Comedians have complained that Obama's election brings the death of presidential humour, a mainstay of political satire since the founding of our great republic. "Barack Obama's election victory may have been good for the country, but it's been awful for comedians," writes the Washington Post's Eugene Robinson. Obama's too clean, too nice, and also comedians fear that any jokes they make on him will be perceived as racist. (See Don Rickles' basketball joke on David Letterman, which Robinson describes).
But Dennis Leary of "No Cure for Cancer" and "I'm an Asshole" fame has some ideas. He lays out some broad themes for Obama-based humour, offering Chris Matthews of MSNBC three topics:
1) Obama's mother-in-law Marian Shields Robinson is moving into the White House. "That right there is worth 15 minutes of material," Leary says.
2) The puppy. Leary says Obama can't win on this one. No matter what breed he and Michelle buy the girls, some jokes are sure to come of it.
3) Cigarettes. Obama probably still smokes, despite a continual effort to quit. Leary imagines "secret smoking" at the White House.
Oh readers, do you have any suggestions for Leary, Rickles, and the rest of the comics of the US and UK?
