March 13, 2008

Still trying to laugh at Eliot Spitzer — more video.

The Letterman monologue. "Now Spitzer will have to pay women to call him 'Governor.'"

Letterman's "Top 10 surprises during Spitzer's resignation."

Lewis Black on Letterman speculates about what "extras" would need to be included to be worth $4300. Actually, this clip gets dull. I quit 1/3 of the way through. Is Lewis Black funny enough anymore to be a comedian?

Let's see what "The Daily Show" came up with last night. They're mocking the TV coverage of Spitzer's car moving through traffic... and it ends with a slightly funny trailer for a movie called "Tainted Gov."

And here's Colbert. This is the funniest one because he "is the meat in a Spitzer sandwich."

But generally, I think the comedians are getting lazy on this comedy material. The story seems so richly hilarious to them that they're forgetting to add much new value at this point. I say raise your game, comedy writers. You've been given this immense opportunity and from those to whom much is given, much is expected.

12 comments:

titusstagleap said...

I have to say as a New Yorker this entire episode is really surreal. It still shocks me.

He came into office with almost 70% of the vote in order to clean up Albany which is a complete mess. The comptroller was a crook, the speaker of the house who is now the lieutenant governor is under investigation and now we have a blind governor who will not do anything to ruffle anyone's feathers.

Think of Eliot Spitzer as the democrat Rudy on steroids. An obviously brillant, ambitious, ruthless, vindicative man, who was willing to risk everything for sex. It is so incredible.

Sex is so very powerful.

Not because he is a democrat or a republican.

But because he is the complete opposite of the man he portrays he was.

New Yorkers are completely shocked by this. A lawyer, who used a name of a supporter of his,and methodically planned these sexual trysts with a whore. From transporting the whore to DC to wiring money to the agency, to planning the hotel arrangements, supposedly having unsafe sex is really unbelievable.

This entire episode will be written about, examined, analyzed and discussed (at least in NY) for decades to come.

Hoosier Daddy said...

Anyone else seen his $4400 choice? Yeah she's hot but not hot enough to drop that kind of money on. I've seen more than a few chicks better looking than her working at Nordstroms downtown.

Max Power said...

Ann, you missed it! Wrong Daily Show. Yes, Wednesday's was okay. You need to go back and watch Tuesday's Daily Show. I haven't laughed that hard in ages. It was priceless.

ricpic said...

The worshipper of hog is shocked by the worship of va-jay-jay?

Rich B said...

Was Lewis Black ever funny? I first heard him on XM Comedy and I tried to get past the Bush/Cheney vitriol to find a nugget of humor and came up empty. He's just a very angry person.

Peter V. Bella said...

I'm waiting for Jackie Mason to Vlog on this!

Melinda said...

Lewis Black on Letterman speculates about what "extras" would need to be included to be worth $4300.

I've speculated on this myself and was hoping Black would come up with something better.

I've also speculated on what made one girl worth four diamonds and another one worth, let's say, seven diamonds. And if the four-diamond girl gets jealous of the seven-diamond girl and wonders if she's slept her way to a promotion.

Brent said...

with apologies . . . to everyone . . .

Lewis Black on the Letterman Show

EEE-EYE-EEE-EYE-O

His schtick has almost run it's course

EEE-EYE-EEE-EYE-O

It was fresh "back when",
For about 3 days

EEE-EYE-EEE-EYE-O

amba said...

Nobody's called him "Spritzer" yet?

Howard said...

I have several years of writing comedy and getting paid to do it, so let me comment on
Lewis Black: He is not funny any more because he didn't do what is universally required for TV comic success. In general 12 years minimum years doing clubs where the audiences hurl insults at you, refuse to laugh, and yell at you with better jokes. Learning to handle that stuff makes a comic. I used to write for Flip Wilson, a guy everyone thought was fantastic, but he died on TV after three years. Why? He spent almost no time in clubs and had only one and a half sure characters to fall back on when he got in trouble. Contrast this with Carol Burnett who spent seven years doing the Gary Moore show EVERY DAY; she had thirty characters and 700 jokes to fall back on. That's why she lasted twenty years on TV.

Spitzer and the 4400 hooker: In part it's the status of paying five grand for a piece of ass. Think of it this way; why do so many guys brag about how much money they LOST at whatever the week before and almost no men brag about winning? Paying those prices lets you join the club of heavy hitters. High priced hookers also almost never write books or screenplays, never show up in a restaurant where you are having dinner, and in general keep things quiet.

Howard said...

Oh, Kristen: she is a person who looks to be a victim of circumstances. She was totally broke, a drug addict, and adrift from her family so she turned to prostitution. Making fun of her is not the formula for killer comedy. Spitzer is a very narrow subject. You just run out of jokes at thirty, but his wife and kids are total victims and the laughs do not come easy here.

Ann Althouse said...

Amba, Rush Limbaugh said it yesterday.