In a move of tactical brilliance, two frequent targets of PMW’s wrath (Right Wing Wackos and PC Nonsense) have united in an unlikely and uneasy truce. On Friday, Sarah Palin demanded that comedian David Letterman apologize for a joke about A-Rod knocking up her daughter at a Yankees game. But not to her or her family! He is supposed to apologize to all the young women of America, who are apparently suffering emotional scarring from his sexism.While Letterman’s joke was not very funny, Palin's call for an apology is wrong on so many levels.
1. THE WRONG VICTIM: The person in this joke we should focus on is first-class douche Alex Rodriguez. After burning the city of Seattle, making millions in Texas, becoming a Yankee, cheating on his wife, testing positive steroids, and pretty much being a terrible human being, we need to focus the negative energy on HIM. I have repeatedly called for the Mainstream Media to leave the Palins alone, as I am sick of hearing about them.
2. PC NONSENSE: David Letterman told a joke. I’m shocked, SHOCKED, that a late-night talk show host would make a crude sexual joke. This has never happened before. Seriously? Look, if you don’t like inappropriate jokes, you should unplug your TV and throw it out the window (hopefully hitting A-Rod).
3. EPIC HYPOCRISY: Right Wingers (and, let’s face it, most people in the world) are no strangers to hypocrisy, but this is just a completely new level. The GOP is supposed to be the Party of Rugged Individualists. Badass Southerners and Westerner Pioneers. Tough Bastards in off-roading Jeeps, with their friends riding shotgun like in the old days, with an actual shotgun. Now, Sarah Palin is turning them into the Party of Thin Skin. Meek Children offended by everything. The Right suddenly cares about sexism when their biggest star is a woman. Hmmmm. After hearing them over the years mock any Democrats who suggested something was sexist or politically incorrect, this is just hilarious to watch.
VERDICT: DO NOT APOLOGIZE, DAVID LETTERMAN. Your joke was stupid, but Palin’s reaction was even stupider. In fact, I call on David Letterman to make fun of Palin every night until she shuts up and stops using phony outrage to get more media coverage. Spare the daughter, foil the mother.
**UPDATE
Letterman has apologized, which is sad. However, anti-PC hero Bill Mahr is backing us up, arguing that he knows Letterman, he's not a pervert, and there was no reason for Letterman to apologize. Thanks, Bill!
***UPDATE II
Gail Collins at the New York Times has my back as well.
Gail Collins at the New York Times has my back as well.
"Recently, during a dust-up with David Letterman, Palin once again violated the cardinal rule for famous parents who want to shield their children from the media, which is, of course, don’t talk about your children to the media.
She is perhaps the only celebrity in America who does not understand that if a late show host makes a tasteless joke about your daughter, the worst possible response is to complain loudly until it’s certain the entire universe knows your child was insulted, all the while making the joke sound even more offensive than it was."
