In Comedy Veritas
“Gang-raped by my big black brothers” unfairly soundbitten, Sandra Bernhard protests. “Out of context.”
Fair-minded people everywhere should suspend all judgment until we find out what kind of context makes that sound better. Let me guess … a room full of lefty Palin-bashers?
Either that or she never said it. Hurtful lies target Bernhard’s anti-cyncism crusade. We’ll get to that, but first, the Boston Herald’s Inside Track reports, the women’s shelter that nixed big mouth is looking for another funny girl for its fundraiser. I dunno … Tina Fey available?
Organizers of a Rosie’s Place event who pulled the plug on hating-on-Sarah Palin headliner Sandra Bernhard, report they’re “hot on the trail” of a new funny gal to host the Oct. 16 event.
“We’re doing OK, but haven’t selected anyone yet,” PR gal Leemarie Mosca told the Track yesterday.
Bernhard was scrapped from the “Funny Women . . . Serious Business” fund-raiser the other day because of remarks she made about the GOP veep candidate during her one-woman show in Washington, D.C., last month.
During one of her diatribes, Sandra said Sarah “would be gang-raped by my big black brothers” on a campaign trip to New York. Which wasn’t exactly language that a sanctuary for abused women would like to promote!
Mosca said when they dis-invited Sandra, “people came out of the woodwork” offering to find a replacement host.
Past hosts such as Caroline Rhea and Amy Poehler haven’t checked in, she said. And we know original headliner Lily Tomlin’s calendar is full. However, new talk show host Bonnie Hunt’s name was floating around yesterday.
“Even regular folks have been calling us up offering names of comedians they’ve seen and they thought were hilarious,” Leemarie said. “It’s been great, actually.”
As for Bernhard, she wrote on her Web site that she was “terribly upset” that she was cut from the event’s lineup. And not only that, her words were “taken out of context.” Yawn.
She said the gang rape comment was part of a larger piece from her one-woman show about “women, racism, freedom and the extreme views of Gov. Sarah Palin.”
“In no way am I making any sort of joke about crimes against women - quite the contrary. I’m speaking out about someone who doesn’t do enough to protect women,” Bernhard said. “I think if you look at the real issues I’m addressing, my intent becomes clear. I am a die-hard advocate for women’s rights, and fully support the work of Rosie’s Place.”
OK, so it’s not a crime against women if the rape victim is a Republican. In comedy veritas. I just scouted around her site, couldn’t find anything about you know what. Apparently this explanation is a moving target. Hang on, Popeater channeling HuffPo has a denial. Turns out it depends on what rape is. Rape is in the moment. Live the rape experience. Without ever saying rape:
Oct. 3) — Comedian Sandra Bernhard made headlines recently when she reportedly told a joke saying that Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin would be “gang raped” if she came to New York. Bernhard denies saying that, and is now explaining how the story came about … and it’s a bit confusing.
Talking to the Huffington Post, Bernhard says she always opens her comedy show “with something of the moment. It so happens we are in the middle of a highly charged political time. And I’m a woman. And I’m concerned not only for myself but for my daughter and the future of all young women, specifically with Sarah Palin and her stance on reproductive rights.”She then goes on to tell what she actually said about Palin. “Being a comic, you go of on these really funny stream of consciousness tangents. So what I said, only funnier, was ‘are you willing to have the experience of getting raped and then keeping your child?’ Only I said it much funnier, and more fluidly. I never once said gang rape. Actually I never said rape.”Summary: She made a joke about the “experience of getting raped” … only never said “rape.” Got that?
Let me get this straight. Is that the experience of getting raped by your big black brothers?
Actually, what it’s really about is Bernhard’s rejection of cynicism:
“I’m tired of people being cynical in this country, especially our politicians,” Bernhard added at the end, “We have our platform and people want to come hear us perform, so fuck you.”
Almost sounds like she’s abandoning Manhattan for the great American heartland, simple life, simple folk. Maybe except the “fuck you” part. Fairminded people should suspend judgment till we get the vid. Meanwhile, here’s vid of Bernhard calling Palin “turncoat bitch” … ”whore” … and making some disparaging remarks about her “shicksa, goyisha” New Testament. Cyncism alert.
Meanwhile, still waiting on the racism outrage. Waiting …
Topics: moronocy, pols, racism, sexism
Posted by Jules Crittenden at 9:33 am on Friday, October 3, 2008
4 Responses to “In Comedy Veritas”
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October 3rd, 2008 at 10:45 am
Bernhard brilliantly masters the perfect marriage of modern-day liberal dogma with psychotic gibberish nonsense proving herself both relevant and insane.
October 3rd, 2008 at 11:32 am
I’m willing to give a pass on just about anything a comedian says in an act. However, you can’t have it both ways. You can’t expect to be a comedian AND a political activist, and then not get blowback if you say something offensive in your act. There’s a reason they call it “political” correctness.
October 3rd, 2008 at 2:18 pm
I have attributed several qualities to Sandra Bernhardt, but being funny isn’t one of them. She was offensive (and may I say, came across as angry) even years ago when she was doing specials on the Comedy Channel.
October 4th, 2008 at 12:20 am
I agree with you, Bolger. Say what you want, but then take the consequences.