Sarah Palin attacks David Letterman over 'sexually-perverted' joke

[Old Coot]

Source: NY Daily News

Sarah Palin lambasted late-night comedian David Letterman Wednesday for "sexually-perverted comments" about one of her teenage daughters - and rebuffed his moves to make nice.

The CBS funnyman joked Monday of Palin's recent New York visit that "during the seventh inning, her daughter was knocked up by Alex Rodriguez."

Palin was incensed.

"Laughter incited by sexually-perverted comments made by a 62-year-old male celebrity aimed at a 14-year-old girl is...disgusting," the Alaska governor said in a statement.



Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/2009/06/10/2009-06-10_sarah_palin_attacks_david_letterman_over_sexuallyperverted_joke_on_late_night.html

[Endangered Specie]

1. Hmmm... I should watch Letterman more

(espacially since Conan isn't funny, at all)

[emilyg]

61. Yes - good for expanding your knowledge.

:sarcasm:

[No Elephants]

103. Off topic, but NBC seems to be promoting Fallon more than Conan. Odd.

[Dramarama]

209. Fallon is going to occupy the 11:30 spot in

20 years, trying to get him ready

[Taverner]

2. Screw her - she's the one who dangled her children in front of the cameras at every turn

[IsItJustMe]

34. So right you are. She used her kids as stage props during the election. If you can't stand the

heat, stay out of the kitchen

[hlthe2b]

3. Time for Jon Stewart to weigh in and take on her lunacy...

and Dave has apologized for an over-the-top joke line even though anyone with a brain knows he wasn't referring to the younger Palin child... I hope Dave does not let up on her and let by with this manufactured crap. She has earned every bit of the less than flattering humor directed at her.

[paulsby]

153. the problem is the only palin child

who ATTENDED the yankee game (and the only one who went on the trip with Palin) WAS the 14 yr old. thus, letterman was implicitly referring to the 14 yr old, which means he was making a joke about a-rod raping (statutorily) her.

of course i dont believe for a second that he realized that only the 14 yr old was at the game. i am sure he was REFERRING to the 18 yr old, but his writers (or him) failed to do the due diligence and didn't realize the 18 yr old wasn't even there.

iow, it's a fuckup on his part.

because making jokes about a-rod raping 14 yr old daughters of anybody, even sarah palin, is beyond the pale imo

but clearly that's probably not what he MEANT

[Tempest]

199. Willow was NOT at the game

It was Bristol.

[Happyhippychick]

4. How dare he suggest a Palin would have sex outside of marriage!

Oh...

[countingbluecars]

5. The Palins should be ashamed

of themselves for making this about their 14 year old daughter.

[David Zephyr]

6. Sarah's daughter is now a "national public spokesperson" so she's fair game.

She's fair game, just as Liz Cheney is. Sarah's daughter is traveling the country speaking out as a public spokesperson (and poor example) for "abstinence" to young people.

Letterman's humor was spot on because it went to her hypocrisy.

[TheCowsCameHome]

7. Isn't she the one that had the traveling road show, complete with kids?

Yeah, that's her.

[paulsby]

154. not the one who went to the yankee game

she's 14.

that was letterman's error. he was (apparently) making a joke about the 18 yr old, not realizing that the one whow as at the game was the 14 yr old.

which was poor due diligence on behalf of the joke writers

[KamaAina]

8. Sounds like it was actually aimed at A-Roid

and he's a known repuke, too, so where's the poutrage? :shrug:

[Algorem]

9. She's right.

She and her daughters are sexually perverted.

[IDFbunny]

10. Joking about rape is profane.

I don't care who did what first.

[Mojambo]

12. Where is the joke about rape? I don't see anything of the sort. n/t

[Yupster]

18. The problem was

the 18 year old with the kid didn't make the trip to NY.

The one at Yankee Stadium to be knocked up by A-Rod was the 14 year old -- hence a joke about rape.

[Mojambo]

21. I think any reasonable observer would immediately associate this joke with Bristol

Whether she was there or not.

Sarah Palin is just trying to score political points.

[Yupster]

28. I'm sure you're right, but

it's an occupational hazard of comedians. If you make jokes, some of them are going to turn out in bad tasts and you'll be apologizing.

You make a joke about Uncle Bud not realizing he had a heart attack two hours ago, or you make a joke about mom cheating on dad, not knowing she actually did and it's caused tremendous pain.

[tridim]

95. So I take it you didn't watch Letterman last night?

He responded exactly how you did in your first sentence.

Censoring comedy is extremely dangerous.

[Yupster]

122. No - I really don't watch tv that late

But you think he'll hire me as a writer?

[efhmc]

27. Agreed. I find this "joke" disgusting.

[TankLV]

158. I only find EVERYTHING about the palins disgusting...

THEY brought this on themselves by being the fucking walking talking HYPOCRITS they are!!!

[IndianaGreen]

48. There was no rape joke, but then, you always spout off without knowing the facts

par for the course.

[emilyg]

60. It seems you don't know the facts.

[JonQ]

70. Sex with a 14 year old

consensual or not is considered rape in the US.

For instance, next election year Dennis Miller makes a joke about someone knocking up Obamas eldest daughter. Biting and witty political satire or disgusting and crass?

Generally I feel the families of politicians should for the most part not be targeted. They didn't pick their parents. And unless they choose to become politically active there is really no reason to go after them.

Plus rape humor usually is a bad bet anyway.

[tridim]

96. Rape humor is certainly not funny, and Letterman agrees.

His joke was about sex, not rape.

How the hell does "knocked up" equal "rape"?

[JonQ]

139. The girl in question

was 14. Hence statutory rape.

[tridim]

141. Are you dense? The girl in question is an adult.

Why the hell do you believe the Palins over Letterman?

[JonQ]

143. Really, so age is a matter of debate, and not recorded fact?

That's a new defense.

