May 29, 2003

Hope Turns 100

Today's Bob Hope's birthday. Many thanks should go to a very funny man who devoted so much time to entertaining our soldiers here and abroad. One World War II veteran wrote to him, "We are grateful we had someone who cared enough to come to the danger zones. You deserve to be an honorary veteran."

One complaint about Hope was that he didn't write his own jokes. But writing jokes isn't enough for great comedy. All of us think of funny things to say, but few of us can find that right moment with just that bit of timing needed to get others laughing. Hope had that. If we should complain about Hope not writing jokes, we should complain about Jay Leno, David Letterman, Conan O'Brian, and every cast member of Saturday Night Live. All of them use lines written by others, yet we still consider them comedians.

But the worst I've found said about Hope is that his comedy supported the status quo. John Lahr, who wrote a profile in The New Yorker a few years ago told The Boston Globe, "Anyone worthy of the title `comedian' thinks against the culture. Comedy is not about sniffing the hem of power, yet Hope used laughter to reinforce the forces of power." For Lahr, comedy--even culture in general--should only be used as a bulwark against the mainstream. It's only purpose is to challenge authority.

But that's not the case. People don't seek out funny people because comedians are rebels. They seek out comedy because they want to be entertained; they seek an escape from the tedium of their regular lives. Many comedians do use satire and sarcasm to point out the obsurdities of the world around us. Through that, they are making social statements, but that's not the reason we like them. We like them because they're funny, and Bob Hope was one of the funniest even if he was part of the status quo.

Unlike celebrities today, you would never, ever catch Bob bashing the military or his country. Happy birthday to a real patriot.

"Hope's Birthday Brings Veterans' Thanks"

"Bob Hope Marks 100th Birthday"

"Bob Hope Turns 100"

"Bob Hope's Century"