why is "jibjab" getting pushed so hard?

[Cocoa]

It's ok, but it's not nearly funny enough to justify all the attention it's getting.

Peter Jennings just did a lengthy piece on it, and I've seen approx. two zillion things on it in the last few days.

[Bluebear]

1. Trying to make it a normal, light-hearted election

Where we can all 'rib' each other and no matter who wins, everything is beautiful and American!

I'm with you, it was well-done but I can't understand why it is EVERYWHERE!

[Eric J in MN]

9. People like the fantasy that everything will be ok even if Bush wins.

The reality is torture, imprisonment without trial by jury, and massacres.

[Cat Atomic]

51. Exactly. They're desperately trying to portray it like previous

elections, instead of the cutthroat, all-or-nothing, fascist vs. patriot thing it actually is.

It's a very cute cartoon, and I think it's hilarious. But if that's the best the talking heads can come up with make the election seem light-hearted and moderate, they should drop it.

[Lucky Luciano]

2. I agree - it is merely ok

But I did laugh out loud when Clinton says, "What did I do?"

[boneygrey]

24. That was the funniest part n/t

[JanMichael]

3. Atom Films (?) has put out some HILARIOUS stuff but "This Land" is not...

...one of their best.

I don't get it either...

[yardwork]

4. I don't know. I hate it. It's not an equal parody

It makes shrub look good. He's pictured as a cowboy on a horse - the fool can't ride! It promotes the myth of shrub as a down-home cowboy.

I hate the thing.

[Lucky Luciano]

5. It seemed an equal parody to me...

they made b*sh out to be quite the moron.
This is incluided when he says that he kicks ass - I think of it as kind of a dig at him because it shows his machismo outclasses his intellect.

[RummyTheDummy]

10. I agree

And I'm always eager to point out bias when I see it. But some people can politicize a tulip so I'm not surprised people are belly aching about this.

It was clearly an equal parody.

[coda]

20. I thought it was pretty much fair, ....although

since Clinton and Dean were thrown in it would be nice to have the Senate Majority Leader and the House Whip/Hammer Delay thrown in too.

I think all of America should get to know Tom Delay a little better, like for instance:

"A majority of Americans clearly favored Bush, but because people are
fundamentally wicked, millions of them sinned by not voting".

I would have got a big kick out hearing that sentiment "paraphrased". :-)



But, maybe that's where the appeal lies in the thing is the attepmt at balance, instead of one-sided vitriol.

[Flubadubya]

6. Jennings' "Persons of the Week"

This was the 'honor' that they were being afforded. When I saw it I thought it was really cute and funny... still do. Nothing wrong with a laugh...

[onecitizen]

7. Yeah I wanna know that too.......

what's so special anyway?

[RummyTheDummy]

11. If it was making fun of bush exclusively you'd love it.

Am I wrong?

[TrustingDog]

8. makes the good ole game sound legit...

and masks the dark evil side of it all - mostly the repigs dark evilness.
hell, aren't we All having a barrel of laughs over who is more responsible and accountable to control the red button? :(

Me, I'd choose the guy with the longer thumbs....
for now.

[Cessna Invesco Palin]

12. Death to laughter!

Exactly.

KILL HUMOR NOW.

[TrustingDog]

19. the day, the humor died.... (nov 2000)

so bye bye miss american pie

==
sorry, but I don't find anything too light and humorous these days. I'm funny that way.

[SammyWinstonJack]

42. Neither do I

"sorry, but I don't find anything too light and humorous these days." :-(

[buycitgo]

45. here

if you don't laugh, I'll come and clean your house AND carburetor (fuel injectors?)

http://www.dubyaspeak.com/audio/peeance.phtml

[Philostopher]

50. That is pretty funny.

I wish they had the clip I saw on The Daily Show, where he flubbed Abu Gharib so badly (he pronounced it 'obboo garreff,' if I remember correctly) he almost giggled at himself. It was one of the creepiest things I've ever seen -- like a little kid at kindergarten graduation who's forgotten his line. The expression on his face was like the one our dog gets when he pees on the floor.

[buycitgo]

54. here's one

got another somewhere

http://www.dubyaspeak.com/audio/abu2.phtml

here are all of them, I think

from Harry Shearer, with comments

http://play.rbn.com/?url=livecon/kcrw/g2demand/ls/ls040627le_Show.rm&start=2:58&proto=rtsp

abu gahrum!

[Cessna Invesco Palin]

63. Yup.

That's understandable. However, a good sense of humor is good for your mental and physical health. More energy to go out and beat the crap out of Bush in Nov.

