[Shrek] Fake Outrage Is Far More Comedy Than Letterman Intended

Comedians tell jokes. Sometimes the jokes are funny, sometimes they aren't, and sometimes people aren't smart enough to get the joke. And often times the people that don't get the joke never realize the joke is on them.

I'm sure everyone has heard, or at least heard about, the joke Letterman told about Sarah Palin's daughter attending the Yankees game. "One awkward moment for Sarah Palin at the Yankee game, during the seventh inning, her daughter was knocked up by Alex Rodriguez.", was what Letterman said.

Letterman has since acknowledging the joke was "ugly," "cheap," and "in poor taste", and has apologized. In my opinion, along with it being those three things it was one thing that's far worse for a comedian--not very funny. It doesn't matter the age of Palin's children, nor which one went to the game, the joke doesn't really work.

But the fake outrage that has followed is high comedy indeed.

"I think that calling the former vice presidential candidate a slut or saying that her daughter was knocked up by Alex Rodriguez, I think everyone can agree that’s over the line," Washington Examiner correspondent Byron York told FOX News’ Greta Von Susteren. I don't know much about York, but those comments seem spot on to me.

"Letterman jokes about Palin's daughter. Way over the line. If it were my daughters I'd be furious. He should seriously apologize." Missouri Senator Claire McCaskill agreed, speaking out against Letterman on her Twitter page. I don't know much about Senator McCaskill either, but this seems spot on too.

So there are folks that seem to get it was just a joke that went bad, and have taken a reasonable stance about it. But there are some others...

"Acceptance of inappropriate sexual comments about an underage girl, who could be anyone's daughter, contributes to the atrociously high rate of sexual exploitation of minors by older men who use and abuse others," is Palin's comment. She added later, "It’s no wonder girls have such low self-esteem in America when a comedian can make a remark like this".

Really? I guess there are no billboards, magazines, or television in Alaska. Because if there were Palin would see that adding any comedian to the list of reasons why girls have low self-esteem is ludicrous.

Fox news and CNN are full of conservative talking heads, all trying to top each other, continuing the trend of pretending to be outraged over something most folks don't care one iota about. And I'm not the only one noticing the fake outrage makes these folks look silly

Mark McKinnon, a former campaign adviser to John McCain and George W. Bush said, "If the right goes after Letterman, they make him look big and themselves small." McKinnon added, "It's win-win for Letterman."

From Republican media consultant Fred Davis, a chief ad-maker for the McCain campaign: "I think it's a mistake too many conservatives are making right now. They are trying to find anything to attack." Davis may have had the best take on this, saying "Letterman apologized. He said it was over the line. He is a funny guy, and his job is to do sarcastic humor. That's his thing."

As I told my conservative friends in March, learn which battles to fight. This wasn't one that needed fighting, and you had no chance of winning it no matter what you did.