Forum Views ()
Forum Replies ()
Read more with google mobile :
Comics find something to laugh about with Gates
Yahoo!
My Yahoo!
Mail
Yahoo! Search
Search:
Sign InNew User? Sign Up
News Home -
Help
Navigation
Primary Navigation
Home
Singapore
Asia Pacific
World
Business
Entertainment
Sports
Technology
Top Stories
Most Popular
Secondary Navigation
Asia Pacific
World
Search
Search:
Comics find something to laugh about with Gates
By DAVID BAUDER,AP Television Writer AP - Thursday, July 30
NEW YORK - Late-night comics found a few things to laugh about in the racially charged arrest of a Harvard professor _ once beer was added to the equation.
ADVERTISEMENT
President Barack Obama's invitation to the two men involved to hoist a few at the White House on Thursday opened the comedy floodgates. Before that, the late-night TV world dominated by white comics largely stayed away from the subject of Harvard University scholar Henry Louis Gates Jr.'s confrontation at his home with white police officer Joseph Crowley.
"Alcohol usually cools things off _ have you noticed that?" CBS' David Letterman said on Tuesday night.
Letterman joked that Vice President Joe Biden has already been put to work buying a keg for the meeting.
"If it goes well, then President Obama is going to invite (South Carolina) Gov. and Mrs. Sanford to come up and have a beer," he said.
NBC's "Tonight" show host Conan O'Brien said that if the White House meeting works out, "Obama is going to have Ahmadinejad and Netanyahu over for Jaeger bombs."
Since O'Brien and his NBC late-night colleague, Jimmy Fallon, both have audiences with a concentration of young men, beer was something they could appreciate. "How cool is that?" Fallon said.
"They'll come over, one beer will lead to two, two will lead to nine, next thing you know everyone will forget that they were ever mad at each other," he said. "They'll start doing Jaeger shots out of Betsy Ross' thimble. They'll make prank phone calls on the Red Phone. Someone will be like, `Let's TP the Capitol building!'"
But none of the comics had addressed the topic in their monologues until the invitation from Obama.
Gates was arrested July 16 for disorderly conduct after a 911 call reported two men on Gates front porch and a possible break-in. Gates' arrest in his own home by a white police officer sparked a national debate over racial profiling and police conduct. The controversy intensified when Obama said police "acted stupidly" when they arrested his friend. The charge was later dropped.
Gates, director of Harvard's W.E.B. Du Bois Institute for African and African American Research, has said he was outraged and has demanded an apology from Crowley; Crowley said he followed protocol and responded to Gates' "tumultuous behavior" appropriately.
Obama, the nation's first black president, has said he chose his words badly when he reacted to his friend's arrest, and extended his invitation to Crowley and Gates for a chat at the White House over brewskis.
Humor is often the best way to deal with sticky situations, comic D.L. Hughley said Wednesday.
"I've never been one to ask permission to tell a joke," he said. "It's kind of false humility to pretend like you don't want to say something when we do. What it says is that we are still a country that is licking its wounds."
Hughley doesn't believe the Gates incident was a case of racial profiling, and thought it wouldn't have escalated if the professor had known one of his neighbors had called the police. He also doesn't think it will be a lasting issue.
"If Al Sharpton ain't marching, then it ain't a big deal," he said.
Comedy Central's Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert were quicker to the story last week, but talked around the edges. Stewart targeted the media for spending so much time on Obama's initial remark about how Cambridge, Mass., police had reacted during the incident.
Colbert noted that police had dropped charges on Gates even though "he committed the perfect crime, robbing his own home. Think about it. He knew exactly when he wouldn't be home."
Stewart's "The Daily Show" also talked about the incident on Tuesday, poking fun at Obama for an awkward attempt to dial back from his original characterization of Crowley's actions.
Comedy Central also flew in Larry Wilmore from California, identified as the show's "senior black correspondent," for the most direct jokes at Gates' expense on late-night TV.
He showed a picture of the stocky professor and asked, "What's his black anthem? We shall overeat?"
