A CNN panel sparred Monday night over comedian reactions to America's right-wing shift last week, with a Republican strategist calling them "pathetic" political activists, and a culture writer firing back that comics represent how many people feel.
Appearing Monday night on "NewsNight," Scott Jennings, a former special assistant to George W. Bush, told host Abby Phillips he felt comedians including Jimmy Kimmel were "pathetic" after Phillips played a montage of comedians making passionate statements about Vice President Kamala Harris' loss.
Kimmel called it a "terrible night for women, for children" and "for the hundreds of thousands of hard-working immigrants." As he tried to add health care and climate, Kimmel became visibly choked up. The montage also included "Daily Show" host Jon Stewart saying Democrats have to "regroup" and "continue to fight" and Seth Meyers saying things were "not particularly joyful."
Reacting to the montage, Jennings said they "stopped being comedians and they started becoming political activists."
"Jimmy Kimmel out here crying? I mean it's pathetic," said Jennings.
He attacked the comedians and said if they're late-night comedians, they ought to be funny.
"And not just a constant political screed against one party," he said. "I don't know that this activism for four more years is sustainable if you're going to market something as comedy but the actual product is nothing more than low-brow political activism."
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His take caught the ire of culture writer Touré, who immediately shot back that the comedians represent how many Americans feel.
"It would actually be interesting if the Trump folks could make us feel like, 'We're not going to take away your rights,'" he said. "... You think it doesn't make sense. A lot of people actually think that actually makes sense."
"Is that funny though?" an indignant Jennings questioned. "Is that their mission? To be activists and not comedians?"
Touré noted that serious comedians often take time to share "serious moments" where they talk to the audience human-to-human, and then crack a joke. They can say things, he added, that average people cannot say.
But Jennings was unconvinced and said President Joe Biden provided as much "comedy fodder" as possible. As he tried to attack Biden, Touré jumped in: "And was made fun of!"
"He absolutely was not," stressed Jennings, as the panelists tried to talk over each other. "He was left alone. Harris was left alone. They got nothing. They didn't get 10 percent of what they deserve."
Touré dug in his heels though and said comedians treated Biden like Gerald Ford, saying he's too old and struggles to understand.
"SNL never got Biden right until [Dana] Carvey came in, in the last couple weeks," Jennings retorted.
Watch the exchange below or at this link.
