# They wouldn't fly now **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 14, 2022, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-wouldnt-fly-now/962825 "2022-04-14T14:24:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 9
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2022, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-wouldnt-fly-now/962825/161 "2022-04-21T05:22:44Z")
> [@Mama\_Zappa](#): > > In fact, portraying someone as completely drunk for comedic purposes is much less accepted. I seem to recall that Foster Brooks did a lot of routines as a “Lovable Drunk,” back in the 1970s, often on Dean Martin’s Celebrity Roasts. He got a lot of laughs then, but I don’t know how his routines would fly now. Ironically, in real life, Brooks didn’t drink. ---
**Author:** ![Jeff\_Lichtman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jeff_lichtman/32/1531_2.png) [@Jeff\_Lichtman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jeff_Lichtman)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2022, 7:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-wouldnt-fly-now/962825/162 "2022-04-21T07:14:07Z")
Bill Dana was a comedian who would portray a character named “José Jiménez.” He spoke broken English with a stereotyped Hispanic accent. He had a lot of appearances on talk shows and the Ed Sullivan Show. I’m sure this act wouldn’t fly today. ---
**Author:** ![carrps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carrps/32/2957_2.png) [@carrps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrps)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2022, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-wouldnt-fly-now/962825/163 "2022-04-21T14:19:16Z")
> [@Jeff\_Lichtman](#): > > Bill Dana was a comedian who would portray a character named “José Jiménez.” They did a bit about this in the movie _The Right Stuff._ Can’t remember which astronaut was doing the bit, but it didn’t go over that well even back in the 80s (about the 60s). ---
**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:** [April 21, 2022, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-wouldnt-fly-now/962825/164 "2022-04-21T14:35:22Z")
William (Bill) Dana was also the name of a NASA engineer and test pilot on the space project They would joke about the comic’s act and his name. I don’t remember the details but others would speak like the Jose Jimenez character, or he would. It’s in the book. I don’t recall anyone thinking Bill Dana was very funny no matter what the subject. He practically disappeared after trying to push that lame act. ---
**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:** [April 21, 2022, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-wouldnt-fly-now/962825/165 "2022-04-21T15:12:37Z")
Here’s his astronaut routine, in case anyone’s curious: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/8YXKL86H6kU/hqdefault.jpg "1961 HITS ARCHIVE: The Astronaut - Jose Jimenez (Bill Dana)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8YXKL86H6kU) (I suspect that Jeff Dunham’s [Jose Jalapeno](https://jeffdunham.fandom.com/wiki/Jos%C3%A9_Jalapeno) character was at least a little inspired by Jose Jimenez.) ---
**Author:** ![Mallard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Mallard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mallard)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2022, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-wouldnt-fly-now/962825/166 "2022-04-21T17:34:05Z")
> [@dorvann](#): > > Since people have mentioned _Blazing Saddles_ and _Airplane!_ as being hard for Hollywood to remake–another film I think Hollywood would have a hard time remaking is _The Towering Inferno_–mostly because it would seem somewhat tasteless after the destruction of The World Trade Center after the 9/11 attacks. The toughest part about remaking towering inferno would be having the audience today believe a fire of that magnitude would leave no debris on the ground. 🤯 ---
**Author:** ![Mallard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Mallard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mallard)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2022, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-wouldnt-fly-now/962825/167 "2022-04-21T17:36:51Z")
> [@Spoons](#): > > > [@Mama\_Zappa](#): > > > > In fact, portraying someone as completely drunk for comedic purposes is much less accepted. > > I seem to recall that Foster Brooks did a lot of routines as a “Lovable Drunk,” back in the 1970s, often on Dean Martin’s Celebrity Roasts. He got a lot of laughs then, but I don’t know how his routines would fly now. Ironically, in real life, Brooks didn’t drink. There’s a few foster brooks videos on YouTube and they’re friggen hilarious. Seriously, some of todays citizens really have to lighten up. ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2022, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-wouldnt-fly-now/962825/168 "2022-04-21T20:44:16Z")
We rented a DVD of old Art Linketter “Kids Say the Darndest Things” episodes and were taken aback by how casually he talks to one kid about how his dad beats him as punishment. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2022, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-wouldnt-fly-now/962825/169 "2022-04-21T21:27:27Z")