Wilmore noted that Gates had said "yo mama" during his confrontation with Crowley.
"How many decades has he been holding that in?" Wilmore said. "Did he call him a jive turkey, too?"
Wilmore did have one thing in common with white comics: He couldn't resist a beer joke.
"Alcohol _ that'll end well," he said. "Booze isn't how you resolve a racial conflict. It's how you start one."
Email Story
IM Story
Printable View
Blog This
Sign in to recommend this article »
0 users recommend
Related Articles: Entertainment & Lifestyle
'New wave' directors make a splash in BollywoodAFP - Thursday, July 30
Sour notes Down Under for Aussie rock iconsAFP - Thursday, July 30
Uighur leader's book sales rise: publisherAFP - Thursday, July 30
Russell Crowe to star in 'Next Three Days'AFP - Thursday, July 30
Lefevre `stunned' Howard has her role in `Eclipse'AP - Thursday, July 30
Most Popular – Entertainment
Viewed
Doctor gave Jackson drug that killed him: CNN
Police raid Vegas home of Jackson doctor
Sunbeds elevated to top cancer risk level: WHO
Lost love letter reunites couple after 16 years
Ex-boxing champ Forrest shot in back and killed
View Complete List »
Search:
Home
Singapore
Asia Pacific
World
Business
Entertainment
Sports
Technology
Top Stories
Most Popular
Copyright © 2009 Yahoo! Southeast Asia Pte Ltd. (Co. Reg. No. 199700735D). All Rights Reserved.
Privacy Policy
- Terms of Service
- Community
- Intellectual Property Rights Policy
- Help
Other News on Thursday, 30 July 2009 Iran to try 20 vote 'rioters' as opposition vows defiance
Spain blames separatists in car bombing, 64 injured
British watchdog clears iPhone advert
Two more Iraq hostages 'likely' dead
Spain's Santander bank profit slips
Germany consumer prices fall
ArcelorMittal loss depress shares
U.N.'s Ban says willing to visit North Korea
| International
|
World falling short on emergency food aid: U.N. body
| International
|
Kurd polls keep status quo, U.S. urges Iraq peace
| International
|
Moldovan Communists top parliament vote: exit poll
| International
|
Indian students losing college places in Australia
Taiwan leader calls for China trade pact but no rush to meet Hu
Lawmaker urges regulations for file-sharing
| Technology
|
Prisons ban inmates from having pen pal ads
Dalai Lama receives honorary citizenship of Polish capital
Waking up is getting serious on smartphones
| Technology
|
'Al-Qaeda' blog claims bombing as Indonesia hotels re-open
Gates: Some US troops may be leaving Iraq early
Intel sees no first-time PC buyers for netbooks
| Technology
|
Terror suspect purportedly claims Jakarta blasts
Sony plugs Google's library into e-readers
| Technology
|
Myanmar warns against predicting Suu Kyi verdict
Pakistan, Tajikstan to cooperate on terror fight
Deal far from done in UBS tax evasion case
Obama renews sanctions against Myanmar
Responsibility claim for Indonesian terror attacks
Closing arguments set for ex-congressman's trial
Scientists seek new tools to fight malnutrition
Uighur activist demands investigation of missing
Record heat wave continues in Seattle, Portland
Health care onus on Westerners Baucus, Reid
Philippine gov't, Muslim rebels meet in Malaysia
US terror arrests spur warning to police
Pieces of Hollywood history on auction block
Honda, Nissan see flickers of hope
Japan's Toshiba still in red
Japan's Nomura posts first profit in six quarters
Ballroom show to hit Broadway amid dance popularity
| Entertainment
|
Now Germans can pre-book holiday sunloungers
Honda says profits dive on weak sales
Swedish worshippers fume at church newspaper's Bruno promo
Jakarta hotels reopen after suicide bombings
SAfrica's poor say enough to empty gov't promises
UBS sued in HK over investor's $26 million loss
Art-deco's unlikely claim to fame, in western France
In Virginia, health fair tends to America's poor
South Korean film snags coveted release in China
