Sure I can. Sam, Sam, these are professional entertainers and PR guys (all of them 30-45, male, and white, BTW) and they are way ahead of you on this. He would be coached. He would look almost gracious, and laughing along with the jokes. Anyone who noticed that he was actually just kind of frozen into mock-banter-geniality would be attacked as a some version of hater (pick one. So many on the menu). His affect would be close enough, you ignorant bastards. There would be vicious yuks about his opponents, disguised as roasts of him. Hahahaha. I mean, he played basketball, you fool. He's a guy's guy. All that jock thick-skinned tolerance just comes naturally to him.
But seeing the real thing really shows that up, doesn't it?
Thank you, I enjoyed that. I can't see Obama being "roasted" like that because the "roasters" were all Reagans friends or co-workers. Who are Obama's friends? Does he have co-workers? He has political or professional allies perhaps... but friends who can gently make fun of him? I can't think of one.
I think perhaps that our country has lost it's sense of humor. I blame political correctness.
I'm betting most of them were pretty liberal, and it does leak out here and there.
I'm thinking a roast of Hillary or Bernie or Elizabeth Warren would not go well. Biden or Webb might do okay. Which Republican candidates would do well and which poorly? Off the top of my head, I'm not thinking of any who might not fare well.
I agree that Biden and Webb might do well and that might also be the reason that they are the only two Democrats I'd even consider voting for. If my choices end up being Hillary or Donald and I can't find a way to write in Mickey Mouse, I think I might just stay home and pout.
So far, the candidates I *could* vote for are Rubio, Fiorina, Webb, Biden, maybe Rand Paul. Ben Carson lost me on the evolution crap. The others just haven't lost me yet. They can still do so. So many candidates, so few that are appealing.
I'm registered Democrat because that's where the interesting local races happen and I don't want to be left out. Philosophically, the closest description would be conservative leaning libertarian or "classic" liberal. I cannot abide "progressives".
I wonder if Webb isn't too much a Southerner to be good at a roast. Only among very close friends, as Reagan was lucky enough to be, could jokes that touch on such a man's honor be taken as laughing matters.
My favored candidate so far are Webb, Cruz and Rubio. Fiorina is very smart, and very poised, but her record is dismal. Rubio and Cruz are both very much like Reagan at different points in his career. Rubio is the sunny, morning in America Reagan. It's very easy to like him and be inspired by his family story. Cruz is the fighting, insurgent Reagan. It's very easy to like someone who has fire in the belly right now.
Webb is my favorite, but he won't win. The party would rather turn to an avowed socialist than him, though he is by very far the most qualified person in the race.
I think perhaps that our country has lost it's sense of humor. I blame political correctness.
I don't know about that. I told a very progressive friend of mine a joke modeled on Dean Martin just last night. He posted a story about Boehner warning of 'false prophets' to Facebook. I sent him a private message, so that he wouldn't feel obligated to take responsibility for laughing in public, noting that I didn't think it was much of a risk. "For ye shall know them by their fruits," I said, "and most of the fruits have gone over to the Democrats."
He thought it was hilarious. Humor is still alive. People are just afraid to express it in public.
One thing Webb lacks as a Democrat is publicity. It's all sucked up by Bernie and Hillary. If he decided to be a Republican, he could get all sorts of publicity.
I doubt that President Obama would tolerate being roasted the way that Steve Bridges roasted President Bush. Dubya can laugh at himself. Obama, not so much.
Can you, or any (ANY) one of your readers even conceive of a Roast for Obama? That he would go to? Even if put on by White House insiders?
ReplyDeleteI think the annual Gridiron Dinner does not count.
