I remember watching the Clarence Thomas skit as a kid, and it still sticks in my mind as one of the funniest things I have ever seen. It was heavy on racial humor, which is something the current Stern seems to shy away from. When Sal did his Governor of New York "steps to da' podiums" bit, Howard wouldn't play more than 20 seconds of it (a real shame - it was hillarious). So what's the deal with Stern and racial humor these days? Its the ultimate taboo and most deserving of parody, but he seems to self-censor himself. I really miss the show's take on that brand of humor. Is it just a product of the "Hamptons Howie" syndrome, or something else (pressure from his "enlightened" daughters, Beth, Robin Givens, etc.)? To be fair to Robin Quivers, I don't think she has anything to do with it (she gets the humor, and has tolerated it for two decades).
Would Howard Do the Clarence Thomas Skit Today?
- Thread starter Forevernever
- Start date
Ahh. .. at least I didn't start this thread... Howard has at least one grown-up, educated daughter. Maybe Beth is more grown-up and educated then she appears and maybe she and/or the daughter have been working on Howard or maybe he had read a lot.. but what I think is going on is that Howard is cutting out the skits that are indefensibly tinged with racism or indefensible rascist... I am thinking back to Howard on Patrick Ewing... the great Knick center - who Howard always compared to a gorilla. No matter what Ewing looked like it is indefensible to repeatedly compare a black man to a gorilla (wasn't really funny either... at least didn't make me laugh). I am thinking back to David Dinkens - a distinguished person - who Howard always portrayed speaking Ebonics. I think these days Howard would not go with that one. Paterson is in the same boat. His father was a distinguished man who spoke beautiful English... so if you portray David Paterson - who speaks English white man style - speaking Ebonics it is purely because he is black.. not because he speaks that way. Clarence Thomas is a little different. There was that testimony at his confirmation hearing by his former assistant that he asked her if there were pubic hairs on his can of Coke... or something like that. That kind of opens the door a little. Look.. I like funny stuff no matter what but I never found those very broad Ebonics bits very funny.
I have another thought to add... Howard couldn't use foul language or get too graphic on terrestrial radio. In order to shock, he had to resort to lots of ethnic stuff (with poor old Imus trying to keep up)... These days he doesn't need that stuff to shock or to be "edgy".
I have another thought to add... Howard couldn't use foul language or get too graphic on terrestrial radio. In order to shock, he had to resort to lots of ethnic stuff (with poor old Imus trying to keep up)... These days he doesn't need that stuff to shock or to be "edgy".
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Of course, he has Sal to be the fall guy.
Sal created a really horrible, racist skit, you wouldn't believe it. He is so stupid . . . Wanna hear it?
Sal created a really horrible, racist skit, you wouldn't believe it. He is so stupid . . . Wanna hear it?