[Endangered Specie]

13. I wish some of these types would ge the same press time...

http://www.ericblumrich.com/nazi.html

[PROGRESSIVE1]

17. All I can say is: "He's a NAZI JUST LIKE HITLER"!!!

[Big Blue Marble]

14. I see it as TV paying homage to the Internet. The fascinating thing is

that it has broken through the 'veil." This breakthrough demonstrates how the creative energies are here not there any more.

[Mr_Spock]

15. I just can't get over how thin-skinned some people are here

It's all I can do to resist ripping into some of these people who can't deal with any news or comedy or anything that has the dumb Shrub in it. I hate his guts too, but I can't stop the world from being the way it is. Wait 'till he's gone and your guy is in there and the shoe is on the other foot - remember what that's like? Yeah, it sucks being the one in charge almost as much as being the minority party.

[Cocoa]

21. you're misunderstanding

I can deal with it, I'm just trying to figure out what the big deal is with this funny-but-not-funny-enough cartoon.

[Mr_Spock]

23. Yeah, criticism is not really directed at you - just don't want to focus

on anyone in particular, there are several people who seem to not like it (JibJab thing) at all because they percieve Shrub is better represented or that he is allowed any representation at all.

[Eric J in MN]

28. It's funny, it's well done, and I watched it multiple times, but

the ending where everyone gets along isn't the reality.

The reality is that Democratic Senators aren't allowed to participate in preparing legislation.

The reality is that Condeleeza Rice gave a national security briefing to House Republicans and Senate Republicans only (no Democrats allowed.)

The reality is that Dick Cheney told Senator Partrick Leahy, "go fuck yourself."

The reality is that the Republicans stole the election in 2000 and will probably steal it in 2004.

[Mr_Spock]

31. I let myself escape reality when I watch it - over 20 times by now

I just love it. It's not supposed to be based 100% on reality, why would I even want to think like that, it would spoil all the fun of it!

[KharmaTrain]

16. I Get Positive Reactions To It

I had it on today for a couple of associates...Kerry supporters...and we all thought it was hillarious and pretty straight-up. There's enough Bunnypants slams and it makes him look like the smarmy dumb-ass frat boy we all know he is. What's so bad about that?

And, yes, we all lost it when Hillary smacks Bill.

This is one of the rare pieces this year that both sides can find amusing. Kudos to the brothers who actually found that rare middle ground in this polarized atmosphere.

To those who are offended by the thing...sheesh...lighten up!

[Cocoa]

25. what's wrong with polarization?

I wonder if early in Hitler's reign, the Nazis complained about too much polarization.

[KharmaTrain]

32. Yep...They Railed Against "Decadence"...

any form of art that wasn't "sanctioned" was removed from public display and its authors were some of the first into the camps. Your point is?

[gulliver]

18. Hate it.

Anything that makes equal fun of George W. Bush and John Kerry leaves me cold. Kerry is so head and shoulders above Bush as a leader and man that I can't stand to see them get "equal" treatment.

[Generator]

40. I'm with you on that

As Bill Maher so eloquently said last night on Larry King, If it were any other President, President X, any man, we wouldn't give him a pass for this stuff. The Pet Goat, not testifying solo before the 9/11 commission, on and on.

It compares the two as equally flawed. Not in my universe. It shows Kerry in a dominatrix outfit being played as a dog by the UN, for Christsakes! And Chimpy has no problem being seen as a cowboy, this is the mentality of his supporters.

Wise up. The first place I saw it was on FOX, if it was really negative to Chimp in Chief, IT WOULDN"T SEE THE LIGHT OF DAY on mainstream media.

You know those that were looking into 9/11 saw that video of Bush just sitting in the classroom years ago on the internet before Michael Moore brought to the public and the "news". I don't think you will be seeing that played over and over on TV, do you? No, 'cause it's negative to our false leader.

[unkachuck]

56. you're right....

.....it may be cute and funny but this election is no joke....

[Democat]

22. It plays into the Nader "there is no difference who you vote for" lie

Maybe that's why?

[blm]

29. Heh. We're on the same page.

.

[emulatorloo]

35. "Why Vote - They are all the same" - was my interp of it

Maybe some will say I have no sense of humor, but I am tiring of Cynicism aimed at keeping Bush in office.

[blm]

26. "There's no difference between Bush and Kerry" meme.

That was my first impression, and still is.

[Bucky]

27. It's banal and the media loves to herd into cutesy stories.

It was in the newspaper Sunday so all the bleeting reporters picked it up. It's dumb, but then so is Peter Jennings.

[ConsAreLiars]

30. It boosts the fascist talking points

By reducing political struggles to personality clashes. This is the agenda of corporatism and their operatives. "Don't expect political engagement to result in anything. Don't expect either party to make a real difference in the lives of ordinary Americans." This serves the plutocracy and their agents, not democracy.

