"Saturday Night Live" has always made politicians’ policies and missteps the butt of jokes, but the popular NBC show stooped too far on Dec.13, when it made fun of a governor’s disability.
On Saturday, Seth Meyers’ “Weekend Update” bit featured a sketch with Fred Armisen playing New York’s Democratic Governor David Paterson. Armisen played the role of the mostly blind Paterson with one eye half closed, and was shown needing help finding the desk right in front of him.
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if it's okay to make fun of sarah pailin's disabled son ...
December 16, 2008 - 14:19 ET by pmohbucki don't see any problem with mocking the NY gov. (no pun intended)
Bingo!
December 16, 2008 - 14:44 ET by heldmywThis was a sendup of a Governor, NOT 'ridiculing of people with disabilities'.
If you're a public figure, you'd better expect to be made fun of, vilified, stereotyped and ridiculed.
It's in the job description.
Just ask ol' JugEars McHopenchange.
It'd be one thing if they
December 16, 2008 - 20:47 ET by GrannyGrump42It'd be one thing if they made fun of the things he did as governor. But to make fun of a blind man for being blind is mean spirited and bigoted, no matter who the blind man is.
Aye
December 16, 2008 - 22:34 ET byAgreed...
Colemine1210
Aye????
December 16, 2008 - 23:20 ET by RESTLESS 1Is that supposed to be funny???? :/
"This
liberal would be all about socialize -- uh, uh, would be about
basically taking over and the government running all of your companies."-Maxine Waters 2008
Eye???
December 16, 2008 - 23:27 ET by Cool ArrowNow it is.
Cool,
December 16, 2008 - 23:35 ET by RESTLESS 1Now that's some mighty fine editin'.
"This
liberal would be all about socialize -- uh, uh, would be about
basically taking over and the government running all of your companies."-Maxine Waters 2008
If the NY Gov was a GOPer, no prob...
December 16, 2008 - 15:30 ET by bpjamI guess even drug using, manwhores aren't subject to a little mockery if they are black.
paterson brings it on himself
December 16, 2008 - 14:35 ET by larry on LIby his inaction in proper governing. it's only a very just reward that he gets rediculed by the media in his own home town.
How many David Pattersons
December 16, 2008 - 14:41 ET by Jack BauerHow many David Pattersons does it take to change a lightbulb? None. He's blind, you moron.
What's the difference between Governor Patterson and ex-Governor Spitzer? Spitzer called an exclusive escort service and paid $4000 a night for a high class hooker. Patterson called an exclusive escort service and paid $4000 a night for the ugliest skank on their books.
OMG
December 16, 2008 - 14:37 ET by MillerTimeWarpSo freaking typical. Don't dare make fun of a black politician. People forget the years of Chevy Chase poking fun at Ford, and falling over trying to decorate a Christmas tree. We went from a country with a sense of humor to a country that can't poke fun at anybody - to a county that can't touch the black community. GIVE ME A CHRISTMAS FREAKIN' BREAK.
SNL
December 16, 2008 - 14:42 ET by iveseenitallWhen SNL first appeared, some of us warned what this "mocking" would bring. Decades later it has morphed into the upleasant, to say the least. It is like the joke at a party or with a group of friends. After a while those who are the butt of the humor begin to get annoyed. Jokes have ruined many a friendship. How long did the "liberals" think they could go without being mocked? And who is to determine what hurt the laughs are causing? Political satire has a time and place. But it should be rare. "Whatcha' gonna' do when they come for you"? Protest---as the blind lib from N.Y. is doing? Demand a retraction? Or just despise those who are laughing at you? Sad.
NEVER,NEVER trust a "liberal"
paterson brings it on himself
December 16, 2008 - 14:42 ET by larry on LIby his inaction in proper governing. it's only a very just reward that he gets rediculed by the media in his own home town.
Sorry that this is off
December 16, 2008 - 14:58 ET by rimskySorry that this is off topic here.. but has anybody heard about the new tax that Govenor Patterson is proposing?
Yes, God forbid they cut $15
December 16, 2008 - 15:08 ET by mrbucketYes, God forbid they cut $15 billion in spending. Morons.
