Jon Stewart Declines to Do Comedy in Wake of South Carolina Church Shooting

As a person raised around guns, where grandpa had a gun cabinet in his den, and Dad had shotgun shell and bullet loaders in the basement, I have--as I've said before--been agnostic in regard to gun control. Not rabidly for it, not rabidly against it, mostly just Switzerland.

That was then. Maybe into my mid-30s or so. Then Columbine happened, and steadily, regularly, depressingly regularly, gun violence blooms all over the country. Sometimes it's laced with anti-religious bigotry, sometimes with mental illness, sometimes with the mere desire to cause mayhem. Every time, it becomes political very fast.

Usually, there is a Left Wing World response along the lines of "Why can't we do anything? Something? Even something small? Is this finally enough?" That last question was largely replaced--after Newtown--with sad resignation, as expressed by Jon Stewart on Thursday night, that we won't do Jack shit, because there is no political will. [Story continues below]

The Daily Show
Daily Show Full Episodes,  More Daily Show Videos,  Comedy Central Full Episodes

In Right Wing World, the response is even more predictable. Go check out FreeRepublic.com or any other right-wing outpost on the internet, even the comments section of generally non-partisan news sites. Instantly--before the facts were known--there were charges of the perp probably being a Muslim, or black, foreign in some way at least. Likely a liberal atheist. When he turned out to be white, obviously race-inspired, probably very conservative, then it was a mental health issue, anti-ADD drugs, bad parenting. And--as always--the real problem is that there are not enough guns out there to fight all the guns out there, and it's really the liberal gun-grabbers' fault because they didn't allow open carry in the shooting site. And as always, someone will suggest it was all a false flag, or a planted patsy, a fake-out to inspire "gun grabbing."

Any whisper of discussion, no matter how gentle, about "is there anything that can be done to minimize these sorts of attacks?" is met with furious, profanity-laced, frothing, white-hot, paranoid rage from the right. It doesn't matter the circumstances. It doesn't matter how the guns were gotten, what type of guns or ammo were involved, whether hidden good-guy sentries with guns would have been helpful or not, the gun fetishists (and let's face it, the guns have been fetishized) come out--excuse the expression--guns ablazing.

If you take out the horror, shock and despair over the actual gun violence that has just happened (again), I'm still left with deep embarrassment that our country reacts this way. That the left is utterly impotent on this issue, and that the right can be so schizophrenic, as Jon Stewart pointed out: Islamic Terrorism must be met with a quick, furious and out-of-scale response. Gun violence? [Shrug] What can you do?

[Excerpt]

TV Jon Stewart declares no jokes in passionate Charleston commentary on The Daily Show

Jon Stewart began Thursday night’s edition of The Daily Show with an emotional, joke-free commentary about racism and gun violence in America following the shooting deaths of nine people at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina on Wednesday. . .

Read more at: Entertainment Weekly

New GOP Congress Off to Bang Up Start

Wow! See, America, this is what happens when you don't pay attention, fall for truthiness, decide it's the other side's "turn" or just don't vote because you think "they're all the same." The new team--yet to even be sworn it--already has a prominent member guilty of a felony (and resigning after saying he wouldn't). And now a guy third from the top in the House of Representatives who gives speeches for white supremacists. And didn't realize it. He's also kind of a nutbar. Is this what you bargained for?

[Excerpt]

House Majority Whip Scalise confirms he spoke to white nationalists in 2002

Rep. Steve Scalise (R-La.), the House majority whip, acknowledged Monday that he spoke at a gathering hosted by white-supremacist leaders while serving as a state representative in 2002, thrusting a racial controversy into House Republican ranks days before the party assumes control of both congressional chambers . . .

Read more at: Washington Post

Jon Stewart on Garner "Chokehold" Case

Image from source, Raw Story

Because, I just can't. But even Stewart is all, "I can't even. . ."

[Excerpt]

Jon Stewart goes off on serious Garner case rant: ‘We’re definitely not living in a post-racial society’
 
Even Daily Show host Jon Stewart found it hard to come up with anything funny to say on Wednesday in the wake of a Staten Island grand jury’s decision not to indict Officer Daniel Pantaleo in connection with the death of Eric Garner. “I don’t know,” Stewart confessed. “I honestly don’t know what to say. If comedy is tragedy plus time, I need more f*cking time. But I would really settle for less f*cking tragedy, to be honest with you. . .”