Yes your honor, I had sex with that woman, and although her birth certificate says she's only 14 I contend that she's actually 47. I mean who are you going to believe? Me or some punk kid?

Yep, give that one a try sometime.

[tridim]

144. Yep, you're dense.

And apparently incapable of listening to anything that doesn't emanate from your own noodle.

[JonQ]

145. You do realize the woman he was refering to originally was 14 right?

That isn't opinion, that's fact. You might choose to believe otherwise, but that has no bearing on reality.

[No Elephants]

190. No, she was 18. His mistake--or his writer's--was assuming that Bristol was the daughter

with whom Sarah attended the game. That still does not mean he was referring to Willow. His intent was clearly to refer to the Palin daughter who had gotten "knocked up." That doesn't make it right, but neither does twisting the story to make him sound worse, as you and the Palins are doing.

[JonQ]

198. It's twisting to take the story at face value

as it was delivered, rather than reinterpret it to make it seem nicer?

[Tempest]

200. Once again, Willow was NOT at the game

Why are people still saying it was Willow?

[No Elephants]

108. Letterman--or whoever wrote the joke-- assumed Bristol, age 18, was the one at the game.

[stanwyck]

152. Do we know that Willow was at the game?

Or did Palin say the joke was aimed at Willow to make the joke even more inappropriate?

[No Elephants]

191. After this happened, I have seen photos. IMO, Bristol and Palin look a lot alike. The joke, how-

ever was clearly aimed at Bristol, even if Dave was mistaken about which daughter was at the game. If you aim it at a teen of any age who has never been "knocked up," it's not even a joke, bad taste or not.

[stanwyck]

197. Thanks! I appreciate the clarification on Willow

I thought the joke crossed the line. However, Palin has also crossed the line by knowing full well that Letterman meant Bristol yet continuing to shout "statutory rape" regarding Willow. Palin would have had my support IF she had not kept this going by ranting about her 14-yr. old when she knows that Willow was not the target. This is what is so abhorrent about this women: this intentional dishonesty. She knows better, but she just wants the exploitation. And she doesn't care if her daughters are in the crossfire.

[No Elephants]

207. And, she's implied that Letterman may be a pervert. Granted, he may have had it coming, but

that was AFTER he apologized. And, when Lauer challenged her about that, her response was bizarre. (Sorry, I can't duplicate it. I just hope you catch the clip.)

But, it's fine with me. As usual, she is behaving like a person totally lacking in gravitas and therefore unfit for higher office.

Keep it up, Sarah!

[Tempest]

201. Palin lied and said it was Willow

Bristol was at the game.

[paulsby]

155. generally speaking, yes

when i used to live in hawaii, the age of consent was 14 fwiw.

i believe they have since changed that.

canada is 14.

[cboy4]

57. He wasn't talking about rape. Don't spread shit you're not familiar

with. :thumbsdown:

[JonQ]

71. Statutory rape

it is a crime.

[cboy4]

76. That's a ridiculous accusation. See post 16. Perfectly said:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x3916883#3916951

[JonQ]

81. But he wasn't

Bristol wasn't at the game. And he clearly was refering to the daughter who was. Now, if was mistaken and comes out and apologizes for making that mistake, and clarifies what he actually meant that would be great. And maybe he has, but I haven't read that yet.

But even so, it was a crude and inappropriate joke. Attacking someones daughter because you don't like the parent is never called for.

[cboy4]

86. He said last night he would never made fun of a 14 year old girl

having sex or being sexually abused.

He clarified that last night.

And what drives me insane is listening to all of you people, including yourself, who admits not hearing what he says he meant, go on the attack.

He did clarify that last night. Why are you out of the loop?

And he did admit it's inappropriate, but he also clarified that he tells thousands of inappropriate jokes because he a........hello..............late night comedienne.

[JonQ]

88. Hypothetical

Rush limbaugh makes a joke about the statutory rape of some democrats daughter. Gets a ton of flak for it. Afterwards recants and "corrects" his original version to make it more acceptable.

You would A) accept his apology without question, or B) be somewhat suspect that the only apologized because of the outcry, not because he genuinely felt to be in error?

And I still think jokes about a politicians child are in bad taste, no matter the politician. I assume you would not be ok with rightwing comedians targeting Obamas daughters?

[cboy4]

93. No, I reject your hypothetical because Rush Limbaugh is not

packaged as a late night comedian.

The only way the joke worked, was it needed to include Alex Rodriguez, who is the brunt of a ton of Letterman jokes, for always picking up hookers and sleeping around.

It did include him and it was hilarious.

It was a home run late night joke.

If you're so thin-skinned, don't watch.

Letterman constantly made fun of the drunk Bush twins. Hilarious.

And no, I don't support any jokes involving Obama's daughters, until they reach 18.

That's why Letterman was talking about Bristol, who is an "adult."

[JonQ]

100. Ok, so pick some random late night comedian

and insert the same hypothetical.

I'm sorry that I don't find statutory rape or attacking children for the actions of their parents as hilarious as you do. One of my many character flaws I assume.

[No Elephants]

109. He did clarify what he meant last night. And Bristol has sought the spotlight herself. Once you

do that, you're fair game, especially if you are over 18, which Bristol is.

[marshall]

72. I think they're referring to statutory rape

Which of course not everyone believes is rape.

[No Elephants]

107. Except he did not joke about rape. He assumed Bristol, age 18, was at the game.

[emilyg]

11. I'm with her on this. I quit watching that has-been with his lame attempt

at humor ages ago.

[tabasco]

26. Surprise, surpise.

[Moses2SandyKoufax]

45. When aren't you "with" her?

[Name removed]

50. Deleted sub-thread

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[TankLV]

159. Ahhhh - NOW we're getting close to your real agenda...

[JI7]

13. she is using this for her political gain, clearly lying about how the joke was about her 14 year old

when she knows it was about Bristol .

she does the same thing with Trigg, she thinks she should be rewarded for actually having a baby with special needs. she acts like she is some hero for doing it.

she is really a disgusting person.