Yep, liberals never met a tax they didn't like
December 16, 2008 - 15:49 ET by Mary Louise TurnerI heard about the "food police" tax on Coca-Cola, Pepsi, etc., and it's so typically liberal. I've said for years that liberals never met a tax they didn't like (with apologies to Will Rogers). Combine that with the zeal of the food cops and you've got another recipe for liberal disaster.
Patterson said the pain must be shared.
December 16, 2008 - 21:03 ET by Dan Diego"Even with the cuts, the 2009-10 budget would increase a little more than 1%, the smallest hike since 1996-97." NY Daily News
Except the government.
Waiting for our CA Dem-a-Rino Gov to follow a blind guy.
He may actually have
December 16, 2008 - 14:59 ET by SickofLibsHe may actually have difficulty finding his desk, but not locating booty.
Honestly, after the past 8
December 16, 2008 - 15:09 ET by mrbucketHonestly, after the past 8 years of having to endure seeing politicians I support mocked mercilessly, it was refreshing to see SNL set their sights on Blinky Paterson (whoops).
I can understand the need to be consistant with prior critiques of Bush, Palin, McCain, etc... and to that end I applaud NewsBusters for succesfully being objective in their knee-jerk reactions.
I highly doubt Paterson sees it as a disability (whoops), and whining that SNL went too far simply because they imitated someone with a disability seems like a waste of bandwidth.
It wouldn't make any sense to mock the guy with a white comedian that doesn't even try to mimick the mannerisms and speaking style of the subject being imitated.
Paterson is in the public eye (there I go again) and as such, is subject to praise, prodding and mockery - regardless of his "disability."
blind jokes
December 16, 2008 - 15:31 ET by ginagwen7I grew up with a blind father and uncle, and we all got the biggest kick out of blind jokes and poking fun at them, nothing malicious, just pickin'. When they get together, they make more fun of themselves than we ever would.
Why don't blind people skydive?
it scares their dog
December 16, 2008 - 15:32 ET by ginagwen7it scares their dog
Somebody asked the blind
December 16, 2008 - 21:02 ET by GrannyGrump42Somebody asked the blind skydiver how he could tell when he was near to the ground. He said, "The leash goes slack."
just wondering
December 16, 2008 - 22:38 ET byDid you go on TV and do that?
Colemine1210
another blind joke
December 16, 2008 - 15:28 ET by ginagwen7A blind man walks into a store and picks his seeing eye dog up by the tail and swings it around above his head.
The clerk is alarmed and says"Can I help you, sir"
The man replies,"No, I'm just looking around."
→ Blind jokes
December 16, 2008 - 15:31 ET by Cool ArrowBlind man walks past a fish market and says " . . ."
I give up, what???
December 16, 2008 - 20:24 ET by Dan DiegoI give up, what???
→ Dan Diego
December 16, 2008 - 20:27 ET by Cool ArrowCheck private message.
I enjoyed SNL in the late
December 16, 2008 - 16:47 ET by AizlynneI enjoyed SNL in the late 70's, but not much after that.
As long as they are equal opportunity slaggers (like Southpark guys) it's hard to take issue with them.
It is a Comedy Show!
December 16, 2008 - 17:22 ET by northoneIt's okay, downright innovative, and a Top-5 highlight of 2008 when Sarah Palin was mocked by Tina Fey for several weeks in a row. "I can see Russia from my house!!"
It's okay when Will Ferrel portrayed President Bush as a moron, and Dick Cheney was portrayed as a manipulative, control-freak.
SNL dares not mock Obama. He's just portrayed as a "cool cat".
But satarize a black, drug-using governor of New York, and you'd think the world was about to end.
Sorry, but I watched the sketch, and it was funny as hell. It's one of the few times I actually laughed out loud watching SNL, and that doesn't happen very often any more.
Just a little help
December 16, 2008 - 22:42 ET byIt's "satirize" and "Will Ferrell". You're so brilliant in your argument, just wanted to help with your spelling issues.
Colemine1210
Face it, junior, you're
December 16, 2008 - 23:40 ET by Trix RabbitFace it, junior, you're never gonna make it as one who imparts intelligent discourse or as a spelling nazi around here.
Five years from now after you've finally finished that two year curriculum at the community college and you've landed that big job at the local paper mill as the something-or-other, even the minimum wage earning trailer-court grunts who run the sluice hopper are going to look down their noses at you and sneer in contempt.
