CBS’s Smith: Olbermann Thought Sykes Joke ‘In Bad Taste’

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On Monday’s CBS Early Show, co-host Harry Smith and weatherman Dave Price described attending Saturday’s White House Correspondents Dinner and Smith commented on the controversial joke about Rush Limbaugh made by comedian Wanda Sykes: "She told a joke about Rush Limbaugh as being one of the -- one of the hijackers and the reason he didn't make the flight was because he was, you know, on drugs or whatever...And the whole place -- yeah -- so the whole place groaned, and I ran into Keith Olbermann afterwards...And he said 'I'm not sure, I think that was probably -- probably in bad taste.' I said 'what do you think her job is?’"

In one of many jokes attacking conservatives, Sykes remarked: "I think maybe Rush Limbaugh was the 20th hijacker, but he was just so strung out on oxycontin he missed his flight." Apparently, while even left-wing bomber thrower Keith Olbermann thought that was over the line, Smith defended Sykes: "Well, you know what, any comedian, anybody who does that job, their job is to push the envelope...You can't go home -- you can't go home to the community of comedians unless you've gone too far."

Co-host Julie Chen later wondered: "But how did the room react, you guys, who was there?" Smith replied: "They groaned, serious groan...And Michelle Obama, in particular, was very uncomfortable with some of Wanda Sykes." Dave Price explained: "It was pretty much the only groan. I mean, there were a couple of other small ones. But she was -- she was pretty much en fuego [on fire]."

Price went on to observe that left-wing Hollywood was back in force at the dinner: "And of course, you had the whole Hollywood community back in. They typically have shied away from Republican presidential candidates. And they came back in force, because to the -- you know, Obama's a rock star." Co-host Maggie Rodriguez remarked: " Obama's so popular." Price added: "...particularly in Hollywood."

In addition to the conversation centered around Sykes, all of the Early Show hosts went out of their way to mention how funny they thought Barack Obama was. Earlier in the show, Smith declared: "It was a star-studded event as President Obama added ‘comedian-in-chief’ to his duties over the weekend." Later, after playing a clip of Obama at the dinner all of the hosts chimed in:

HARRY SMITH: Let's listen to a little more of the funny stuff.

BARACK OBAMA: Now Sasha and Malia aren't here tonight, because they're grounded. You can't just take Air Force One on a joy ride to Manhattan.

RUSS MITCHELL: That was pretty good.

MAGGIE RODRIGUEZ: That was very good-

SMITH: Really lots of really funny self-deprecating stuff.

RODRIGUEZ: -referring to the Statue of Liberty picture that cost the guy who arranged it his job.

DAVE PRICE: He was very, very funny. First of all, whoever wrote it was brilliant and his delivery was right on target.

Here is the full transcript of the segment:

7:13AM TEASE:

HARRY SMITH: It was a star-studded event as President Obama added 'comedian-in-chief' to his duties over the weekend. We'll talk all about that, next.

7:19AM TEASE:

MAGGIE RODRIGUEZ: Coming up next, President Obama takes on Hillary Clinton, Dick Cheney, even Joe Biden. We'll tell you what he had to say at the annual White House Correspondents Dinner.

7:23AM TEASE:

HARRY SMITH: Maggie, Julie missed you at the Correspondents Dinner in Washington D.C. Here's a little bit of President Obama.

BARACK OBAMA: Which brings me to another thing that's changed in this new, warmer, fuzzier White House. And that's my relationship with Hillary. You know, we had been rivals during the campaign. But these days we could not be closer. In fact, the second she got back from Mexico, she pulled me into a hug and gave me a big kiss. Told me I better get down there myself. Dick Cheney was supposed to be here. But he is very busy working on his memoirs. Tentatively titled, 'How To Shoot Friends and Interrogate People.'

SMITH: He's pretty funny.

RODRIGUEZ: Very funny.

7:18AM SEGMENT:

HARRY SMITH: People still buzzing about the White House Correspondents Dinner on Saturday Night. Dave was there. I was there. Tom Cruise was there.

MAGGIE RODRIGUEZ: Oh, so all the cute guys.

RUSS MITCHELL: Of course, yeah. A-list.

JULIE CHEN: Name-dropper, Harry Smith.

SMITH: Ah well, we've got more names to drop.

DAVE PRICE: You were rolling around with Julia Louis Dreyfus.

SMITH: Please, I have stories to tell, but let's listen to a little more of the funny stuff.

BARACK OBAMA: Now Sasha and Malia aren't here tonight, because they're grounded. You can't just take Air Force One on a joy ride to Manhattan.

MITCHELL: That was pretty good.

RODRIGUEZ: That was very good-

SMITH: Really lots of really funny self-deprecating stuff.

RODRIGUEZ: -referring to the Statue of Liberty picture that cost the guy who arranged it his job.

PRICE: He was very, very funny. First of all, whoever wrote it was brilliant and his delivery was right on target. What did you think of Wanda Sykes?

SMITH: Well, you know what, any comedian, anybody who does that job, their job is to push the envelope. Remember Don Imus with Bill Clinton?

PRICE: Pushed it-

SMITH: Stephen Colbert with Bush, whoever's there is going to push it past-

CHEN: Okay, Harry-

SMITH: Yes?

CHEN: -you need to explain, because a lot of people don't know, unless we have the Wanda Sykes soundbite, do we have it ready?

SMITH: She told a joke about Rush Limbaugh as being one of the -- one of the hijackers and the reason he didn't make the flight was because he was, you know, on drugs or whatever.

CHEN: Oh, on Oxytocin, right.

SMITH: And the whole place -- yeah -- so the whole place groaned, and I ran into Keith Olbermann afterwards.

PRICE: Right.

SMITH: And he said 'I'm not sure, I think that was probably -- probably in bad taste.' I said what do you think her job is?'

PRICE: Right.

RODRIGUEZ: That's what she was aiming for.

CHEN: But how did the room react?

SMITH: You can't go home -- you can't go home to the community of comedians unless you've gone too far.

MITCHELL: Right.

CHEN: But how did the room react, you guys, who was there?

SMITH: They groaned, serious groan.

PRICE: Oh, no, they groaned. But-

SMITH: And Michelle Obama, in particular, was very uncomfortable with some of Wanda Sykes.

PRICE: True, but I-

MITCHELL: Was it the only groan? Was it the only groan that you heard?

PRICE: It was pretty much the only groan. I mean, there were a couple of other small ones. But she was -- she was pretty much en fuego. And of course, you had the whole Hollywood community back in. They typically have shied away from Republican presidential candidates. And they came back in force, because to the -- you know, Obama's a rock star.

RODRIGUEZ: Obama's so popular.

PRICE: To -- particularly in Hollywood. Steven Spielberg was there.

SMITH: Unbelievable.

PRICE: I mean, Tom -- Tom-

RODRIGUEZ: Tom Cruise, you mentioned him already.

PRICE: Right.