# Morality Of Enjoying 'Baba Wawa'. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 21, 2012, 9:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/morality-of-enjoying-baba-wawa/641705 "2012-11-21T09:17:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jim\_B](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jim_b/32/4338_2.png) [@Jim\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jim_B)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2012, 9:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/morality-of-enjoying-baba-wawa/641705/1 "2012-11-21T09:17:08Z")
I have been a fan of _Saturday Night Live_ for some time now. And although it was after my bedtime and so thus I never saw it live, I still enjoy Gilda Radner and all her various regular characters. There’s only one thing. I thought her “Baba Wawa” character (based on [Babara Walters](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baba_Wawa#awards) of course) was hilarious the first time I saw it. But now I learn Ms. Walters didn’t enjoy it at all. In fact, according to Walters, it basically ruined her life. Does that mean it is not morally acceptable now to enjoy Baba Wawa? I mean, everyone is a little insulted from time to time. But Babara said it _ruined her life_, no less. What do the rest of you think? :):)🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Rodgers01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b19c9b/32.png) [@Rodgers01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rodgers01)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2012, 9:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/morality-of-enjoying-baba-wawa/641705/2 "2012-11-21T09:48:11Z")
“Ruined her life”? I haven’t seen all those sketches, but I don’t remember them being terribly mean-spirited. I suspect she’s overreacting. Enjoy! ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2012, 10:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/morality-of-enjoying-baba-wawa/641705/3 "2012-11-21T10:13:08Z")
BW was a close gal pal of Roy Cohn. He ruined lives. Gilda made fun. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2012, 10:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/morality-of-enjoying-baba-wawa/641705/4 "2012-11-21T10:36:27Z")
I stiw like it. Her interview with Lina Wurtmueller was comedy gold. ---
**Author:** ![MichaelEmouse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/michaelemouse/32/101_2.png) [@MichaelEmouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MichaelEmouse)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2012, 10:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/morality-of-enjoying-baba-wawa/641705/5 "2012-11-21T10:52:02Z")
Her salary in 2007 was 12 million dollars ([Barbara Walters - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbara_Walters)) so her net worth must be in the tens of millions of dollars. She’s been in the business since the early 60s and a signficant figure since the 70s. She’s one of the best known and most influential reporters/interviewers in the US media. If this is a ruined life, may mine be ruined a thousand times over. The media seems to attract a fair number of narcissists or people with a pathologial need for status. I guess they don’t take well to being made fun of. Yeah, some half funny show takes insignificant cheap shots at you. Just laugh about it on your way to the bank. ---
**Author:** ![singular1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ba9def/32.png) [@singular1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/singular1)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2012, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/morality-of-enjoying-baba-wawa/641705/6 "2012-11-21T12:31:09Z")
I have an unfortunate compulsion to watch The View at lunch every day, and I have learned that Baba Wawa is a conceited, materialistic, rude, entitled hypocrite who looks down her nose at the “little people” she must endure on a daily basis. Watching her descent into dementia is fascinating, as no one is bold enough to pry her claws off the stage. I applaud any gentle ribbing that has caused her the slightest discomfort as payback for the way she routinely treats her cohosts and guests. ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2012, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/morality-of-enjoying-baba-wawa/641705/7 "2012-11-21T14:19:22Z")
I haven’t heard about BabaWaWa or Gilda Radner in DECADES. This is a blast from the past! Just goes to show there is no bit of minutiae that won’t be dredged up someday. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2012, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/morality-of-enjoying-baba-wawa/641705/8 "2012-11-21T14:29:47Z")
In what way was Baba Wawa’s life ruined? She’s a dull, vacuous, dried up old woman making a billion dollars a year to talk funny on TV. Ruin my life that way please! (please make me a dried up old man though). ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2012, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/morality-of-enjoying-baba-wawa/641705/9 "2012-11-21T15:09:27Z")
Yes, how _was_ Ms. [del]Wawa’s[/del] Walters’ life alleged to have been ruined? In the same way as a teenager’s life is ruined by not being allowed to use the car on Saturday night? If you really want to debate the harm that SNL ridicule can do to a celebrity, aren’t there better candidates than Baba? ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2012, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/morality-of-enjoying-baba-wawa/641705/10 "2012-11-21T16:38:33Z")
> [@Jim\_B](#): > > I have been a fan of _Saturday Night Live_ for some time now. And although it was after my bedtime and so thus I never saw it live, I still enjoy Gilda Radner and all her various regular characters. > > There’s only one thing. I thought her “Baba Wawa” character (based on [Babara Walters](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baba_Wawa#awards) of course) was hilarious the first time I saw it. But now I learn Ms. Walters didn’t enjoy it at all. In fact, according to Walters, it basically ruined her life. > > Does that mean it is not morally acceptable now to enjoy Baba Wawa? I mean, everyone is a little insulted from time to time. But Babara said it _ruined her life_, no less. What do the rest of you think? > > :):)🙂 What’s not morally acceptable is participating in the production and delivery of “news” programming on television. Miss Wawa has been doing that and accepting obscene amounts of money for it for several decades. Enjoy away. She’s not getting anything she doesn’t have coming to her. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2012, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/morality-of-enjoying-baba-wawa/641705/11 "2012-11-21T17:34:24Z")
I miss Gilda! ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2012, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/morality-of-enjoying-baba-wawa/641705/12 "2012-11-21T17:57:37Z")
I thought this thread was going to be about the morality of enjoying humor based on someone’s speech impediment. Barbara Walters can boo-hoo-hoo all the way to the bank with her “ruined life.” > [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > I miss Gilda! ☹ “Gilda Radner isn’t supposed to end.” - Opus ---
