Saturday, July 26, 2008

Is it Wine or ween?

Wherein people are funny about not having a sense of humor


Let's isolate a thread in the recent Gene Weingarten chat (Washington Post).
Gene Weingarten: Good afternoon.
Do you remember Michael Savage, the poisonous right-wing radio talk show host whom I reported about in my piece on 24-hour punditry? Michael is back in the news for expressing the opinion, on the air, that "99 percent" of all children diagnosed with autism are "brats" who haven't been told to "cut the act out." He said: "They don't have a father around to tell them, 'Don't act like a moron. You'll get nowhere in life.'"
Savage is not retracting this, even though he admits it might be a little wrong. And I don't blame him. Getting things a little wrong is okay. I remain a supporter of Michael Savage, because I am a fan of his column "Savage Love," in which he deals forthrightly with the fact that he is gay and proud of it, and joyfully gives out highly knowledgeable advice on techniques for active, hedonistic, sexually adventuresome gay males like himself. I LOVE that column.

Washington, D.C.: Savage Love is written by Dan Savage, not the talk show host. Hax has met him and can set you straight. So to speak.
Gene Weingarten: Ohhhhhhhhh. Gee, I am so embarrassed.

Upper Marlboro, Md.: Gene, am I missing a joke or something? Isn't the Savage Love column you referred to in your intro written by Dan Savage, not Michael Savage?
Gene Weingarten: Yes, you are missing something.

Savage: Michael Savage of Savage Love is right wing? I never knew he was a radio host, I only know him from his column. But man, that's weird.
Gene Weingarten: Sigh.

Stanton Park, D.C.: Gene, when you set traps like this one, how long does it take before someone falls in? Also, can you give us an idea how many people take the bait?
Gene Weingarten: According to Chatwoman, we have had five so far.

Allow, ME: Folks: Michael Savage and Dan Savage are two different people. Gene KNOWS they are two different people. Michael Savage would be appalled to be confused with Dan Savage (and, really, probably vice-versa). Therein lies the joke.
You're welcome, Gene.
Gene Weingarten: Indeed.

1 Comments:

Blogger XWL said...

I'd have to go with "ween", as in "weenie", as in this whole thread's attempt at humor is an example of Gene being a "weenie"

(plus "ween" rhymes with Gene, and would make his name more sing-song-y, which is always a good thing)

Jokes meant to illustrate the homophobia in someone else often rely on a touch of homophobia themselves, so must tread a fine line.

And Michael Savage is still an idiot, who is a self parodying cartoon version of what a conservative is supposed to be that feeds the stereotype liberals like to have about conservatives so that they needn't take any viewpoints from that side of the political aisle seriously, since all 'wingers' are just like Michael Savage.

7/26/2008 01:52:00 PM  

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