Right vs. Left: Who Laughs More?
Someone call the time here, because you're about to hear something that may never again be repeated in polite society: Jay Leno inspired me to write something.
I know, I know. Leno is the guy who bamboozled Conan in 2010 and boxed Letterman out of the late-night lane back in 1992. He's the guy with zero street cred and a seemingly ever-expanding list of detractors in the comedy world.
But he's also the guy who consistently wins in the ratings and has proven a willingness to welcome guests from all across the political spectrum to his show.
The inspiration for this post I penned over at Acculturated was a recent interview Leno gave in which he made the claim that Republicans are more ready, willing and able to laugh at themselves.
An excerpt:
Who are we kidding here? Of course Republicans can laugh at themselves more, if for no other reason than that they get infinitely more practice learning how to embrace their role as the punch-line to every late night talk show’s monologue joke since Bill Clinton. Almost every major comedian is liberal. Every TV and movie studio that produces comedies is liberal. Most of the press covering what makes people laugh in America is liberal. We’re talking a straight numbers game here, folks.
But that doesn’t fully explain why Republicans decide to laugh along and be good sports on the whole. Or why Democrats, who have just as many silly politicians and political scandals as do representatives of the Right, decide to calibrate their personal emotional settings to “sour-puss” when “their guy” or “their side” takes a few jabs to the proverbial chin.
Read the full piece here. I'd love to get some feedback on Mr. Leno's assertion and my analysis from Ricochet nation.
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Feb '12
Re: Right vs. Left: Who Laughs More?
Liberals laugh more...at us.
Conservatives laugh more...with us.
James Lileks: The Right is less respectful of the transient, banal, petty pieties of political fashion, which provides a wider spectrum for ridicule and hilarity. While they hold faith and family sacred, as RJ notes, neither are exempt. A believer or agnostic's arguments with God are rich fodder for comedy; all the atheist has is rote ridicule of Jeebus-lovin' hicks with their Sky Daddy. Hyuk.
Plus, the post-60s cultural pole-shift means that all the counter-culture notions are now the Holy Writ of the Establishment, which puts the critics in the role of the truth-telling jesters previously filled by Lenny Bruce and Mort Sahl and the Smothers Brothers. Without the adolescent smugness. · 10 hours ago
I agree, Mr. Lileks. I find religious folks, myself included, find it hard to take themselves too seriously when juxtaposed to the Almighty. If it wasn't so tragic sometimes, it would all be too hilarious.
Aug '12
Re: Right vs. Left: Who Laughs More?
Kervinlee: Q: How many leftists does it take to screw in a light bulb?
A: That's not funny. · 12 hours ago
Well, it really depends on how big the light bulb is. No limit otherwise.
What? That's not what you meant?
Aug '12
Re: Right vs. Left: Who Laughs More?
And it really isn't funny.
Mar '11
Re: Right vs. Left: Who Laughs More?
I have a friend who is a writer in Hollywood, and as a matter of fact my friend worked for some time for Mr. Leno. My friend has nothing (and I mean nothing) but wonderful things to say about him.
My friend is very, very, very liberal, so much so that we find it best to avoid discussing anything political as it simply causes strife. My friend, however, feels that mockery is a terrific way to undermine someone else. When I was concerned about someone my niece was dating, my friend suggested that I use sly mockery as a way to break my niece away from her unworthy swain.
I declined to do so, as I felt it was an underhanded and sneaky attempt to manipulate someone who I could not otherwise convince of the rightness of my opinions.
And, suddenly, I understood the purpose of all those unfunny political jokes my friend had been writing for Mr. Leno for all those years: the purpose wasn't to amuse, it was to mock conservative politicians to the point that it would uncouple the emotional ties people might have formed to them.
Dec '10
Re: Right vs. Left: Who Laughs More?
James Lileks: "...as RJ notes..."
I just like reading something where I'm being cited in any way, shape or form by James Lileks!