> [@Jeff\_Lichtman](#): > > Bill Dana was a comedian who would portray a character named “José Jiménez.” He spoke broken English with a stereotyped Hispanic accent. He had a lot of appearances on talk shows and the Ed Sullivan Show. As far as I can remember, he got his start with the Jose Jimenez schtick as a recurring character on the Danny Thomas show, where he periodically appeared as either the doorman/porter or the elevator operator. ---
**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:** [April 21, 2022, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-wouldnt-fly-now/962825/170 "2022-04-21T21:54:23Z")
Yes, that’s what I recall. I think he showed up on Ed Sullivan doing that act, although my memory is weak on that one. They spun off the Bill Dana Show from the Danny Thomas show and it lasted a couple of years, though I can’t understand why. ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2022, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-wouldnt-fly-now/962825/171 "2022-04-22T01:42:24Z")
As late as the 1980s there was “Arthur” - a movie essentially all about a romance between a normal-ish woman and a guy who was always drunk. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2022, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-wouldnt-fly-now/962825/172 "2022-04-22T01:55:03Z")
That movie came out around the time I graduated from HS. I went with a friend who, unlike me, came from a long lineage of alcoholics, and he thought it was hilarious. I did not, and tried to watch it again a few years ago. Nope, not funny that time either. ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2022, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-wouldnt-fly-now/962825/173 "2022-04-22T02:15:31Z")
I saw it when it was in the theaters - I thought it was funny then but have no in watching it again ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2022, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-wouldnt-fly-now/962825/174 "2022-04-22T16:43:13Z")
Movies where rape is played up for comedy. In Revenge of the Nerds,one of the nerds, wearing a mask or costume of some sort, shows the sorority girl a wonderful time - she went along with it because she thought it was her jock boyfriend, and was thrilled when the nerd took his mask off. In Young Frankenstein, when the Monster drags Madeleine Kahn off and has his way with her, despite her protests; a moment later she’s screaming in pleasure. When I was 18 or so, these seemed funny. Now, not so much - and I don’t think either scene would be included in a movie nowadays. ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2022, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-wouldnt-fly-now/962825/175 "2022-04-22T16:46:38Z")
In Revenge Of The Nerds, the nerds also install a video camera (it may have been more than one) in the sorority house. They use the camera to take nude pictures of a sorority girl and then distribute those pictures to the public. ROTN could be made today- but extreme rewrites would be needed. ---
**Author:** ![JohnGalt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johngalt/32/184_2.png) [@JohnGalt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnGalt)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2022, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-wouldnt-fly-now/962825/176 "2022-04-22T22:52:40Z")
They didn’t just distribute the nude pictures, they sold the pictures as a fundraiser, with whip cream covering the pictures so you could “Eat a Pie” (Pi sorority). How many crimes would they be charged with today? (I thought it was creepy even when it came out.) ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2022, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-wouldnt-fly-now/962825/177 "2022-04-22T23:26:01Z")
I happened on this video just the other day [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/HQ7mJFNkLAU/hqdefault.jpg "Wacky Hijinks from 80s Comedies Were Mostly Rape") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HQ7mJFNkLAU) ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2022, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-wouldnt-fly-now/962825/178 "2022-04-24T02:15:32Z")
Sounds like everyone involved was being racist. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2022, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-wouldnt-fly-now/962825/179 "2022-04-24T20:36:58Z")
> [@mundylion](#): > > Hell, we routinely drank _while_ driving. Referred to a trip as a 2 can or a sixer. First time I drove to Texas I was surprised and happy (gad it was hot!) to find out that it was actually still legal to drink while driving. We bought a big bag of ice and a case of beer and straddled the thing to cool off. Wonderful. That was one of the few things I enjoyed about Texas. I frequently had a cold one popped open while driving across state during my reckless youth in the 1970s and 1980s, and we all worshiped the name of Henry Gonzalez, the state representative credited with single-handedly keeping it legal for so long. ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2022, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-wouldnt-fly-now/962825/180 "2022-04-25T17:11:41Z")
Joking references to suicide have gone out of style (except for Moe from the Simpsons), but they used to be very popular (Jack Benny’s violin teacher, Mel Blanc as a sales clerk, Daffy Duck, etc. all had suicide as a punchline) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-wouldnt-fly-now/962825.md?page=8) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-wouldnt-fly-now/962825.md?page=10)