# Conservative stand-up comedians? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 8, 2007, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conservative-stand-up-comedians/391372 "2007-02-08T17:24:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![NDP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ndp/32/55_2.png) [@NDP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NDP)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2007, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conservative-stand-up-comedians/391372/21 "2007-02-08T18:55:20Z")
[QUOTE=Marley23] Kinison was tight with Bill Hicks, and their styles were somewhat similar - Hicks was no liberal (in fact, I’ve never heard more violently anti-Republican comedy), so I kind of doubt Kinison was a conservative. [/QUOTE] Kinison (like Hicks) also used to take barbed jabs at organized religion (especially the Religious Right) in his act. I’m guessing that would’ve probably made him at least a little off-putting to most conservatives. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2007, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conservative-stand-up-comedians/391372/22 "2007-02-08T18:57:49Z")
[QUOTE=BrainGlutton] Well, I remember him doing bits like, “It’s the '80s, man! Ronald Reagan’s in the White House, and Clint Eastwood has his own police force!” Or about the bombing of Libya – “Where’s the baby’s room?! Where’s the baby’s room?!” Or advocating execution of the homeless. Or shrugging off the plight of the Kurds after the Gulf War . . . [/QUOTE] Wow are you projecting a bit? Execution of the homeless = conservative? I don’t see how any of your quote falls under a conservative philosphy. Kinison was far from conservative. He would made conservatives lock up their children and hang garlic in the doorway. As for Nick DiPaolo, he has a radio show on in New York now. I’ve been listening off and on. I don’t get a conservative vibe off him at all. Maybe he is hiding his true feelings but I doubt it. I’ve been listening to Jim Norton for many years and he is basically a conservative on many issues but is very liberal on most social issues. His comedy is not very political so you probably wouldn’t notice. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2007, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conservative-stand-up-comedians/391372/23 "2007-02-08T18:58:17Z")
Come to think of it, Larry the Cable Guy is pretty conservative in his on-stage persona, isn’t he? ---
**Author:** ![Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hey_It_s_That_Guy)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2007, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conservative-stand-up-comedians/391372/24 "2007-02-08T19:10:02Z")
[QUOTE=Elendil’s Heir] Come to think of it, Larry the Cable Guy is pretty conservative in his on-stage persona, isn’t he? [/QUOTE] Extremely, and he definitely plays to the Bible Belt, southerners, Christians, conservatives, people with “old-timey” values. ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2007, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conservative-stand-up-comedians/391372/25 "2007-02-08T19:11:58Z")
From the Sam Kinison official website regarding Sam’s possible love child (amongst other things): > [@](#): > > I knew Sam fairly well and I always got along with him great. That’s because I danced on the edge of the circle and never stepped into it. Just about everyone who did got burned big time. If you were one of Sam’s guys, then he “owned” you and you eventually got the drink thrown at you, the slap in the face and the gun pulled on you in public. I always liked Carl LaBove, a great guy and the most talented one of the group besides Sam, and I think unfortunately he stepped into a fire that burned him as well. I’ve seen a picture of the kid and she looks a lot like Sam. I wish Carl the best and hope he comes out of this O.K. As for most of the other Kinison “camp”, most of them were a bunch of sleazy lying backstabbing rats, pillheads and parasites and still are (especially 2 of 'em. How’s tricks, Grandpa and your no talent skank wife/daughter?). Nowadays most of 'em remind me of the remnants of the Manson Family. A bunch of cynical cockroaches with their heads cut off running around without direction looking for the next “leader” to feed off. Sam could be brilliantly funny and at times a good guy but he could also be an incoherent, controlling and mean spirited asshole who couldn’t choose real friends if they were pointed out to him on a map. Well, yeah…it’s the dope talking, but I don’t see conservative circles embracing him, or he them. ---
**Author:** ![JThunder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e95f7d/32.png) [@JThunder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JThunder)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2007, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conservative-stand-up-comedians/391372/26 "2007-02-08T19:16:22Z")
[QUOTE=Big Bad Voodoo Lou] Extremely, and he definitely plays to the Bible Belt, southerners, Christians, conservatives, people with “old-timey” values. [/QUOTE] No offense, but given the vulgar nature of his act, I rather doubt that. I can see Bill Engvall appealing to Christians and others with old-timey values, but not the Cable Guy. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2007, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conservative-stand-up-comedians/391372/27 "2007-02-08T19:29:30Z")
I never saw Kinison as liberal or conservative-he seemed to just enjoy being as raunchy and offensive as possible. Always did like the guy. Now, I can think of _unintentional_ conservative comedians, like say, Bill O’Reilly. Everything out of his mouth is a fucking joke. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2007, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conservative-stand-up-comedians/391372/28 "2007-02-08T19:33:12Z")
[QUOTE=Big Bad Voodoo Lou] Extremely, and he definitely plays to the Bible Belt, southerners, Christians, conservatives, people with “old-timey” values. [/QUOTE] His comments about “ragheads” in his book certainly weren’t intended to endear him to liberals, and in fact they really pissed off comedian David Cross, who’s definitely a liberal. Of course, the idea of Larry the Cable Guy trying to sell a book to to those fans writes its own jokes. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![saoirse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@saoirse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saoirse)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2007, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conservative-stand-up-comedians/391372/29 "2007-02-08T20:23:18Z")