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

14. Uh,. Hi there, Sarah...

I just wanted to point out that your daughter is seventeen years old.

I mean, just in case you weren't aware of that.

Good on you for getting Dave's age right. Maybe if you paid a little more attention to your children.

Just sayin'

[Yupster]

20. The 17 (now 18) year old

wasn't there.

The one on the trip with mom was the 14 year old.

[Ian David]

29. "If there's tundra on the field, there's a wolf to shoot from the plane," as the Palin Family says.

[No Elephants]

111. Letterman was not aware of that.

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

157. Oh...

I assumed it was the older, skankier daughter...

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

206. So you now see the concern in joking about A-Rod knocking up a 14 year old?

I'm guessing he's hired a new fact checker.

David

[Dramarama]

15. It's in bad taste

[Texano78704]

91. True, but...

Not sexually perverted.

[No Elephants]

114. Lettterman said so, when he apologized, but unwed teens in high school who do

not make themselves TV spokespersons often go through much, much worse.

[Starbucks Anarchist]

16. Letterman was referring to 18 y/o Bristol, not Willow.

But this isn't fake outrage on Sarah's part. She's genuinely stupid.

[LastLiberal in PalmSprings]

25. Yeah, but since Bristol's an adult (18) so it doesn't sound as outrageous

as if Letterman was attacking a 14-year-old, which anyone over the age of 10 knows he would never do. The target was clearly Palin Family Values as evidenced by Bristol, who Sarah dragged into the limelight as evidence of ... I forget, WTF was Sarah Palin trying to prove by parading her unmarried, underage pregnant daughter on the stage at the Republican National Convention?

Comedians are pretty sensitive to where their arrows are aimed, and the good ones are quick to correct an error if a projectile goes astray. For example, one time SNL unintentionally made fun of Amy Carter. The skit was about her Dad, but because his entire family was present on the set, one of the smaller female players was made up very plainly and stood quietly with her "Dad" and "Mom." (In real life, as we know, Amy was the prototypical duckling who grew into a beautiful swan) Even though there was no reference to Amy's character in the skit, the implication was there, and SNL immediately apologized and didn't include First Children in their skits -- unless they were adults (hence Jenna & Dad partying in the Oval Office).

Rush, on the other hand, never stopped playing dog barking sounds whenever he referred to Amy.

[No Elephants]

113. SNL and other comics were all over Chelsea for being "ugly" when the kid was only 12. And

unlike Bristol, who can modify her behavior, there was precious little Chelsea could do about her looks at that age, nor had Chelsea taken on the role of spokesperson for "ugly" teens in the way that Bristol has for unwed teens having sex (or not having it, depending upon which week it is). Ironically, John McCain, Palin's erstwhile running mate was telling "ugly" Chelsea jokes at that time, too.

PS, How did SNL "unintentionally" mock Amy Carter?

[salguine]

32. Willow? You mean...?

[emilyg]

59. The 18 year old was not at the game.

I would still find it unacceptable.

[Starbucks Anarchist]

65. But the 18 y/o was the one who was already "knocked up."

She's also the most famous Palin child by far. Do you seriously think David Letterman made a joke about raping a 14 y/o?

[marshall]

78. Those late night comedians will do ANYTHING for a laugh

So yeah, I think if he thought it would go over with the audience he would tell a joke about sex with a young girl. Men have been doing that for centuries. That's the nature of his business.

[Starbucks Anarchist]

79. So now you're just hallucinating your rationale?

So Letterman made a rape joke about a 14 y/o few people have heard of, as opposed to her 18 y/o sister who actually was knocked up and who is covered far more in the press?

[marshall]

84. My take on it was that he was saying it was her turn to follow in big sis's footsteps

The joke meant nothing unless one knew the context--who Rodriguez is (and his sexcapade status) and the visit Palin and middle daughter made to the stadium.

I don't see any need in his backtracking--it tarnishes his cutting edge in your face demeanor.

[Starbucks Anarchist]

87. Who was the Palin kid with the most coverage?

The only thing I remember about Willow was her holding her brother at the convention. By contrast, I've seen Bristol everywhere -- TV, magazines, etc.

Letterman was clearly referring to Bristol. If he was referring to Willow, the joke wouldn't work at all, since nobody knows who she is, not to mention she's 14. Do you seriously think Letterman, in business for almost 30 years, would suddenly pull out a child-rape joke? Seriously?

[marshall]

94. The joke actually works better when it's about Willow

Then it's Letterman saying Willow is a chip off the old block--randy and getting knocked up at the most inopportune moment. And when you consider that Willow was the one stuck shlepping 4 month old Trig all over the country it's even more ironic.

I don't think the joke was all the egrigious (but it wasn't about my daughter)--but I wish Letterman wouldn't backtrack on it.

[Ilsa]

124. I have never had a problem with Letterman's humor, and I still don't.

This was a case of mistaken identity at the baseball game. No one was suggesting that the younger sibling be statutorily raped by A-Rod.

[No Elephants]

194. No, it doesn't. eom

[No Elephants]

115. Baloney. Letterman has NEVER done anything remotely like that in all his years on TV.

[Robb]

67. I will never understand your Palin-worship. nt

[emilyg]

126. Perhaps unlike you - I respect women and children.

[Robb]

133. I don't know who you think you're convincing on this.

:shrug: Call me what you want, I guess.

[emilyg]

148. Sincerely hope - not you.

[TankLV]

160. They're convincing NO ONE...

but damed if those people try HARD here...

[No Elephants]

105. Unlikely that Letterman knew that.

[cboy4]

77. She's not the only one who's genuinely stupid

[Starbucks Anarchist]

80. ?