[FighttheFuture]

33. Hmm... It's truer about Bush, and meaner to Kerry and the Dems...

Could that be why? The wolf in sheeps clothing?

[maggrwaggr]

34. Okay, who else has no idea what you're talking about??

cause I sure don't.

Maybe I'm "out of the mainstream"

[buycitgo]

37. I do........it/s lame, plays to the leno/letterman stereotypes

EDIT: sorry, I misunderstood your point; didn't realize you hadn't seen it, or knew what it was about


this thing is

obvious, heavy handed, unoriginal

how's that?

leaving out the well-expressed accounts of how much easier it goes on Bush, the HERD instinct that praises this MOR view of the real issues

sure, it's always time for a laugh, but this cartoon is MUCH more positive towards the junta, and is another piece of the fasist mosaic being infused into the pubic consciousness

the person who mentioned eric blumrich couldn't be more on target with that

his stuff is a bit over the top at times, but compelling, to say the least

laugh it up, but don't follow the herd, like the media hoes do

what it they wanted to raise a few laughs with something like THIS:


http://www.dubyaspeak.com/audio/peeance.phtml
which has the added advantage of being REAL

those lazy fux wouldn't have to do any more than they did with jibjab, which has done MUCH funnier stuff, btw

[Eric J in MN]

38. They're talking about a cartoon on the internet in which

Bush and Kerry exchane insults in song in a parody of "This Land is Your Land."

[bossfish]

36. Olberman is going to have it, too...

as his #1 story?

C'mon Keith...

[buycitgo]

39. CW Herd

they NEVER think for themselves, do they?

Robert Parry talked about this over ten years ago, in his book, Fooling America

How could the Washington press corps miss, or report tardily on, the savings-and-loan debacle, Iran-Contra abuses, Saddam Hussein's Western-backed military buildup and nearly every other major scandal of the 1980s? Parry, a former reporter for Newsweek and the Associated Press, faults the major news media for cozying up to the political elite and suppressing stories that go beyond the conventional wisdom dictated by the Washington/New York government, business and journalistic establishments. Crucial reading for citizens who want to be informed of the news behind the news, this compelling report is replete with examples of media cowardice and kowtowing to power.

Parry delivers a damning account of the media's selling of the CIA-funded Contra army to the American public, the demonization of longtime CIA employee Manuel Noreiga, the Reagan administration's propaganda apparatus (operating out of the National Security Council) to create a pro-interventionist mindset, President Bush's professed ignorance of Iran-Contra abuses, and the press's failure to cover CIA terrorist campaigns abroad under Bush, its former director.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.

this is twelve years old

things have changed a lot for the better, haven't they?

laugh it up

[swag]

41. fuck it

it was about as funny as all those viral santa claus animation from five years ago.

it's for water-cooler glad-handers.

[mdmc]

43. most people don't care about politics

this was funny.

[thebigidea]

44. I should start getting jealous and huffy, sobbing "why not my videos?"

[blm]

46. Because yours are TOO good.

(and too macabre for the masses)

;)

[thebigidea]

49. I think I'm going to get all Bela Lugosi-like and swear revenge

perhaps get an underground lab, create a race of atomic supermen to conquer the world.

Failing that, I'll continue piddling with the post-Bush sketch series that'll commence once Bush stumbles off his perch and I can go back to non-Cheney-obsessed comedy.

[buycitgo]

47. glad you're here!

I got DSL and can now watch all those things I couldn't before

yay!

what's the URL?

and, I mentioned before that I'd love to get that Gloria Borger shot you have again

I made it my wallpaper on old machine, and want to use it on this one

pls?

[Eric J in MN]

53. his website url is in his signature line (nt)

nt

[buycitgo]

55. saw that thx

going thru stuff now

if you're here, BI, what do you suggest, along the lines of pieces with media clips edited together

that's the kind of stuff I'm intersted in, and got a computer that will allow me do some of the same thing, once I figure out how to use it

[thebigidea]

58. Personally I use insomnia and a general sense of loathing.

Make sure to use version 2.0, there are some bugs in early versions of insomnia that result in macrame instead of media... make sure to hold down the shift key while booting, or you'll look like this:

[buycitgo]

59. DONE! I love that shot!

did you cam it right off TV screen, or what?

I have a great photo of W Clement Stone I got off our old cabinet TV set, back in the 70s

I should see if I can transfer it digitally

[thebigidea]

61. yeah, just a random shot in mid-squawk. Really sums up CNBC, I think

[Warren DeMontague]

48. Because it's slanted against kerry..

That whole "I Got Three Purple Hearts".. What's the worst thing it says about Bush- that he's a right wing nutcase who can't spell? That's why half the friggin country identifies with the guy.

