# Damn, Bill. Can't you take a pill? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [June 11, 2004, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-bill-cant-you-take-a-pill/249898 "2004-06-11T23:24:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![RedFury](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ec9cab/32.png) [@RedFury](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RedFury)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2004, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-bill-cant-you-take-a-pill/249898/41 "2004-06-12T05:06:14Z")
_::::::yaaawn:::::::_ **ZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz…** ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2004, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-bill-cant-you-take-a-pill/249898/42 "2004-06-12T06:08:26Z")
It’s pretty easy to play gotcha at funeral if you really want to. You keep a camera on someone’s face two straight hours of a deadly dull funeral and you’re going to catch some sort of facial expression which you can pretend to be outraged about. Who doesn’t look down or close their eyes now and then during a funeral, for fuck’s sake? Looking at the stills, I agree with those who say that it looks like a moment of prayer. I would also ask **Lib** if he intends to start a separate thread pitting Betty Ford for having her eyes closed. If it _was_ a moment of prayer, and BC had _not_sed his eyes, then we would have heard a litnay of complaints about what an insensitive, Godless bastard he was for not praying. This is just mean-spirited, photographic cherry-picking. It’s not a grievous insult to Reagan. Personally, I wouldn’t give a shit if BC _did_ fall asleep because fuck Reagan anyway. I’d be just fine with it if Bill went over to the casket and pissed on the corpse. I realize others might have different sensibilities than me but hey, that’s _their_ hang up, not mine or Bill’s. ---
**Author:** ![Club\_33](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@Club\_33](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Club_33)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2004, 6:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-bill-cant-you-take-a-pill/249898/43 "2004-06-12T06:36:53Z")
I watched the whole damn thing and never saw Clinton appear to be asleep. I can’t believe it is so hard for the right to just give up this crap. Clinton closes his eyes for a moment and it’s a national scandal. Get a grip. Really. And if I am wrong and he really was sleeping? 5 bucks says it occured while Dubya was speaking. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2004, 6:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-bill-cant-you-take-a-pill/249898/44 "2004-06-12T06:47:21Z")
The second time occured while the President was speaking, yes. The first time was while Brian Mulroney was speaking. ---
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2004, 6:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-bill-cant-you-take-a-pill/249898/45 "2004-06-12T06:56:55Z")
> [@spooje](#): > > Are we basing this just on still photos? Or do we have video? Maybe we are jumping the gun here. With the Clinton-bashers, anything short of rapturous admiration for St. Ron is reason enough to criticize him, I’d wager. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2004, 7:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-bill-cant-you-take-a-pill/249898/46 "2004-06-12T07:02:31Z")
I think Hillary is great. I think Bill has been her necessary evil. I have the funeral on DVR and have watched it twice. He fell asleep. ---
**Author:** ![Apos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/838e76/32.png) [@Apos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Apos)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2004, 7:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-bill-cant-you-take-a-pill/249898/47 "2004-06-12T07:05:32Z")
> [@](#): > > I think Hillary is great. I think Bill has been her necessary evil. I have the funeral on DVR and have watched it twice. He fell asleep. If only he had worn his tinfoil hat, then you wouldn’t have been able to see into his mind and find this important information out. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2004, 7:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-bill-cant-you-take-a-pill/249898/48 "2004-06-12T07:08:00Z")
You’re one to talk, oh knower of who had cold relations with Nancy Reagan. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Rieux](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@Dr.Rieux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Rieux)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2004, 7:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-bill-cant-you-take-a-pill/249898/49 "2004-06-12T07:36:21Z")
Come on–he had to sit through the incoherent ramblings of Mulroney, Thatcher, a Bush and a Shrub. If it were me, I would have to be drunk or high, or I’d start gnawing on my own arm. ---