Read more at: Raw Story

Jon Stewart Returns, Addresses FOX "News" Response to Ferguson

Image from source, Raw Story

It's interesting how often an impactful event happens during a hiatus of The Daily Show, but it sure does. Fortunately, Jon Stewart is back, and he's in fine form.

[Excerpt]

Jon Stewart skewers Fox News for dismissing anger over Ferguson as ‘race arson’

Daily Show host Jon Stewart returned on Monday night by dissecting Fox News’ insistence that protests against police violence in Ferguson, Missouri were incited by liberal “race arsonists.” “I don’t know if I’m supposed to overthrow the government or get one of those panic rooms,” Stewart said. “It almost makes you think that the crime that they’re really upset about over there isn’t race-pimping or race arson — it’s race plagiarism. . .”

Read more at: Raw Story

Nevada Republican's State Assembly Speaker Openly Racist, Sexist, Homophobic*

Image from source, Think Progress

Nevada has faced a number of oddball candidates for office, from the Chicken Lady, Sue Lowden to the certifiably batshit crazy Sharron Angle. And for decades, we've had the Hansen family, from the "Independent American Party," which should absolutely, positively not be confused with your run-of-the-mill independents. The IAP is a very fringy party, where you thought fringes were impossible. And the Hansens tried for years to get into mainstream politics.

Undoubtedly some have, and there is a new one. I wasn't able to confirm that he's part of the same family, but if not he'd fit right in. Ira Hansen is the new Speaker of the Nevada State Assembly. And he simply is pure hard right wing id. No filter, no dog whistle, all right there in the front window.

Whew. Unbelievable.

[Excerpt]

Incoming Nevada Speaker Said Democrats Have ‘Master-Slave’ Relationship With ‘Simple Minded Darkies’

Nevada Assemblyman Ira Hansen (R), who the assembly’s Republican caucus selected as their choice to be its next speaker earlier this month, has a long history of racist, sexist and homophobic statements chronicled in a long list published by the Reno News Review. Among other things, as part of a broader statement of support for school vouchers, Hansen claimed that “[t]he relationship of Negroes and Democrats is truly a master-slave relationship, with the benevolent master knowing what’s best for his simple minded darkies.” Indeed, according to the News Review, Hansen keeps a Confederate battle flag on his wall, which he says that he flies “proudly in honor and in memory of a great cause and my brave ancestors who fought for that cause.” He also “tends to use the term ‘Negro’ and often does not capitalize it. . .”

Read more at: Think Progress

*Obviously, "racist, sexist, homophobic" are all subjective judgments by me, your editor. Though I'm not sure another conclusion could be drawn.

Jon Stewart Returns from Vacation to Discuss Ferguson: Race/Off

Brilliant, as usual.

The Daily Show
Get More: Daily Show Full Episodes,Indecision Political Humor,The Daily Show on Facebook

The Rude Pundit on the Re-naming of the Washington Redskins

Lee Papa, The Rude Pundit

As with everything else in this country, the controversy over the Washington Redskins name seems to have become a right versus left issue. And though I'd usually side with the left anyway, I can safely say that in this case, I'm unequivocally, absolutely, indubitably, unapologetically correct. There is no other justifiable answer but that the Redskins should change their name. Period.

I could go on at length as to why--though really, it shouldn't be necessary--but I don't need to. Because, The Rude Pundit, one of my favorite writers, has written a piece so brilliant (and of course, rude), that it simply can't be improved upon. If you doubt me, read it, and leave me a comment that refutes it. Dare ya.

I'm guessing die-hard Redskins supporters would
think this old GE ad is okay too? Image from source.

[Excerpt]
 
Regarding Racism and Redskins

. . .Casual, quotidian racism was everywhere; it was a part of the American cultural landscape as much as it was part of the American sociopolitical landscape. Advertising was filled with unsubtle racist caricatures. Tom and Jerry cartoons, into the 1950s, featured a Mammy who was constantly reacting to Tom's behavior. Aunt Jemima? Uncle Ben? Rastus, the Cream of Wheat chef? This shit was America, inescapable, insidious, and ubiquitous. . .

Read more at: The Rude Pundit

Cliven Bundy Institute for Higher Learning (A Kenny Pick Ad Parody)

Cliven Bundy's unbelievable oddness and overt racism has been upstaged of late by the Los Angeles Clippers owner, Donald Sterling. Poor guy! Kenny Pick, of Turn Up the Night and The Stephanie Miller Show has come up with a way to get poor ol' Bundy Back in the spotlight!