A life in comedy leads Apatow to `Funny People'
Jackson chef recalls doctor's role, final days
Philippine ex-president, 72, shoots comeback movie
Britain to call for revamped Afghan aid effort
Britain and U.S. defend war effort in Afghanistan
| International
|
Cyber-criminals targeting social networks: experts
Twitter and Facebook make Afghan election debut
Jackson autopsy released next week: coroner
Kenya arrests Dutch citizens heading to 'jihadist' camp
Stray South Korea fishing boat held in North
| International
|
Sudanese woman in court in trouser 'test case'
Twitter unveils new frontpage
IMF gears up for 'unprecedented' support of poor nations
U.S. unsure on success of Pakistan's Swat offensive
| International
|
Susan Boyle Joins Megan Fox, Cheryl Cole As Women Men Would Most Want To Date
Rocket-battered Israeli border town enjoying calm
Microsoft going after Google's home turf
As indicators point up, Obama sees end of slump
Kurd polls keep status quo in Iraq
Johnny Knoxville Agrees To Pay Ex-Wife $6K In Child Support
Fauna play key role in circulating seas, says study
Tennis Star Martina Navratilova Asks For Long Delay In Divorce Case
Clinton "deplores" any abuse of prisoners in Iran
Honduran leader softens tone in fight over Zelaya
| International
|
Iraq police clash anew with Iran rebel camp residents
Hulk Hogan And Estranged Wife Linda Finalize Divorce
Black Eyed Peas And Kings Of Leon Battle For Top Spot On iTunes
India's outsourcing sector sees export growth slide
Ruling parties win majority in Kurdish elections
Judge Appoints Independent Guardian To Protect Finances Of Octomom Nadya Suleman's Children
China publicizes list of Uighur fugitives
| International
|
Chip maker Infineon trims loss, sees larger writedowns
Iran to try 20 vote 'rioters' as opposition vows defiance
STMicoelectronics sees chip market firming
British opposition chief apologises over Twitter gaffe
Moldova liberals seek coalition, Communists falter
| International
|
Working women in front line of slowdown
| International
|
Google Maps accused of unfair competition in France
Heavy rains, landslides kill 66 in southern China
| International
|
UN chief backs NKorea's call for direct talks with US
US judge orders release of Guantanamo detainee
Mac flaw could let hackers get scrambled data
| Technology
|
Japan's DPJ revises its foreign policy stance
Gates hints at faster Iraqi pullout if leaders curb feuds
Foxconn suicide turns spotlight on China counterfeiting
| Technology
|
Whose 5 stars? Online `user' reviews get scrutiny
Microsoft, Yahoo in 10-year Web search partnership
| Technology
|
San Diego Zoo says giant panda Bai Yun is pregnant
Yahoo investors disappointed, but hold out hope
| Technology
|
Wis. dad of dead girl says he trusted God to heal
Current wars barely register on fashion's radar
A look at the deal worked out on health care
Death penalty possible in museum shooting
Russell Crowe to star in 'Next Three Days'
Share prices mask uncertain India economy outlook
Top S.Korean officials agree exit talk premature
S.Korea government bonds rise early, stocks eyed
Korea Hot Stocks
Japanese industrial output up 2.4 percent in June
Seoul shares flat after N.Korea reports, U.S. loss
Terror suspect purportedly claims Jakarta blasts
Hong Kong's yoga boom sparks injury surge
NZ cenbank threatens rate cut on currency fears
NY sparks fears for Coney Island's freaky soul
RPT-PREVIEW-S.Korea banks set to recover after weak Q2
Uighur leader's book sales rise: publisher
Russell Crowe to star in 'Next Three Days'
NZ dollar falls after cenbank warns on recovery
TEXT-NZ central bank holds cash rate at 2.5 pct
Gretchen Wilson to start her own record label
Jackson's mother seeking info from estate lawyers
NY museum exhibit to show unseen Tim Burton works
| Entertainment
|
Kristinia DeBarge not saying goodbye anytime soon
