"... Alan Hale from 'Gilligan’s Island,' say, had Hale been slimmer, richer, more self-confident.... His trademark double-eye squint evokes that group of beanie-hatted street-tough Munchkin kids; you expect him to kick gruffly at an imaginary stone. In person, his autocratic streak is presentationally complicated by a Ralph Kramdenesque vulnerability. He’s a man who has just dropped a can opener into his wife’s freshly baked pie. He’s not about to start grovelling about it, and yet he’s sorry—but, come on, it was an accident. He’s sorry, he’s sorry, O.K., but do you expect him to say it? He’s a good guy. Anyway, he didn’t do it. Once, Jack Benny, whose character was known for frugality and selfishness, got a huge laugh by glancing down at the baseball he was supposed to be first-pitching, pocketing it, and walking off the field. Trump, similarly, knows how well we know him from TV. He is who he is. So sue me, O.K.?"
Writes George Saunders in a New Yorker piece titled "Who are all these Trump supporters?"
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149 comments:
In the world of the New Yorker, the guy with the big mouth and orange face is now "strangely handsome."
Funny, I just finished reading this, or at least as much of it as I could take. As a moderate, I have a high tolerance for biased media coverage, but this was too much to take, even for me. There was a long section complaining about the treatment of protestors at Trump rallies without ever once asking why the protestors needed to be inside the hall and disrupting the meeting.
i forced myself to read a bit of this steaming pile but all I could think of is how much money this George Saunders fellow probably wastes on therapy.
As a moderate
Yeah, you might be a 'moderate' in a Grievance Studies department somewhere, but that's about it.
The nuance is nearly imperceptible.
"Who are all these Trump supporters?"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Wait - I thought we had this figured out. Trump supporters are all the obese, uneducated, rural, xeno/homo/transphobic mouth-breathing racists infesting our fair Nation. We've been told that on a daily basis for over a year. Are some people still not getting the message?
They must not be too bright.
"Trump... is strangely handsome
He's not handsome at all. Double chins, horrible hair, spray tan, squinty eyes. And I hate to break it to you but Skipper is not handsome, either.
I don't think we've ever elected a handsome president. When women talk about Bill Clinton being sexy, I'm like what the fuck? John Kennedy had a weird face, too. Obama has weird lips and chicken legs.
Woman are responding to power, not physical attractiveness.
Bobby Kennedy was handsome, John Edwards was handsome. I think many of us distrust good-looking people. Look what happened to Sarah Palin!
Elected officials are butt ugly. Maybe that's a good thing. It keeps normal people from writing romantic shit about them.
Gilligan for VP! Oh wait, never mind...
Yeah....I didn't read much, but Alan Hale has been dead for years. I guess we need to appeal to the dead vote!!
"A female Trump supporter “in a pink-peachy-color T-shirt” attacked a protester, kicking and punching him."
I got through about half and saw no mention of the setup of Trump supporters by the San Jose PD. They rearranged the barriers to force people to walk the gauntlet to get back to their cars, which were in a garage next door.
He really doesn't like Trump or his supporters.
At least he waited until the end to show how completely clueless he is. He is now worried about the imminent failure of the USA if Trump gets elected. Ignoring nearly 100 years of increasing big government under everybody except Coolidge. Plus, I had to wonder if he has ever been to any kind of political rally. He was so breathless with his descriptions that it made me laugh out loud. What a hysteric!
Sometimes I think New Yorker writers must be from another land. Other times I think they must be from another universe.
"Sometimes I think New Yorker writers must be from another land."
Pretty much so. But they know their audience.
"autocratic streak"
Thank God Hilary does not have that.
Headline: "Beta Male Writer at New Yorker Confesses a Man-Crush on First Alpha-Male He's Seen in Years"'
I can help this guy. I am a Trump supporter. I'm white, Christian, and angry. I'm a bit overweight, a bit old, a bit ... well, that's where the stereotype ends with me. I have a Master's degree, I've taught in the U.S. and in Eastern Europe. I have published over a hundred articles in national publications. I program computers as a hobby. I favor legal immigration and oppose building a wall (on aesthetics grounds).
I've been to a Trump rally. I talked with a lot of people here. I can tell this writer, it is not a monolith.
Dang. I wanted an article written by George *Sanders*. Or in the style of the great sardonic characters he played when he was alive.
Is this New Yorker humor or a serious article?
Wait, its serious.
Judas Priest.
