Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Sarah Palin Accepts David Letterman's Apology for 'Coarse' Jokes - (Is it finally over?)

Sarah Palin has accepted comedian David Letterman’s apology made during Monday night’s broadcast of “The Late Show” for crude jokes made about her and her teen daughters last week.

Read the rest of the article HERE, and what others are saying about it at Memorandum

I'm as sympathetic as the next guy. The jokes were crude, rude, and unnecessary. But once he said he was sorry... the first time... that should've been the end of it.

No one was, say, tortured. It wasn't like anyone used a picture depicting the imminent death of a whole lot of innocent Americans to deliver a punchline.

Dave (& really, some writer, more'n'likely) was just foolishly insensitive. It happens, especially when someone is trying to be funny. It wasn't done maliciously, with the intent of hurting anyone or achieving some further political or social end. And, contrary to the rightwing spin, there is nothing to suggest that it was intentionally or knowingly aimed at a 14 year old. (Yep... along with telling a bad Joke, Dave got the facts wrong, and thought the person about whom he was telling the joke was of age. Is it better that the joke was aimed at an 18 year old? Well, only if it's worse that the joke aimed it at a 14 year old, I guess... These things swing both ways...)

The fact is, it was just a really bad, really insensitive, rude, crude, vaguely lewd joke. I hope everyone understands where I'm coming from, and that I'm in no way defending the joke, or the people responsible for it being told.

Now...

Is it finally over? Is our long national nightmare, with every reporter & right wing blogger following Sarah & Dave's every bloody word on the subject, finally ended? Is the campaign of intimidation, which caused one company, Embassy Suites, to buckle under and pull advertising from CBS.com--they never were Letterman Show sponsors in the first place, making their quick fall to their knees even stranger--(& I know where I'm never staying, anymore...) going to end--perhaps with Embassy Suites reversing their decision, after realizing how foolish they now look?

Or are we going to keep milking it for all it's worth, trying to squeeze every last drop of publicity for one's own side, and scorn for the other side out of this silly, stupid story? Palin's gonna need a new reason for people to keep talkin' about her, ya'know... Besides, Letterman still hasn't been fired, yet... ...and I bet he has one more big ol' apology in him, if he really strains for it...

Let us pray that if they must prey, they at least find new victims...

8 comments:

Joe "Truth 101" Kelly said...

I'll wait a few days then do a post on this. Something about flogging a dead horse stimulates me.

Anonymous said...

With a true apology given (and don't give me that first one was anything close to one) I think it should just be let go at this point. Yes, I was angry but at this point it water under the bridge. I don't think it helps anybody to beat this thing to death.

Pamela Zydel said...

Letterman's 1st lame attempt at an apology was shameless at best. However, his 2nd one appeared to be sincere and Palin accepted it. I hope this is over and no I don't want Letterman fired. This is his 1st offense in 30 yrs; let's put this behind us and hope it doesn't happen again. And goodness, let's hope this doesn't take us down the path for joke czar's.

Rocky2 said...

DAVID LETTERMAN'S HATE, ETC. !

David Letterman's hate is as old as some ancient Hebrew prophets.
Speaking of anti-Semitism, it's Jerry Falwell and other fundy leaders who've gleefully predicted that in the future EVERY nation will be against Israel (an international first?) and that TWO-THIRDS of all Jews will be killed, right?
Wrong! It's the ancient Hebrew prophet Zechariah who predicted all this in the 13th and 14th chapters of his book! The last prophet, Malachi, explains the reason for this future Holocaust that'll outdo even Hitler's by stating that "Judah hath dealt treacherously" and "the Lord will cut off the man that doeth this" and asks "Why do we deal treacherously every man against his brother?"
Haven't evangelicals generally been the best friends of Israel and Jewish persons? Then please explain the recent filthy, hate-filled, back-stabbing tirades by David Letterman (and Sandra Bernhard and Kathy Griffin) against a leading evangelical named Sarah Palin, and explain why most Jewish leaders have seemingly condoned Palin's continuing "crucifixion"!
While David, Sandra, and Kathy are tragically turning comedy into tragedy, they are also helping to speed up and fulfill the Final Holocaust a la Zechariah and Malachi, thus helping to make the Bible even more believable!
(For even more stunning information, visit MSN and type in "Separation of Raunch and State" and "Bible Verses Obama Avoids.")

Anonymous said...

Say what?? LOL

repsac3 said...

Truth my friend, I'm not sure the world needs to know what you're floggin'...

(And what did you & Shaw do to that pretty red haired girl, Sarah G, to make her so upset with you? I caught her post via an unrelated search, and was shocked to discover it was you folks she was talking about... You should both (all?) be ashamed... [...I assume, having no idea what she said to Shaw, or what you ruthless band of marauding libs said to her in return, since all the bad stuff appears to've been scrubbed, on both sites.] I hope you're happy now, mister. Go to your room. And just you wait until your mother gets home.)
---

Jennifer1 & Pamela: I can only hope you're both correct, but I read of at least one or two folks already [ONE, and TWO] who intend to take it all the way, or die tryin'... (Though I'm not sure about that second guy... In the "relentlessness" post he seems serious, but the "gap-toothed comedian post seems too over the top to be anything but satire, almost making fun of those lookin' to fire the guy... ...like his friend, Cynthia. Style's fine, McFly, but if your writing's not clear, you're not communicating...)

I'm kinda with this guy on this one, myself: Big Hollywood - Lonewolf Diaries: Republicans Need to Grow a Sense of Humor. As I said, Dave crossed the line. But much of humor is about dancing on that ever-shifting line which--fortunately or unfortunately, depending on how you feel about it--stretches the boundaries of taste & decorum, ever so slightly, and helps us to deal with uncomfortable situations.

(I remember being at one of my first wakes when I was a kid (teens), and not understanding why so many supposedly grieving adults were telling funny stories (many about my freshly deceased uncle in the pretty box up front, but nothing seemed to be off the table) & laughing. I was actually kind of upset about it, at the time. Eventually, I got what it was about.)

We neither can nor should all be satisfied with only being able to laugh at childhood church retreat sketch comedy. Those rules are fine for that place and time. But we human beings demand more of our comedy, and some of those demands--like enabling us to begin to talk about uncomfortable or unpleasant events--can only be met by pushing (& occasionally risking crossing) that line.

Rocky2:

[blinks. rubs eyes]

Um...

...well...

I think Jennifer said it best in her second comment. I associate myself with her cogent remarks, and offer a hearty second.

All in favor, say aye....

repsac3 said...

Just noticed my TWO link (as in "I can only hope you're both correct, but I read of at least one or two folks already [ONE, and TWO] who intend to take it all the way, or die tryin'..." in my last comment doesn't work.

Use THIS one (which hopefully will work), instead.

Anonymous said...

I read the lonewolf diaries and for the most part agree. Everyone needs to have a sense of humor now a days or we would all probably go insane. The problem is there is such a fine line in what is funny and not funny. I gave an example at Pams....I just found out that my son was diagnosed with Tourettes. It was a blow to say the least. I was watching Larry the Cable guy and he made a joke about Tourettes. It didn't make me laugh, far from it. Needless to say I won't be watching him again. Comedy is funny, it may poke fun, but there are some topics that cross over the line.