 

The Gay Thing: HGTV Cancels Plans for Show Due to Homophobic Hosts

When I was a kid, it wasn't rare for people to say wildly racist things, out loud, and without much concern for who heard it. Sometime between the mid-70s and the mid-80s, overt racism had to come more covert. We segued into "think it, but don't say it." You'd still get a drunken uncle letting the n-word fly, and be startled by an older person saying "darkie." But over a period of years, it became a no-no. Now, it's exceedingly rare for someone to be blatantly racist, and when they are, it tends to make news.

Looks like that's happening now with LGBT issues. Though it will no doubt enrage the anti-gay right, we have a new example of how it's just not cool to be openly homophobic, and still get to be on the tee-vee machine. Especially when it's a channel like HGTV, known as "Host is Gay TV" for years now. It's a bit ironic too, because the guys in question here would have drawn the eyeballs of a number of gay viewers, if they weren't so openly bigoted.

So pretty. And such douches. Image from source, Raw Story.

[Excerpt]

HGTV calls off show starring twins who hate gays, Muslims, divorce, and public schools
 
HGTV abruptly called off a new reality show featuring twin brothers who have organized prayer rallies against LGBT and reproductive rights and compared same-sex marriage to Nazi Germany. “Flip It Forward,” which was scheduled to premier in October, was supposed to feature David and Jason Benham as they helped families buy, repair, and sell real estate. . .

Read more at: Raw Story

NBA Black and White (A Rocky Mountain Mike Song Parody)

These song parodies are a lot more fun if you really like the song it's built around. And I love the song, Black and White by Three Dog Night. And surely there's more humor to be mined from the whole Donald Sterling thing, right?
 

Blogger Uninspired, to Return on Wednesday

Sorry, guys. I can't find anything that inspires me to write tonight. Oh sure, I might happen upon something, and change my mind. But right now? I just can't. I mean, I don't care about sports or this Sterling guy who looks like an iguana. Cliven Bundy has petered out. Crimea and Russia are outside my wheelhouse. I can't stand the sound of Sarah Palin's voice, so I'm done with her for a while. And, tornadoes? Against 'em, basically. But what more is to be said?

So, not going to write tonight. I'll be back on Wednesday. Something's bound to happen!

Surprised that Cliven Bundy is a Racist? You Shouldn't Be.

I know I've used Rachel Maddow on the blog a lot recently, but this is the best breakdown I've seen on this story. Over the last day or so, it's come out that Cliven Bundy, the latest rightwing hero, is a seriously politically tone-deaf racist. But if you've been paying attention to the story, that really shouldn't be a surprise. Because the "sovereign citizen" movement that Bundy is a part of is rooted in white supremacist lore. This crazy, "the federal government doesn't exist" crap that Bundy has been espousing should have tipped off dolts like Sean Hannity (and the rest of FOX "News" and Right Wing World) that this guy was a little off.
 

Jon Stewart Volleys Back to Sean Hannity Over Cliven Bundy

When will FOX "News" and Sean Hannity learn? You can't beat The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. You can't do it, but please keep trying. It's comedy gold, and you're spiking that ball right into Stewart's sweet spot. Hilarious. And now that Cliven Bundy--Hannity's favorite 'merican--has proven to be an unapologetic racist? Even sweeter. Glad it became known before Stewart tapes for the day!

The Daily Show
Get More: Daily Show Full Episodes,The Daily Show on Facebook,Daily Show Video Archive

America The Stupid: #CancelColbert

I've been wanting to write this post all day, but wasn't able to think of an approach to it. I'm still not sure I have. Sometimes the wave of stupid is so strong, that it's difficult to figure out how to point it all out. In case you haven't heard, there is a protest going on of Stephen Colbert, and his satirical "news" program, The Colbert Report. It manifested as a trending hashtag, #CancelColbert. And the entire reasoning behind it is, as I said, stupid.

The segment, which aired on Thursday night, was about the owner of the Washington Redskins, and his refusal to change the name of the team, despite the fact that the name is a racial slur against Native Americans. Now, before we get into the bit, can I ask, why won't they change the name? It's not even unusual for a sports team to change names or mascots, why on earth are they so attached to it? Anyway, the owner's "compromise" was to set up a charitable fund for Native Americans instead.

