Stand Up Comedian

Over my 20 or so years with the Toastmasters organization I did a lot of "stand up" comedy.  I also heard many comedy bits done by other members.  I was also able to be the comedy EMCEE of note at several Carroll County senior functions during the 1990's.   During this time, I neither used nor heard used cruel statements about other people.  I also never heard nor used "off-color" material.

I do not believe that you need to use gross or cruel material in a comedy routine to be funny.  In fact, to show you how prudish I am, I refused to got to "comedy night" with some of my family because I did not want to hear "off-color" talk in their company.  My late wife and I taught our children to act and talk respectfully at home and when with other people.

Be that as it may... I do like funny material... even if it is a little risque and clever.  But, please do not invade my space with F words or S words.  Not in my house!

So.. why am I saying all this?  Because of the shtick done by a comedian at this year's White House Correspondents' Dinner.  A very funny routine in many ways... but gross in its language and innuendo in others.  And.. cruel in others.

Let me be clear... anything said about trump has been earned by his words and actions.  He is gross.  And he is very cruel... just one example: how he made fun of a disabled person during his campaign.

And Kellyanne Conway ..  everything she says deserves arrows of derision.  I wonder if she has ever listened to what she has said.  However, jokes about her looks seem to me to be too cruel.

And Sarah Huckabee Sanders (sp?) ..  this poor lady has been taken in by the president and I think she actually believes what he tells her.  She will probably have her own radio show someday and I think she will do fine after she divorces herself from the clown in the White House.    I'm sure she expected to have arrows thrown at her during the dinner.  However... as with Kelly Ann, I think jokes about her  looks are too cruel.

Remember:  This year would be the 100th birthday of a great comedian, Jack Paar.  He and other greats, such as Jack Benny and Bob Hope, did not have to rely on smut to be good. (At least, not in public.)

Bottom Line:  I think the Correspondents' Dinner comedian's jokes were very funny... but some of them were too cruel.. and her potty mouth and sexual innuendo just made her sound like an eleven year old boy trying out bad words for their shock value.

For heaven's sake:  Screen the scripts of future comedians!