Funny Conservative Authors

[sleeve]

I read Al Franken's new book recently ("Liars and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them, etc."), and something occured to me. Most of the people writing these political/polemical books are utterly humorless, but Franken is an exception. His new book does a lot of things well (calling O'Reilly, Coulter, Hannity et al. on their bullying and occasional hypocrisy) and some things not so well (he's often not much better about supporting his claims with factual evidence than the rivals he detests), but through it all, the book is hilarious. In one chapter, he tries to infiltrate Bob Jones University with a Harvard student posing as his son (his real son refused to play along) assuming that no one would recognize him. There are some hilarious comic book-like sections featuring "Supply Side Jesus" and "the Chickenhawk Battalion" (a fictional story placing Rush Limbaugh, Dick Cheney, Dubya, George Will, and others -- "hawks" who never actually served in the military, or did so under less-than-valorous circumstances), and some sharp observational work.

Thing is, I really don't see any equivalent to this sort of book on the right: a genuinely, objectively funny book that just happens to lean to the conservative side. I have my own theories as to why this is the case -- a lack of Jews, Blacks, or other oppressed minorities, perhaps -- but I have yet to find a single conservative author who can match Franken, Aaron McGruder, Berke Breathed, or any other top liberal humorist. There are a few anomalies; Andrew Sullivan and Christopher Buckley come to mind. But Sullivan is gay (oppressed minority!) and Buckley isn't really all that conservative, so maybe he doesn't count.

Can anyone come up with some genuinely funny conservative authors (i.e. authors who are not funny only to people who share their views)?

[Mode7]

Fundamentally incompatible, I'm thinking.

[Tracer]

Fox News in general is hilarious. Really!

[Captain Vegetable]

Franken is a freaking comedian. The man was employed with SNL for crying out loud. If ever there was a bad example, it's him.

Most conservatives, as well as liberals, are just way too dogmatic about their beliefs. They do things because their respective parties are for them, or because their opposing parties are against them.

Hanity in particular pisses me off.

[Tracer]

Ok... then why are most comedians liberal?

[Fe 26]

hmm, why would fun loving comedians be liberal, instead of conservative. I think this is a easy one folks, lets look at the words

Comedian
Liberal
Conservative

[Captain Vegetable]

Ok... then why are most comedians liberal?

Because they are the uneducated dregs of society?

hmm, why would fun loving comedians be liberal, instead of conservative. I think this is a easy one folks, lets look at the words

Comedian
Liberal
Conservative

I, uh . . . I don't get it.

[piku]

Basically every single person it seems in any "creative" major is a liberal. No clue why but it sure pisses me off endlessly.

[frostwolf ex]

i have been thiniking about this and i think there are a few responses that might work, none obviously are authoritative, but since i love stand up, here are a few thoughts.


1. many conservatives are actually pretty funny, examples are john McCain who was very funny on the daily show, and bob dole who usually blows jay leno out of the water when he is on the show,and he and conan tend to vibe beautifully. Plus, bill maher is technically a conservative, though he would be more correctly considered in line with the libertarians. And if you are familiar with Thomas Sowell he gets some really good, dry humor in his column. so there are conservatives out there, just lower profile.


2. comics tend to come from blue collar or middle class backgrounds, usually fertile ground for democrats, due to their populist roots and strong union affiliations(though not as much nowadays they fared very poorly in the more southern rural areas and typically blue collar areas in the last presedential election.). so naturally from that background, they are typically more liberal. Plus, not that a lot of the better known writers are baby boomers,they are typically more liberal.


3. there is a public perception that conservatives are more stern and disciplined whereas liberals are more fun. keep in mind, bill clinton did turn the democrats into the "party of the blowjob" so they are more identified with fun. My favorite comparison is, republicans are the stern uncles who make you save your money and go to the dentist, whereas the democrats are the stoner uncle who lets you take a hit off his joint and play videogames till 3 am. one is responsable, one is fun.


4. conservatives are typically older, look at today's stand up comics, i dont see a lot over 30. Witht he notable exception of the baby boomers, who i argue never grow up, the funny comes from the young.


5. You mention franken, and he built his reputation on snl as a writer long before he became so visably political, so he had heat already.


6. owing to the steriotypes in 3 most conservatives buy into their own hype,they try to play the humorless , all business, scolds becasue that is what they feel their party is, look at bob dole post election vurses during the election. he turned from an un-coordinated vampire to a happy, clever old guy with a ton of dirty jokes, he even put out a book of presedential comedy a few years ago. Its sad we get stuck in that rut,more conservatives should try to break the steriotype.

7. WAIT, you are saying that stone, veggie and i arent funny??? bastard!

[Scourge]

Dennis Miller: Extremely intelligent, funny as hell and Conservative.