The author acknowledges that about 40% of the electorate will vote for Trump but then makes the crucial error of believing that the folks who show up at Trump rallies are somehow representative of that 40%. I would never attend a Trump rally, don't respect or admire the man, can't stand to listen to his speeches. But in the end, I might cast a big F*** U vote for him because there is nothing that could compel me to vote for the Hildebeast. Saunders needs to interview a few folks like me in order to understand the complete trump phenomenon.
"strangely handsome" MSM must be worried if they start sucking up now.
He didn't ask me, either. I am an educated female Trump supporter. Why? Because only Trump has the courage to ignore the shibboleths of our hypersensitive culture and offer to lead the nation into some common sense solutions.
OK, I get the Jackie Gleason Honeymooners comparison.
One of these days, Mexico. Pow, a wall up to the moon.
But Newt is going to have his work cut out at being Ed Norton working in the Congressional sewers, where the wet cards are wild.
What the author doesn't seem to question is why they almost assuredly are going to vote for Crooked Hillary. They probably think that Director Comey and his agency not recommending her prosecution exonerated her. For many of us, it just showed that we have a two tiered justice system. Last time she got that close to indictment she was living in the White House and managed to hide her billing records in the personal quarters there until the statute of limitations had run (after her people had illegally ransacked Vince Foster's office to beat the police to them after he died). This is the woman who with her husband probably mad a half a billion dollars selling influence and American foreign policy, resulting in turning Lybia into a failed state and helped cause the chaos in Syria that resulted in the refugee problem that is causing major problems throughout Europe. Hard to believe that John Kerry could be a better Secretary of State than anyone, but has, compared to her. What a lot of people are doing is supporting Trump because he is our one hope of avoiding four more years of Obama, only worse.
Wouldn't it be great if now was the time you went back into that "anti-politics" mode?
These snippets of every paean to Trump become more nauseating than you can imagine. It's like reading posts by a stamp collector whose hobby is douchebags.
"Captain Trump, here, to take command of the bridge of the USS America!" (salutes)
"Aye-aye, sir! And long may she sail!"
Looking at you Laslo...
Skipper: Donald Trump
Gilligan: Barack Obama
Mr. Howe: George Soros
Mrs Howe: Nancy Pelosi
The Professor: Newt Gingrich
Mary Anne: Sarah Palin
Ginger: Barbara Streisand
douchebags.
What a wit!
A National treasure!
Pure New Yorker. That was one long, continuous Luis Vuitton ad with lots writing down the left hand side interspersed by several great cartoons to keep you reading.
Gist of the article is Trump has bitten off a huge movement from the boondocks of America that may be more than he can chew.
7/9/16, 9:22 PM
Blogger Saint Croix said...
. . .
I don't think we've ever elected a handsome president.
. . .
US Grant wasn't a bad looking man.
Barbara Streisand? Seriously?
"Ginger: Barbara Streisand"
Huh? Ginger was a glamorous movie star. Babs was just an ugly chick who could sing.
@ Rt1 Rebel:
Nope. Here's the cast:
Skipper: Donald Trump
Gilligan: Paul Ryan
Mr. Howe: Roger Ailes
Mrs Howe: Gretchen Carlson
The Professor: Bill Nye, Science Guy
Mary Anne: Caitlyn Jenner
Ginger: Ivanka Trump
EPISODE 1: Mr. Howe/Roger Ailes tries to lure Mrs. Howe/Gretchen Carlson into hut. She refuses and files a sexual harassment charge against him. It is pending. Gilligan/Paul Ryan tries to lure Mary Anne/Caitlyn Jenner into a different hut. This doesn't end well. The Professor/Bill Nye observes the sea level rising and blames global warming but later we discover it was just Gilligan moving the stick. Ginger/Ivanka's only role is to walk across the screen at various points looking sexy. Episode ends with Skipper/Donald Trump hitting Gilligan with MAGA hat.
"Trump supporter.....and offer to lead the nation into some common sense solutions."
What insanity.
Blogger Unknown said...
"Trump supporter.....and offer to lead the nation into some common sense solutions."
What insanity.
7/9/16, 11:06 PM
Could say the same for your comment.
Jon Ericson's what happens when the abortion gets botched. Kids, these days, get so sensitive about the language. Maybe he was "triggered".
Tell your parents that's not a reliable form of birth control, Jon.
Also tell them that their refund for your community college courses is on its way!
ABORTION!
Yuk, Yuk.
