06.17.09 LETTERMAN WILL MOUTH-RAPE YOUR CHILDREN
I’ve done my best to avoid reporting on every new detail in the David Letterman-Sarah Palin fiasco (part 1, part 2), but this video from New York Mag on the protesters outside CBS’s “Late Show” studio is jaw-droppingly terrifying. When you wonder to yourself, “Just who the heck is watching Jay Leno anyway?” think back on this clip, then go invest in bottled water and ammunition. Some of the key quotes in the video:
- “Everyone in the country is very, very frustrated and upset that he was allowed to make a rape joke about a 14-year-old girl sitting on the sidelines at an American basketball game.”
- “At least Jay Leno had interesting people; this schmuck has nobody! You know what ’schmuck’ means in Jewish?”
- “Is someone making jokes about his child? Especially when, you know, he had a daughter out of wedlock himself.”
- “How dare he? When he has a bastard son, and a slut for a wife.”
- “Close the borders! Close everything down for twenty years, clean your house, and you’ll see how this economy will come back.”
- “Keep children safe from David Letterman’s mouth! He will rape them with his mouth! He is a child abuser! He is a verbal pedophile! Wake up! Go home and take care of your kids, they could be next.”
Okay, in order: Letterman never joked about rape, the joke was aimed at 18-year-old Bristol, it was a baseball game, the language is Yiddish not Jewish, Letterman has a son out of wedlock, I suppose it’s possible his wife is a slut although I don’t know for sure, America’s periods of isolationism have historically led to wars the country was ill-prepared for, and mouth-rape is somewhat less of a threat to your children than teaching them ironclad certitude at protests against late-night television shows.
(Granted, this is probably the highlights of the crazy, and it’s possible that there were thoughtful and well-spoken people at the rally, but c’mon people. Letterman caved and apologized, and Palin even accepted the apology. If the mother of the alleged mouth-rape victim can let it go, maybe you should, too.)
UPDATE: Photos and and commentary from the Village Voice; Letterman’s Top Ten List: things overheard at the “Fire Dave” rally.
