking fun that brings out the silliness in some viewpoints.
"...modern-day minstrel act...."
That's what they were going for.
Apology for "racial insensitivity."
Nope.
Just as you described - THAT is a Lie.
We've got the video.
Glad it all backfired!
Link?
Became Hostile.
His Humor,
Was Funny.
Stuff like: "I love black history month - Michelle celebrates all month and I celebrte half the month.'
THe offense came when he skewered the republican line-up -
Again nothing too noteworthy
They're just so weak right now - it hurts
Get over that. It's dangerous.
If they're not weak, how come even the base doesn't like any of the candidates?
and O's kings edict Libya war rankles
Obama would be quite vulnerable
I agree that in this era people reserve their inalienable *right* to be offended at the drop of a hat, and get on their high horse and act all sniffy and indignant. It gives a fleeting moment of superiority to an otherwise low intellect and insecure character.