Actress comedian Wanda Sykes’ comedy routine at the White House Correspondent’s dinner is sure to generate a slew of controversy — as have other comedians’ monologues there in recent years.
In her comedy routine, she spiced up a mix of jokes anyone could laugh at with some jokes aimed at Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity and former Vice President Dick Cheney that led to some conservative commentators such as Pat Buchanan immediately labeling her as having gone “over the line.” Expect her routine to become the subject of (what else?) angry blog posts and (what else?) angry talk shows. Most assuredly: it’ll be a (heated) subject over conservative Republicans’ water coolers on Monday…
The gig is not an easy one. In the past two decades, comedians have been accused of going way over the line and bombing (Don Imus’ routine in front of a red-faced Bill and Hillary Clinton), over the line and a success with Democrats and a huge flop with Republicans (Stephen Colbert in front of George Bush), or a downright bland fizzle (Rich Little in front of George Bush).
Comedy is in the eye of the beholder — as is “over the line.” As the late comedian Jackie Gleason once said of a gig: “I wouldn’t give this spot to a leopard.” Here’s her routine:
*Part One:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7m2ubJYJXUo
*Part Two:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lyRpV4ccAj4
UPDATE: Here’s Entertainment Weekly’s report on Sykes’ routine (and Obama’s).
To watch videos of President Barack Obama’s comedy routine at the dinner GO HERE.
Joe Gandelman is a former fulltime journalist who freelanced in India, Spain, Bangladesh and Cypress writing for publications such as the Christian Science Monitor and Newsweek. He also did radio reports from Madrid for NPR’s All Things Considered. He has worked on two U.S. newspapers and quit the news biz in 1990 to go into entertainment. He also has written for The Week and several online publications, did a column for Cagle Cartoons Syndicate and has appeared on CNN.