The Joke That Wasn't

Much has been made about late-night host David Letterman apologizing--twice--to Alaska Governor Sarah Palin regarding a joke he made about her teenaged daughters, 14-year old Willow and 18-year-old Bristol. Something about having sex with Rudy Giuliani and baseball star Alex Rodriguez.

Yes, Letterman should have gotten the facts about which daughter the Governor took to Yankee Stadium in New York for a baseball game before making a joke like that. He needs a fact-checker on his "Late Show" staff.

But let's not let Governor Palin off the hook. The former vice-presidential candidate has proven herself to be a self-serving politician, using her family to elicit sympathy from conservatives and others who think Dave is just a dirty old man.

Since John McCain plucked Palin out of obscurity and into the 2008 White House sweepstakes, she has been portrayed in the media--correctly, it turns out--as a rifle-totin' mama from the frozen tundra with a limited view of the world.

Had Palin remained anonymous outside Alaska, we would never have heard about Bristol getting pregnant by her boyfriend, in spite of the Republican governor's anti-abortion views. Or the way the family has been used as a prop on the campaign trail.

Today, Bristol tours the country preaching about the wonders of abstinence in a "do as I say, not as I do" manner, since she is now a mother, Meanwhile, her now ex-boyfriend has also been on TV, publicly seeking some form of custody and telling anyone who'll listen that abstinence doesn't work.

Sarah Palin's kids did not ask to be in the public spotlight any more than President Barack Obama's kids or Jon and Kate Gosselin's. Because of their parents' actions, it's too late to be put back into the box. But they can try to limit their exposure.

As for Letterman and his brethren, it's getting harder and harder to tell a joke without offending someone or some group. (Have you noticed that some comedians are still having problems getting a handle on President Obama?) Every time someone has to apologize, that's another nail in the coffin of comedy. You can't live your life without having a sense of humor. There's enough sadness in the world as it is.