Colbert's bit mocked this notion by resurrecting a (purposefully) offensive Asian character, "Ching-Chong Ding-Dong." Now, let's first point out that the character was originally used in response to a Rush Limbaugh controversy, where Rush went on at length in a sing-song faux Asian voice. And, while Limbaugh did get a little heat over it for like a day, I don't recall conservatives being up in arms about it. Funny that.

Anyway, Colbert's entire bit was both a rip on the owner of the Redskins, and on age-old Asian stereotypes held by mostly white people. Even the "Orientals or whatever" part of the faux charity name was a jab at people who complain that ethnic groups sometimes change their preferred name, and deem older terms offensive. There was nothing in the bit that was out of character, literally. The character of "Stephen Colbert" (rather than the actor) is an obtuse, jingoistic, arch conservative. He's an educated, polished Archie Bunker.

I really believe that the only people complaining about this--on the left or right--fall into just a few small categories: a) humorless people who don't understand satire, b) knee-jerk reactionaries who overreacted to a piece of the joke tweeted out of context, c) people who are always looking to be outraged about something, and d) people who probably aren't really upset, but squawk about this for other reasons.

I suppose some people of Asian descent might be offended, not knowing the full context, or the original reason for the creation of the character. But I think that's still a knee-jerk reaction. We're all guilty of that from time to time. But for heaven's sake, let it go. This is not what you thought it was. And Colbert is not going to be cancelled over this. But he might have to make an unwarranted Martin Bashir-like apology. I really hope not. I hope he turns it into an even better bit.

[Excerpt]

People Want 'The Colbert Report' Canceled Over Asian Joke
 
Twitter users aimed to get the hashtag #CancelColbert trending on Thursday night after the official Twitter account for "The Colbert Report" posted a joke about Asian stereotypes out of context. The now-deleted tweet read "I am willing to show #Asian community I care by introducing the Ching-Chong Ding-Dong Foundation for Sensitivity to Orientals or Whatever." That was a quote taken directly from a segment on Wednesday's show that lampooned Washington Redskins owner Dan Snyder, who announced he created the Washington Redskins Original Americans Foundation to aid Native American tribes while ignoring calls to change the football team's much-maligned name. . .



Read more at: TPM

[Excerpt]

Twitter killed Stephen Colbert’s joke

. . .The immediate backlash was spearheaded by young activist Suey Park who created the hashtag #CancelColbert as a way of galvanizing the twitterverse against the late night satirist.
“The Colbert Report” recently responded with roughly 140 more characters clarifying:

For the record @ColbertReport is not controlled by Stephen Colbert or his show. He is @StephenAtHome Sorry for the confusion #CancelColbert. . .

Read more at: Salon 

Tea Party Turns Five

Image from source, Wonkette

The Tea Party (allegedly an acronym for "Taxed Enough Already") has made a lot of news in its five years of existence. Most of it of a dubious nature, and a whole lot of it embarrassingly silly. The silliest part is how seriously some of the tea baggers* take it, even though its origins aren't really grass roots, and its mission has been a bit muddy. I mean, at first, they were all about smaller government, and lower taxes, and never mind all of that social stuff.

Fairly quickly--aside from the Koch Brothers' backing and opportunistic hangers-on--it became clear that the Tea Party was really a rebranding of the GOP base, the rabid, religious right. Suddenly, abortion and gay marriage were in the mix. And the candidates being supported by them were bonkers. The crazier, the better! They had initial success (though some of the nuttier candidates didn't make it), and today are just as nebulous in purpose and form as they were in the beginning, other than being as extremely right-wing as is possible.

But think about this as you "celebrate" five years of this baffling movement: the Tea Party is 30 days younger than the Obama presidency. That's right, this "organic" movement sprung up to combat an oppressive regime that was a whopping month old. One thing I'll never concede is my belief that the whole enterprise was a reaction not to a Democratic president, but to a black president.

[Excerpt]

The Tea Party Is Five Years Old Today, And Finally Acting Its Age
 
Five years ago today, Rick Santelli went on your teevee and said “We’re thinking of having a tea party” to protest (ostensibly) the Homeowners Affordability and Stability Plan, which was something that helped people keep their houses, even if these dumb homeowners were personally irresponsible and got fired because the economy shed however many million jobs in 2008-9, the nerve of some people, being affected by massive economic shocks! . . .

Read more at: Wonkette


*And yes, friends and neighbors, I still gleefully use the term "tea bagger" and its variants. For more than one reason, chiefly, a) it really torques off tea baggers and b) because it was originally Tea Party members who tried using the term to disparage liberals. But it backfired on them, and stuck. That doesn't happen often, but when it does, it is a beautiful (and hilarious) thing.