Ashley Tisdale sheds Disney image in new Aliens
| Entertainment
|
Property of Jackson doc searched in investigation
Actor Jude Law to be father to fourth child
| Entertainment
|
Galactica producer Harvey Frand dies at 68
| Entertainment
|
Work day ends for Broadway musical 9 to 5
| Entertainment
|
Howard to replace Lefevre in 3rd Twilight film
| Entertainment
|
Russell Crowe eyes remake of French thriller
| Entertainment
|
It'll be a mob scene, really, on NJ waterfront
| Entertainment
|
Rachel Weisz sizzles in Streetcar
| Entertainment
|
Taliban call for boycott of Afghan polls, 'jihad'
Zimbabwe lifts reporting ban on BBC: broadcaster
Iran police arrest mourners in cemetery memorial
| International
|
Renault slumps into loss
Israel orders Gaza war probe: report
Rolls-Royce profits soar six-fold
Two Spain police killed by new bomb blamed on ETA
| International
|
Study finds pesticide link to childhood leukemia
Iran to begin first trials of protesters
Nigeria says routed Islamic rebels; clashes go on
| International
|
U.N. council extends mandate of Darfur peacekeepers
| International
|
South Africa's Zuma accepts libel damages from UK paper
| International
|
CORRECTED: Kurd polls keep status quo, U.S. urges Iraq peace
| International
|
Airbus to fund extra search for Air France black box
| International
|
China seeks to reduce its abortion toll
"Radicalization" of Americans worrying
Malaysia to deploy dubious task force in crime fight
Congress urges pardon for first black boxing champ
Australia finds last two Vietnam War missing: gov't
Mass. woman killed, fetus removed from womb
NKorea's Kim undergoing kidney dialysis: report
US officials warned Pakistan on Taliban spillover
Weeping Suu Kyi supporters brace for the worst
Microsoft and Yahoo challenge Google: Bing it on
China publicises list of Uighur fugitives
Torrential rain in China kills 66 since June
Mosquitoes deliver malaria 'vaccine' through bites
China rejects Uighur claim over 10,000 disappeared
Babies die slowly after Bangladesh drug scam
Japan's Sharp in red, eyes full-year profit
Sumitomo Trust to buy Citigroup's Nikko Asset
Sony posts smaller than expected Q1 loss
ADB warns Asian growth at risk from inequality
China to reimpose air fuel surcharge: state media
Mitsubishi Motors bleeds red ink
Work halted after deaths at Vietnam's tower site
Seoul shares end firm; banks, Samsung Elec rise
San Miguel offers to run Philippines toll road project
'New wave' directors make a splash in Bollywood
Pakistan c.bank buys back 11 bln rupees of T-bills
Jackson mother gets custody, Rowe gets visits: report
| Entertainment
|
Polish comic books cover Nazi camps
NY museum exhibit to show unseen Tim Burton works
| Entertainment
|
Sour notes Down Under for Aussie rock icons
Diane Keaton to star in HBO comedy series
| Entertainment
|
Ashley Tisdale sheds Disney image in new Aliens
| Entertainment
|
Comics find something to laugh about with Gates
Work day ends for Broadway musical 9 to 5
| Entertainment
|
Greece at new risk of being pushed off euro
Bodies of missing Tenn. mom, Jo Ann Bain, and daughter found
Female Breasts Are Bigger Than Ever
AMD Trinity Accelerated Processing Units Now in Volume Production
The Avengers (2012 film), made the second biggest opening- and single-day gross of all-time
AMD to Start Production of piledriver
Ivy Bridge Quad-Core, Four-Thread Desktop CPUs
Islamists Protest Lady Gaga's Concert in Indonesia
Japan Successfully Broadcasts an 8K Signal Over the Air
ECB boosts loans to 1 trillion Euro to stop credit crunch
Egypt : Mohammed Morsi won with 52 percent
What do you call 100,000 Frenchmen with their hands up
AMD Launches AMD Embedded R-Series APU Platform
Fed Should not Ignore Emerging Market Crisis
Fed casts shadow over India, emerging markets
Why are Chinese tourists so rude? A few insights