Rich Little: The Anti-Colbert

[n2doc]

Rich Little Won't Belittle Bush

When was the last time you heard the name Rich Little? A Las Vegas resident, Rich Little is going to Washington. Little has been selected to entertain at the annual White House Correspondent's dinner. Why Rich Little, who is better known for his Ronald Reagan impression than his takes on anyone elected in this century? Norm put that question to Little last week and the answer has caused some sparks. Little told Norm:
"They don't want anyone knocking the president. He's really over the coals right now, and he's worried about his legacy."
Little also promises Norm that he won't even mention Iraq. So, Rich Little's career resurrection seems to be built on the fact that he will be different from last year's entertainer, Stephen Colbert.
Ah, but not so fast. The Washington Post spoke to Little (has this guy's phone rang this much in decades!) and reports:
"Little, 68, disavows comments attributed to him in the Las Vegas Review-Journal last week that seemed to suggest he had been told by the press group to go easy on the president and that he "wouldn't even mention the word 'Iraq' " at the dinner. "No one ever put restrictions on what I can do or say," Little said. "I wouldn't mention Iraq because there's nothing funny about it."
Maybe Little hasn't seen the Daily Show? Anyway, today Norm strikes back in his column by running more of Little's comments from that original interview making clear that the earlier quote's context was not distorted. Norm quotes Little:
"They thought my approach was more appropriate for their kind of thing. They don't want a Bill Maher or a comedian who's going to be biting and perhaps knock the President in any way. They want to stay away from Dennis Miller, Maher and Mark Russell who make a point of knocking the President."
The dangerous and edgy Mark Russell? So, the distinction seems to be that no one has to tell Mr. Rich Little to be a wuss; he chooses to be that way and that is why he was hired in the first place, um, so there. In the end, it does not matter why Rich Little was hired; you get what you pay for, and that is going to be one boring dinner.

http://vegasblog.latimes.com/vegas/2007/01/rich_little.html

[Gato Moteado]

1. country music and rich little

that's all they got. that's culture to a repuke.

[MadHound]

11. You might want to reconsider that statement

I, and many other Dems, have a liking for country music. I especially like older stuff, Hank Williams, Patsy Cline, etc. Just sayin', not every country music fan is a 'Pug or a conservative. I also am a fan of classical, reggae, rock, punk, jazz, swing, etc. etc.

Rich Little, eh, he was good thirty-thirty five years ago. He was even slamming Nixon back in the day.

Frankly I find this all to be a tempest in a teapot. It truly makes no earthly difference in any meaningful way who they get to do the yuck yucks.

[brentspeak]

17. Well said

The stereotypes people have drive me up a wall. Not only are lots of rank-and-file Democrats fans of country music, but there's a ton of country music musicians who are well-known Democrats: Natalie Maines, Tim McGraw, Willie Nelson...

[brentspeak]

2. Dumb blog entry

Bashing Rich Little makes zero sense.

[etherealtruth]

4. My perception is that this is NOT bashing Rich Little ...

... but the NPC for choosing a comedian that has been out of the limelight and one that is not known for "cutting edge" humor. Mr. Little serves his fans well (I have no doubt) ... but every person is not right for every situation.

[etherealtruth]

3. Vague recollections from my childhood ...

... and Mr Little, wasn't cutting edge (or very funny) then.

[Lerkfish]

10. Rich Little was a good mime, then, but he never had a real act.

I"m 48, so I remember this from experience. He could do a lot of people that were big in 1970. Most of those people are dead. But essentially, the whole "gee whiz" part of his performance was his uncanny mimicry. But that was it, there was no jokes worth laughing at. Keep in mind, when Little rose to fame, there were no mimics who could do more than two or three voices. There was Frank Gorshwin, I guess. But Gorshwin was doing people from twenty years earlier (james cagney, edward G. robinson) Gorshwin faded to LIttle because his voices were of people no longer en vogue. When Little came along, his voices were of newer people.
Unfortunately, Little didn't learn from Gorshwin's example, which is why he still does very old or dead people, and why he's not headlining anywhere.

Newer mimics are also very good comedians: Kevin Pollack, for example. Sure, he does Christopher Walken better than Walken, but he's also damn funny doing it, BEYOND the mimicry.

Little was always pro-establishment, keep in mind early 70s there was the vietnam war and opposition to it, Smothers Brothers was walking the edge of outright dissent. Little was doing George Burns and Jimmy Stewart. Little was there for the middle-aged supporters of the war. That's why its very funny for them to pick him now.

Funny in a way that Little would never be.

[etherealtruth]

13. I'll be 45 next week (but, my recollections are a little more vague than yours)....

I agree the issue is not Rich Little, it is the "oddness" of choosing him for this event (?)

[senseandsensibility]

5. Dennis Miller bashes

the chimp? In what universe? If Little is going to kiss up to the chimp even more than Miller, even some of the lapdogs might have trouble holding down their dinner.

[Old and In the Way]

7. That jumped out at me, too.

Little must be way out of touch if he thinks Miller would trash Bush. Just the opposite. It would be quite embarrassing to watch Miller perform his schtick on Bush.

[Mad_Dem_X]

8. Exactly - MIller is a major suck-up

When did he ever bash *?

[nuxvomica]

6. If Little is smart, he'll include some zingers

That would totally revitalize his career. But his comment about Dennis Miller tells me he may not be that smart.

[Divernan]

9. Little's quotes in the Washington Post sound like they were scripted by the White House

Little was foolish, if not senile, to speak honestly to his hometown newspaper: "He's really over the coals right now and is worried about his legacy." And referring to Dennis Miller as someone who "makes a point of knocking the President" marks Little as someone who is DECADES out of touch with the real world AND the comedy field.

[BleedingHeartPatriot]

14. Yeah, the "let me just clarify" tone of the article sounds like the WH approach.

"Hey Rich, I hope all your taxes are in order from the last 30 years and, oh yeah, we never said that the president worries about his legacy." MKJ

[kskiska]

16. Re: Miller

Dennis DOES knock the president. Little just didn't say WHICH president Dennis knocks.

[YOY]

12. "he's worried about his legacy."

Could have fooled me.

[Divernan]

15. He'll probably do a schtick about Chaney & his hunting companions, Condi's shoes, etc.

oh, and maybe Bush dropping Barney. But how will he work his dated impressions in?