Advice for President Obama on Telling Jokes

Max advice for March 21, 2009

Dear President Obama,

Max grew up as the son of a man who knew 'ALL' the answers to the problems of the world. Max's father said so! Many times, his father let everyone know that anyone who didn't know that he had the answers was a turkey or a knucklehead.

The famous Ma Bell, the second most powerful force in the world (next to God of course), thought so much of Max's father's opinions that she made him 'Supervisor of Troubles'. This is true!

The advice Max promised you, President Obama.

Please get all jokes cleared by a good cross section before telling!

Max has a reputation for not being able to tell a joke. It isn't that he forgets the punch line. Rather he tries to explain it, sort of like giving advice.

Mr. President, many jokes have at their roots things that are funny only in the context of a small number of listeners. Told in a wider audience the so-called joke is viewed as an insult.

Of course, your campaign in Pennsylvania proved that you don't even have to tell a joke to get into trouble. Heck, tens of millions may even share the same opinion. But an equalling large number can find the same words demeaning and hurtful.

I have a son-in-law of whom I am quite proud. One of his qualities is his willingness to work with Special Olympics to make sure that their program goes well in this area.

You and I are lucky. We have had health that has been sufficently good to allow us to travel, to do things for the first time and to do just what we want. Our bodies and our minds are whole and mostly in excellent working order.

If you had come along thirty years ago and attempted to be president, you would have been the source of a good laugh where I live. In 2008 you won the majority of the votes and no one was laughing. Just twenty or thirty years of national maturity separated you from being the butt of every joke.

Your race, the way you speak, the liberal religious beliefs, the audacity with which you stepped forward, and your expensive clothes would have made you the one on the receiving end.

Anyone from a large family, like Max is, knows that there is a boatload of folks out there just itching to find someone to make the butt of a joke. And these people, which includes a lot of family members, want to make it hurt. They love to see a blush or a tear. Either would do just fine.

As mean as family can be, the joke is over and done with in moments. That is the wonderful thing about it. It is personal yet it is also understood.

Max has made some jokes in poor taste over the years. Usually they backfire, given his skill level in this area. It is a lot better to refrain from telling jokes than to apologize to everyone within ear shot.

As President of all the people, you have to realize every difference that you personally disagree with needs to be kept on a mature and dignified level. When you accidently slam even a political enemy, you run the risk of stirring feelings of bigotry.

Other presidents and politicians have polarized the political environment and to some extent led your rise to the position you have. Their mean statements have undercut the confidence people thought they could have in them.

If it sounds like a possible joke or something that might need a context explanation, it probably needs to be rewritten.

Max wishes you well in all your efforts to improve your communication style.

Max writes about greenways, rare diseases, timely topics, places to eat, travel and other issues of interest. He encourages you to add your comments.

Link one is to political gaffes.

Link two is to someone else's view of political mistakes.

Link three is an article on how the prior administration handled mistakes.