War is not funny, and a peace deal is not comical. Nor are the world’s economic woes and current world conflicts being discussed at the G7 meetings in France. But humor during serious times sometimes makes thorny issues easier to deal with. Humor is a good human trait, and in the right context, it is good for the soul. When humor is absent, all kinds of negative things sprout up to take its place. The country needs more things to laugh at.
The stark reality is that Trump is willing to make fun, while his opponents on the other side of the aisle are constantly clutching their pearls. On the last day of the G7 Summit, Trump, arriving late, joked, “I’m the boss.” A chuckle ensued as he took his seat at the table. Those hosting the event tried to make all leaders equal by holding the meeting using a roundtable so no one could assume the role of head. Trump foiled their plans.
No doubt the table selection was scripted to avoid Trump’s dominance, but the last laugh was with Trump. He not only came late or last, as prominent leaders often do, but also, in tongue-in-cheek fashion, made the point clear to colleagues with his comment.
Trump would continue to play the room with additional quips. Apparently, photographers were allowed briefly to be in the room before the meeting, and were met with Trump’s question, “Would you like to stay for the meeting? It’s OK with me.” For the record, the photographers were politely escorted out of the room by the French staff.
During a world event such as the G7, reporters trying to make a name for themselves ask a bevy of questions directed at Trump. The President was asked whether he would remain in Europe and travel to Switzerland to sign the Memorandum of Understanding with Iran. He told the curious press that he was not going to the signing; instead, he was dispatching the Vice President, J.D. Vance.
His reasoning was quite comical: if the deal goes south, I can blame it on the Vice President. “This way, if it works out, I’m going to take the credit. If it doesn’t work out, I’m blaming JD.” No one has ever accused the President of being self-effacing, and his response to the press’s question was meant to be funny. Still, the talking heads probably misunderstood it as a serious character flaw instead of the joke it was intended to be.
Unfortunately, our political system in the country has become so vile and toxic that it has completely displaced any humor. The so-called late-night talk shows stopped being funny a long time ago and turned into the propaganda wing of the Democratic Party. By failing to be humorous, they are failing systematically, as the public prefers comedy to a humorless monologue.
One of the many problems our country faces, besides the obvious, is the lack of humor in public discourse. Everything seems to be so serious and dire, feeding into the victim culture that the left constantly works to enforce. Victimhood cannot coexist with humor, as Spencer Pratt so adroitly pointed out in one of his campaign videos about the horrendous and ridiculous conditions in Los Angeles. By pointing out the glaring problems in Los Angeles with humor, Pratt succeeded in attracting many who would not otherwise give him the time of day to hear what he had to say.
Mark Twain, the famous American author, sums up the need for humor in culture thusly: “Humor is the good-natured side of a truth.” Now we know why the Democrats never laugh.