I love Bob Hope, well, no, I tolerated Hope, but CSPAN coverage pisses me off

[ChairmanAgnostic]

Why is congress debating a post mortum Bob Hope award, renaming some island for him?

If you searched hard, you could find out that 8 US soldiers were KILLED, and 27 injured. You could learn that the surge is exceeding 31,000, NOT COUNTING SUPPORT TROOPS, and that like pressing on jello, our baghdad re-re-re-re-re-re-re-re-invasion has pushed the civil war and its violence to new areas. You could learn that Israelis hate the conservative and ultraconservative twist to their government, and frankly are confused by the lack of debate here in America on the issues of Palestinian rights - something that Israelis debate quite strongly. You could learn about Alberto's perjury before congress. You could learn about US attorneys being discharged because they investigated a corrupt neocon enabler embedded and controlling a huge CIA branch. You could learn about Wally Reed's growing list of problems. And for each of these issues, there should be a debate in the house. Our house. The people's house. (but for AIPAC, lobbyists and other corporate bribers who caused our house to sell out.)

but, no. Congress would rather waste time on a dead comedian, than on lives soldiers' future.

[WI_DEM]

1. Why indeed? It's like all these people who want to name something after Ronald Reagan!

[WCGreen]

2. Bob Hope was the USO for every war starting with WWII....

He would organize and pay for all star shows for the troops...

[ChairmanAgnostic]

6. ahah. An example of truly supporting the troops. Let's compare and contrast

today's administration with Hope's actions. The troops appreciated his efforts (and the skantily clad fem dancers and singers even more), because he changed their routine, their warzones and their attitude by giving them a taste of somethign different.

Today, the admin rewards and supports the troops by privatizing Wally Reed, leading to a fiasco that seems to grow worse each day, by attempting to cut VA bennies each year, only to have congress put them back in, by forcing injured, incapacitated soldiers BACK TO IRAQNAM, and by ignoring 300,000 vets who are jobless, homeless, and suffering.

I am so pissed at BushCo.

[Atman]

3. Ask anyone under 40 who the F Bob Hope was

Not that the world has to cater to under-40 year olds, but come on...the guy was a B-grade comedian at best even when he was alive. Anyone who remembers this guy knows he couldn't tell a joke without a cue card...I don't think he knew the meaning of the word "ad-lib." He was the most stale, contrived, artificial comedian to walk the earth. Which is probably why the media loves him so much.

.

[WI_DEM]

5. I think perhaps under 30 because I'm 42 and I know who Bob Hope is

because he had monthly TV specials up until the mid 90's and his death was a big news. Heck I even know who Bing Crosby was and he died in 1977!

[Cha]

23. I know who all these guys are and I also

thought W.C. Fields was pretty damn funny!

[Lerkfish]

7. well, this over 40 year old would remind you that all things need to be seen in context

You enjoy a veritable glut of comedians today, and 390 channels to surf.
The road show movies were funny at the time. Do I consider them funny now? not really, but its also been over 60 years since they were in vogue.
comedy is built on previous comedian's work, in such a way as it appears "old" or worn to hear the original material. But keep in mind, when the original material was original, it had not been heard before.


I could also point to Pauli Shore and say: so THIS is what you under 40 people find funny?

LOL

[ChairmanAgnostic]

8. well, we do have B.O.rally for humor today. Ann Coulter. Michelle. Sean.

and others.

[Atman]

9. When I was in Vegas, Carrot Top was on every billboard.

One of the hottest tickets in town. I shudder to think of the day Congress is passing resolutions honoring Carrot Top.

.

[Lerkfish]

11. not a big Hope fan, but I think comparing him to Carrot top is a bit unfair.

Just on his USO work alone, he provided literally decades of entertainment to servicemen stationed overseas, even during Vietnam. He had specials on television the entire time I was growing up.

Carrot Top?

er....

[Atman]

12. "Specials On Television?" Only on NBC, defense contractor

His "specials" were some of the worst pap ever broadcast. Same sexist formula every time...put creepy old Bob onstage with the hottie of the day, and Bob would leer and make family-friendly jokes about their tits (or lack thereof: See "The Brooke Shields Years"), read directly from the cue cards. Hell, he'd even squint and lean closer to the read 'em. I'm sorry, I know a lot of people my age have fond memories of him, but he was just a Harvey Korman wannabe. And if you get THAT reference, you know how crappy I think he was.

Although, I can't dis the guy for entertaining the troops. If I was stuck in Viet Nam, I'd gladly listen to Hope's stale banter while I awaited for the helicopter full of Playmates.

.

[Lerkfish]

13. I was complaining about the comparison to carrot top, which you did not address

their careers are not comparable.

[Atman]

14. Oh...okay.

Where was Hope at Carrot Top's age? Playing Vegas.

Just sayin'. Will we be watching Carrot Top specials on NBC when he's 90? Two half-naked girls escorting him onstage so he can make boobie jokes about them?

Maybe Carrot Top isn't the ideal comparison. Maybe it's Adam Sandler. You tell me. My point is simply that Hope was a a product of the "studio system" and was propped up way beyond the reasonable expectations of his talent. He was a nice guy with friends, but without his cue cards, he was just another Joe Schmoe who loved the troops.

.

[WI_DEM]

20. Hope, actually rarely played Vegas.

It wasn't his thing.

[brook]

15. I heard a number

of stories about his horn-dogging. Some from fellow stewardii when I was flying. Others after I moved to Hollywood and attended a couple of benefits at his house. I'm happy the GI's were treated to a break from the pain of war - but I think Hope got more entertainment than the troops.

[NYCGirl]

18. Bob Hope was with NBC since 1937, when they were a radio network.

Were they "defense contractors" then?

[WI_DEM]

19. I'm not saying they were good, but yes, his specials were on television and so what if it's NBC

they were on network television. He also appeared on other networks from time to time on other peoples shows. NBC also had Milton Berle, Jack Benny, Dean Martin, Johnny Carson, and others. As for the content of the specials I'm not defending them but I know many people who liked them. As for me, I think Hope went on way too long and became tired and stale. I was just pointing out that your "under 40" comment is probably not accurate since I know many people 40 and under who know who Hope was. I'll bet there are even people in there 20's who have an understanding of who Bob Hope was--thanks to movie channels and DVDs.

[WCGreen]

21. Just so you know, GE didn't always own NBC....

In fact I believe Hope was with NBC all the way back to radio days...

[Geek_Girl]

22. Pauli Shore isn't funny but Dave Chapelle is awsome!

nt

[GoddessOfGuinness]

4. How long before the island is under water

due to global warming that doesn't exist?

[bobbolink]

10. Did you notice ALL the celebrity threads on DU in the not-too-distant past?

Look, the left fixates on silly stuff, too.

We aren't immune, and until we look at ourselves, all the shit will continue.

[AlCzervik]

16. an interesting fact about Hope that maybe not everyone knows is that he was

at one time the largest private land owner in california. I'm agnostic on Hope but i thought that fact was pretty interesting.

[SoCalDem]

17. Yes, they waste an inordinate amount of time on "honorariums"

They need to set aside a day a month, when they all submit their "pet" re-naming "bills", and then get out their rubber stamps.

The rest of the time they should be DOING OUR BUSINESS.

This fiddling, while Rome burns stuff is what makes me CRAZY..

How many people out there in the 'real world" are sick and have no coverage? what's more important to them? Bob Hope or health coverage?

How many kids are graduating from college with buckled knees from the debt load they are carrying? what's more important to them? Bob Hope? or affordable college educations?

etc etc etc

Congress usually does the easy stuff first and then kicks the hard stuff down the road "for later".