I’m sure you moderates will enjoy this bit of holiday-themed, socially relevant comedy.

But Rick Perry…do not watch this. You won’t like it. At all.

Fun fact, the woman playing the mom…is my sister.

Well, no, but a pretty funny parody of the weird one he put out early in the week.

So why did Mark Block do it in the first place?

Again…weird. This isn’t the type of attention these guys want, especially when you’re talking about the socially conservative crowd. It’s not like those folks are pro-smoking.

Still…Cain and his staff have made numerous mistakes before, but nothing seems to stick to the guy. So maybe this will have a net positive effect too.

We shall see…

From David Donar of Political Graffiti

Apparently the irony was lost on the Mail Online editors when choosing the hook for this story:

It was pitched as a classic grudge match between the left and right of network television.

And when Daily Show host Jon Stewart entered the ‘lions den’ of Fox News Sunday with Chris Wallace, the results did not disappoint.

Despite trying to maintain his comedic detachment, Stewart lost his temper during the 15 minute interview as the two TV heavyweights battled over perceived liberal biased in the mainstream media.

Here’s the video. Tell me what you think. It’s worth watching the entire thing…

Is Stewart frustrated? Sure. Wallace shows a little frustration too. But did anybody lose their temper. Ummm…no.

I wouldn’t want to be Donald Trump today. Ouch.

Obama’s part opened with the theme song “I Am A Real American,” and it just got worse for Trump from there. Trump jokes are at 9:45 in, but you’ll probably want to watch the whole thing.

And then SNL’s Seth Meyers weighed in. His Trump jokes are at 12 minutes in…and he shares the same feeling about Trump as I do…this is a joke, right?

What did you think?

You can find more at Political Graffiti.

Jon Stewart is on top of his game this week, skewering media coverage of the Madison Madness, and offering some laugh-out-loud commentary:

For reasons that elude me, this bit was one step over the line for liberal blogger Digby at Hullabaloo who expends almost 800 words to explain why Jon Stewart is not funny and a traitor to the cause:

While Digby was not amused, I found her pompous church-lady finger wagging at “Jon’s church-lady finger wagging” to be vaguely bemusing in its own meta-bizzaro “you’ve-got-to-be-kidding-me” kind of way.

From the peanut gallery, Shakesvile, Bob Cesca, and Matt Christie sniff their approval at Digby’s take-down.

James Joyner also took note of Digby’s displeasure:

I suppose I could take a cheap shot by noting the similarity of Digby’s screed to Mao’s dictum that “art must serve the interests of the workers, peasants and soldiers…” but I won’t go there. Let’s just say that if anyone ever needed an example of the stereotypical humorless liberal, I think we found Exhibit “A”.

UPDATE:
The left-leaning side of the political spectrum may find this more amusing. A prank call to Scott Walker is confirmed. That cloud you see over Madison is Governor Walker’s presidential ambitions going up in smoke. H/T Gerry in comments.

X-posted from “Divided We Stand United We Fall“

Find more from Donar at Political Graffiti.

I fully understand that – in the most progressive major city with the most progressive governing body in the country – it is impossible to resist the temptation to occasionally legislate based on their core belief that no citizen can make a decision for themselves or their family without the Supervisors benevolent dictates guiding forcing them to “do the right thing”. But – when even the Daily Show is pointing and laughing – you’d think our Supes might get a clue.

Featured in the clip is SF Supervisor Eric Mar as he is made to look particularly stupid by Daily Show comedian Asaif Mandvi. It’s not like that is a difficult thing to do with our Board of Supes, but Asaif dishes it out with an extra helping of much deserved derision. I can only hope that Mar’s decision to appear on The Daily Show was a career limiting move.

Our local fishwrap transcribes the funniest bit:

“But the most brutal part comes when Mar explains that his 10-year-old daughter, Jade, doesn’t like fast food anymore after watching the documentary “Super Size Me” with him. Those opposed to the to ban maintain it’s up to parents, not McDonalds, to ensure their kids learn healthy habits.

