Some Stuff Just Isn't Funny.

The Monday morning barrage of tweets from the oval outhouse were beyond reprehensible. I cannot begin to describe how mind-numbingly boring this has all become. So, in keeping with that theme, I'm going to skip the weekly revulsion in favor of the latest free-speech debacle. 

Frankly, I do not think either Roseanne Barr or Samantha Bee is funny. In fact, I seriously dislike their ideas of what is funny. Both made statements this week that were horrible, mean, and downright disgusting. But as grotesque as those statements were, they are very different and require individual consideration.

Barr was canned from her own television show not because her character is a right-wing mouthpiece. Barr was canned because she, the actress and citizen of these here United States, stated Valerie Jarrett was an ape. However, what came out of her mouth came out of her mouth, not Roseanne-the-character's mouth and either you think it's okay or you don't. 

That was more than just a dog-whistle; that was a statement hearkening back to a era that should've been buried long ago. This was not Archie Bunker/Carroll O'Connor. Archie Bunker was written to reflect a changing environment; his foils were his family. And it worked. But no one would ever confuse the activist O'Connor for his on-screen personality.

ABC, the network that carried ROSEANNE, decided it's wasn't okay. In a decision that was more economic than politically correct, the network opted not to the carry the show. I am certain advertisers and the public addressed their concerns to the network, and the network responded accordingly. In other words, the folks up at the top of ABC's food chain realized the costs were greater than the benefits to keep Ms. Barr et al employed. 

Samantha Bee's departure from the realm of good taste was equally offensive but in context, was significantly different from Barr's tweet. Bee's explosive use of cunt was specifically in response to Ivanka Trump's photograph with her child published on the same day as her father's administration is being globally condemned for separating parents and children at the border. 

You know, Ivanka, that’s a beautiful photo of you and your child. But let me just say, one mother to another, do something about your dad’s immigration practices, you feckless cunt! He listens to you! Put on something tight and low-cut and tell your father to fucking stop it!

One cannot condone the use of the one word, but when viewed in the context of the whole statement, it's insulting, but not class insulting. Yeah, feckless cunt was over the top and should have been changed in editing. The insult was directed at a single person, not a class of people. There is definitely a difference.  But the powers-that-be at FULL FRONTAL decided it was not economically necessary to can Samantha Bee. Had the public and the sponsors risen up as they did with ROSEANNE, it would be a different story. True, she lost some advertisers, but apparently not enough jumped ship to change the outcome. 

And I still don't think she's funny.

On the upside of things, this has been another great smokescreen for the administration. When we need to be talking seriously about children refugees, the front page is dominated by this garbage. When we need to be noticing our president is pandering to yet another dictator, he's talking about pardoning himself. 

How much information do you need to get before you see the seeds of authoritarianism taking root in our soil. If you're not sure, watch this. It might help clarify some things for you.

HOW TO DEFEAT AUTHORITARIANISM

by Alex Cequea

We are paying attention to the wrong this. Just a thought.

The Wifely Person's Tip o'the Week

Pay lots of attention to the man behind the curtain.