republicans aren't funny.

[Philosoraptor]

I was discussing this with my son, the severe lack of humor among the republix. Like bush, they seem to find humor only in negative things, like insults, rude comments about how a person looks, and the like. They refer to rush the gasbag as a political humorist, and they laugh at his cruel jokes about the disabled and minorities.

Yet they can't take a joke. I've had lots of experience with this, a republik will begin some stupid rush repeat joke and think he's the funniest thing since Arnold the pig, but when you make a crack about the obviously idiotic president, they scream, 'unfair, we're in a time of war, how dare you'? and other outraged responses.

dennis miller ain't funny, he's smug and wildly irritating. Now, name me a few other republik comedians...I'll wait.

Why are they so dour? Why do they always behave as if they have a corn cob up their ass? Do republickanism and humor deficit syndrome go hand in hand?

The things bush and his followers find funny are the same things that normal human beings are repulsed by. Notice the way bush grins like the Grinch when he speaks about the horrors he's decreed, he thinks it's funny, all this counter attack against his happy little wars. And notice the way he cracks unfunny jokes with reporters, like he's some cheap stand up comic on a bad night.

They can dish it out, but they definitely CAN'T take it. What's wrong with these humorless sickos anyway? Can't they take a fucking joke?

[Steepler0t]

1. Right on

I have yet to EVER meet a funny rightie, when they laugh it is as you pointed out at someone else's expense.

I always wondered if a life centered around obedience and authority makes them less human or something, no sense of irony or humor, what a sad life.

[moggie]

2. I used to find P. J. O'Rourke funny

Admittedly, I haven't read any of his recent stuff. Can't think of any other avowed conservatives I laugh with rather than at.

[C_U_L8R]

12. PJ finds himself more funny

ever notice how he laughs at all his own jokes.
(whether they're funny or not)

[DRoseDARs]

3. Where's the conservative version of the Daily Show we were promised?

Are the record tapes of it hiding with Saddam's WMDs in Iran? :shrug:

[Philosoraptor]

5. Don't know.

But if it ever launches, I'll bet it tanks pretty quick.

[Bluebear]

4. A. Always hopping mad about something; B. Incurious & uncreative as a rule. nt

[Clark2008]

6. One example and I'm not even sure it's still accurate.

Drew Carey is (was?) a Republican. He seems to break the rule though. I think it's because he hangs out with Colin Mockery and Ryan Stiles, though, and I doubt, seriously, if either of them are Republicans.

P.S. And I think Drew was or is a fiscal Republican. He certainly doesn't strike me as the uber-Christian (ha!) or neo-con variety.

[Steepler0t]

10. I went and looked that up

On a few bios of his from movie websites it says he is neither, but a libertarian. (Although I usually assume nowdays that means a shamed pub)

[Az]

7. Humor simply doesn't work from the conservative position

Conservatism is typically tied to power and wealth. And that creates the problem. Humor is the weak speaking to power. It is the underdog thumbing its nose at those dominating. Any attempt to convey humor from a conservative view is going to seem to be cruel and vindictive from other's view.

[Steepler0t]

11. Nice answer

I like it, I think I will ponder this a bit.

[Philosoraptor]

14. Laughin' just to keep from cryin'.

[jpgray]

8. Not true. Mike Nelson being a noticeable exception, for one

William Kristol has some wit about him too if you watch his hilarious interviews with Jon Stewart (despite his utterly daft ideas about foreign affairs), but the GOP does attract a lot of immature people who never went beyond the bully stage of social development, it's true.

[foo_bar]

9. comedy has a well-known liberal bias

Why are they so dour? Why do they always behave as if they have a corn cob up their ass? Do republickanism and humor deficit syndrome go hand in hand?

My theory is they don't experience pain on some primal level, like the Vogon surgically removed fear gland (PJ O'Rourke was funny because he challenged orthodoxy(-ies), Dennis Miller is not because he kisses Orthodoxy's ass on his knees (edited for snappier punchline)). Pain is the mother of humor, according to Freud and Mel Brooks ("you fall down a manhole and die, that's comedy. I get a paper cut on my pinky, that's tragedy"), so Freud spoiler ahead:

In the final section of the book, supplemented by a paper published in 1928 ("Humour", International Journal of Psychoanalysis, cited as IJP) Freud discusses humour, which he describes as a way of dealing with pain. His best example of humour concerns the prisoner on the way to the gallows who remarks, "Well, this is a good beginning to the week" (IJP, 1).

http://www.victorianweb.org/authors/dickens/kincaid2/intro2.html

That's his best example? Don't forget to tip your waitress. But yeah, what would Cheney joke about, his heart? He thinks he's on the express train to Heaven, the Heaven with a TV tuned to FOX and a cadre of servants anxious to perform his undead bidding. What does he know about pain, except the pain of little ants nipping at his honey-baked hams? You should hear Barbara Bush tell a joke (no wait, we have..)

[noonwitch]

13. The South Park guys seem pretty conservative, but I still laugh at their show

Team America is a very funny movie, even with a right-wing edge to it.