[DemBones DemBones]

52. It's funny, BUT it has everyone smiling together at the end,

even though they're grouped into two crowds (GOP on the right, naturally.) Only one crowd will be smiling after the ballots are counted, and if we're the ones smiling, they will start sniping at us immediately. If you remember 1992, you know that they had their "Don't Blame Me, I Voted For Bush" stickers before Clinton was inaugurated.

In this cartoon, Kerry is called "a liberal wiener" and "a UN pussy," while being shown dressed as a hot dog (giant bun, and Heinz ketchup) and an SM/ Abu Ghraib dream, respectively. The phrase "liberal weiner" is used at least twice vs. "right-wing nutjob." Fair and balanced?

Bush* is first shown in a suit, pointing out Massachusetts and Texas on a map. Next we see Bush* on a horse ("I'm a Texas cowboy") while Kerry is in a giant hot dog bun being lassoed by Bush* ("you're a liberal wiener"), and then Bush* is "a caped crusader."

We finally see Kerry in a suit, writing a complicated equation on a chalkboard, singing "I'm an intellectual." Intellectuals are so popular in American politics, just ask Adlai Stevenson. We see Kerry getting Botox but we don't see Bush* being felled by a pretzel or a mountain bike. We get to hear Kerry sing "You're dumb as a door knob" and "You can't say 'nuclear' -- that really scares me" but, as we all know, some people like having a leader who's no smarter than they are, and think it's "elitist" to correct someone's pronunciation or spelling.

Bottom line: funny, yet troubling.

I wouldn't go so far as to call it a pro-Bush* cartoon, but it's not a pro-Kerry cartoon, either, and it does support the "There's really no difference, one's as good as the other" meme, which I reject.

Besides, Woody Guthrie has got to be spinnling in his grave.

[Hogarth]

57. Was it my imagination ...

... or did Bush pronounce the word nuclear correctly on the day after "This Land" came out?

[buycitgo]

60. yes, it was

[AlFrankenFan]

62. I mean, it's good

but it's just a f***ing flash animation. :wtf:

[bklyncowgirl]

64. Lighten up, people.

It's cute, it's funny and in case you didn't notice, it brings home the very important point that the leader of the free world is not the sharpest tool in the shed.

I like a good anti-Bush gagfest as much as anyone but an apolitical person who is suspicious of propeganda from both sides is more likely to see something like this, and get it that Bush is clueless in than something equally good but one-sided, which relentlessly pounds the Shrub. Dumb may have been in in 2000==I doubt if it's going to have the same charm with people who are not married to one side or the other in 2004--I certainly hope not.

Besides, the lampoons of Kerry were not totally unfair--well maybe the UN pussy thing--but let's face it there is something inherently amusing about a filthy rich populist. The clip of the Clintons was dead on funny and I lost it when the Howard Dean character screamed.

The right to laugh at our leaders is right up there with life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. We liberals have a reputation for being humorless. Listening to some people here makes me think that there's some truth in that prejudice.

To paraphrase Emma Goldman "If I can't laugh you can keep your revolution."

[LWolf]

65. I don't know why

it's getting "pushed." I haven't seen it anywhere but here on DU. Of course, I don't do TV news or talk shows, so I miss a lot of mainstream media.

I hope we never reach the point where we cannot laugh at ourselves. It does little good to shine the light on the dysfunctions of the other side; to criticize or laugh at them, if we cannot be honest and open enough to do the same for ourselves. I found this particular little animation to be positive; when both sides are exposed for the purpose of laughter, Bush ends up looking like the "dumbass" he is.

[Enraged_Ape]

66. Kerry = wealthy, effete pussy; Bush = dumb, kickass tough guy.

I think a dittohead made this. It's just impossible to believe that they couldn't come up with anything to skewer Bush with other than that he's stupid, tough, and really kicks ass. How about being a goddam LIAR, an AWOL chickenhawk, and bankrupting the fucking country?!

I hate this stupid video. I can't believe I even kicked this thread.

[ronabop]

67. Equivocation.

Plain and simple.

-Bop

[w4rma]

68. I just watched it. It doesn't go anywhere near Bush's real problems.

And it reinforces right-wing false-memes about Democrats. Definitely written by right-wingers for right-wingers, imho.

Heck, it even shows the Vietnamese soldiers singing and dancing to the tune while Sen. Kerry blows them up with a grenade. :puke:

[randr]

69. Because it evokes a time before all the venomous dialog