Tuesday, June 16, 2009

David Letterman Under Fire

I'm not sure how many of you saw or heard David Letterman making crude jokes about Gov. Sarah Palin and her daughter (Bristol Palin, the 18-year-old unwed mother). I didn't, but they've been all over the news lately. Letterman made three inappropriate jokes about the Palins:
  • Letterman commented that Gov. Palin had a "slutty flight attendant" look.
  • He said Palin had a hard time keeping Eliot Spitzer away from her daughter.
  • He also joked Palin's daughter was "knocked up" by Alex Rodriguez.
Now suddenly, Palin-supporters are up in arms that he would make such shameful jokes. And people are calling for him to be fired. Have these people never watched his show? He makes inappropriate jokes about everyone. As he himself said in response to the criticism, yes, the jokes were in poor taste, and he regrets making them (he then adds that he's regretted telling thousands of jokes on his show).

Unfortunately for Letterman, Palin wasn't traveling with Bristol, but with Willow, Palin's 14-year-old daughter. So even though the jokes were obviously made in reference to Bristol, who, as Letterman said, "was knocked up," and whose...ahem, morals...could be called into question, these people are determined to prove that he meant to promote statutory rape.

Puh-leeze! Are you serious?!

Now, did I think these jokes were funny? No. Were they inappropriate? Yes. Do I think people should support him and his program when he continues to tell these types of jokes? No. But do you honestly believe that he was sending the message that it's okay to rape someone? Or that sex with a minor is okay? Give me a break. These are just people trying to gain a little extra spotlight. And I include the Palins in that group. She's just early campaigning for 2012 (I won't be voting for her, that's for sure).


Oh, and I'm willing to bet that many of those people who are signing that online petition are the same ones who laughed at all the equally inappropriate jokes made at the expense of dozens of other public figures. Let's not be hypocrtical, shall we?

1 comment:

Marianne said...

I don't particularly like David Letterman--most of his jokes are inappropriate, but he makes them about pretty much everyone. He should probably have drawn the line, though, at a 14-year-old. He can take pot shots at the governor, but probably not at her kids, regardless of any of their bad choices. Should he get fired? Only if we're going to fire Jay, Conan, and Saturday Night Live, too. He might lose a few viewers over this, but mostly it'll just be a slap on the wrist and he'll go back to business as usual.

It just reinforces my opinion that David Letterman is a sad, sick little man, and he has my pity. :-)