Mandvi: “So she learned from her parents?”
Mar: “That’s a large part of it.”
Mandvi: (staring in wide-eyed disbelief) “Would it be hard to pass a law to force Netflix to send ‘Super Size Me’ to every parent in San Francisco?”
Mar: “We can’t force Netflix, a private company, to do something like that.”
Mandvi: “Are you serious right now?”
Mar:“We have no power to force Netflix or a private company like that to change a business practice.”
Mandvi: “So on one hand, you’re like, ‘We can’t do that’ but on the other hand, you are doing that.”

Mar, looking very tired, shakes his head, stumbles over one of the progressive supervisor’s favorite words, equitability, and mercifully the interview ends. Oy.”

The good news is that four of our Supes have termed out and will be leaving office this week. The bad news is that Eric Mar is not among them.

Reason TV also took note of SF Local Accomplishments in 2010:

Cross posted from Divided We Stand United We Fall.

And now…David Donar’s version of The 12 Days of Christmas…as featured on CNN.

In David’s own words…

This is an animated video I did as part of CNN’s 12 days of Christmas. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did making it. For some reason, animation and holidays go together pretty naturally. Maybe because there are not too many partridges in pear trees in the real world. My colleague Bruno DeGazio did the music and we both sang (very badly) in his recording studio.

Find more at Donar Films.

Out of an apple?

Donar shows you how…

More at Political Graffiti.

Visit Political Graffiti for more.

Sarah Palin’s new reality show claims to show her in a “natural” setting. I bet there are more interesting perspectives on this natural state.

She’s the gift that keeps on giving.

Please oh please oh please run for President.

As regards the interview itself, I thought it was more enlightening than most “real news” interviews I’ve seen. Full interview linked here. Some reactions…

Taylor Marsh:

Talking with Jon Stewart last night, Pres. Obama didn’t say the words “unemployment” and “jobs” until around 27 minutes into the program. He even invoked Larry Summers, saying “Larry Summers did a heckava job,” which brought a wry smile from Stewart with the retort, “You don’t wanna use that phrase, dude.” Obama seemed to pause to recalculate, then said “pun intended.” But clearly it wasn’t.”

Dana Millbanks:

Obama wore a displeased grin as Stewart diagnosed, with high accuracy, the administration’s condition: “The expectation, I think, was audacity going in there and really rooting out a corrupt system, and so the sense is, has [the] reality of what hit you in the face when you first stepped in caused you to back down from some of the more visionary things?”

“My attitude is if we’re making progress, step by step, inch by inch, day by day,” Obama said, “that we are being true to the spirit of that campaign.”

“You wouldn’t say you’d run this time as a pragmatist? It wouldn’t be, ‘Yes we can, given certain conditions?’”

“I think what I would say is yes we can, but — ”

Stewart, and the audience, laughed at the “but.” Obama didn’t laugh. “But it’s not going to happen overnight,” he finished.

Try shouting that slogan at a campaign rally, dude.

It was an entertaining give and take. As is often the case these days, the harshest post-mortem criticism of the Presidential performance seemed to come from the left.

As these have become a cultural phenomena, I think we need a new word for stories that get the Taiwan animation treatment. How about “twam” – as in “Jon Stewart gets twammed.” Other suggestions welcomed.

Since I’ve posted a few of these on my blog, I’m now on their mailing list. Without further comment, the verbatim NMA/tv blurb/explanation:

“Comedian John Stewart plans to hold a rally for viewers and fans in Washington on October 30. Dubbed the “Rally to Restore Sanity,” the event is seen as a response to a similar rally held by Glenn Beck over the summer. Lending their support to the rally are high-profile liberals such as Arianna Huffington and Oprah Winfrey. Conservative critics allege Stewart is attempting to mobilize young viewers and influence the November 2 elections. Indeed, the rally is seen as benefiting Obama and the Democrats, who are likely to the polls next week. Obama in turn plans to appear on Stewart’s show. Whether Stewart’s fan base can stay energized and show up at the polls remains to be seen. November 2, after all, marks the return of the McRib sandwich at McDonald’s.”

