Posted on 04/15/2016 2:14:25 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
And so we come to the age-old question: Should politicians do comedy? Ted Cruz tested the limits in this sketch with NBC’s Tonight Show and Jimmy Fallon, pretending to take a call — and some advice — from Donald Trump. Cruz has been looking to expand his personal connection with voters, but does this work?
Fallon goes on to offer the Texas senator some advice for his appearance on the “Tonight Show.”
“Well that’s a very generous offer, Donald.” Cruz says. “I appreciate you being the bigger man.”
“Oh I’m the bigger man, with the bigger hands. And the bigger –“ the fake Trump responds while pointing downward. “You can’t see me but I’m pointing at my Trump Tower.”
“I’m really glad not to be on Facetime right now,” Cruz says.
Americans like politicians with a sense of humor about themselves. Ronald Reagan had that quality, as did Bill Clinton and George W. Bush, all of whom would occasionally tell self-deprecating jokes to bridge the divide between themselves and the people at large. This clip doesn’t provide much of that quality for Cruz, who actually is more personable in small settings than he’s generally credited, but we do see a flash of that when Cruz gets asked by Fallon/Trump about his “New York Values” comment. Cruz claims he was offering a compliment by talking like Yoda and calls New York City the best place in the world, while insisting that he’s not going to pander to the Big Apple.
Mostly, though, Cruz plays straight man while Fallon goofs on Trump, and gets to recite his main campaign themes unchallenged on national television. It may not work as comedy, but it’s a well-spent five minutes for Cruz regardless. He’d better not get used to it, though. If and when Cruz becomes the Republican nominee, he’ll go from straight man to target on the late-night shows in nothing flat.
Cruzoids loved it Trumpophiles hated it.
Good thing you posted this, in case anyone missed the 438th time it was posted before.
I hadn’t seen it but, then, I have a life.
It was equal-opportunity humor. Most folks thought it was funny. Please don’t speak for me and other Trump supporters. Have we demonstrated an inability to speak for ourselves?
I made a generalization and from the comments I have read on here what I said was pretty accurate.
Obviously there are exceptions of which you are one.
One more thing...
Fallon actually looks more presidential there.
The funny thing is... as a Trumpster I enjoyed it.
I would also reckon Trump laughed at it.
Unlike Cruz who would have to trot out iCarly to lecture everyone for making fun of the Canadian.
Trump is the ONLY candidate who can get out there and make fun of his own caracature and laugh about it.
He knows he’s a character, and he thrives on it.
Things like this only help Trump. Especially going into NY.
Urban folks like me love a good laugh, I know I could sit at a bar with Trump and make fun of his hair and he’d laugh with me.
Cruz? He’d break out a bible and start reading scripture about how I shouldn’t make fun of my fellow man...
I saw it last night it was funny. Fallon made fun of Trump and Cruz made fun of himself. What’s not to like about that?
Thanks for posting this. I had heard about it but not seen it until now.
RE: Cruz? He’d break out a bible and start reading scripture about how I shouldn’t make fun of my fellow man...
Did he do that in ANY skit he participated in?
——Did he do that in ANY skit he participated in?
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Cruz and his followers are LIVING in a bad religious skit.
<img src="http://a.abcnews.go.com/images/US/ht_cruz_160414_12x5_1600.jpg" width="100%">
The width="100%" part resizes the image to fit in the enclosing container. Try resizing the window to see the effects.
And this is how young people have been conditioned to vote. I’m not surprised, given what happened when Palin visited the show and Fallon sucking up to Obama.
I saw a couple of his monologues - that was enough for me.
RE: Cruz and his followers are LIVING in a bad religious skit.
Really? Why is that? And BTW, Thanks for doing a good job not answering my question.
Nope, and I can’t remember Cruz quoting the bible in debates, stump speeches or arguments to the Supreme Court. He may have, but doesn’t seem to have referenced God and the bible in his campaign nearly as much as Reagan did.
I’m also trying to find out why someone quoting the Bible is considered a bad thing unless you’re a radical, atheistic, baby-killing leftist.
As a Cruzbot, I loved it too. Cruz looks like he could’ve had a career in acting like he once considered because his delivery was well-timed and polished.
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