I Think I've Figured It Out
As a part of my ongoing mission to reach out and try to understand left-wing blogs, I followed a tip from Luke at the NewPats, and his recommendation:
Sady, No! is one of the funniest blogs on the internet...
So, despite the qualifier...:
It's a favorite of Atrios's,
...which is certainly "damnation by faint praise" incarnate (or, as Atrios himself would say, "WHY DO LIBERALS HATE HUMOR?"), and with visions of
genuinely brilliant satireblogs in my mind, I decided to check it out.
"Brad R" on John Hinderaker:
Assrocket writes:
"Hi, yes, this is Mr. Hindrocket of Powerline Blog...I'm calling to let you know that I think your boss is a traitor and should resign his post in the Senate. The reason is... ooop! Sorry, I just shit my pants! Ha, ha, ha! Mind giving me a coupla minutes to wipe up? Thanks."
I'm sensing the spirit of Mort Saul trying to get out.
Or how about their take on Paul Johnson, one of Europe's great cultural and intellectual historians:
Paul Johnson, best known for engaging in sexual intercourse with a spongmonkey
I'm detecting the Lenny Bruce influence, here.
So we've run across a couple of "funny" lefty sites this week, now, that'd fit in nicely on any elementary school playground in the country, which is, ironically, funny after a fashion.
Theory for your perusal: left wing blogosphere is like the Special Olympics. As long as you show up, you're special, and it's a great thing for its own sake.
It's not much of a theory, but it's as close as I've gotten to figuring out why someone like Atrios or Oliver Willis are as huge (on the left only) as they are; the conservative blogs of equally low quality (trite screed-based writing, rote recitation of talking points and reflexive demonization) that sprang up in the early years of the blogosphere are all long gone (I won't name names, but you know who I'm talking about), but the likes of Atrios, Willis and so on just keep on not only ticking, but prospering.
Better ideas?
Posted by Mitch at
June 21, 2005 06:38 PM
| TrackBack
Mitch Berg: Not Clapping at the Special Olympics.
:-)
Posted by: chuck at June 21, 2005 05:40 PMGreat humor comes from sharing some hidden truth, pulled right from the middle of your fears, revealed suddenly--puzzle solved just for that instant.
Main problem for liberals: no truth detector, just a common wisdom detector, which is not the same thing.
Posted by: RBMN at June 21, 2005 05:45 PMChuck,
Not so. I think everyone who tries humor, even if it's just a "John Hinderaker pooped his pants!!!!!" joke, is a Very Special Comedian" . Yay!
RB,
"no truth detector, just a common wisdom detector, which is not the same thing."
I like that line.
Posted by: mitch at June 21, 2005 05:48 PMPeople consumed in hate have no emotional energy left for humor.
Posted by: Glenn Layne at June 21, 2005 06:59 PMGlenn Layne
www.durabledata.blogspot.com
OK, the first site you listed was funny (esp Bush-Lite stuff with Porter Goss). The second one...kind of a generic search site. Is there a different web address?
Come on, you don't like Patriot Boy? As much as I don't like throwing military service in people's faces (and as much as I think that military service is a wonderful way for many, many folks to go), Operation Yellow Elephant is funny. So is his letter to the head of the Christian Wrestling Federation. Crank calls are always funny when they are done well. He is good at what he does.
Posted by: cleversponge at June 21, 2005 09:56 PMPerhaps he's got a funny moment or two tucked away somewhere. I've read his blog 4-5 times, and thought it was all pretty junior-high. Crank calls done by lesser talents than Howard Stern usually just bother me (John Lassman being an exception).
His audience - at least the ones that commented here - are largely drooling droogs.
Posted by: mitch at June 22, 2005 08:45 AMWow, all of his audience? Don't you think that's kind of generalized? There's nothing wrong with enjoying some crass fart-joke style humor...no matter how much you disagree with it. This is why I tune into Michael Savage every now and then...oh wait, he's serious.
Is there something wrong with the 2nd link (Iowahawk...or something like that)? I've been trying to find some good Iowa blogs.
Posted by: cleversponge at June 22, 2005 08:59 AMSponge, Iowahawk was born & raised in Iowa but lives in Chicago now. Not sure he qualifies as an Iowa blog anymore. The URL is:
http://iowahawk.typepad.com/
Posted by: Doug at June 22, 2005 10:01 AMMuch appreciated. Do you know of any other Iowa blogs? I like to hear things by word of mouth rather than just google. As an ex-Iowan (born in Ames), I have a special soft spot for the place.
Posted by: cleversponge at June 22, 2005 12:07 PMAdmittedly, that wasn't one of my funnier moments. This is much better.
Posted by: Brad R. at June 22, 2005 03:51 PMhttp://sadlyno.com/archives/001436.html
Posted by: Brad R. at June 22, 2005 03:52 PMBrad R,
You're right. It is.
Posted by: mitch at June 22, 2005 04:04 PM