[QUOTE=JThunder] No offense, but given the vulgar nature of his act, I rather doubt that. [/QUOTE] All the profiles I’ve read of him repeat the fact that his base of loyal fans is in the Bible Belt. Not everyone south of the Mason-Dixon Line is a Christian, and those who are don’t have to be rigidly fundamentalist. Christians can laugh at dirty jokes, too. ---
**Author:** ![wolf\_in\_second\_hand\_clothing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/9d8465/32.png) [@wolf\_in\_second\_hand\_clothing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolf_in_second_hand_clothing)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2007, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conservative-stand-up-comedians/391372/30 "2007-02-08T21:06:49Z")
[QUOTE=saoirse] All the profiles I’ve read of him repeat the fact that his base of loyal fans is in the Bible Belt. Not everyone south of the Mason-Dixon Line is a Christian, and those who are don’t have to be rigidly fundamentalist. Christians can laugh at dirty jokes, too. [/QUOTE] His vulgarity is exactly why he’s popular with the Christians. He only talks trash about minorities, so they get to say “oh no he didn’t!” but still not be made uncomfortable. Though he’s a little ornery, he’s still just a gee shucks, calls 'em like he sees 'em, good old boy. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2007, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conservative-stand-up-comedians/391372/31 "2007-02-08T21:14:16Z")
[QUOTE=BrainGlutton] Ignoring the fact that [it **wasn’t** always sand . . .](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desertification) [/QUOTE] It was a joke, son. He was a comedian. ---
**Author:** ![Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troy_mcclure_sf/32/4150_2.png) [@Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troy_McClure_SF)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2007, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conservative-stand-up-comedians/391372/32 "2007-02-08T21:17:03Z")
[QUOTE=BrainGlutton] Ignoring the fact that [it **wasn’t** always sand . . .](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desertification) [/QUOTE] Why ignore it? Will it in fact turn into something else? ---
**Author:** ![Ogre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ecb155/32.png) [@Ogre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ogre)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2007, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conservative-stand-up-comedians/391372/33 "2007-02-08T21:22:40Z")
[QUOTE=wolf in second hand clothing] His vulgarity is exactly why he’s popular with the Christians. He only talks trash about minorities, so they get to say “oh no he didn’t!” but still not be made uncomfortable. Though he’s a little ornery, he’s still just a gee shucks, calls 'em like he sees 'em, good old boy. [/QUOTE] No, no, no, no. I hate to say, “you’re just not getting it,” but you’re just not getting it. There is a MASSIVE vein of self-parody in his comedy (I mean, come on, how often does he make fun of his white-trash family? Every other joke? He plays the redneck role so over-the-top that it can’t be anything but self-parody. Remember Jerry Clower?) If his comedy is playing to white, conservative, Christian middle America, it’s for one of two possible reasons: 1) white, conservative, Christian middle America is too fucking stupid to know they’re being made fun of, or 2) white, conservative, Christian middle America enjoys a bit of scathing self-parody in its comedy. For those of you already lost, the correct answer is “2.” ---
**Author:** ![Ogre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ecb155/32.png) [@Ogre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ogre)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2007, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conservative-stand-up-comedians/391372/34 "2007-02-08T21:24:09Z")
[QUOTE=BrainGlutton] Ignoring the fact that [it **wasn’t** always sand . . .](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desertification) [/QUOTE] Unimportant, since barring some wildly unforeseen global climatic shift, it certainly will still be sand in a thousand years. ---
**Author:** ![Sublight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@Sublight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sublight)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2007, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conservative-stand-up-comedians/391372/35 "2007-02-09T03:35:10Z")
Yakov Smirnoff? No idea what his gig is anymore, but he seems to play well with the Branson, Missouri crowd. ---
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2007, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conservative-stand-up-comedians/391372/36 "2007-02-09T14:24:07Z")
His stand-up isn’t particularly “conservative” but the great Larry Miller personally is, even to the point of wrighting for The Weekly Standard. The actor who played Biff in the Back to the Future Movies also is, I believe. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2007, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conservative-stand-up-comedians/391372/37 "2007-02-09T14:55:58Z")
Larry Miller Drew Carey Both are on the right, although they tend to be more libertarian than old-guard conservative. About like Dave Barry and PJ O’Rourke. ---
**Author:** ![saoirse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@saoirse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saoirse)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2007, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conservative-stand-up-comedians/391372/38 "2007-02-09T15:16:35Z")
I think we need a definition of “conservative.” There are no comedians I know of who promote the Republican Party platform. I have never encountered a Christian Fundamentalist comedian. The Bush-voting (and signed-Bush-picture-owning) conservatives that I know aren’t really in agreement with the whole platform, either. I don’t think that makes them “libertarians,” and neither do they. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conservative-stand-up-comedians/391372.md?page=1)