Today I was on a Mommy board and a link was posted explaining why Kal Penn (Kumar/Kutner) left House. His leaving was bad enough but is he seriously taking a position in the Obama administration?

I understand it was your decision to leave House. True?
KAL PENN: Yes. I was incredibly honored a couple of months ago to get the opportunity to go work in the White House. I got to know the President and some of the staff during the campaign and had expressed interest in working there, so I’m going to be the associate director in the White House office of public liaison. They do outreach with the American public and with different organizations. They’re basically the front door of the White House. They take out all of the red tape that falls between the general public and the White House. It’s similar to what I was doing on the campaign.

Will you actually be working in the White House?
PENN: This particular office is in the executive building. The White House has two buildings: the actual White House and an old Navy building called the Old Executive Office.

Are you there as long as Obama’s in office?
PENN: A lot of that stuff is up in the air. This is a relatively recent development.

Safe to say you’re taking a huge pay cut?
PENN: Oh, yeah. There’s not a lot of financial reward in these jobs. But, obviously, the opportunity to serve in a capacity like this is an incredible honor.

I know this isn’t big news, but it certainly is interesting.

Dan Ackroyd was even funnier as Jimmy Carter who even lusted after Sherry Lewis in his heart. Dana Carvey created comedy gold from a lack luster George H. W. Bush. Phil Hartman gave us Reagan with rosy cheeks, but you’ll have to forgive me, I didn’t watch the show much in those years so my recollection is not that great; however, I do remember this sketch:

But Hartman also did a great Clinton which was taken over by Darrel Hammond. Finally we had Will Farrel as George W. Bush giving us that great word, “Strategery.”

For goodness sakes, SNL has even given us parodies of presidential candidates. Does anyone remember Dana Carvey debating himself playing George H.W. Bush and Ross Perot? Norm MacDonald was excellent as Bob Dole.

The point is, SNL was always able to take even unfunny presidents and candidates and create memorable caricatures. So what’s up with their portrayal of Barack Obama? Are they afraid? Apparently I’m not the only one noticing SNL’s lack of humor.

The joke (if it was meant to be a joke) is so nonsensical as to render it useless.

This makes more sense:

[youtube -rVRK64Aa2Q]

The Chicks can’t hide their disgust at the lack of support they received from other country performers. “A lot of artists cashed in on being against what we said or what we stood for because that was promoting their career, which was a horrible thing to do,” says Robison.

“A lot of pandering started going on, and you’d see soldiers and the American flag in every video. It became a sickening display of ultra-patriotism.”

“The entire country may disagree with me, but I don’t understand the necessity for patriotism,” Maines resumes, through gritted teeth. “Why do you have to be a patriot? About what? This land is our land? Why? You can like where you live and like your life, but as for loving the whole country… I don’t see why people care about patriotism.”

Some excellent comments and quotes at Wiz Bang.

And an appearance by Al Gore – what a bonus!

[youtube sXR7Y-YJZkU The View Morning of February 8, 2007]

Is the following supposed to be apologetic in her twisted way? Instead she seems as if she’s trying to justify her drug remarks and her portrayal of a dazed and incoherent Anna Nicole Smith.

LOOSE CHANGE
Posted by ro on February 9th at 10:15am in in the news

CLAIM: SMITH CHOKED ON HER OWN VOMIT…
CBS: Investigators found illegal narcotics, prescription meds in room…
Mother Blames Drugs…
Lawyer vows no DNA sample…
Battle Over $1.6 Billion Fortune Brewing…
Autopsy to Be Performed…
She Died Like Marilyn…
Timeline…
Final Footage Sells for Over $500,000…
*VIDEO…
Rosie Rants On Anna Nicole — Hours Before Her Death…

LOOSE CHANGE

No, silly me – that was no apology. She was going for the justification. Later that same day, she enters her own trascript into her blog:

Where the Light Is

Posted by ro on February 9th at 6:25pm in in the news

ME: BIG THINGS GOING ON IN THE NEWS. IF I HAVE TO SEE ANNA NICOLE SMITH ONE MORE TIME ON TELEVISION. THAT WOMAN AND HER PATERNITY TEST. .. AND SHE CAN HARDLY EVEN SPEAK NOW. SHE CAN’T EVEN SPEAK. SHE’S LIKE (I DO A BLANK AND MUMBLE INTO THE CAMERA) …YOU KNOW IT’S A TRAGEDY ALL AROUND. ..HER SON DIED. SHE HAS THIS LITTLE BABY. THERE’S OBVIOUSLY SOME KIND OF MEDICATION OR SUBSTANCE INVOLVED. I DON’T KNOW.

ELISABETH HASSELBECK: THAT’S AN ODD SITUATION.

KRISTIN CHENOWETH: OR NOT INVOLVED

ME: OR NOT INVOLVED, EVEN WORSE. BUT IT’S SORT OF LIKE DISTRACTING. THE ART OF DISTRACTION. THEY DON’T WANT YOU TO THINK ABOUT THINGS THAT ARE REAL.

EH:WHO DOESN’T.

ME: I THINK OUR CULTURE NOW.

EH:YOU THINK THE THE REPUBLICANS ARE PUTTING ANNA NICOLE ON THE TV ?

ME :NO.

JOY BEHAR: YOU CAN’T BLAME THE REPUBLICANS FOR EVERYTHING.

EH:WE WERE THERE BEFORE. JUST NEEDED TO CHECK.

(Note: Caps Lock is Rosie’s not mine)

More from the same blog entry:

i was in the air when Anna Nicole Smith died
the plane landed
my phone rang
“Anna Nicole Smith died three hours ago,” my publicist said
“Do you have a comment?” she asked.

unbearably tragic
2 words only
sums it up
pretty much

simply
to tell the truth
to speak of her suffering
2 notice 2 care

fame
more toxic than crack
one hit
and ur done

more tempting than sex
the suffering of someone else
her pain
entertainment

ya know
all anyone wants
r people who they know
will keep them from going over the edge

focus
breathe
keep me where the light is
we pray

E.E. Cummings without the talent?

Laughs are not so hearty when they are always at someone else’s expense. Ching Chong indeed…