Liberal: a power worshipper without power. George Orwell
Trix... I'm roaring with
December 16, 2008 - 23:57 ET by bigtimerTrix...
I'm roaring with laughter here...I just scared my dog under my feet and the cat on my lap with my outburst...
Thank you...such words of wisdom to out latest resident troll here.
Such laughter you gave me tonight.
"America isn't the problem...America is the solution." ~ Rush Limbaugh
Anytime, BT, anytime...but
December 17, 2008 - 00:06 ET by Trix RabbitAnytime, BT, anytime...but I believe that the word "troll" as does the word "loser" implies a certain degree of intelligence that can't be attributed to folks like...well...him.
Liberal: a power worshipper without power. George Orwell
Trix...OMG! You gotta'
December 17, 2008 - 00:13 ET by bigtimerTrix...
OMG! You gotta' stop...I'm really laughing now...I can't help it...you are getting in some good ones here..all the truth too.
Sure glad you're so witty tonight...funny how we all go in spurts here and there with things on this site.
Thank goodness for NBs and the great posters here...it does relieve stress...politically and otherwise sometime in what all we face individually in our daily lives.
"America isn't the problem...America is the solution." ~ Rush Limbaugh
Great. Yet another spelling NAZI.
December 17, 2008 - 00:39 ET by R D Helm-Dave
Will work for beer.
I'm Sorry!
December 17, 2008 - 22:49 ET by northoneYikes! Two spelling errors! I do most humbly apologize, but I still think the sketch was hilarious!!
amen north
December 17, 2008 - 23:03 ET by porpoiseboyfreakin' hilarious! now let's see what kind of nads these guys really have. let's see if they can follow it up with a "blind gov appointing a know nothing neophyte with a family name" skit. i would regain much respect for their knife cutting both ways.
"Here comes the orator! With his flood of words, and his drop of reason" Ben Franklin
Ecclesiastes 10:2 The heart of the wise inclines to the right, but the heart of the fool to the left
I Stand Corrected
December 17, 2008 - 23:02 ET by northoneThank you, Colemine, for the spelling lesson. I stand corrected! Now log off and get back to Daily Kos, a blog at which you are clearly more at-home. Merry Christmas, and may the joy of the season and the celebration of the birth of Jesus bring you the peace and happiness you so richly deserve. God bless!
I thought it was a funny bit
December 16, 2008 - 18:07 ET by balboaI thought it was a funny bit (funnier when he returned to interrupt Amy Poehler's goodbye), but I was a little uncomfortable about making fun of his eyes.
All in all, it was funny. Petersen should lighten up, not play the victim.
boa... I thought it was
December 16, 2008 - 18:15 ET by bigtimerboa...
I thought it was funny too.
Hey, by the way...where have you been...starting worrying just a wee bit about you little brother. ;-)
I, for one ,am glad to see we have our nay-sayer back in the fold.
"America isn't the problem...America is the solution." ~ Rush Limbaugh
→ Naysayer?
December 16, 2008 - 23:44 ET by Cool ArrowYou mean sarcasmo's back?
Oh, Balboa!
I thought the Paterson skit
December 16, 2008 - 19:23 ET by stratmanI thought the Paterson skit was the funniest bit of the entire show.
Some of my biggest laughs came when Paterson re-appeared and screwed up the farewell sentiments of Amy Poehler. It looked like both Poehler and Meyers were genuinely surprised.
Hmmmm
December 16, 2008 - 22:07 ET by DoktorFrankenWasn't it Seth Meyers that wrote the skit about Todd Palin having sex with his daughter? So Enlightened.
This Is What Irritates Me Most About Censorship...
December 16, 2008 - 22:56 ET by The7SticksWhether it comes from the left or the right, they just cannot seem to recognize that when it comes to humor, there is no limit. There is absolutely no way you can ever go too far as a comedian or a humorist. We have seen that on South Park or any Adult Swim show you can think of. If nobody ever wanted to be offended by humor, read the comics section in any newspaper. It has been restrained so far to a point that the most outrageous stuff in the paper, if it were broadcast on television as is, would get a TV-G. That is very sad.
