Credit: Photo by Eric Thayer/Getty Images.
Will we see comedians hold the politicians at the heart of the California wildfires accountable in the days ahead? If not, shame on them.
We’re watching gross incompetence in real time as thousands flee their homes and worry if they’ll be still standing upon their return. The raging fires are like something out of a Hollywood disaster movie.
It’s often unhealthy to score political points during a tragedy. At times, it’s unavoidable, and now is certainly the case.
We know L.A. Mayor Karen Bass cut $17.6 million from the city’s fire department budget. The progressive mayor wasn’t even in L.A. when the fires broke out. She was in Ghana on a political junket.
The optics couldn’t get much worse. Remember how “Saturday Night Live” and late-night comedians mocked Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas when he was out of state in Cancun during a deadly cold weather front in 2021? It’s hard to forget given the nonstop jokes on the subject.
Fair? Unfair? He probably thinks twice now before jetting out of town. What Bass and Co. have done to California is immeasurably worse.
Need more material tied to the fires? Mayor Bass literally stood silent as a European journalist pelted her with tough but fair questions about the unfolding tragedy. Later, the Mayor tried to steer locals to a website where they could get more information, except during her speech she simply said “URL” and omitted the actual website’s address.
More comedy gold for satirists speaking truth to power. An A.I. bot could probably crank out a few monologue jokes. Will late-night comedians bite?
So far, they’re taking the high road regarding the devastation.
Far-Left “Late Show” host Stephen Colbert kept the mood serious.
“We want to send our love and concern to all the residents of Los Angeles who are facing what is being described as the most destructive fire in the city’s history.”
The host of “Late Night with Seth Meyers” took a similar tack.
“The scenes we’re seeing on television are obviously harrowing, and there are no real words that I can share other than that we are thinking about you and we are hoping for your safety.”
Lloyd Bishop/NBC via Getty Images
That’s understandable … for now. Although, if a Republican governor was in charge the tone might be different. Might.
It’s what happens next that matters, and it could have political repercussions.
Fox News’ “Gutfeld!” won’t hold back. The Libertarian host already weighed in via his X account, and his 10:00 p.m. show will likely do the same.
Roy Rochlin/Getty Images
Another possible source of comedy? HBO’s “Real Time with Bill Maher.” The long-running host has shown a knack for truth-telling regardless of party affiliation. He’s been a thorn in the Left’s side for several years, mocking progressives for their extreme culture war positions and woke overreach.
He’s based in L.A. and might skewer pols who have made the problem exponentially worse. He’s also a Climate Change alarmist and might focus on that angle, even if there’s no evidence climate change played a role in the catastrophe.
So far, late-night hosts are living down to their partisan reputations.
Rather than satirize Newsom or Bass — or others directly overseeing the city and state — they’re targeting President-elect Donald Trump for his rhetoric.
Both “Daily Show” host Desi Lydic and Meyers
Remember Gov. Gavin Newsom’s French Laundry gaffe?
Many have likely forgotten, even though it showed the California Democrat as the ultimate hypocrite. The wannabe president dined, sans mask with a large group at the height of the pandemic lockdowns.
No social distancing. No chance for Californians to similarly enjoy a carefree meal. He got caught red-handed defying his own rules.
That memory might have lingered if late-night comics or “Saturday Night Live” had parodied the moment. They had the material, of course. The jokes all but wrote themselves.
Instead, they collectively stood down. And other politicians followed Newsom’s embarrassing lead, from Rep. Nancy Pelosi to then-San Francisco Mayor London Breed. Comedy Nation looked the other way during those news cycles, too, and the American people suffered as a result.
Some of those same politicians won re-election post-COVID.
It’s why political humor has consequences. The right joke or comedy sketch can linger longer than a white paper or news headline. We laugh and then we think, and suddenly we’re looking at an issue in a new, startling way.
Even false political jabs can linger longer. Sarah Palin never said, “I can see Russia from my house.” Tina Fey’s Palin “Saturday Night Live” sketch character did, though, and people tied it to the real Palin.
