Any guesses who this is?

[mahnmut]

They call him everything related to turtles. Because he looks and speaks this way. But did you know the reason for that? Well, he had polio as a kid.

While that's not exactly supposed to change your views of the politician, whatever they may be, it might give any normal human being a pause. Am I being too mean to the guy, and not for the best of reasons? Hey, I could be hating everything he represents in politics, and his spineless approach to dealing with an asshole president just because the latter happens to be their party's champion who arguably helped their party get all branches of power under total control. But... shaming him on his looks!?

Jon Stewart spent a great chunk of his career making various jabs and jokes about Turtleman. The public sneered and sniggered at every one of them. The applause-prompting lights always flashed whenever he made one of those (in?)famous Turtleman impressions. Ha. Ha. How funny it was! It became part of Stewart's repertoir, those Turtleman jokes greatly contributed to defining the career of one of the greatest TV comedians in recent history. But have we heard an apology from Stewart, now that the reason for Turtleman's, well, turtleness, has transpired? Hell, has ANY comedian come up and offered an apology for being mean to the man for the wrong reasons?

Ps. And by the way, as heartless a bastard as he may be, the guy did NOT have his polio treatment paid for by the government.

Comments

[kiaa]

Which reminds me...

Though aimed at blue-state sophisticates, late-night comedy shows are an unintended but powerful form of propaganda for conservatives.

[oportet]

Unintended - sure, but not surprising at all. They just aren't funny - in some cases, they're painfully unfunny.

The left must miss Jon Stewart, desperately. Even the staunchest conservative would agree he had good comedic timing and great delivery. Unless I'm just catching these shows at off times, nobody now has either.

[garote]

Polio does not make you look like a turtle. Having that guy’s face makes you look like a turtle. Specifically, Cecil the turtle. Real turtles don’t actually look much like Cecil, but McConnel does.

Meanwhile, McConnel himself does not want anyone looking at him and thinking “oh that poor polio kid”. Why mess up his career to point out what everyone knows? I.e. that comedy can be cruel?

[mahnmut]

It's not just that comedy can be cruel, it's some comedians presenting themselves as some sort of moral arbiters on society while being cruel. That's hypocrisy.

[garote]

That’s politics.

The largest failing of the “liberal left” in the past dozen years has been its collective insistence that the agents of liberal or leftist policy also be saints who have never even been _accused_ of putting a foot wrong. The right, obviously, has no such pointless restriction. Hence: El Presidente, as the latest example.

[mahnmut]

"This is politics" is maybe the most worn-out cop-out cliche I've ever heard. Not good enough for me. Not even remotely.

[mikeyxw]

Naw, I remember a time when comedy wasn't as cruel. I don't remember Johnny Carson ever making fun of someone in a way that wasn't good-natured. As a result, I don't remember him having to apologize for making fun the haircut of someone who was undergoing treatment for brain cancer simply because he didn't pick average delegates of the other side's political convention and make fun of them, not because he vetted his targets better.

In the 90's, the left was really stuck trying to come up with their version of conservative talk radio, in late night comedy, they have in every way.

[telemann]

"I don't remember Johnny Carson ever making fun of someone in a way that wasn't good-natured"

Eh? "Good natured"? That's not how some of his former guests would remember him, and in fact Carson was described as a mean spirited guy. For example, Wayne Newton has described several times his own experiences with Carson, who made Newton's high pitched singing voice a on going joke during the opening monologue, and implied Newton was gay. Despite several phone calls, it was only a direct physical confrontation by Newton in Carson's offices in Burbank that finally got Carson to stop.





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[mikeyxw]

Fine, fine, You.Points++. Wayne Newton seems to be the only one who really objected to how he was portrayed, at least the only one who I could find. Johnny Carson did apologize and stop making jokes about him... after he was physically threatened.

If he was the only one in the decades in which Johnny Carson hosted the tonight show, it kinda makes the point. It's not like he was a great person in real life, but Carson didn't make a career out of making fun of people. I also don't think I'm romanticizing the past when I say that someone like Samantha Bee wouldn't have had a place on 70's or 80's TV, and not just because they use the public airwaves.

[telemann]

Others privately described Carson as a mean spirited individual (Carson described himself as mean drunk, and wasn't so nice when he drank), but Newton went very public, when others wouldn't dare confront Carson, because Newton wasn't afraid of the career repercussions. Carson was a comic and he poked fun at people. The time line about Samantha Bee versus Carson is pointless because comedy is pretty different now (although the Frair's Club of New York roasts were pretty ribald stuff and not fit for TV, even in its heyday).

[peristaltor]

I don't remember Johnny Carson ever making fun of someone in a way that wasn't good-natured.

And you are… how old? I myself remember seeing:

To guest Dolly Parton (specifically to her shirt): "I'd give about a year's pay to have a look down there."

To guest Raquel Welch (who was holding a cat on her lap, for some reason): "Can I pet your pussy?"

Welch (uncomfortably): "Sure."

Carson: "Move the cat."