foolwriter's Comments (26)

“This is why they need to pay such large bonuses... the help the best and brightest would-be child molesters pay their legal bills?”

“I don't think this is about news vs. comedy as much as it is about transparency in media agendas. As the news has ratcheted up its "entertainment value," we're left with the sneaking suspicion that they're trying to sell us something rather than inform us of anything. And every time the MSM does a softball interview of a political figure so as not to threaten their "access," every time they report on what "some are saying" without any factual basis or named sources, every time they bring us hysterical coverage of a non-event (celebrity death squad action news!), they remind us that their professed objective (to be informative) does not match their acted objective (to bring in ratings). In that sense, The Daily Show comes across as more honest because their professed objective (to be entertaining) matches their acted objective (to be entertaining). In fact, a great deal of their humor and the reason they've become so trusted revolves in their sharply and wittily pointing out the (often poorly hid) agendas in the mainstream media.”

“As the great Sir Wolfit (allegedly) said on his deathbed, "Dying is easy. Comedy is hard." Maybe we need more clowns in the senate and fewer failed life-insurance salesmen...”

“Seconded.”

“Indeed, nothing says intelligence, dedication and strong moral fiber like participating in a beauty pageant...”

“Yeah, I seem to remember some prominent Republican entertainer ripping pretty harshly on a 13-year-old Chelsea Clinton... whatever happened to that guy? He apologized, right?”

“Why does she care what Letterman says? He's not a "real American" anyway, right?”

“Apparently it's used in a number of basic training cadences to denote the guy that moves in on a soldier's girl while he's away. Here's one from the L.A. Times:

"Jody's got your telephone.
Ain't no use in goin' home,
Jody's got your girl and gone.
Sound off! (One, two.)
Sound off! (Three, four.)"”

“Just because something's funny doesn't mean it's not true. The court jester has always had more freedom to speak truth to power than anyone else.”

“You should've seen what I did to Bill Murray, funny man.”

“Pot meets kettle for the win!”

“Oh, man, do I want to see this guy go mano-y-mano with Joe the FauxPlumber...”

“Now, now, she's not wrong. If a democrat disagrees with you, they will absolutely point their finger at you. When a republican disagrees with you, they'll break your finger.”

“More evolved, my furry ass!”

“The problem is that the internet is a two-way medium. The Rethugs (yeah, I'm petty, too) simply don't like any deviation from message, and the internet simply isn't controllable that way. Remember W.'s "town hall" meetings? His staff wouldn't even allow anyone in the parking lot who might possibly ask a difficult correction or challenge a single assertion he made. Consider the tactics of the O'Reillys and Hannitys whose response to a challenging guest is to cut off their microphone. The internet is the Rethugs ultimate nightmare town hall - a space where they simply cannot control who responds and how.”

“I'm sure Toby Keith would be game... oh, wait, I missed that "don't suck" provision.

Seriously, though, can anyone name a successful singer/songwriter with an outspoken history of support for republican and conservative causes who HASN'T come from country radio?”

“Why is anyone surprised? The GOP is the party of Rich White Protestant Men. If you don't match even one of those categories, they will simply ignore or deride anything you say (unless you're repeating something one of them told you to say, of course). They really ought to change their chosen acronym from GOP to RWPM. That, at least, would be honest.”

“I understand your point, bur for myself, I have to say I'd rather here a poignant discussion with an imaginary friend about the all-too-real social and physical ills of the world than another discussion with real people about which fame-hungry twenty-something is best qualified to turn their perhaps overinflated talents to the profession of shilling for giant media conglomerates.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that I care less who people pray to than what they pray for.”

“What really pisses me off is that all this destruction is being carried out with weapons and technical support partly, if not mostly, supplied by the U.S. If Israel is determined to perpetuate the endless war and hell that afflicts that region, I'd at least like to know they're not doing it with weapons paid for by my taxes.

I want no part of this slaughter.”

“Because you will always be able to rely on William Kristol to tell you what you want to hear, facts and logic be damned. The man has been wrong on so many issues that I'm amazed anyone considers him or his publication credible in the least.”

“Well, with the collapse of the news media in the last decade, comedians are the only ones left to speak truth to power. Why do you think The Daily Show has been pulling in record ratings for a late-night cable show? We've come to expect that when a politician does a press conference or a "news" interview, they're lying through their teeth to win a few more votes or sway public perception their way. Now they do the same thing on comedy-oriented shows, but since the host is considered just a "comedian," they have more latitude to call them on their bullshit.”

“since some of them are looking to get re-elected this year.”

“Hey, I finally figured it out... McCain is Maverick! The only problem is the rest of the country is Goose.”

“I'd love to know how many of the people calling for Florida and Michigan to be seated actually LIVE in either state. Having been born and bred in Michigan, I would be outraged if Hillary received our delegates after our state party leaders screwed us out of being able to vote for our candidates.

When a candidate advocates breaking the rules to get elected, what kind of leader will she be?”

“Of course, because if they'd dug up a skull in order to turn into a beer mug, that would have been just fine. And as for the tv show, we already have regular programming that attracts millions of brain-dead adults who just want to watch something simplistic and shiny and not terribly complicated... it's called "American Idol."”