[cboy4]

82. Not you. Sorry that came out wrong .. I'm talking about all of the

morans in this thread attacking Dave.

I was simply playing off of your perfect line.

[Starbucks Anarchist]

83. LOL, my bad.

[Ignis]

101. There you go with your "logic" again!

It has no place in PalinWorld! :hi:

[No Elephants]

112. She and Tawd are happy for another 30 seconds of fame, though.

[marylanddem]

17. Palin makes me ill but that was a sexist stupid joke.

Why sexist? A man joking about a young woman getting "knocked up" is revolting.

[No Elephants]

116. He apologized. And this is a young woman who chose to become a spokesperson for abstinence. And

her mother chose to make her teen pregnancy an issue in a Presidential campaign.

But again, he admitted the joke was in bad taste and apologized.


In light of all the facts, the righteousness is a little over the top. If you're doing a monologue every night for 30 years, you're likely to hit an off note now and again (unless you're Johnny Carson, who never did, at least, not that I know of).

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

168. Except it was her little sister who is 14 that was at the game.

[No Elephants]

186. But he did not realize that. It would be totally out of character for Letterman to joke

about a 14 year old virgin getting knocked up by A-Rod. He made the joke because he thought he was talking about an older teen who had already been knocked up. So did his audience. Even if it had been Bristol, the joke would have been in bad taste, IMO--and also in his opinion. He admitted that and apologized the next evening. So, are you going to judge him for 20 or 30 years or for one joke in poor taste for which he apologized?

And what about how the Palins are wringing every bit of spotlight out of this that they can, just as they have always done with their kids? Shouldn't they apologize, too?

[TankLV]

161. So the girl never is at fault - it's always the fault of the boy...gotcha...

A joke about a SLUT who goes around HAVING UNPROTECTED SEX is FAIR GAME!!!

And then said SLUT goes around preaching ABSTENANCE FOR EVERYONE ELSE is just PRICELESS!!!

[No Elephants]

195. Huh?

[pitchforksandtorches]

19. I kinda like the "slutty flight attendant look"

but not on Sarah.

I just sayin'...

[Blandocyte]

22. Yikes that was bad

Makes me want to puke. Get that geriatric almost-was wanna be Tonight Show host off the air!

[UTUSN]

23. *when* did Dave say RAPE?!1 Was it rape with Levi?!1 n/t

[CitizenPatriot]

24. poor taste, sure...but

Palin sure uses her sexuality and the sexuality of her daughter (the 18 yr old one) for political gain at every turn. This is exactly why women dislike her so much. She makes smart people pick on her about sexist things by basically making everything about her sexuality-- her winking, red spike heels, short skirts, etc. WOuld it be OK if she wore short skirts AND had a brain? Maybe it would! But her intellectual failure combined with the way she conducts herself and the way she dresses makes her a parody of everything women have worked to overcome for years.

She's patriarchal barbie all of the way -- and then she complains about the treatment she receives, after condemning Hillary Clinton for ONCE suggesting she herself was being unfairly treated...She's really hard to take.

I agree that the term "slutty" was inappropriate...but honestly, I, who have never called a woman that, am secretly thinking it when I look at her. She is, after all, selling herself as a politician based on her sexual appeal. Not the best platform for a possible presidential candidate.

[jobycom]

30. While I can agree that the joke was bad, Palin used her daughter in a more perverted way.

First, Letterman was out of line, as everyone hear would agree if he had said it about Chelsea Clinton or one of Al Gore's children (I know this, because I've seen DU blast similar jokes about Chelsea).

But Letterman made a pretty straightforward risque joke about an 18 year old. Sarah Palin made it worse. She transfered the joke to her 14 year old daughter, then claimed it was "sexually perverted"--an idiotic claim. Worse, her husband then claimed the joke was about "raping" a 14 year old.

Who exactly was it again who used their fourteen-year-old daughter and the image of rape for their own promotion? The Palins are sick people who pimped their teenage daughter for political points and a few seconds of air time. They should be ashamed, but since they are Republicans, I doubt they even know how.

[Psephos]

35. Do you realize the 14 y/o was at the stadium, and the 18 y/o was in AK?

Letterman was referring to the daughter at the stadium. Not cool.

[jobycom]

36. Letterman was referring to the 18 year old, as he later explained, and as anyone listening

would have known unless they just wanted to pick a fight. That dog won't hunt.

[Psephos]

37. I just watched it again on YouTube, and you're mistaken.

I just typed this transcript myself based on the video. I didn't edit anything in or out.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u-M26WD1VSg

"One awkward moment during the game, maybe you heard about it, maybe you saw it on one of the highlight reels. One awkward moment for Sarah Palin at the Yankee game, during the seventh inning, her daughter was knocked up by Alex Rodriguez. (audience noise and applause) You can see how that'd be awkward. (waves hand) 'Now cut that out! Get back in the dugout!'

Are you really suggesting he wasn't referring to the daughter who was actually at the stadium? Then why would he think she'd be on the sports highlight reels from the game? Why would he think Palin would be calling out to Rodriguez to "cut that out" and "get back in the dugout" if it wasn't at the stadium?

Bullshit. And you know I'm no Palin fan.

[tomhayes]

38. He was referring to Piper, the 7 year old

Not really. I think the joke about a Palin kid being KNOCKED UP was about Bristol, you know, the Palin kid who got KNOCKED UP.

Is it that hard for to see where the joke was aimed?

[Psephos]

47. Explain this

How could A-Rod knock up someone on the field if they weren't in the stadium?

So, you think the joke was "aimed" at the daughter thousands of miles away, even though the other daughter was actually in the stadium. Even though Letterman mimicked Palin saying "Cut that out, get back in the dugout"?

Wow.

