THINK THAT'S FUNNY, HUH? - Just a Minute Radio for 5/13/09

Howdy – It’s the middle of the week!

 

The White House Correspondent’s dinner is an annual event – along the line of a roast, or another parody social event called “the Grid Iron Club” (which President Obama elected to skip this year – unusual) but the jokes are often at the expense of the ‘honored’ guest.

 

This time the President turned the tables – rather mockingly on the correspondents saying all of them ‘voted for me’ – except the ones at the Fox News Table… and Bill O’Reilly said he knew that was inaccurate.

 

Having been around Washington for some ten years or so back in the 60’s and 70’s – I think the ‘humor’ has sadly sunk to a bottom-feeder normalcy, that unfortunately matches the quality of the overall journalism profession on that level these days. Those folks have become, in the main, overly impressed with their self-identified importance. There’s no joke bigger than the guy who doesn’t know he’s the joke – and continues on his way convinced people are laughing with him rather than recognizing they’re laughing AT him.

 

A large majority of the New York/Washington/Los Angeles media think they’re the center of gravity in America – not realizing to be the butt of the joke and not pick up on it is density of the worst kind. Of course most politicos and high profile business and professional people take a few sips of this potent elixir and begin to quaff it ravenously and endeavor to get more – much more. If you look at TV (and I’m finding it increasingly easy to ignore) do you see many people you would like to eat dinner with?  With Bill O’Reilly I doubt if people at his dinner table are able to contribute much to the conversation. Bill already knows it all and is ready to lay it all on you. Glenn Beck comes in close on the heels of Hannity and Rush – and that’s just the conservative side of the spectrum. Most on the liberal side of the scorecard are worse by far.

 

The problem seems to center in the head – between the ears. These guys and gals are in an industry which by its very character requires them to proclaim to all the world how much smarter, better, good-looking, richer and superior in almost every way they are to anyone else sharing the stage or screen with them. In the olden days movie studios used to hire publicity agents to ‘tone down’ their stars a bit – and the movie moguls were pretty good at cutting them down to size in private (or in public when needed) and kept egos in check to the point of blunting their obstreperousness. Now when *everybody* craves their 15 minutes of fame… we get so inured to their offensiveness it slides right by – but today’s celebrities are for the most part, not people you’d care to be stranded with on a desert isle.

 

Fortunately we don’t have to be. We can turn it off.

 

Cordially, IN HIM

 

Jack

 

http://www.jebcovoice.net/audio/jama05-13-09.mp3

 

http://www.jebcovoice.net/scripts/jamt05-13-09.doc

 

If the links don’t work please try copying to your browser.

 

 

 

“JUST A MINUTE”

THINK THAT’S FUNNY,HUH?

MizP: JIST A MINITE – Mr Jack – Didja ever go ta' th’ White House Correspondent’s Dinner in Washington?

JACK: Yes, Miz Pearl – during the Nixon Administration.

BB: Was there comedy on the program?

Jack: Yes – at a Birthday Party for Mrs. Mamie Eisenhower we had Red Skelton, who was very

funny and respectful of the guests.

HOMER: Ah guess thangs has changed.

Jack: I guess so.

MizP: Did you get ta' shake her hand.

Jack: No – but my wife got her autograph on the dinner menu.

MizP: Oh tha-ut’s nice.

BB: Quite a change frum what’s a goin’ on now.

Jack: Right quite a change.

MizP: Was they’re jokes?

Jack: It was quite a while ago – I remember we had Ray Bolger – the fellow  who played the Scarecrow in the

                Wizard of Oz. – He was funny; and the Army Glee Club sang for Mrs. Eisenhower.

MizP:  Oh tha-ut was nice, too.

HOMER: That-us was a diff-runt day wasn’t hit. 

Jack: Yes… I’d say quite different.

BB: Mr. Jack you thank we’ll ever git back there?

JACK: We don’t go back and re-live the past – that’s for sure – but there’s no good reason to abandon

good manners and politeness.

HOMER: Rite – well whatta you thank ought to be a-happenin’ better?

Jack: There’s no escaping whether it’s a company or a government, a church or school, the

Institution’s tone and demeanor comes from the leader, or leaders at the top – good or bad.

MizP: I reckon thas a good reason fer usn’s to be involved in choosin’ people of character to be our leaders.

Jack: Astute, Miz Pearl.

BB: I’d say tha-ut’s probly the biggest reason fer the messes we is in no matter which group is in power.

Jack: Another pearl of wisdom. Character isn’t something you can buy in a  50 pound sack.

HOMER: Nossir… My Daddy used to say: reppetation is whut other people thank you are – Character is whut

God knows you to be.

Jack: We are just overflowing with wisdom here today. Well – let’s plan to be back next Wednesday.

               <> I’m Jack Buttram

(END)                              

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