What’s So Funny About Caroline?

January 7, 2009 · Filed Under 2008 Election, Media, Satire 

There seems to be a bit of a whining sound going around the conservative talk show circles about how the media treatment of Caroline Kennedy’s effort to replace Hillary Clinton as New York’s Jr Senator is quite mellow compared to their dealings with Sarah Palin’s attempt to replace Vice President Dick Cheney. Why, they say, is there so much less scrutiny of Kennedy compared to the wholesale punching bag Palin became.  How come no hard-hitting Couric or Gibson interview? Why hadn’t anyone pinned her down by asking Caroline what paper she read or whether she really thought the vice president was “in charge of trhe senate”…yet?

Now, if Obama selected Kennedy instead of Biden, my guess is that Katie would want to not only know what papers she read but also, what magazines.

Obviously Palin’s climb from Wasilla mayor to Juno governor’s mansion was almost as tough as Kennedy’s struggle from little rich girl in Camelot to thin rich lady in Camelot-adjacent. You see, being born of privilege is in itself quite an accomplish. Think not? Ask someone who wasn’t born with a silver spoon in mouth to try it. Still the argument falls flat when considering the national consequences of a vice president Palin vs those of a Senator Caroline Kennedy making Palin a much wider target. How many people would have to die before another Kennedy would take the Commander in Chief reins?

All that makes for fine talk show minutia, but then my lampoon antennae stiffened when I heard one host - not one to name names. but if I was. I would say it was Sean Hannity - took offense that there was far less satirical slams of Kennedy than Palin; that Palin seems to be the subject of ridicule by shows like Saturday Night Live, but Caroline Kennedy has been left untouched by the late night talk shows and satire sites.

Obviously, while conservative talk show hosts have their own brand of silliness, satire has yet to find a comfort level on the right. I give you, Fox’s Half Hour Comedy Hour. Oh, you may find P.J. Rourke over there, but for the most part, you’ll find much more to associate with Safire than you will with satire.

A good part of creating good satire is that the subject of the ridicule provide a good part of the content. Sarah Palin sometimes provided all the content as in Tina Fey’s SNL word for word read of Palin’s responses to Couric in their NBC sit down. ‘Course it didn’t hurt that Tina Fey didn’t need any make up to look like Palin. Who are they going to get to play Kennedy? Seth Myers?

The most difficult part in turning Kennedy from celebrity to satire comes in how to take her reality and built scenarios that, while funny, aren’t that far away from the real thing.

Other than her penchant for “y’know,” as in “Y’know, I have no real executive experience but, y’know, my family has been in public service for many years and I can’t, y’know, see a reason why that doesn’t make me, y’know, the next, y’know, senator of New, y’know, York.” But really, how long can you take that before, y’know, it get’s to be an old joke, y’know? Is that funny? Repetitive maybe, but repetition certainly doesn’t qualify for funny. Ask any “git ‘er done” guy audience. Um. Okay, there could be fans pumped for repetition-ad infinitum comedy. Just not those who watch SNL. 

Using the same tired line over and over just doesn’t work… Except for maybe, “Isn’t that special” or “That’s the ticket,” or “I’m Chevy Chase and you’re not,” or “Jane, you ignorant slut,” or “Never mind,” or “But no-o-o-o-o” or “I feel mah-voulous,” or “Baseball been berry, berry good to me.” I mean, other than those, or say, “Generalissimo Francisco Franco is still dead,” or “We are two wild and crazy guys,” or “We’re going to pump…you up,” or “I’m Gumby, dammit,” you certainly can’t build a whole sketch around one word.  For those who want to throw something like “Cheeseburger, cheeseburger” at me; that, my satire-lacking friends is two words.  That’s not going to get a sophisticated audience like SNL’s to laugh. That’s just going to make them verklempt.

There just aren’t that many opportunities for mining satire out of the world of Caroline Kennedy.

Oh, you might want to build a sketch around the Kennedy family sitting in Hyannisport trying to figure out which of them should be the next one to be annointed.

Or…

Neil Diamond trying to come up with a name for his song, “Sweet Caroline,” which was actually inspired by Kennedy, though I’m not really sure which one. What song did Sarah Palin inspire, huh…huh?

Or…

Nominating herself for a Profiles in Courage Award

Or…

Maybe, just maybe…a sitdown with Katie Couric.

So Sean, really, other than those, and maybe a few dozen others, how can you say, y’know, that Caroline Kennedy is getting a satirically free ride?  If you had anything truly humorous to base that on tell us.  Or is it that…

…we’re not worthy?

Steve

 

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Comments

One Response to “What’s So Funny About Caroline?”

  1. Mindy Lansdale on September 20th, 2009 7:09 am

    I guess politics has always been somewhat of a popularity contest.

    Kinda sad the the schmoozers among us get to decide the course of our country and lives instead of picking the smartest decision makers to do so.

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