Here's something else to chew on. Even if it were the 18 y/o at the game, you think that's cool a tv star saying that shit about a young woman like that on national tube? I don't. You know, there are *some* considerations more important than politics.

[tomhayes]

56. The joke was on A-Rod - and Sarah Plain's knocked up daughter

It was not about which daughter was physically in the stadium -the joke depended on the viewer know that one of Sarah Palin's daughter's was KNOCKED UP, and that A-rod would have sex with almost anyone.

Palin's people are either a)Stupid b)don't have a sense of humor or c)are faking outrage to get political advantage.

If you don't see that now then pick a,b,c.

Did you hear the joke like this? "A Rod molested and raped Sarah Palin's 14 year old daughter and then was told to play baseball again."

That's how you'd have to hear it to believe David Letterman was talking about the 14 year old.

TO REPEAT:
The joke is one of Sarah Palin's kida got knocked up - and that a-rod will have sex with anything!!!

You don't have to think it's funny or classy - but there's almost no non-obstuse way to take it to mean Letterman was joking about a 14 year being raped.

P.S. You are aware that Sarah Palin has a teenage daughter who was impregnated out of wedlock? And are you also aware that A-Rod has a penchant for having sex with anything that's not tied down.

And are you not aware that SARAH PALIN has a daugther who was KNOCKED UP?? And that Arod likes sex?????

GEEZ.

And let me remind you that SARAH PALIN HAS A DAUGHTER WHO WAS KNOCKED UP , AND THAT A-ROD LIKES SEX SO MUCH HE HAD SEX WITH MADONNA??

Do you see it NOW??!!!?? it's not about RAPING a 14 year old?? SEE?? !!!!

[No Elephants]

123. Letterman and everyone who heard the joke assumed Bristol was the daughter at the game, until the

Palin's pointed out the 14 year old was there. You think everyone knew every detail of each Palin's comings and goings before that? Letterman made the wrong assumption. So did his audience. Letterman has never joked about underage sex in all his years on TV.

Bristol is an 18 year old who became pregnant as a teen, which pregnancy Sarah chose to make a campaign issue in a Presidential eletion and BRISTOL chose to make a talking point after the election, when she made rounds of all the TV stations twice talking about abstinence v. birth control re: teen pregnancies.

AND Letterman apologized the next night.


People must be desperate for stuff to be outraged about.

[Psephos]

130. as the old saying goes, assume makes an ass out of u and me

one too many assumptions in this tale

Meanwhile, in any case, is it really asking much of millionaire comedians to stay away from sexual jokes about politicians' children?

I don't see this as an R/D thing. I see it as a karma thing. The knife cuts both ways.

[tomhayes]

140. What if they are only thousanaires?

>is it really asking much of millionaire comedians to stay away from sexual jokes about politicians' children?

What if Jimmy Kimmel did the joke - would that be okay because he's not a millionaire?

Or is it the "Hollywood/N.Y. entertainers" that are bad??????

I think comedians can and SHOULD joke about Sarah Palin's knocked up daughter - especially since the knocked up daughter is so obviously being used for political gain by her mother. And the joke was about A-rod and Palin - the daughter was used because she had been knocked up previously - possibly during a baseball game.

And hey here's something else: A-Rod COULDN'T have raped the 14 year old during a game or he would have been ejected from the game.

Should Millionaires not joke about baseball, or at least in a non-realistic way??

People in this thread saying "Letterman (THE MILLIONAIRE HOLLYWOOD TYPE) is wrong are either" 1)obtuse, or 2)stupid. Just saying.

[No Elephants]

192. You're right. Money has nothing to do with it. But this thread is over the top in many ways.

[No Elephants]

187. Why should Bristol be immune when she herself sought out the spotlight? If

she were ONLY Sarah Palin's kid, that would be one thing. But, apart from that whole charade during the campaign, she has taken at least two media tours, sponsored by a company that makes "look at me clothes" for teens, to talk about teen sex. Besides, he apologized. So, should we send him to Gitmo anyway?

[jobycom]

41. Bullshit. If Letterman even knows one Palin kid from another, I'd be surprised.

The joke had nothing to do with what kid was actually at the game, it was a clear reference to the kid who had been knocked up before.

[Psephos]

46. We'll have to disagree on this one. eom

[Kolesar]

62. The joke made me laugh in print and on video. Thanks for the YouTube link

:hi:

[Psephos]

104. no prob ;)

[No Elephants]

119. Letterman assumed that the daughter at the stadium was Bristol. Nothing you quoted negates

that. So did everyone who heard him, until the Palins pointed out it was the 14 year old. AND he apologized.

[No Elephants]

118. But Letterman thought the daughter at the stadium was the 18 year old.

[Psephos]

120. my bottom line is that politicians' kids of any persuasion should be treated with basic decency

Seems like a natural fit with a progressive worldview.

[No Elephants]

125. This kid, however, chose to become a TV spokesperson in her own right, though. Chelsea

was not fair game when she was simply Bill Clinton's daughter. However, when she, as an adult, chose to start campaigning for Hillary and still wanted to claim that she was off limits, it became silly, IMO.

I think this joke by Letterman was in bad taste, though, because Bristol was underaged when she became pregnant and had not then sought the spotlight on her own. However, Letterman said as much and apologized. He's been on TV how many years? 20 or 20? Every night? If this is the first time he crossed a line, that's a freakin' testament to the man's good taste, IMO. You don't judge a lifetime by the one tinny note.

[Psephos]

134. ???

I didn't judge Letterman's lifetime. Why would I? I don't watch him; I think he stopped being funny in the mid-90s.

We are in agreement, however, that this joke was in bad taste, which was my original point.

It's only by voicing criticism of such crassness that we can diminish it. CBS is in CYA mode over this, which means they've been hearing the criticism. So, good has come of it.

