[Shrek] Fake Outrage Is Far More Comedy Than Letterman Intended

Comedians tell jokes. Sometimes the jokes are funny, sometimes they aren't, and sometimes people aren't smart enough to get the joke. And often times the people that don't get the joke never realize the joke is on them.

I'm sure everyone has heard, or at least heard about, the joke Letterman told about Sarah Palin's daughter attending the Yankees game. "One awkward moment for Sarah Palin at the Yankee game, during the seventh inning, her daughter was knocked up by Alex Rodriguez.", was what Letterman said.

Letterman has since acknowledging the joke was "ugly," "cheap," and "in poor taste", and has apologized. In my opinion, along with it being those three things it was one thing that's far worse for a comedian--not very funny. It doesn't matter the age of Palin's children, nor which one went to the game, the joke doesn't really work.

But the fake outrage that has followed is high comedy indeed.

"I think that calling the former vice presidential candidate a slut or saying that her daughter was knocked up by Alex Rodriguez, I think everyone can agree that’s over the line," Washington Examiner correspondent Byron York told FOX News’ Greta Von Susteren. I don't know much about York, but those comments seem spot on to me.

"Letterman jokes about Palin's daughter. Way over the line. If it were my daughters I'd be furious. He should seriously apologize." Missouri Senator Claire McCaskill agreed, speaking out against Letterman on her Twitter page. I don't know much about Senator McCaskill either, but this seems spot on too.

So there are folks that seem to get it was just a joke that went bad, and have taken a reasonable stance about it. But there are some others...

"Acceptance of inappropriate sexual comments about an underage girl, who could be anyone's daughter, contributes to the atrociously high rate of sexual exploitation of minors by older men who use and abuse others," is Palin's comment. She added later, "It’s no wonder girls have such low self-esteem in America when a comedian can make a remark like this".

Really? I guess there are no billboards, magazines, or television in Alaska. Because if there were Palin would see that adding any comedian to the list of reasons why girls have low self-esteem is ludicrous.

Fox news and CNN are full of conservative talking heads, all trying to top each other, continuing the trend of pretending to be outraged over something most folks don't care one iota about. And I'm not the only one noticing the fake outrage makes these folks look silly

Mark McKinnon, a former campaign adviser to John McCain and George W. Bush said, "If the right goes after Letterman, they make him look big and themselves small." McKinnon added, "It's win-win for Letterman."

From Republican media consultant Fred Davis, a chief ad-maker for the McCain campaign: "I think it's a mistake too many conservatives are making right now. They are trying to find anything to attack." Davis may have had the best take on this, saying "Letterman apologized. He said it was over the line. He is a funny guy, and his job is to do sarcastic humor. That's his thing."

As I told my conservative friends in March, learn which battles to fight. This wasn't one that needed fighting, and you had no chance of winning it no matter what you did.

[Shrek] A Message For My Conservative Friends

OK folks, this message is really just for my friends who are on the "right" of the political center line. I didn't think I'd need to make a post like this, but recent talk radio comments and political blogs have shown to me that you conservatives need some helpful advice:

Learn which battles to fight.

Remember how silly the liberals looked when they fought every single battle they could find while the previous administration was in the White House, no matter how dumb or trivial it was? That's how silly you look now.

What's raised the ire of the conservatives here in the Commonwealth lately is our governor, Deval Patrick, going on vacation to the Caribbean and taking his State Police body guards with him. The State Police body guards are, not shockingly, paid with tax dollars, and many folks think we shouldn't be wasting tax dollars on protection for our traveling governor.

Well, our two previous governors, both Republicans, also had State Police protection when they traveled. Was money being wasted in those cases, especially when one of those two was running for President and was spending lots of time in New Hampshire and Iowa?

No one will find it odd that these folks that are complaining are saying that the issue they now have is that in our current economic situation we should be cutting all wasteful spending in light of all the projected drops in revenue for the state.

The obvious conclusion is they think wasting money when there isn't an economic crisis is OK.

So you see, not exactly the point people are trying to make.

Listen, if people want to give Governor Patrick crap because he gave State Senator Marian Walsh a $175,000-a-year job as an assistant director at a state bonding authority, a position that had sat vacant for more than a dozen years, I'll stand with you.

If people want to give Governor Patrick crap because he wants to add 19 cents per gallon to the current gas tax, making it the highest in the nation, I'll stand with you.

If people want to give Governor Patrick crap because he wants to raise the tolls on the Mass Pike...well, sorry, you're on your own there. I don't use the Pike, so that's a battle I'm not going to fight.

See, it's a lesson I've already learned.