Obama presidency may see White House comedy run dry

I once asked a class of my pupils who could tell a joke that wasn’t racist, sexist or containing unacceptable language. We eventually found some but the 10 yo’s thought them too “young”.

clipped from www.abc.net.au US President-elect Barack Obama’s historic victory does not bode well for comedians who have thrived on jokes about President George W Bush, experts say. Whether because he was the favourite of left-leaning comics, the historic nature of his election or that so far he has made few gaffes, comedians are finding little to joke about so far. “Obama’s election is great for our country but bad for comedy,” said Michael Musto, a columnist for New York City’s Village Voice. “He is an earnest, intelligent person trying to rescue a country in crisis and that’s not all that hilarious.” “Comedy thrives when there are buffoonish targets,” he said. “Traditionally shows like Saturday Night Live have done best when dealing with people like President (Gerald) Ford, who couldn’t stand upright all the time, or (Bush) who couldn’t say nuclear, or Sarah Palin who didn’t know Africa’s a continent.”