Truly, right up there with Jack Benny!
Ritmo: The gift that keeps on giving!
What a trooper!
Jon, yer mama is calling you, she needs her underwear back.
@Susan
Barbara had at least 14 major movie actress roles. I'm doing my best to balance the politics of the island, and I needed an entitled outspoken self-absorbed liberal actress. I could sub Sharon Stone if you like, but it's really Laslo's call.
@ M Jordan
Second sentence above.
UNDERWEAR!
Yup, I am seeing a pattern here.
Jon,
Take that fat lady bra off and give it back to yer mama. Be a good boy.
FAT LADY BRA!
A Laslo, you're not.
Jon Ericson said... [hush][hide comment]
FAT LADY BRA!
A Laslo, you're not.
YOUR on a roll, Jon !
Yes I am,
OK we got:
Unknown On Blogger since March 2012,
Unknown Profile Not Available
Unknown On Blogger since October 2011
Unknown On Blogger since November 2011
Any more?
We are legion.
@ Rebel
Well if Laslo is picking, I'm betting Scarlett Johansson. She's even a "ginger". :)
Jon Ericson said...
Yes I am,
OK we got:
Unknown On Blogger since March 2012,
Unknown Profile Not Available
Unknown On Blogger since October 2011
Unknown On Blogger since November 2011
Any more?
Well, ya got your known unknowns, and you have your unknown unknowns, never the twain shall meet.
Now see, that's a civil comment.
Jon, a kid your age should be out enjoying himself. Not playing schoolmarm to people who actually care about the issues of the world.
Were you a hall monitor? A teacher's assistant? A teacher's pet?
That blonde buzzcut and Buddy Holly glasses. Wow. Open up to us.
How many lockers were you stuffed into? We're here to help you in your quest for bringing balance to the force.
Unburden yourself, son.
WOW!
No references to genitalia.
Upped your game.
This is a good sign!
Jon saves gum wrappers and decorates his room with them. Jon carries his lunch in a Roy Rogers lunch box. Jon sneaks his daddies dirty magazines. He's too young to buy his own, but soon he will have his 14th birthday, oh look peach fuzz.
DIRTY MAGAZINES!
C'mon, you can do worse!
They wanted identity politics they got identity politics.
The Left wants the dominant culture to go quietly to the gas chambers. They can't understand why so many resist their attempts at assisted suicide. Be reasonable a guy like Saunders says, who cares if the paid consultants of Soros are waving Mexican flags and spitting and slapping you in your face [especially if you're a woman]. Hey I was a budding Republican in college so I got bona fides. Why can't you be more like me? a spineless conformist, a footsoldier in the vanguard of the new oligarchy sucking up the crumbs in the hopes of maintaining some status in the coming Age of Neofeudalism.
Old people.
'Nuff said.
Oh pardon me, that should be "his daddy's, or maybe it is his daddies'. Big mama has many gentleman callers while Jonny is busy in his room on the 'puter, for that she is grateful. I envision a blond little Jonny sitting on the swing outside on a hot summer night making the same sounds that emanate from mama's room where she is entertaining her gentleman caller, kinda like Forrest Gump.
What are you eleven, twelve, maybe thirteen?
Upped your game.
It's not surprising that you didn't "up" yours.
What is your problem? Do you think any of us aren't old and wise enough to see through you? What could possibly propel a little pipsqueak to play grammar and semantics Nazi with people who actually have an understanding and interest in the world that you could never know, and at this rate WILL never know?
What did the big adults do to you that left you feeling so helpless and so in need of "correcting" other adults in matters too trivial for them (or anyone else) to actually care about?
Do you think anyone finds your complete inability to contribute in the least interesting? Do you not realize how stupid it makes you look to crash the grown-ups' party?
What is it about your life that you hate so much? (Other than the obvious, of course). And the more important question: Why aren't you doing anything about it? What does distracting yourself here serve to avoid it?
You are being a punk, son. But you can be punked back, just as hard. And much harder. Screwing with us will not cure you of all the disorderliness (or whatever it is) that vexed you as a child. Whatever you're missing, you're not going to find it here. What you need is a psychiatrist, or an age-appropriate playmate who isn't more interested in their "smartphone" than they are you (I know, who could blame them in this case). But again, abusing commenters here is not going to accomplish that.
Calm down Grampa.
DIRTY MAGAZINES!
C'mon, you can do worse!