**Author:** ![Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a183cd/32.png) [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barkis_is_Willin)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2012, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/morality-of-enjoying-baba-wawa/641705/13 "2012-11-21T18:16:49Z")
Where did BW say it ruined her life? I found [this recent article](http://articles.nydailynews.com/2012-09-18/news/33931863_1_baba-wawa-baba-wawa-barbara-walters)that says she was certainly less than thrilled with Baba Wawa, but eventually she came to accept the character. > [@](#): > > “Years later, when Gilda died, I sent her husband [actor Gene Wilder] a sympathy note and signed it Barbara Wawa,” Walters, 82, told The News. “Gilda was so wonderful — the sketch immortalized me — but at the time I wasn’t so thrilled.” Sounds like everyone has permission to continue enjoying Baba. ---
**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2012, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/morality-of-enjoying-baba-wawa/641705/14 "2012-11-21T18:22:27Z")
> [@singular1](#): > > I have an unfortunate compulsion to watch The View at lunch every day, and I have learned that Baba Wawa is a conceited, materialistic, rude, entitled hypocrite who looks down her nose at the “little people” she must endure on a daily basis. Wish I could remember where I read it, but years and years ago I saw a quote where she was explaining that she simply refuses to accept coffee in a Styrofoam cup, as somebody of her status should be shown the courtesy of a proper ceramic mug. [Ah, here’s a reference to it:](http://www.ncbuy.com/reference/todayinhistory/date_september_25.html) > [@](#): > > Barbara Walters > (1931) - TV journalist. Co-host of ABC’s 20/20. She started out in show business as a child tap dancer who called herself “Babs Elliot.” Walters says that if a movie is ever made about her life, she wants Sharon Stone to portray her because she thinks they look alike. Other Barbara trivia: She likes to be photographed on her left side because Laurence Olivier once told her that’s her best side. Barbara refuses to drink coffee out of a styrofoam cup because she figures she’s been a journalist long enough to rate an actual mug. She was one of the first TV celebrities to take advantage of an electronic TV camera process that smoothes out wrinkles and makes people on camera appear to look younger. In 1976 Walters became the first female network TV news anchor when she accepted a five-year $5 million contract with ABC to co-host the Evening News with Harry Reasoner. Walters states she was born in 1931 not 1929 as reported in some sources. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2012, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/morality-of-enjoying-baba-wawa/641705/15 "2012-11-21T18:39:11Z")
> [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](#): > > I thought this thread was going to be about the morality of enjoying humor based on someone’s speech impediment. It is, I think. I don’t know what Walters said about it, but it didn’t ruin her life even though I’m sure she didn’t enjoy having her speech impediment made fun. My take on things like this is that we all laugh at our differences; it’s more or less instinctual and I don’t think there’s a moral issue. Mistreating people individually is different from that kind of instinctual reaction. And Walters is in the public eye, which does mean she has to expect some mockery for standing out. ---
**Author:** ![handsomeharry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9c0ed/32.png) [@handsomeharry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handsomeharry)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2012, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/morality-of-enjoying-baba-wawa/641705/16 "2012-11-21T21:09:10Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > It is, I think. I don’t know what Walters said about it, but it didn’t ruin her life even though I’m sure she didn’t enjoy having her speech impediment made fun. My take on things like this is that we all laugh at our differences; it’s more or less instinctual and I don’t think there’s a moral issue. Mistreating people individually is different from that kind of instinctual reaction. And Walters is in the public eye, which does mean she has to expect some mockery for standing out. I also wonder if she would be selling booty instead of being a major star if she didn’t have that speech thingie. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2012, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/morality-of-enjoying-baba-wawa/641705/17 "2012-11-22T00:39:03Z")
No one is doing it maliciously, so it’s fine. I mean, it’s not like anyone actually thinks Walters is a bad journalist/TV host because of her speech impediment–heck, they usually admire her for being able to cope with it so well. Doing it on a sketch comedy show is not the same thing as doing it behind her back with her friends at elementary school. Oh, and even if she were offended, that by itself doesn’t make it wrong to laugh. If that were the case, anyone who liked any insult comic ever would be a horrible person. ---
**Author:** ![Nzinga\_Seated](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5ac83/32.png) [@Nzinga\_Seated](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nzinga_Seated)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2012, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/morality-of-enjoying-baba-wawa/641705/18 "2012-11-22T01:02:46Z")
My personal philosophy has always been that celebs are fair game for ridicule. The perks of stardom are offset by the drawbacks, and getting ribbed on SNL is a ‘drawback’ they should be willing to live with. Regarding her wanting a real mug instead of a paper cup. I’m with her on that. She’s right; she has earned it. If she wants a ceramic cup, she should get one. ---
**Author:** ![jz78817](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jz78817/32/1028_2.png) [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2012, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/morality-of-enjoying-baba-wawa/641705/19 "2012-11-22T01:03:16Z")
_shrug_ has Sean Connery bitched about Darrell Hammond emphasizing his lateral lisp? ---
**Author:** ![wheresmymind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/91b2a8/32.png) [@wheresmymind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wheresmymind)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2012, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/morality-of-enjoying-baba-wawa/641705/20 "2012-11-22T01:41:06Z")
I always considered Barbara Walters’ unique voice to be more akin to an accent than a speech impediment. Was it much worse in the early days of her career? I’m familiar with Gilda Radner’s portrayal of her on SNL, and consider it to be simply a caricature of someone with a distinctive voice, not unlike Darrel Hammond’s Sean Connery or Chris Parnell’s Tom Brokaw. Does she (or did she) actually have a legitimate speech impediment, with a name and everything? Or did she just have an idiosyncratic accent from whatever neighborhood she grew up in? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/morality-of-enjoying-baba-wawa/641705.md?page=2)