Now it's time to let this dog lie down. It wasn't that big of a deal anyway. :)

[babythunder]

174. You must not watch too many

stand-ups? Apparently there isn't much you wouldn't find "crass" with most comedian's act. Letterman and any logical person would assume he was talking about the 18 year old the one who for some unknown reason decided to become a spokeswoman for abstinence. If Sarah Palin didn't want her 18 year old to become fair game then she should have dealt with her daughter's pregnancy in private.

[No Elephants]

189. He said it was in bad taste and apologized before this thread even started, though. Even if that

were not so, posts on this thread don't diminish crassness, or do much of anything beyond communidcating your thoughts to other DUers.

BTW, what is funny or not is highly subjective, but it has nothing to do with this thread. However, since you brought it up, I thought Letterman was hilarious after the 90's. His Great Moments in Presidential Speeches bits mocking Bush alone made watching worthwhile. Anyone who could make me laugh while that s.o.b. was governing deserves a lot of credit from me. Too bad you missed them.

For me, the greatest bad taste is Palin exploiting her own children for another 30 seconds of fame. Dave's already apologized, but I doubt Palin ever will.

[IndianaGreen]

31. Sarah Palin is a sexually perverted woman, as is her crazy white trash family

Letterman RAAAAAAAWWWWWWKKKKKSSSSS! (As Jim Sagle would say) :-)

[The Wizard]

33. From the woman who was

winking repeatedly at the camera during the VP debate. Some prominent Repugs said the winking gave them tight pants. I guess that's OK with Palin.

[InfiniteThoughts]

39. not an excuse ...

Not liking Palin is not a valid excuse to put up with the stupidity that came from Letterman's mouth. The airhostess joke as well as the dig at her daughter was without class. Would you have defended Letterman if he said the same thing about Sasha or Malia Obama. I don't see why we should give him a pass if he talks about a minor.

Folks, don't defend letterman. We stand for class.

[tomhayes]

40. The airhostess joke was funny because it was true

And since he didn't refer to the Palin kid whom was knocked up can we not assume he was talking about the Palin kid who *WAS ACTUALLY KNOCKED UP!!!!?*

[emilyg]

43. Thank you. Would DU defend anyone

who said this about their wife or daughter?

[TankLV]

163. If our wife or daughter was a HYPOCRIT and a PROVEN SLUT who, after FUCKING REPEATEDLY

was now going around PREACHING ABSTENENCE?

YOU FUCKING BETTER BELIEVE IT!!!

[emilyg]

165. Hope you're not married.

I give my family respect.

[No Elephants]

182. Slut? LOL. St. Joseph, is that you?

[IndianaGreen]

49. Shove that 'class' remark where the sun doesn't shine

If you had taken the trouble to know the facts, which you obviously didn't, you would have known that Letterman never referred to Palin's 14-year old daughter. Palin made it sound like he did because good old Sarah is a lying bitch.

[Shealeigh]

99. If Letterman had taken time to know the facts....

...HE would have realized that is was the 14 year old daughter at the game, and NOT Bristol. Which means he's an idiot for suggesting that ARod was having sex with someone who wasn't even there. Either way, I don't think it's funny. If he had said that about MY daughter, my husband wouldn't have issued a statement, he would have found a way to punch him in his gap-toothed mouth.

[TankLV]

164. And if YOU had been a SLUT the way palin't daughter IS and is FUCKING in EVERYONE ELSES FACE

TELLING THEM WHEN AND WHEN NOT TO HAVE SEX, then I'd be the FIRST to trash your HYPOCRITICAL REPUKE ASS AND your fucking repuke husband as well!!!

[emilyg]

166. Your language is disgusting.

[Shealeigh]

178. You know what cracks me up about the internet?

It makes everybody so BRAVE! I'd be willing to bet that you would never, EVER say that to my "fucking repuke husband" to his face....all 6'3", 265lbs, Army Sgt, Black Belt in Shurin Ryu that he is. Chicken shit. And if you want to challenge him, he'd be happy to meet you somewhere.

[No Elephants]

127. You are comparing apples and oranges.

[TankLV]

162. It's ESPECIALLY funny because it's about the SLUT who's now PREACHING ABSTINENCE...

and of course it wouldn't be funny if it was about the INNOCENT Obama kids...


of COURSE it's FUCKING OUTRAGEOUSLY FUNNY because it's about the SLUTTY TRAILER TRASH family that is the PALIN's - who PUT THEMSELVES UP ON A PEDESTAL AS MODELS OF VIRTUE AND "FAMILY VALUES"...when they're ANYTHING but!!

[emilyg]

167. You have an obsession with them?

[sutz12]

42. She doesn't learn does she?

After the McCain fiasco, I'd be careful about taking Letterman on if I were her.

:)

[emilyg]

44. Why? He's nothing special.

[cboy4]

58. Actually he is.

Nobody is faster on their feet.

[EFerrari]

179. You're kidding, right?

He has owned late night for decades. And I can't think of anyone who has been more generous in helping young talent along.

Yes, he is special.

[No Elephants]

193. And clearly not a neocon, which I suspect is the reason for a lot of the"righteousness" on this

thread.

Lord, if I had been on TV every night for 20 0r 30 years, I would have made a lot more than one remark that I regretted. Glad so many on this thread are so far above it all.

[Bette Noir]

51. Sarah Palin trotted her family around as props all through the election season,

and now she cries out that their privacy be respected? After parading her pregnant daughter all over the airwaves, she screams for family values?

I'll be glad when Palin loses her looks, and doesn't get airtime any more.

[IndianaGreen]

54. And Sarah paraded her infant son Trig like a right-to-life trophy

Having an infant up at 11 pm at night, like she did at the convention, or when she dressed him up in that ridiculous elephant costume.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

52. Leave Sarah ALONE!!!

[troubledamerican]

53. Doesn't anyone remember? McCain told a notorious joke about Chelsea Clinton.

http://crooksandliars.com/2008/02/09/john-mccains-crude-chelsea-clinton-joke/

Do I get banned from DU for linking to Crooks and Liars?

