Posted by
Sean on Friday, October 03, 2008 2:22:40 AM
Often, David Letterman's outdated, predictable, humorless show is on a certain TV in our house, at the request of an elderly relative who likes to reminisce about the days when Dave was funny. In great anticipation of the comedic brilliance this loved one has come to expect from Letterman -- this dear relative falls asleep exactly two seconds after Paul finishes the intro song.
It's because of this that I endure, night after night, Letterman's extreme Bush Derangement Syndrome, Obama-worship, McCain-bashing, and Palin-hating routine that now substitutes for the brilliant comedy he was once known for too many years ago.
What is pathetic about Letterman is that to this very day, he refuses --- absolutely refuses --- to make a single joke disparaging towards Obama. Meanwhile, McCain is fair game, especially if it has to do with his age. Palin is also fair game, of course, and it's clear that Letterman actually hates this woman.
So, on any given night, it's a guarantee that instead of laughs, Letterman will spew venomous one-sided "jokes" about Palin, McCain, Republicans, and Bush --- but nothing about Obama or even Biden. The bias is so obvious and intentional, that it's absolutely clear that Letterman considers any joke about Obama to be nothing less than sacrilege.
Aside from the worries this raises about Letterman's mental condition, this situation has also led to a further decline in the comedic standards of the show. For instance, a while back, Letterman delivered this "joke" about McCain's age (of course):
"McCain played horseshoes this weekend."
Yes, that was the joke. Keep in mind that Letterman is getting paid 30-plus million a year to churn out this gold.
Tonight, in an astonishing display of complete out-of-touch ignorance, Letterman put this in his Top Ten List about Palin, something like:
"Palin is Mitt Romney in a wig"
It needs to be explained to anyone who isn't a Letterman staffer that, yes, that was indeed a joke. Predictably, Mitt Romney was a favorite target for Letterman, so it makes sense that he somehow try to connect his hatred of him with Palin. What the "joke" means, I guess, is that Mitt Romney was pretty, and so is Palin? Hmmmm.
While Letterman clearly wishes Mitt Romney were still around to kick, he feels he can treat Palin the same way. But his attacks will be inconsistent and stupid, if this is how he chooses to do it, because "good looks" is exactly where any similarity between Palin and Romney end.
Fair or not, Romney simply could not connect well with the American people. Palin clearly can. Romney is the stereotype of the "evil" rich corporate un-caring Republican, again, fair or not. Palin is solidly, undeniably working-class. Romney came off as kind of a phoney. Palin is as genuine as it gets.
Letterman -- his midwest roots completely dead and replaced with Manhattan elitism -- will never, ever get it. The mainstream media will never get it. Tonight, Palin won her debate against Joe Biden, because she once again connected with the American people. It matters little to Letterman, and others who feel their presence in front of a network television camera somehow gives them special wisdom. He taped tonight's show hours before the debate, no doubt anticipating a poor performance by Palin.
He was wrong, but he'll never know it, or admit it.
If Letterman ever decided to go back to being funny instead of trying to win critical acclaim, he could start by refusing to be the left-wing tool his is now, add some good Obama jokes to his McCain material, stop his creepy reverence for Obama, and cool his burning, seething hatred of Sarah Palin.