Jon, now come on. Your penis is not evil - even if that one girl you showed it to made you think that it was.
I'm very calm.
What's your problem? For serious.
You don't think it's obvious how used you are to being ignored?
PENIS!
PENIS!
What's the matter? You don't have one?
You don't think it's obvious how used you are to being ignored?
Look in the mirror Gramps.
Jonny just wants us to spank him. His mama refuses to, she's getting creeped out by his endless begging for a spanking. So Jonny stalks the blogs after mama has fallen asleep looking to be spanked by strangers. Jonny has become increasingly odd now that he started puberty.
SPANKING!
Jeeze, c'mon.
His problem is that we're living in the era of social media, and he is as anti-social a little creep as they come. He suspects that when they look at their phones they're doing it to ignore him. But in his case, that's actually the truth.
"he is as anti-social a little creep as they come."
Mirror, Gramps.
Jeeze, c'mon.
So, you're anti-penis. You use the word "jeez" (I thought it was "geez").
You have a buzzcut and Buddy Holly glasses.
Isn't there a white shirt and black tie you should be wearing and a Mormon mission that you should be on?
Jon Ericson said...
"PENIS!"
Don't be frightened Jonny, every growing boy's penis has a mind of its own.
Jeez as in Jesus H. Christ.
Tsk. Tsk.
The real question is why does he think he's an original. Didn't Jerry O'Connell play him in Stand by Me?
Jonny.
No I won't spank you! Just don't take the Lord's name in vain again.
Mirror, Gramps.
Is this how the kids say, "I know you are but what am I," these days?
You two don't get it.
And I'm not letting you in on it either.
It's called "projection"
Gramps.
Jonny, be a good boy and go to sleep, your penis will still be there when you wake up.
So you won't tell us what this problem of yours is, that you won't even admit to yourself.
Ooooh. Sounds very secretive! Do the Illuminati know?
PENIS!
You two don't get it.
And I'm not letting you in on it either.
That's it! He's Meade's long-lost bastard stepchild!
I knew it.
Saunders is the famous New Yorker cartoon of a Manhattanite view of the country. If Trump were to win he would be completely dumbfounded. He should try travelling across the country formally known as The United States Of America.
Saunders here is a clue: D J Trump is running unabashedly for the Presidency Of The United States unlike some other candidate who is running apart from staying out of prison also is running for President Of The United Mexican States in addition to running for World President.
Ooooo, Jonny has a secret! I wonder what it could be? We know that you buried your pet hamster under the lilac bush before it was fully dead.
ballboy, you are making me laugh too much, Stop it!
Unknown, I don't know what to say...
Johnny, even when they throw you out of the Mormon mission, you can still wear the white shirt and black tie, you know.
I mean, you're still sticking to the rest of the regulation appearance guidelines so there's there's no reason to change the attire.
Do you still carry the briefcase around?
Blogger Jon Ericson said...
"PENIS!"
Jonny, mama told you if you yank on your penis too hard it would get sore, now give it a rest.
George Saunders missed the mark by over three miles. If I were his editor, I would have rejected the entire piece.
MORMON!
Oh Jonny is laughing, that's good. I was so worried about your obsession with your penis.
Jon, you look like a juvenile sex offender. Honestly.
It's creepy. Change the look. Pronto.
"Old men wish they were young"
Well, that would explain his fear of his own, you know. Whatever the word is.
The naughty word.
Basic anatomy is evil for the young juvie fiend.
On second thought, it's ok Jonny, yank on your own penis all you want, just leave the little neighborhood boys penises alone.
young juvie fiend.
LOL!
I think that it would be super-awesome if, after he takes office, when Trump addresses the nation on TV he would wear one of those cute commodore hats, like Ted Knight did in Caddy Shack. That way we would know who was in charge and that all was well.
Professor's been reading a lot of NYT and New Yorker, lately.
Here was an interesting article I found on kids like Jon Ericson.
His mama calls it his winky willy.
little neighborhood boys penises
More like nine or ten I think.
LOL!
Yeah. The joke's on you, asshole.
More like nine or ten I think.
This sounds like an admission.
Go away.
Such ill manners for oldsters,
And such language!
ASSHOLE! (he said)
"That's it! He's Meade's long-lost bastard stepchild!"
How can you have a bastard stepchild? Wouldn't that be against science?
Such ill manners for oldsters,
And such language!
Hey. You're the one diddling kids.
Seriously. Just go away.
Blogger Jon Ericson said...