[keepCAblue]

55. Sarah who?

:shrug:

[Kolesar]

63. Well said! Sarah Palin is obviously working this for publicity...eom

[GinaMaria]

64. Sarah Palin is a sexually perverted joke

That being said, comments/jokes about sex with kids isn't funny. I don't think that was Letterman's point. His point was about how easy Palin girls and women are and how easily they seem to get pregnant. Unfortunately, there was an aspect of the joke that is distasteful.

Any parent should make a stand for their child in this situation, but somehow I don't think that was SP's objective here. Her focus is on herself. Glad I wasn't born a Palin. I feel for those girls.

[LeftHander]

66. Lookout Dave....She is rearing her hear!!!! She is swooping....!!! nt

[Lorien]

68. What part is "perverted"? I thought that every pregnancy is a "miracle"

in the Rightwingoverse, while having sex for pleasure alone is only something that men are allowed to do. :eyes:

[hamsterjill]

69. The irony really is

Palin wouldn't be publicly lambasting Letterman's comment unless she was doing it to gain publicity for her own agenda.

I think any normal person can see that she's been doing anything and everything she can to stay in the public eye. She will use anything at her disposal to do that - - - including her children.

The comment would have gone unnoticed had she herself (Palin) not made a big stink about it.

[No Elephants]

129. And we have a winnah, folks!

[snooper2]

73. THIS IS HUGH!

DU OUTRAGE :rofl:



hopefully this thread won't break a 100 :rofl: And even if it does everybody will forget about it by the morning :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[snooper2]

74. THIS IS HUGH!

DU OUTRAGE :rofl:



hopefully this thread won't break a 100 :rofl: And even if it does everybody will forget about it by the morning :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[sutz12]

110. Irony writ large...

You "hope" it doesn't reach 100, and then you double post.

:shrug:

:rofl:

[snooper2]

142. damn puter!!!!!

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

We broke 140 :rofl:

[Magleetis]

75. The Palins

are pretty thin skinned for people who are in politics. They can dish it out but they cant take it.

[Name removed]

85. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Tarc]

89. The entire inbred Palin family can go fuck themselves for milking this non-issue

They knew full well that Dave's comments were against the 18-year-old...y'know, the legal adult...and not the younger one. They are milking this just as badly as they milked the "lipstick on a pig" comment from the election season. All this is is a cheap way for them to drum up more donations to SarahPAC.

Conservatives are finally beginning to see just how far out into the political wilderness they've gone, and their looming irrelevance scares the shit out of them. They are only going to increase in shrillness as time goes on.

[tridim]

98. I really hope she takes Dave's offer and comes on his show

He'll play it straight and destroy her with wit in about 2 minutes.

[cboy4]

106. Oh, it would be the worst mistake she could make.

Let's hope she takes the bait. LOL

[No Elephants]

132. I don''t think so. When Oprah came on his show after disagreement, he could not have been nicer.

[tridim]

135. Dave adores Oprah, he dispises Palin. Big difference.

[No Elephants]

188. How do you know Dave "adores" Oprah? And I am sure he has zero against Bristol.

Dave and Oprah did not speak for many years, and neither of them went on the other's show. But Oprah finally deigned to go on his show when she was touting her production of The Color Purple. And they made up. He's invited Sarah Palin on his show to do the same. Let's see if she goes and does the adult thing, or shuts up, also find, or if she just continues to milk every bit of publicity that she can.

[No Elephants]

131. And now, we have a tie. Bingo!

[ismnotwasm]

90. Palin is an opportunist

And an asshole. Not content with one daughter in the spotlight, she's using the other one for whatever political capital she thinks she can get out of it. She's a very sick woman.


I don't like Letterman and I never have. It's a particularly stupid and sexist joke and about what I expect from late night comedians. He apologized. He did what he could to make amends. Palin is choosing to further use her daughter's sexuality as political commodity.

[AzDar]

92. You wanna hear a sexually-perverted joke? Sarah's Wasilla city government made

RAPE VICTIMS pay for their own rape kits.


Fucking hilarious.

[AwakeAtLast]

97. +1

[babythunder]

175. This post should

be highlighted for this thread

[No Elephants]

102. Not only did Sarah Palin choose to make Bristol's unwed pregnancy an issue in a Presidential

election, but Bristol has taken it upon herself to become a teen unwed sex spokesperson in her own right, first appearing on TV to say that abstinence only was unrealistic for unwed teens, then to appear on TV to say that abstinence only is best for unwed teens. And, she is 18. So, if you are legally an adult who does not want to be commented on in relation to unwed teen pregnancy, don't go on TV on your own volition as a spokesperson for that very issue.

[LynneSin]

117. I almost have to side with Sarah Palin on this one as much as it ticks me off

Yes Sarah Palin used her kids as a political tool. But I do think that Letterman went a bit far with the comment especially since Bristol Palin and Alex Rodriguiz have very little connection whatsoever.

Don't worry 99.9999999999999999% of the other times I think Palin is a nut job that doesnt' have a clue. But even a broken clock is right twice a day.

[Tarc]

136. Yea it was tasteless, no arguments there

But the thing that gets to me is the hypocrisy. These people have spent several decades maligning and denigrating anything and everyone that isn't white, well-to-do, war-supporting, bible-loving and heterosexual.

But woe be the one who dares to take a below-the-belt potshot in return, because it is an instant deluge of "goodness gracious can you believe what they said?" faux outrage.

[LynneSin]

137. I know but consider this - that's her child

and say what you will about Sarah Palin and her policies and the concept that Bristol is an adult now - if someone attacked your 18 year old kid in a very tasteless manner you'd speak out too.