I liked the Stewart/Obama mutual back scratch sequence, and can’t wait to see how The Daily Show responds.

She’s not a witch She’s you.

God bless you Tea Party.

(NOTE: If Christine O’Donnell wins, I reserve the right to post often about her.)

As noted here before, Taiwanese animation is the future of news. This week, Republican Senate hopeful Christine O’Donnell gets the animation treatment and is explained to the domestic China/Taiwan audience by the Taiwan NMA News Network:

This begs the question asked by Chris Cillizza: Why does Christine O’Donnell get so much coverage and attention from the media and Democrats?:

“Tonight’s Delaware Senate debate between marketing consultant Christine O’Donnell (R) and New Castle County Executive Chris Coons (D) will be carried live on CNN and co-moderated by the network’s lead anchor Wolf Blitzer. Judging from that treatment, a casual viewer might conclude that the race for Vice President Joe Biden’s old seat is among the most competitive in the country. That, of course, would be wrong. Way wrong…

it is important to keep O’Donnell in context. She is a decided long shot to even come close to being competitive in Delaware, and there are at least 15 Senate races that are closer, according to public polling, at the moment. Covering her is one thing. Covering her as though her race will decide the fate of the Senate is quite another.”

Christine O’Donnell is a clown of a Senate candidate who is going to lose by a large margin to a Democratic opponent in a Democratic state for the seat vacated by Democratic Vice President Joe Biden (to whom she already lost before). The Senate contest does not even make Nate Silver’s top 10 list of Senate Seats vulnerable to switching parties. Her debate performance was laughable and did not help.

We know why NMA selected her for this treatment. It is because watching our media, NMA determined she must be a big story. The real question – Why is she such a big story here? Why is she getting so much new and old media attention that she pops up on the NMA meme radarscope?

Dave Weigel takes a crack at explaining this phenomena:

Which reminds me of an old joke (modified to suit our purpose here):

A despondent Democrat was crawling about on the sidewalk under a lamppost at night.

A Police Officer came up to him and inquired, “What are you doing?”

The depressed Democrat replied, “I’m looking for my car keys of hope.”

The Officer looked around in the lamplight, then asked the Dem, “I don’t see any car keys. Are you sure you lost them here?”

The Democrat replied, “No, I lost them over there”, and pointed to an area of the sidewalk deep in shadow.

The policeman then asked, “Well, if you lost them over there, why are you looking over here?”

The despondent Democrat looked at him and said, “Because the light is better over here.”

x-posted from Divided We Stand United We Fall.

I guarantee you’ll laugh your ass off if you watch Councilman Phil Davison of Minerva, Ohio give what has to be considered the worst/best stump speech in the history of stump speeches.

He will not apologize for his tone tonight! Did you hear him?!? He will not do it!!!

And did you catch the part where he says he has a Masters in Communication? Classic.

By the way, he didn’t win the nomination for Stark County treasurer. Still, I wonder how close the vote was.

UPDATE:
Phil Davison responds to the AP and says he would have done it the same way.

Hmmm…really? You actually want people to think you’re a nut? You don’t have enough self awareness to see how that came off?

Oh well. Phil Davison’s political career is not long for this world.

The titular joke comes in the first couple minutes…so you don’t have to watch the whole thing, but I’d suggest you do because it’s pretty damn funny.

He also makes fun of Biden’s BFD comment, Eric Massa, the Jonas Brothers, Scott Brown, Michael Steele, Charlie Crist, John McCain, the new Arizona immigration law, his Nobel Prize, the decline of the news media and much more. And Obama gets some really funny shots in at Leno’s expense. All in all, definitely worth a watch.

But you know what’s not worth watching? Leno’s bit. Surprisingly unfunny.

Watch…if you dare!

What did you like?