Darryl PaulsonFirst of a four-part series on political humor
For 35 years, I told incoming political science students that politics comes from the ancient Greek word “poly” meaning “many” and “tics” meaning “ugly bloodsucking parasites.”
For the first 20 years, the students would laugh. For the last 15 years, students would busily write the definition in their notes. They had no reason to believe the definition was not accurate.
I have always urged that babies and politicians be changed often, and for the same reason. It doesn’t take long before both babies and politicians begin to stink.
Nobel prize-winning economist Milton Friedman was always a favorite of mine. It was hard to disagree with Friedman’s First Law of Government: Thank God we don’t get all the government we pay for.
Did you know that most plastic surgeons refuse to work on politicians because it requires twice the work: they all have two faces to lift. When Abe Lincoln was accused by opponents of being two-faced, he always retorted: “If I had two faces, do you think I would use this one?”
Why do we love to make fun of politicians? Because, it is so easy. As we will see in the second article on political humor, politicians constantly pass crazy laws, say stupid things and act badly.
Not long ago, it was Anthony Weiner who loved to take pictures of his surname. Weiner was recently involved in a car crash. Both drivers got out of their cars and starting taking pictures with their smart phones. By force of habit, Weiner unzipped his pants.
Weiner left the political scene, but was quickly replaced by Rob Ford, mayor of Toronto. Ford has admitted to purchasing illegal drugs, smoking crack while in a drunken stupor, threatened to kill someone and denied having oral sex with a staffer since he got enough at home. Ford is the complete package for a sleezeball.
The Toronto City Council just voted 37-5 to ask Ford to step down as mayor. The five votes supporting Ford came from his brother, Doug, a crack dealer, the town drunk and two prostitutes. Charlie Sheen has purchased the screen rights to play Mayor Ford in an upcoming movie.
In reality, humor can be a politician’s best friend or worst enemy. Think of America’s most beloved politicians — yes, there have been some — they all had a sense of humor and often used it on themselves. Americans love nothing more than politicians who can poke fun at themselves.
John F. Kennedy and Ronald Reagan are two of America’s favorite politicians because of their great sense of humor. When critics accused Kennedy of using his father’s money to buy the election, he pulled a telegram from his suit pocket that was supposedly from his father. According to JFK, the telegram said: “Dear Jack. Don’t spend a penny more than necessary. I’ll be damned if I’m going to pay for a landslide.” The crowd roared.
When running for a second term as president, Ronald Reagan had a poor debate performance against Democrat Walter Mondale. Concerns arose as to whether Reagan was too old to serve another term. Reagan laid the issue to rest in the second debate with this simple declaration: “I am not going to make age an issue in this campaign. I will not exploit for political purposes my opponent’s youth and inexperience.”
Just as humor can help a politician in dealing with potentially damaging issues and also help them connect with the voters, humor can destroy political careers. More than one political career has ended when a politician used an off-color or racist joke.
Most political humor focuses on a particular trait of a candidate. Dan Qualye was forever defined as stupid because he misspelled potato in a grade school class. It seems like other Republicans, such as George W. Bush, Sarah Palin and Rick Perry, also have had the dumb label attached to them.
Bill Clinton jokes focused on his sexual escapades. Ronald Reagan and John McCain were subjected to elderly jokes and Chris Christie jokes are mostly about his weight. As one comedian noted about Christie, it is time “to put the oval in the Oval Office.” When Christie underwent lap-band surgery, one humorist commented that as a result of the surgery, “12 animals were taken off the endangered species list.”
Politicians have realized the value of humor in creating a positive image. Richard Nixon, never accused of being funny, helped soften his image with a 1968 appearance on “Rowan and Martin’s Laugh In” by saying four words: “Sock it to me!”
In the 21st century, all presidential candidates have made guest appearances on “Saturday Night Live,” “The Tonight Show,” “Letterman” and “The Daily Show.
Politicians have learned that it is better to laugh at themselves rather than have comedians shape their political image.
Next: Looney laws and stupid political statements.
