Friday, September 21, 2007

Kathy Griffin

As evidenced by AOL's article, the controversy stirred by Kathy Griffin's Emmy speech still hasn't died down, so I decided it was time to weigh in, to wit:

(1) I'm inclined to give Kathy a break here. For one thing, ever since she did a comedy show for our boys in Iraq, I've been well-disposed toward her. I don't think she's the funniest comedian, but she's good for a few giggles.

(2) Context is important. As near as I can figure, Kathy's schtick is to mock the pretensions of Hollywood's great and good, and secondarily to mock her own social clumsiness in their presence. I'm pretty sure that this is what's on display here: she was spoofing the acceptance speeches of, not Emmy awardees specifically, but perhaps Miss America contentants. I do NOT think she was trying to mock Christ or Christians; even shorn of context, her remarks were too far over the top to be taken seriously, and Kathy self-identifies as Catholic. But suppose she was being mocking. Here again, context is important. If everybody and everything is being mocked, then Christians should try to be good sports when it's our turn. This is why the religious humor of, say, Southpark does not usually offend me.

(3) It is ironic that Kathy is coming in for the volume of criticism she is receiving, considering that Bill Maher, Robin Williams, and any number of much more successful hollywood types single out conservative Christians for jokes (or "jokes"), and with malice aforethought, and the media doesn't say boo. Bill Donohue does what he thinks is best, and thank God for it; that AOL and other media are reporting it this time says something else entirely. I'm just not sure what.

(4) Kathy Griffin should tell the truth: some jokes seem funnier at a 2 a.m. writing session than they turn out to be under the cold lights of the stage. And apologize.

Sorry for the lack of posts. It takes me a long time to generate a blog post, and it's time I don't have much anymore.