**Author:** ![TeaElle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8491ac/32.png) [@TeaElle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TeaElle)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2004, 7:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-bill-cant-you-take-a-pill/249898/50 "2004-06-12T07:48:45Z")
> [@Bosda Di'Chi of Tricor](#): > > He didn’t look sleepy to me, he looked ill. He sure wasn’t ill when he was chuckling it up with the Kerrys during the mingle and shmooze session before the service began. John, Theresa and Bill were laughing so vigorously and for such an extended period I was waiting for one of the embarrassed looking Secret Service agents to poke one of them to remind them that they were at a funeral for frig’s sake. Hillary stayed behind Bill talking to other passersby and seemingly trying to ignore the overexuberant bunch behind her. If he nodded off during the service, I can’t say I blame him. I nodded off myself, and had to watch the rebroadcast on C-Span. But I am highly offput by Clinton’s apparent habit of inappropriately lighthearted conversation, complete with laughter, at funerals. It really is quite disturbing. ---
**Author:** ![Daisy\_Mae](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/46a35a/32.png) [@Daisy\_Mae](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Daisy_Mae)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2004, 9:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-bill-cant-you-take-a-pill/249898/51 "2004-06-12T09:56:13Z")
> [@TeaElle](#): > > He sure wasn’t ill when he was chuckling it up with the Kerrys during the mingle and shmooze session before the service began. John, Theresa and Bill were laughing so vigorously and for such an extended period I was waiting for one of the embarrassed looking Secret Service agents to poke one of them to remind them that they were at a funeral for frig’s sake. Hillary stayed behind Bill talking to other passersby and seemingly trying to ignore the overexuberant bunch behind her. > > If he nodded off during the service, I can’t say I blame him. I nodded off myself, and had to watch the rebroadcast on C-Span. But I am highly offput by Clinton’s apparent habit of inappropriately lighthearted conversation, complete with laughter, at funerals. It really is quite disturbing. Quite amusing that you pooh pooh all over the Rush flame fest a few posts over but have no problem here trying to fan flames in Clinton’s direction. I guess flame wars are okay as long as it isn’t your political leaning that gets the fire. Something tells me that Mr. Clinton would be acting inappropriately by your standards no matter what he did at the funeral. CNN showed a few clips from the California service where Ahhhhnold the Governator was having a bit of a chucklefest, shall we shove an apple in his mouth and mount him upon the spit as well? But could it be, just possibly, just maybe (sound familiar?) that the Kerry’s and Mr Clinton were speaking of something humorous that Mr Reagan said or did? After all (as we have been reminded 86733685577 and 2 times this week), he was a humerous man and brought humor to the Office of the President. I have been to several funerals where people shared funny stories and had a laugh at the memory of the person they were there to honor. Some people are BORN to be offended. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2004, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-bill-cant-you-take-a-pill/249898/52 "2004-06-12T13:34:43Z")
> [@vanilla](#): > > she was praying for a smaller butt Then she and Rush Limbaugh were praying for the same thing! I think it’s commendable when political figures on the Left and the Right both turn out to want the same things. ---
**Author:** ![TVeblen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/4bbf92/32.png) [@TVeblen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TVeblen)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2004, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-bill-cant-you-take-a-pill/249898/53 "2004-06-12T15:00:23Z")
> [@TeaElle](#): > > But I am highly offput by Clinton’s apparent habit of inappropriately lighthearted conversation, complete with laughter, at funerals. It really is quite disturbing. I didn’t watch much of the week-long funereary bash but it was almost unavoidable. Purely in the interests of fairness, I was struck by how celebratory much of it was. FWIW the talking-heads even commented on it, from behavior of the crowds to the nature of some of the official observances. And that’s in no way a slam at anybody. The tone was more celebrating Reagan’s long, rich life interspersed with grieving. There was a lot about BC I didn’t like but give the man his due: he always gave good funeral. He’s a schmoozer, not an open fighter. Much like Reagan in that aspect, in fact. I saw a lot of people smiling and even laughing at some of those funeral events. Don’t know about your experience but in mine it’s not all that uncommon to share fond anecdotes or memories of the deceased to honor their life instead of their death. And people smile, and even laugh. So in all fairness I’m willing to give Clinton a pass on that charge. He was sleazey in lots of ways but not in careless offronts to the dead or bereaved. Veb ---
