Rich Little is Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious
April 18, 2007 at 12:31 pm
After reading today’s New York Times preview of this weekend’s White House Correspondents Association Dinner, we’ve reversed Extreme Mortman policy. This blog is now officially 100% behind the choice of Rich Little as the comedy entertainer.
We know our past history on this issue: We were among the first to ridicule, mock, hoot and holler when Little was announced. We did our share of dead-or-Canadian-or-both jokes. But now we’re completely on board.
What was the tipping point? Two quotes in the Times story.
First this:
[H]is selection has become something of a symbol in the liberal blogosphere for what its members consider the proclivity of Washington reporters to give Mr. Bush and his administration a pass.
“It represents that the White House press corps is more interested in playing friendly and cozying up to the Bush administration than it is in providing the sort of oversight that a free press should provide in a democracy,” said Markos Moulitsas Zúniga, founder of the Daily Kos. “They shouldn’t be yukking it up together as if they’re pals and friends, and that’s why we’ve had so much terrible coverage.”
Then this.
But this is all beyond the scope of Mr. Little, who just wants to score some laughs. “If I don’t go over at the White House dinner,” he said, “maybe next year they should go with Julie Andrews.”
Ouch! Zowie! Off the rim! Who says Little doesn’t have edge and sass?
The saying used to be, if you want a friend in Washington, get a dog. Julie (”Mary Poppins”) Andrews has me thinking we should get umbrellas, too. And a teaspoon of sugar to make the Kos medicine go down.
Jonathan Mark said,
April 18, 2007 @ 3:25 pm
I said from day one that Rich Little was a great choice, and I am glad that you have come around.
May I also suggest Debbie Reynolds if Rich proves too hard core for the room? Her “An Evening With Debbie” show is playing Framingham up in Boston this month. I wanted to go with my Dad but he backed out, so I would welcome another opportunity to see this grand dame of the American theatre.
Who does this Kos think he is? Rich Little was killing with his Bob Hope imitations all over North America back when Kos was in diapers. When Kos has been delivering in the entertainment industry for fifty years then maybe he can say something about Rich Little, the World’s Greatest Living Canadian Impressionist. And that is no small feat in a nation of 30 million.
Mick Kraut said,
April 18, 2007 @ 5:41 pm
“It represents that the White House press corps is more interested in playing friendly and cozying up to the Bush administration than it is in providing the sort of oversight that a free press should provide in a democracy,” said Markos Moulitsas Zúniga, founder of the Daily Kos.
I dont know where the left picked up this idea that the press is the agent of “oversight” in a democracy…the people are the oversight, the press’ role is to report and ask questions. Not to create the news, not to frame the debate, not to become the newsmakers and most certainly not to become the opinion makers…they are supposed to be the camera lens that the people view events through…the people provide the oversight through elections.
clazy said,
April 18, 2007 @ 6:16 pm
Yes yes yes yes yes, Mick. “the people are the oversight, the press’ role is to report and ask questions”. I have despised the press ever since I realized they don’t trust me to think for myself.
submandave said,
April 18, 2007 @ 6:33 pm
There is a pervasive thought pattern that the “press” is obligated to be adversarial with the government. I think this is just an extreme manifestation of the Boomer “don’t trust anyone over 30″ mentality that has, with time, evolved into “don’t trust anyone who acts over 30.”
gm said,
April 18, 2007 @ 6:35 pm
“They shouldn’t be yukking it up together as if they’re pals and friends, and that’s why we’ve had so much terrible coverage.”
—-
How hostile and unreasoning is this viewpoint? This demonstrates that kos is interested only in conflict and has not participated in a healthy way in larger society. Most of us are interested in a civil society and a government that actually addresses the pressing problems we face. We realize that better decisions will be made by our political leaders and better information will come to us via the press if there is a basis of respect and understanding - not withstanding opposing political views. Yes, Washington is inbred, but is not good for David Gregory to have overwheening contempt for George Bush and vice versa.
I also second the comment that the press should be an information pipeline, not an opinion shaper.
TC@LeatherPenguin said,
April 18, 2007 @ 7:20 pm
Kos (he of the 0 for ever election record–Primary Ned don’t count) is not exactly anyone’s idea of a top-flight talent judge.
Mister Snitch! said,
April 18, 2007 @ 7:24 pm
Obviously, once the press learns to ask only the kinds of questions that clownboy Zúniga approves of, it will have demonstrated that it can think for itself. It’s dangerous to subject the press to other influences (such as the corrosive Little). It must be properly cloistered and assimilated. Resistance is futile.
TBinSTL said,
April 19, 2007 @ 1:13 am
When did the “watch dog” press become the “attack dog” press?
Bleeding heart conservative said,
April 19, 2007 @ 12:04 pm
“I dont know where the left picked up this idea that the press is the agent of “oversight” in a democracy…the people are the oversight, the press’ role is to report and ask questions. Not to create the news, not to frame the debate, not to become the newsmakers and most certainly not to become the opinion makers…they are supposed to be the camera lens that the people view events through…the people provide the oversight through elections.”
Mick, very, very well said.