[and-justice-for-all]

121. I find her life to be more disgusting then that joke...

Meth much?

[Rob Gregory Browne]

128. Bottom line, I think everyone is too damn sensitive

When did we turn into a nation of wusses? When I was a kid in high school comedians were merciless and so were my friends. For that matter, so was I. Did I cry about it? Did my friends? No. Nobody did.

Letterman obviously wasn't talking about a fourteen year old, since she's not the one with the promiscuity problem. Get over it.

He's Letterman. Who gives a damn?

[llmart]

149. Don Rickles for one......

He would have ripped Sarah a new one:)

[truthisfreedom]

138. Dear Sarah, The issue is not that you and your family have become the butt of many jokes.

The real issue is that you and your family simply ARE a sad joke.

A complete embarrassment to this country.

Go away. Stop drawing attention to yourself.

[David__77]

146. Bristol Palin is fair game.

She made herself a public figure and is an adult. If Letterman was referring to her, there's nothing wrong in that at all.

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

170. She wasn't at the game though. There in lies the problem.

[No Elephants]

180. No one knew the difference until the Palins made an issue of it. No one, including

Letterman or his audience. By making it seem as though he favors rape of minors, they, as usual, are exploiting their own kids for publicity. The dignified thing would have been to say simply--if and only if asked--"No comment. His comment says a lot about him, but nothing about our daughter. We don't fee; that we need to say anything."

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

204. The dignified thing to do would be to get your facts straight before going on air.

[kiranon]

147. Palin's twisting of Letterman's insensitive joke makes Palin look foolish

and overly anxious to find perverse sexual innuendo where none existed.

[Lagomorph]

150. After what they did to IMUS...

...I doubt things will go well for Letterman.

The precedent has been set.

Speaking for myself, if I wanted to listen to that kinda talk, I'd tune in Howard Stern.

[robcon]

151. Letterman is an asshole.

A simple apology - "I made a mistake" - would end this. His ego wouldn't let the story die.

[TankLV]

156. The palin daughter is a SLUT - she was FUCKING IN THE SAME HOUSE while palin looked the OTHER way!!!

and now she's supposed to be the ABSTENANCE model - riiiiiight....

on edit:

She's a SKANKY SLUT!!!

that is all...

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

169. Are you talking about the 14 year old that Letterman was referring to?

[6000eliot]

171. He was NOT referring to the 14 year old, and he explained that.

The Palins are opportunistic liars who are trying the same type of lying smear they tried on Obama when they accused him of calling her a pig. They know they are lying, and we shouldn't be buying into their shit.

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

172. So you are saying that it wasn't the 14 year old at the game?

[6000eliot]

173. The joke didn't depend on who was at the game.

I didn't even know she had her kids with her. Everybody knew the joke was about the daughter who DID get "knocked up," not any other one. The Palins know this too, but they're milking their fake outrage for attention.

[truthisfreedom]

177. False outrage=republik party.

Period. If you see it, it's them.

[No Elephants]

181. Willow was at the game, but Letterman assumed it was Bristol. So did his audience.

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

205. You know what happens when you assume.

[davidpdx]

176. The jokes were not that bad, but he and his staff really screwed up

by not checking to see which daughter Palin had with her on the trip. I'm sure a call to her press office could have been made to see who she was traveling with. Also, the joke should have clearly identified Bristol as the butt of the joke since that is clearly who it was intended for.

The manufactured controversy over this one is pretty bad. Yes, I agree he screwed up, but only in terms of WHO the joke was targeting and doing their homework when writing the joke. Anyone that says Letterman was advocating rape is absolutely spreading a false lie. Palin has no reason to like Letterman after he made a absolute fool of his running-mate last Fall. It is she that is holding the grudge against Letterman. Sounds like some people on DU are buying into her little act.

[robcon]

184. His staff did not screw up so bad. Made a simple mistake.

The problem is what Letterman didn't do after he found out the younger sister was there. He just should have said: "It was a mistake. Sorry" and the whole thing would have been over.

Half-apologies and non-apology apologies are lame. He should have recognized that he goofed.

[davidpdx]

185. Yeah, maybe the half hearted apology was a mistake as well

If he would have given a full apology, no matter how much it would have stunk to do, it would have ended the controversy and pretty much headed off anything else they could have said. By doing what he did, he only fueled the whole thing more.

[No Elephants]

196. The Palins and the media would have milked it no matter what he said. Whatever he did, it

was not half as damaging to the Palin kids as Sarah and Todd have been and continue to be.

[No Elephants]

183. Well, the attention lover will be on the Today Show this morning. They seem to love her, so it

should be annoying.

[LeFleur1]

202. Words Matter

I am certainly no fan of Sarah Palin's. BUT What is wrong with Letterman? He/His writers can't think of anything but tearing down a young girl and making stupid remarks about her? How is that funny? At least he had the decency to apologize, which he certainly should have done.

And then we have those who call Palin's daughter (the unwed mother)a "slut", etc.
Why is she a slut? Because she got pregnant when she was a teenager? It takes two...is Levi a slut, too? Or is he just a young man doing what men do?
As for her running around the country preaching abstinence. She can do that. It's on the stupid side, but she should be able to do it without being called names. People can point out the ridiculousness of it, and should. It was her ambitious mother who groomed her and put her in front of cameras.
If Letterman has an issue with Palin, then insult Palin. Leave her kids alone.

[gmudem]

203. Late night comics routinely make jokes like this

The only reason anybody noticed this time is because Palin is a giant attention whore.

[LeFleur1]

208. Noticing

No, they noticed it because it was about a young, single mother, or her 14 year old sister. And it was insulting and uncalled for.
It wasn't funny.
Comedians are like that. They don't get the "over the line" thing. That's why they have writers who, when professional, do get the 'over the line' thing.