OPINION:
Tour promoters and personnel of the “Deplorables Comedy Show” say they’ve been facing a bit of a backlash because of their conservative, pro-President Donald Trump views.
Specifically, they’re in the midst of launching a 15-city tour, tickets sales are booming — but now they’re suddenly being turned away from certain venues in certain cities, they say. From “multiple venues” in “multiple cities,” is how one spokesperson for the comedy crew put it, in an email.
The act — “The Deplorables Tour: We’re Funny Because We’re Right” — opened in Houston in November. And since, it’s picked up steam, making headway as a conservative alternative to the likes of faithfully liberal Jimmy Kimmel or angrily anti-Trumping Kathy “the head cutter” Griffin.
But recently, some venues have balked at the tour. And while tour promoters and comedians can’t say with 100 percent assurance that it’s due to a bias against conservatives — well, the thing is, what the heck else would it be?
“If the shoe was on the other foot,” the spokesperson, who requested anonymity said, “there would be outrage all over the media.”
Quite right. Even without that 100 percent assurance.
Fact is: If progressives had an equivalent comedy tour, and were kept from performing in certain venues, the media would be swimming with outraged pundits condemning the intolerant conservatives, the humorless Republicans, the — gasp! — discriminatory religious right.
“They’re just afraid we will reach too many people with this tour,” comedian Steve “Mudflap” McGrew said, in an emailed statement. “The lefties are always saying nobody on the right is funny. This tour will burst that lie like a water balloon on their pointy little head.”
Already with the jokes.
But seriously: “Any theater that refuses us should be brought to court. Just like the cake baker in Colorado — you can’t deny us your services,” McGrew said.
He has a good point. Leftists always like to claim a higher-than-thou adherence to all-things-tolerant-and-diverse. But they never quite see their way to welcoming in the conservatives.
Michael Loftus, another “Deplorables” comedian, said: “Are [these venues] afraid of jokes about politics? If your politics can’t handle people joking about them, maybe you’ve got some lousy politics.”
That’s it, in a nutshell.
To borrow from another comedian, Jeff Foxworthy, of “You might be a redneck” fame: If your politics dictate those of conservative bent shouldn’t speak — you might be a liberal.
You might be a liberal with a serious free speech deficiency.
• Cheryl Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com or on Twitter, @ckchumley.
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