→ Very sad
December 16, 2008 - 23:13 ET by Cool ArrowYeah, that comedy gets a free pass every time. Take that guy Michael Richards from Seinfeld. Oh? Really? Never mind.
Cool
December 16, 2008 - 23:25 ET by bigtimerCool Arrow...
Bulls-Eye!
You put that cool arrow of yours straight to the heart of this matter.
"America isn't the problem...America is the solution." ~ Rush Limbaugh
BT,
December 16, 2008 - 23:37 ET by RESTLESS 1"You put that cool arrow of yours straight to the heart of this matter."
It must be noted that in Texas, Cool Arrow means something else entirely. :)
(JK Cool.)
"This
liberal would be all about socialize -- uh, uh, would be about
basically taking over and the government running all of your companies."-Maxine Waters 2008
→ Who? Me?
December 16, 2008 - 23:47 ET by Cool ArrowAs a native Texan I can't imagine what you're talking about.
All my Spanish speaking friends call me Cool Arrow. I think it means friend, right?
Cool, The word culero
December 17, 2008 - 00:01 ET by Trix RabbitCool,
The word culero ain't exactly a friendly monicker.
Liberal: a power worshipper without power. George Orwell
Hmm, I thought it meant somethin else,
December 17, 2008 - 00:02 ET by RESTLESS 1Guess I was mistakin'.
So, that means the National Council of La Raza are just a bunch of "cool arrows" we haven't met yet. ;>)
"This
liberal would be all about socialize -- uh, uh, would be about
basically taking over and the government running all of your companies."-Maxine Waters 2008
R1... Well, since I'm not
December 16, 2008 - 23:49 ET by bigtimerR1...
Well, since I'm not from Texas I thought for a second or two and wanted you to 'splain to me...but now I'm pretty sure I get it....lol.
"America isn't the problem...America is the solution." ~ Rush Limbaugh
Well heck RI, maybe you'd
December 17, 2008 - 00:04 ET by bigtimerWell heck RI, maybe you'd better explain to me after-all... ;-)
"America isn't the problem...America is the solution." ~ Rush Limbaugh
Sorry about that BT
December 17, 2008 - 00:10 ET by RESTLESS 1Here is the G-rated definition.
I have seen other definitions, but this is the one that I hear used for the most. (Warning, this defintion is R-rated).
"This
liberal would be all about socialize -- uh, uh, would be about
basically taking over and the government running all of your companies."-Maxine Waters 2008
R1... Well one thing
December 17, 2008 - 00:20 ET by bigtimerR1...
Well one thing about it...7 fits that description perfectly.
In fact he is a perfect one.
"America isn't the problem...America is the solution." ~ Rush Limbaugh
BT,
December 17, 2008 - 00:25 ET by RESTLESS 1Ain't that the truth. A few others around here fit as well.
"This
liberal would be all about socialize -- uh, uh, would be about
basically taking over and the government running all of your companies."-Maxine Waters 2008
We couldn't agree more
December 17, 2008 - 00:31 ET by bigtimerWe couldn't agree more R1.
"America isn't the problem...America is the solution." ~ Rush Limbaugh
SNL's biggest offense:
December 17, 2008 - 04:35 ET by JWFThey are not funny anymore.
1982
Ebony & Ivory sketch
Frank Sinatra.....Joe Piscopo
Stevie Wonder.....Eddie Murphy
Stevie Wonder: "I am dark, and you are light."
Frank Sinatra: "You are blind as a bat, and I have sight!
Sincerely,
a Veteran of a 1000 psychic wars.
I don't know why he bothered paying attention to them....
December 17, 2008 - 08:21 ET by taocpaI don't know why he even bothered paying attention to them, that show is irrelevant. It's not funny anymore, the writing is horribly sophomoric, it's just a bunch of so-called college graduates who haven't left the frat house looking for a job. The last sketch I actually laughed out loud at was the "Cowbell" sketch featuring Christopher Walken.
It was funny back in the day, but it's a show that needs to go away badly, but NBC doesn't know what to do with the time slot. I have an idea, "Bad ideas by liberals!" That will easily fill up 1 1/2 hours on a Saturday night every week for many years.
Tom
This was absolutely
December 17, 2008 - 13:02 ET by wiwfThis was absolutely hilarious.
The Rocky Mountain Collegian: Illustrating Idiocy