Why Don't You Retire Letterman?

Comedy is a genre where there is a lot that is fair game which is not so in other venues. However, it is my opinion that it is absolutely despicable to go after the children of politicians, or even of people who have become infamous through publicity for that matter.

Enter David Letterman. Letterman has made the utterly poor choice of making sexual jokes about the children of Sarah Palin. Here's the thing. It doesn't matter whether she's a Republican; it doesn't matter if she was a Democrat, Libertarian, whatever. It's despicable.

Fox News Link to the Story

One can criticize Barack Obama, Nancy Pelosi, former President Bush (W), or Dick Cheney-the politician's themselves-but going after the children or grandchildren in jokes or commentary is not only bad taste and poor judgment, it should be completely out of bounds. It's not funny or cool.

I will grant that one can criticize the publicly spoken views of a child, but just the views; it's still out of bounds to make it personal though. If a "child" is no longer a child, that is, above 18, and has purposely put herself in the public eye, then criticism, even jokes are allowable. Still, there is a responsibility to be at least a little noble when you make a joke. Some jokes are hits "below the belt." Certain jokes don't belong in public commentary, especially when indecent. Just because the FCC allows you to say it, doesn't mean that you necessarily should. There's much more constructive material that can be added to the public commentary.

So, in order not to ramble on, we'll close with this. Mr. Letterman, you'd do well to retire. We don't need your negativity, your poor taste, or your tired old bits. Apparently the "news" is watching, if nobody else. And too bad for you, Joe Biden's late night comedy ratings are higher than yours. Oh wait, maybe that's not funny.

Addendum: 6/16 Apparently Letterman made a point of saying that he was joking about Bristol Palin and not about Willow, the younger daughter, who was actually at the ballgame (as if, of course, that was a lot better). However, Letterman has now apologized, and Sarah Palin has accepted the apology.

Link to Palin/Letterman controversy . . . and (hopefully) it's resolution.