"little neighborhood boys penises
More like nine or ten I think."
He molested nine or ten neighborhood kids?! Damn.
I dunno, Terry. It just seemed to fit.
After you, Alphonse.
He molested nine or ten...
I think he meant it.
MOLESTED!
Act your age.
Jon, no one knows what you're talking about.
You're not proving anything here other than how deranged you are.
Stop incriminating yourself. Go elsewhere.
Blogger Jon Ericson said...
"ASSHOLE!"
Now Jonny ya know mama said you mustn't keep bothering yourself there.
Just quoting ballboy
Jonny, are we having fun yet?
Just quoting...
Like a parrot. No original thoughts.
Pinhead.
Oh now Jonny don't be mad.
Like a parrot. No original thoughts.
Ha. Juvenile insults.
Jonny,
We are only trying to connect with you.
We are only trying to connect with you.
I'll call the cops.
Call yer mama.
Call yer mama.
Scathing.
I'll call the cops.
Scathing.
Jonny boy, time to put on your jammies now and go to beddy bye. I can't in good conscience keep abusing you, I'm starting to feel bad.
You think you're clever eh?
Jon, you're squinting in the photo.
Stray cumshot?
Chuckling....
CUMSHOT?
You must watch too much porn.
Oh, come on now, you two can stoop lower now, can't you?
Me? Stoop?
Hey you're the one shooting cum in your eye.
CUMSHOT?
You must watch too much porn.
How much would you say is enough (i.e. not "too much") for you, Jonny?
Did you honestly require porn to learn about cum?
SHOOTING CUM
I Knew you could stoop lower, I knew it!
Jonny, just watch the damn porn instead and leave the neighborhood kids alone, ok?
I Knew you could stoop lower, I knew it!
Ah. So it's the "shooting" part that, er, intensified everything for you now?
And what verb would you use to describe how it comes out of your penis?
Stale, stupid Gramma and Granpa.
Alzheimers is no laughing matter.
Jonny "old folks" just kicked your ass tonight.
And gave him a swirly, too.
Unknown, $0.06 has been deposited into your account by Correct The Record. Thanks for shillin' for Hill!
Greetings, normal commenters, I'm so sorry I had to make you scroll past ballboy and Unknown#3's puerile insults, but I needed to see if there was any substance behind them. As you can see, if you read through them, there is no substance. Unmasking blowhards is just a passing fancy, and I hope I won't be bothering you anymore.
Good night, and good luck.
Oh, by the way, I was born in 1950.
Same year as Althouse.
To the mathematically disinclined, that means I am 65.
Molon Labe.
Kids today, sheesh.
No "Men in Shorts" tag? That cartoon was pretty funny.
"Boy. That escalated quickly."
Christ in a sidecar!
What happened?
Did the gin bus hit the Good Humor truck?
A festival of mouthbreathers!
Ima
go
shoot
some skeet.
Later.
*puking*
I'm so glad to know that I can contribute nothing substantive, aiming instead to just shut down others' free speech!
Ann, you doddering old lady!! Senility is setting in, time to give up the car keys, only Meade can drive now. It's over, how can YOU of all people have missed it?
As a proud fellow member of the I Hate Shorts on adult men coalition I could not have possibly missed this cartoon on the New Yorker page about Trump!
***** “I feel like bad guys aren’t as scared of me in the summer.” *****
Sad. Cruel senility.
Saint Croix said...
"Trump... is strangely handsome
He's not handsome at all.
I don't think we've ever elected a handsome president. When women talk about Bill Clinton being sexy, I'm like what the fuck? John Kennedy had a weird face, too. Obama has weird lips and chicken legs.
Woman are responding to power, not physical attractiveness.
Bobby Kennedy was handsome, John Edwards was handsome. I think many of us distrust good-looking people. Look what happened to Sarah Palin!
Trump likes to be around good looking people. Which is why he will select ex Senator Scott Brown as his VP. Forget talk about Newt the Grotesque.
David said...
"Sometimes I think New Yorker writers must be from another land."
Pretty much so. But they know their audience.
That's true of every media outlet with New York in the title with the slight exception of the New York Post and the New York Observer, I assume for personal reasons.
COMMENTS ARE MODERATED much, but not all of the time.
Maybe now is the time on this article.
I'm scrolling through a swarm of unwanted obscene comments.
I don't mind arguments, as long as there is some level of wit involved. This vomit of a thread does not qualify.
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