Sure I can. Sam, Sam, these are professional entertainers and PR guys (all of them 30-45, male, and white, BTW) and they are way ahead of you on this. He would be coached. He would look almost gracious, and laughing along with the jokes. Anyone who noticed that he was actually just kind of frozen into mock-banter-geniality would be attacked as a some version of hater (pick one. So many on the menu). His affect would be close enough, you ignorant bastards. There would be vicious yuks about his opponents, disguised as roasts of him. Hahahaha. I mean, he played basketball, you fool. He's a guy's guy. All that jock thick-skinned tolerance just comes naturally to him.
ReplyDeleteBut seeing the real thing really shows that up, doesn't it?
What a blast that was.
ReplyDeleteI take your point, AVI: it would be fraud upon fraud, all the way down. I think those who could see thru it are those who would not fail to miss it.
ReplyDeleteThank you, I enjoyed that. I can't see Obama being "roasted" like that because the "roasters" were all Reagans friends or co-workers. Who are Obama's friends? Does he have co-workers? He has political or professional allies perhaps... but friends who can gently make fun of him? I can't think of one.
ReplyDeleteI think perhaps that our country has lost it's sense of humor. I blame political correctness.
I'm betting most of them were pretty liberal, and it does leak out here and there.
ReplyDeleteI'm thinking a roast of Hillary or Bernie or Elizabeth Warren would not go well. Biden or Webb might do okay. Which Republican candidates would do well and which poorly? Off the top of my head, I'm not thinking of any who might not fare well.
I agree that Biden and Webb might do well and that might also be the reason that they are the only two Democrats I'd even consider voting for. If my choices end up being Hillary or Donald and I can't find a way to write in Mickey Mouse, I think I might just stay home and pout.
ReplyDeleteSo far, the candidates I *could* vote for are Rubio, Fiorina, Webb, Biden, maybe Rand Paul. Ben Carson lost me on the evolution crap. The others just haven't lost me yet. They can still do so. So many candidates, so few that are appealing.
I'm registered Democrat because that's where the interesting local races happen and I don't want to be left out. Philosophically, the closest description would be conservative leaning libertarian or "classic" liberal. I cannot abide "progressives".
I wonder if Webb isn't too much a Southerner to be good at a roast. Only among very close friends, as Reagan was lucky enough to be, could jokes that touch on such a man's honor be taken as laughing matters.
ReplyDeleteMy favored candidate so far are Webb, Cruz and Rubio. Fiorina is very smart, and very poised, but her record is dismal. Rubio and Cruz are both very much like Reagan at different points in his career. Rubio is the sunny, morning in America Reagan. It's very easy to like him and be inspired by his family story. Cruz is the fighting, insurgent Reagan. It's very easy to like someone who has fire in the belly right now.
Webb is my favorite, but he won't win. The party would rather turn to an avowed socialist than him, though he is by very far the most qualified person in the race.
I think perhaps that our country has lost it's sense of humor. I blame political correctness.
I don't know about that. I told a very progressive friend of mine a joke modeled on Dean Martin just last night. He posted a story about Boehner warning of 'false prophets' to Facebook. I sent him a private message, so that he wouldn't feel obligated to take responsibility for laughing in public, noting that I didn't think it was much of a risk. "For ye shall know them by their fruits," I said, "and most of the fruits have gone over to the Democrats."
He thought it was hilarious. Humor is still alive. People are just afraid to express it in public.
"People are just afraid to express it in public."
ReplyDeleteThat is exactly what I mean when I say our country has lost it's sense of humor. We are afraid to laugh.
Webb should turn Republican. He could get the nomination and win. Probably won't happen, but... I can dream, right?
One thing Webb lacks as a Democrat is publicity. It's all sucked up by Bernie and Hillary. If he decided to be a Republican, he could get all sorts of publicity.
ReplyDeleteFun watching him debate Trump, I'd bet.
ReplyDeleteI doubt that President Obama would tolerate being roasted the way that Steve Bridges roasted President Bush. Dubya can laugh at himself. Obama, not so much.
ReplyDeleteRichard, that's not AT ALL.
ReplyDeleteSam L, I stand corrected.
ReplyDelete