Butch Says We Need Johnny and Rodney Back Again

   My wife and I watched several TV comedy shows in the good ol’ days … shows such as The Andy Griffith Show, the Carol Burnett Show and Laugh-In, just to name a few. We also stayed up late to watch the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson. There’s a saying that “laughter is the best medicine,” and if we had a stressful day, shows such as these lightened things up and put us in a better mood. When I was a youngster in the 1950s, there were several comedians who my family enjoyed, such as Jack Benny, Sid Caesar, Steve Allen, George Burns, Jackie Gleason, Red Skelton, and Bob Hope. Our favorite was Milton Berle, otherwise known as “Uncle Miltie.”

   Later on, into the 1960s and beyond, we watched comedians such as Bob Newhart, Buddy Hackett, Jonathan Winters, Bill Dana, Pat Paulsen, Tommy and Dickie Smothers, Dan Rowan and Dick Martin (of Laugh-In), Carl Reiner, Mel Brooks, Phyllis Diller, Flip Wilson and my favorite … Rodney Dangerfield. Comedy became a little more edgy as the years passed, with people such as Redd Foxx, Don Rickles, Richard Pryor, and Joan Rivers pushing the limits. But those comedians were still fairly mild compared to today. They entertained everyone and brought people together through laughter. They did not zero in on a specific type of people or political group. Anyone could watch Johnny Carson and the comedians who appeared on his show because they offered something funny for all audiences.

   The old-style comedians relied on wit, satire and timing to make us laugh. Today’s comics use dirty jokes, insults and political correctness. Late night talk show hosts, for the most part, are mean-spirited snobs who enjoy making fun of conservatives, rural white people, and Christians. They circumvent any funny references to blacks, gays, transgenders, liberal politicians, illegal aliens, Muslims and other “sensitive” groups. They agree with Hillary Clinton, who looks down on the “deplorables,” and Obama who believes all conservatives “cling to their guns and religion.” These comedians consider such folks fair game. Just listen to Bill Maher, Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Kimmel, Rosie O’Donnell and Kathy Griffin…all of them making nasty jokes about conservative and MAGA values, with Trump as the ultimate villain.

   Politics has divided America. Unfortunately, comedy also divides us today. The Comedians in the past made fun of situations, incidents and happenings of everyday life. No one was spared, and we all laughed at the funny comments and jokes. Today no one seems to know what a joke is. Many people just cannot take a joke. They become offended in our present “snowflake culture.” Some people can’t even make fun of themselves!

   Comedy used to bring us together. Throughout our history … during wars, depressions, societal changes and various national crises, great comedians made us reflect on the lighter side of life and eased the tensions and stress of daily living. The American people need to find a way back to the earlier type of comedy … the sooner the better.

   I sure would love to turn on the TV and listen to Milton Berle, or Bob Hope or Jack Benny again…watch Carol Burnett, Tim Conway and Harvey Korman crack up during a skit…see Clem Kadiddlehopper on the Red Skelton Show … laugh at Flip Wilson dressed up as Geraldine … or see a movie like Mel Brook’s “Blazing Saddles.” Wouldn’t you? And Johnny Carson and Rodney Dangerfield, please come back … we need you now.

John “Butch” Dale is a retired teacher and County Sheriff. He has also been the librarian at Darlington the past 35 years, and is a well-known artist and author of local history.