The title of today’s post is also the name of a comedy album by Dana Gould in which he claims there is nothing about which jokes cannot be made. To make his point, the title track explains how he atoned for once calling a classmate “retarded.” To make amends, he donated $5,000 to a charity that supports the mentally disabled.
From the “No Good Deed Goes Unpunished” department, Gould then goes on how the reward for his generosity was a daily barrage of mail and email asking for more money. Something with which we can all identify. He concludes by asking, “Why would they spend $10,000 trying to get me to give another $5,000?” The punchline? “Because they’re retarded.”
Those of you who know me personally or via this blog must realize by now I have a warped sense of humor. And there have been multiple occasions over the past three years when I have chosen not to push the envelope with a parody or analysis which pushes the boundaries of decency. Until this morning.
As a native born Virginian, I just cannot get the Ralph Northam saga out of my head. Not the picture in the Eastern Virginia Medical School yearbook. The defining moment of this story was the press conference at which Governor Northam admitted he had applied shoe polish to his face to imitate Michael Jackson during a 1984 dance contest in San Antonio.
Here is a picture of Michael Jackson in 1984. My question? Why would a white person think he needed to blacken his face to impersonate Jackson? Is it not more likely a person of color would need to use WhiteOut if he or she wanted to dress up as the King of Pop?
Before you start a barrage of comments, I admit, “I KNOW IT’S WRONG!” But if Dana Gould is correct, it is still joke-worthy.
For what it’s worth.
Dr. ESP
No one is perfect. The concept of learning by experience is relevant. A chance, but no second chances. Otherwise one of my old dogs can run things in an environment where eternal bickering and an immediate, arbitrary end to their existence – and our’s – rules.