Friday, January 19, 2007

"Singe," Don't Burn

That's the policy of the Gridiron Dinner, and, evidently, it is what the organizers of the White House Correspondents Dinner want.

Earlier this week word emerged that impersonator Rich Little would be the star performer at this year's White House Correspondents' Dinner in Washington in April. Organizers admitted they wanted a somewhat more "safe" choice after last year's subversive routine by Stephen Colbert, which took direct satiric aim at the Iraq war and President Bush (who sat nearby).

But how safe? The Las Vegas Review-Journal now reports that Little claimed he did not plan to even mention Iraq or to attack the president, implying that these were the wishes of the inviters. But Steve Scully, president of the White House Correspondents Association, told E&P Friday that the organization never asked Little to avoid subjects like Iraq or back off criticism of President Bush.

Ah, yes. Stephen Colbert, who might not be as big a fan of Democrats if they do pass the un-Fairness Doctrine, since it's hard to see how his brand of "humor" would escape regulation.

But more from the article:
"They got a lot of letters," Little said. "I won't even mention the word Iraq....They don't want anyone knocking the president. He's really over the coals right now, and he's worried about his legacy."

Well, gosh, I guess it would be nice if they didn't try to imitate the sort of gross and vulgar roast so prominent on Comedy Central.

Scully said they picked Little because of his fame for imitating presidents. It seems like an easy choice to me. But despite protests to the contrary, I suspect that the White House Correspondents Association is also trying to step back from that "edgy" comedy.