**Author:** ![andros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e480ec/32.png) [@andros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andros)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2004, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-bill-cant-you-take-a-pill/249898/54 "2004-06-12T15:00:30Z")
Fuck’s sake, **vanilla**. . . cheap swipes at President Carter _and_ Senator Clinton? I mean, at least be a little more creative than fart and fatass, willya? ---
**Author:** ![vanilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/f19dbf/32.png) [@vanilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vanilla)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2004, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-bill-cant-you-take-a-pill/249898/55 "2004-06-12T15:13:54Z")
Adors, I’d like you to meet humor Humor; andros! shake hands :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![andros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e480ec/32.png) [@andros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andros)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2004, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-bill-cant-you-take-a-pill/249898/56 "2004-06-12T16:03:45Z")
'nilla, m’dear, I know humor. I’ve worked with humor. Humor was a friend of mine . . . ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2004, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-bill-cant-you-take-a-pill/249898/57 "2004-06-12T16:53:31Z")
I know it’s a funeral, **vanilla** , but are you expecting everyone to come in, sit down, and cry the whole time? It’s a social gathering and people talk and laugh before they get down to business. ---
**Author:** ![TVeblen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/4bbf92/32.png) [@TVeblen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TVeblen)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2004, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-bill-cant-you-take-a-pill/249898/58 "2004-06-12T17:43:21Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > I know it’s a funeral, **vanilla** , but are you expecting everyone to come in, sit down, and cry the whole time? It’s a social gathering and people talk and laugh before they get down to business. I was more taken aback by the applause in the CA sunset funeral. It wasn’t a performance, okay? The kids all handled their eulogies very well IMO, blending funny, fond memories of his life with grief for his loss. Any funeral is incredibly gruelling for family, but Nancy seemed to find momentary ease from the reminiscenses. The one part that actually appalled me was the showboating pastor at the gravesite. He didn’t deliver a eulogy; he did a talk show wrap-up. He wasn’t there as a star performer, to reflect on his experiences with the deceased and his family. His role was to _be a clergyman_, i.e. say the things pertinent to the beliefs of the faith. He was an official conduit for his faith who hijacked the occassion for the glory reflected on him for by serving. His actual words of benediction were almost afterthoughts for his turn in the spotlight. It was a relentlessly public pageant but I’m not passing judgments beyond hoping Nancy has finally been allowed to collapse in relative peace. For all the public brouhaha all along the years, hers was the face of deep, wrenching grief. Veb Who’s pretty much stumbled through family funerals in a daze ---
**Author:** ![DoctorJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctorj/32/2904_2.png) [@DoctorJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DoctorJ)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2004, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-bill-cant-you-take-a-pill/249898/59 "2004-06-12T18:18:28Z")
I don’t know–I think that nodding off during Ronald Reagan’s funeral is about the most appropriate homage imaginable. Interesting side question, though–if both the President and the Pope dozed off during a Papal audience, would anybody wake them up? How awkward would that be? ---
**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:** [June 12, 2004, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-bill-cant-you-take-a-pill/249898/60 "2004-06-12T18:31:25Z")
> [@](#): > > The one part that actually appalled me was the showboating pastor at the gravesite. He didn’t deliver a eulogy; he did a talk show wrap-up. I agree completely. As soon as he started talking about himself, I thought, “What the hell?” I’ve been to a few funerals in my day, and I’ve never heard the minister start talking about himself the way that guy did. But I guess he was a friend of the Reagans for many years, so I guess he wanted to share his own thoughts. Still, I think it was inappropriate. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-bill-cant-you-take-a-pill/249898.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-bill-cant-you-take-a-pill/249898.md?page=4)