Right Wing World: Conservative Hero Ted Nugent's Racist, Sexist Rant

I've lamented many times in this space about the sheer oddness of conservative heroes. From Sarah Palin to Joe the Plumber to the cast of Duck Dynasty, they are a cavalcade of oddities, with a wide streak of barely veiled (and sometimes naked) racism, sexism, homophobia, you name the prejudice. Usually denied, but patently obvious. Occasionally, they'll go too far, and offer a soft apology, and sometimes even then with a bit of a twist. Most often, they double down, claim "freedom of speech," and their fans love them more for it.

Ted Nugent is one of the odder ones, and one of the "nakedly" offensive variety. For all of Right Wing World's outrages against liberals and the "Hollywood elite" should they say or do something that lights up the news cycle, Ted has gotten support by people like Mike Huckabee and Sean Hannity, even when Ted's offenses are usually far more offensive. The question is, will they back him up this time?

Image from source, Mediaite

[Excerpt]

Ted Nugent: President Obama a ‘Chimpanzee’ and ‘Subhuman Mongrel,’ Hillary Has ‘Spare Scrotums’

Self-professed fecal draft-dodger Ted Nugent, who is not racist because he profits from black music, was interviewed by Guns.com at the almost-aptly-named SHOT Show 2014 about a variety of topics, and had a few more choice words for President Obama, whom Nugent once said (from a distance) should “suck on my machine gun.” Toward the end of the interview, Nugent referred to the President as a “subhuman mongrel” and a “chimpanzee,” while also asserting that former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has “spare scrotums. . .”

Source (with video): Mediaite

New David Ippolito Song, Tea Party Anthem (I Want My Country Back)

David Ippolito--known as "That Guitar Man from Central Park"--renowned on this blog for his hilarious Tom Cruise Scares Me (Ann Coulter Scares Me) has a new song, to the tune of I Dreamed a Dream. And it's just as funny, if a little more controversial (and racy, language wise, gentle reader). I love it!

And yes, if you think you recognize him from a Cialis ad, improbably, you do.

Santa is White (Rocky Mountain Mike Song Parody)

Megan Kelly gets the Rocky Mountain Mike treatment (with the help of the barking Jingle Dogs).

Daily Show Follows Up On on Megan Kelly and White Santa

The Daily Show
Get More: Daily Show Full Episodes,The Daily Show on Facebook

FOX "News" Host Megyn Kelly: Santa and Jesus are White! (And Real!)

Image from NYDaily News

Megyn Kelly, newly minted hostess of the oddly named FOX "News" program, The Kelly File has some odd ideas about history. Kelly--who just this week told Jay Leno that she's a straight-up news gal, not an opinion host--has proclaimed both Jesus and Santa Claus to be actual, historical people. White, historical people.

As an atheist, I'm aware that Christians are convinced that Jesus was an actual, real person who is also the Son of God, and also God himself and some combination, plus his own dad. I won't pick that apart here other than to say "huh?" I can concede that there may have been a living person of his description walking the planet a little over 2,000 years ago. Whether he was just as described in the Bible remains completely a matter of faith, not fact. And his race and appearance are wholly (not holy) a matter of speculation.

The Bible only says Jesus had hair like wool. For such an important figure, it's odd that the book doesn't describe his appearance at length, but it doesn't. So, what everyone imagines as Jesus is what he looks like in famous portraits and statuary, which were plucked out of the artists' imaginations, inspired or not. Still, it's rather unlikely that a Middle Eastern Jewish guy looks like a white 6' European dude with strawberry blonde flowing locks. Mostly, what it makes me wonder is if people are really seeing images of John Lennon rather than Jesus in their morning toast and other random foodstuffs.

Megyn Kelly is a bit less curious about such matters. In fact, she's certain that Jesus existed and was in fact white. Not only that, Santa Claus apparently is also real, and white as well! Which makes me think Kelly is something of a fluff-headed lightweight, which really isn't too surprising.

[Excerpt]

Megyn Kelly Really Wants The Kids To Know Santa And Jesus Are White

This is how Megyn Kelly handled a story by a black woman who wrote that maybe, just maybe, Santa doesn't have to be white all the time (because—spoiler alert—Santa can be all things to all people!) . . .

Read more (with video) at: Huffington Post