Originally Posted by Hekate
I agree with Digby on this.

Quote
The daughter thing was in poor taste. Leave the kids out of the jokes. The fact that he meant her older daughter is obvious, but that doesn't make it any better. She's a young girl who didn't ask for the limelight and doesn't deserve to be mocked by middle aged men. It's cruel and unnecessary.
...

Having said that, this ridiculous accusation that he was talking about raping the 14 year old is over the top and disingenuous, to say the least. That clearly was not his intention and claiming it was really cheapens the validity of the complaint.

I agree, Digby was spot-on in every respect.

Thanks, Digby, saved me a whole lotta typing!

There were a lot of good (and a few not-so-good) comments about the piece, but a couple are worth repeating, as added points not immediately obvious:

Quote
I'm having trouble keeping up. One day it's ludicrous to claim that right wing speech could possibly be an influence on the Holocaust Museum shooter, and the next day a joke is vilified because it could influence impressionable minds.
Paul | 06.12.09 - 5:51 pm | #

Gravatar And you'll remember the Clintons didn't parade their daughter out all the time as a model for all children, etc.

Not that I ever loved the Clintons, but c'mon people, you know they didn't ask for it like Palin has.
p | 06.12.09 - 5:52 pm | #

Also good points, on both counts.
(earlier one person disputed the idea that 'Bristol didn't ask for attention' because she volunteered to be a spokesperson for 'abstinence is the best policy, although it doesn't work' - and although that is an 'invitation' for comment, I still think the joke was crass, stupid and - worst of all from a comedian point of view - unfunny... sorta like the Kramer thing...)


Last edited by Reality Bytes; 06/17/09 08:11 PM.
Castigat Ridendo Mores
(laughter succeeds where lecturing fails)

"Those who will risk nothing, risk everything"