Want Obama in a Punch Line? First, Find a Joke

[groovedaddy]

What’s so funny about Barack Obama? Apparently not very much, at least not yet.

On Monday, The New Yorker magazine tried dipping its toe into broad satire involving Senator Obama with a cover image depicting the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee and his wife, Michelle, as fist-bumping, flag-burning, bin Laden-loving terrorists in the Oval Office. The response from both Democrats and Republicans was explosive.

Comedy has been no easier for the phalanx of late-night television hosts who depend on skewering political leaders for a healthy quotient of their nightly monologues. Jay Leno, David Letterman, Conan O’Brien and others have delivered a nightly stream of jokes about the Republican running for president — each one a variant on the same theme: John McCain is old.

But there has been little humor about Mr. Obama: about his age, his speaking ability, his intelligence, his family, his physique. And within a late-night landscape dominated by white hosts, white writers, and overwhelmingly white audiences, there has been almost none about his race.

“We’re doing jokes about people in his orbit, not really about him,” said Mike Sweeney, the head writer for Mr. O’Brien on “Late Night.” The jokes will come, representatives of the late-night shows said, when Mr. Obama does or says something that defines him — in comedy terms.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/15/us/politics/15humor.html?th&emc=th

[Demeter]

1. Get a Clue, Guys

The Presidency is serious, adult work. No more Alfred E. Neumans.

[groovedaddy]

2. Demeter, I don't know how you can say that with a straight face

after the last 7 years!
Since you mentioned Alfred E. Newman - I love the image of Bush styled after him. Pretty well sums the guy up.
A positive thing in the article is that Obama really isn't giving comedians material to deal with as comedy. The guy is too polished!