when it comes to the "Kings of Late Night." I've written about the topic of
late-night comics before. I don't know why it fascinates me so much? Perhaps
because it exemplifies how much people in the entertainment business lean to
the left. Or maybe their inability to joke about people who share their political
philosophy. Notice the study only examined Jay Leno and David Letterman.
However, I wouldn't be surprised if they expanded their content analysis to
include Conan O'Brien, Jon Stewart and The Colbert Report that they would
come up with the same results.
From the Fox News article:
John McCain is slated to return to "Late Show With David Letterman"
Thursday night, but should the onetime media favorite be preparing for
an ambush?
A study shows the Kings of Late Night are not equal-opportunity
destroyers this year when it comes to telling jokes about the candidates
for president and vice president -- they're hammering Republicans a
stunning seven times more often than they skewer Democrats.
The Center for Media and Public Affairs, a media analysis group,
kept a tally of jokes told about the presidential contenders on the
"Late Show" and "The Tonight Show With Jay Leno" in the five
weeks after McCain chose Sarah Palin to be his running mate and
vaulted the little-known Alaska governor into the national spotlight.
The total: Republicans, 286. Democrats, 42.
"Generally the Republicans get targeted much more often than
Democrats, but this election is driving it off the charts," said CMPA
Executive Director Donald Rieck.
Letterman and Leno told 106 jokes about McCain and 180 about
Palin in the 25 shows that aired between Aug. 29, when McCain
chose her, and Oct. 2, the date of the vice presidential debate.
And for those who might respond: Well, Republicans are just funny. That's not
being completely honest. Yes, I agree Sen. McCain and Gov. Palin have said and
done some things that are prime meat for the comics. But, honestly, do you not
believe that Sen. Obama and Sen. Biden have not done some similarly hilarious stuff?
Come on, now.
I will say that the comics are doing themselves a huge disservice by not poking
some fun at the other side more often. We are basically a split country, politically.
Imagine the wider audience and more laughs they would garner if both Republicans
and Democrats were in their punchlines. My question is: Why don't they?
Isn't the entertainment business all about making money? I would think that
it would be to their financial benefit to skewer both sides of the political aisle.
Does political ideology come before making money for those in the entertainment
business? That might explain why Hollywood puts out bombs like this.