Politicians hold considerable sway over us, yet they can be brought to heel by laughter. It’s why free speech matters and stinging satire leaves a mark.
Credit: Photo by Eric Thayer/Getty Images.
Will we see comedians hold the politicians at the heart of the California wildfires accountable in the days ahead? If not, shame on them.
We’re watching gross incompetence in real time as thousands flee their homes and worry if they’ll be still standing upon their return. The raging fires are like something out of a Hollywood disaster movie.
It’s often unhealthy to score political points during a tragedy. At times, it’s unavoidable, and now is certainly the case.
We know L.A. Mayor Karen Bass cut $17.6 million from the city’s fire department budget. The progressive mayor wasn’t even in L.A. when the fires broke out. She was in Ghana on a political junket.
The optics couldn’t get much worse. Remember how “Saturday Night Live” and late-night comedians mocked Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas when he was out of state in Cancun during a deadly cold weather front in 2021? It’s hard to forget given the nonstop jokes on the subject.
Fair? Unfair? He probably thinks twice now before jetting out of town. What Bass and Co. have done to California is immeasurably worse.
Need more material tied to the fires? Mayor Bass literally stood silent as a European journalist pelted her with tough but fair questions about the unfolding tragedy. Later, the Mayor tried to steer locals to a website where they could get more information, except during her speech she simply said “URL” and omitted the actual website’s address.
More comedy gold for satirists speaking truth to power. An A.I. bot could probably crank out a few monologue jokes. Will late-night comedians bite?
So far, they’re taking the high road regarding the devastation.
Far-Left “Late Show” host Stephen Colbert kept the mood serious.
“We want to send our love and concern to all the residents of Los Angeles who are facing what is being described as the most destructive fire in the city’s history.”
The host of “Late Night with Seth Meyers” took a similar tack.
“The scenes we’re seeing on television are obviously harrowing, and there are no real words that I can share other than that we are thinking about you and we are hoping for your safety.”
Lloyd Bishop/NBC via Getty Images
That’s understandable … for now. Although, if a Republican governor was in charge the tone might be different. Might.
It’s what happens next that matters, and it could have political repercussions.
Fox News’ “Gutfeld!” won’t hold back. The Libertarian host already weighed in via his X account, and his 10:00 p.m. show will likely do the same.
Roy Rochlin/Getty Images
Another possible source of comedy? HBO’s “Real Time with Bill Maher.” The long-running host has shown a knack for truth-telling regardless of party affiliation. He’s been a thorn in the Left’s side for several years, mocking progressives for their extreme culture war positions and woke overreach.
He’s based in L.A. and might skewer pols who have made the problem exponentially worse. He’s also a Climate Change alarmist and might focus on that angle, even if there’s no evidence climate change played a role in the catastrophe.
So far, late-night hosts are living down to their partisan reputations.
Rather than satirize Newsom or Bass — or others directly overseeing the city and state — they’re targeting President-elect Donald Trump for his rhetoric.
Both “Daily Show” host Desi Lydic and Meyers attacked Trump’s critiques rather than the actions, or inactions, of key Democrats. That’s a sign it will only grow more one-sided from here.
Will Jimmy Fallon courageously skewer the politicians who let their constituents down? Colbert? Meyers? Kimmel? Stewart?
Todd Owyoung/NBC via Getty Images
We’ll have to wait and see. If the past is prologue, these comedians will find a way to blame President-Elect Donald Trump for the crisis or avoid political name-calling in general. It may be up to YouTube-based comedians and podcasters to pick up the slack, and their social media platforms will only grow in response.
Too many modern journalists have refused to hold Democratic politicians accountable over the past few years. Just consider how many questions Vice President Kamala Harris has fielded of late over President Joe Biden’s cognitive decline.
Try zero, and that’s inexcusable.
It’s no laughing matter when mainstream comedians choose politics over the truth.
* * *
Christian Toto is an award-winning journalist, movie critic and editor of HollywoodInToto.com. He previously served as associate editor with Breitbart News’ Big Hollywood. Follow him at HollywoodInToto.com. The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.
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