I'm happy to acknowledge that for the first time in what seems like several years, I really laughed at the recent Saturday Night Live sketch game show "Republican or Not?" You can see it here:
Because I tend to be, like most of you reading this, a bit more politically engaged than the average American, I could see each of those jokes coming in advance, but it didn't take away from their effectiveness. I found myself laughing and shaking my head at the inconsistency, double standards, and even hypocrisy inherent in the world of politics.
I'm certainly not the only person with a conservative ideology that found the skit funny. SNL deserved and received collective high-fives from both Democrats and Republicans in their audience, because after all, every single one of those jokes lands just as effectively on the heads of Democrats as they do Republicans. I admit though that the first time I watched the clip, I immediately commented to the person who was showing it to me, "Could they have done this exact same sketch but called it 'Democrat or Not?'"
Think about it:
- Clue: "I respect pro athletes who stand up for their beliefs." If it's Aaron Rodgers or Joe Flacco choosing not to be vaccinated, the Democrat wants them benched. If it's LeBron James sporting the latest BLM slogan on his shoes, the Democrat will applaud them.
- Clue: "I hate cops." If it's Capitol Hill police on January 6th, the Democrat applauds and champions them as heroic. If it's Kenosha cops responding to a domestic abuse case like Jacob Blake's, the Democrat regards them murderous thugs.
- Clue: "My body, my choice." If that phrase is used to tell the government it can't force you to inject a chemical vaccine into your body, the Democrat regards that as dangerous and selfish. If the phrase is used to advocate for the ability to kill your own child in the womb, the Democrat believes it is divine truth.
- Clue: "I support Caitlyn Jenner." If that means supporting Jenner's claim to have switched sexes, the Democrat has his back. If that means supporting Jenner's political ambitions, the Democrat despises him.
- Clue: "Last month I went to a board meeting and complained about a book being taught in my daughter's school." If that book is a sexually explicit tale of a young man or woman discovering their LGBT identity, the Democrat says it is teaching inclusivity and tolerance. If that book is the Bible, the Democrat believes it to be an appalling violation of the so-called "separation of church and state."
And we could add plenty of others to the skit…
- Clue: "As an employer, I can mandate conditions of employment for my workers." If those conditions involve COVID vaccine requirements, the Democrat is totally on board. If those conditions involve a sexual morality clause, the Democrat blasts it as infringing on constitutional liberties.
- Clue: "Those who assault police officers and commit property damage should be hauled off to prison." If the individual in question is a Black Lives Matter rioter, the Democrat calls that a statement of white supremacy. If the individual in question is a January 6th red-hat rioter who had recently joined the Air Force (like Aiden Bilyard), the Democrat calls that justice.
- Clue: "Those who don't accept election results are a threat to democracy." If the objector in question is Donald Trump, the Democrat agrees completely. If the objector is Stacey Abrams, or Hillary Clinton, or John Kerry, or Al Gore, or Terry McAuliffe, the Democrat disagrees vehemently.
- Clue: "Being asked to show your credentials and offer proof of identification is an infringement on civil liberties." If that means as a voting requirement, the Democrat concurs with zeal. If that means as evidence of vaccination status before traveling, the Democrat objects on grounds of public health.
Now, don't get me wrong; I actually did love the SNL version and am not trying to look a gift horse in the mouth. Anytime that show spices up its writing with something that's actually clever, something that engages the mind, something that tries to be more than just gross humor and sex jokes, I'll take it.
It just struck me as curious that the writers decided to overtly harpoon the Republican Party when the Democrats offered just as much, if not more, material. Since it obviously couldn't be an inherent bias amongst the staff, maybe they flipped a coin?
