A LITTLE MORE EVIDENCE FOR THE RESENTMENT HYPOTHESIS

A few years ago I recall that Alan Simpson was on Bill Maher's show and he chastised Maher for making fun of the rubes, in part because it alienates them from a liberal way of looking at the world. I haven't been able to find a transcript and the video clip of this at Crooks & Liars has vanished but the point is that personal resentment seems to drive some people to conservatism. In this clip from Signorile,



upyernoz detects the resentment toward others by the birther wacko.

I think Simpson was wrong about how to deal with the rubes: They need to shown and told frequently that they ARE rubes.


UPDATE: Thanx to LexisNexis, I may have found part of the transcript. Maher was interviewed by Terri Gross of FRESH AIR and the transcript of that show¹ had this part from Maher's show:

TERRY GROSS, host:

This is FRESH AIR. I'm Terry Gross.

The new season of "Real Time with Bill Maher" begins Friday, February 18th on HBO. We invited Bill Maher to join us again and talk about some of the things he's been thinking about over the past few months in between seasons. Maher is one of the most outspoken and controversial political humorists working today. On each edition of his show, he opens with a satirical sketch, interviews politicians and activists from all sides, and moderates a roundtable of very opinioned people from the worlds of politics and entertainment. He doesn't pull his punches and neither do his guests even when they're taking aim at him. His final show of the previous season was right after the election. Maher interviewed Alan Simpson, former Republican senator from Wyoming. Maher congratulated Simpson for being on the winning team and asked what the blue staters, such as himself, don't get about the red states. Simpson started by explaining that he's pro-choice and opposes a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage.

(Soundbite from "Real Time with Bill Maher")

Former Senator ALAN SIMPSON (Republican, Wyoming): The constitutional amendment I thought was inappropriate. I work diligently with the Republican Unity Coalition, which is a group of gay, straight Republicans who are very active. I've always been involved with that.

Mr. BILL MAHER (Host): I'll bet.


(Soundbite of laughter)


Mr. SIMPSON: Well, yeah, but that's making fun of people. I'll tell where you missed the point.

Mr. MAHER: No. No.

Mr. SIMPSON: Where you missed the point, you need...

Mr. MAHER: No, I'm not. I'm just trying to get invited to a party.

Mr. SIMPSON: I know. Well, you're making fun of Americans who have some religious bent or a faith. Keep doing that and your people will never win an election because whether you and I like it or not, this is the only country on the face of the Earth that was founded because of religious persecution and a belief in God. That's why they left Europe. So keep making fun of them. Keep making fun of the gays and the lesbians, pulling people in, tearing people up, thinking that Hollywood has all the brains in America from people who are making millions of bucks on one movie and telling the rest of the people and making fun of them, and you'll never make it. Never make it.

Mr. MAHER: I--you know, you're--to quote the president, "I'm getting a mixed message" from you, Senator. I mean, either I'm making fun of the religious people or I'm making fun of the gay people. I can't be doing both, can I?

Mr. SIMPSON: Well, you just made a little crack. You know, it was funny funny, you know, party party. You know, those are little cracks. Those are smart little cracks about the gay-lesbian people. Hold on.

Mr. MAHER: Senator, are you yourself gay because, I mean...

Mr. SIMPSON: No, I don't have to be.

Mr. MAHER: ...I have not heard anybody be this sensitive about a gay joke since Harvey Fierstein...

Mr. SIMPSON: Well, keep telling them. You keep telling them. I think they're offensive.

Mr. MAHER: OK. I will keep telling them.

Mr. SIMPSON: You keep telling them.

Mr. MAHER: All right.

¹FRESH AIR
February 8, 2005 Tuesday
SHOW: Fresh Air 12:00 PM EST NPR
Bill Maher discusses his program "Real Time with Bill Maher"
ANCHORS: TERRY GROSS
LENGTH: 3576 words