I'm A Big Dennis Miller fan...but

Can someone explain something to me?

Dennis MIller is to me, one of the funniest people out there. I'm not sure if his long-winded diatribes are scripted or not, but they are truly funny (they gotta be scripted...no one is that quick).

Here's my question. Is this guy really on the "right side" of the aisle? When you listen to many of his older routines, you could swear that he was a Dem. Now, he appears on FOX and seems to carry water for the Right. Can someone explain this to me?

-P

who hasn't been funny in years.

he was always on the right. Miller claims 911 turn him.

I always thought Miller was to the right...there was always an undercurrent to his humor that smacked of right wing. Just something not kosher...

He's full-on right-winger idiot now.

but he doesn't seem to have a problem with that. :eyes:

I can remember him ripping on Clinton when he was briefly (thank goodness) on Monday Night Football. Dennis Miller is one of those people that is a "legend in his own mind." Unfunny, cruel, mean spiritedness in place of humor and wit.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dennis_Miller

In recent years, Miller has become known for his conservative libertarian political opinions, emphasizing an aggressive stance on U.S. military action and campaigning for Republican presidential candidates.<2> He is a regular political commentator on Fox News Channel's The O'Reilly Factor in a segment called "Miller Time", and on the network's Hannity & Colmes in a segment called "Real Free Speech".

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From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dennis_Miller#Political_views

Throughout the late 1980s and early 1990s, Miller was generally perceived as a cynic on the left, ever eager to bash conservative Republicans. This perception did not change much even when Miller told USA Today in 1995: "I might be profane and opinionated, but underneath all that are some pretty conservative feelings. On most issues, between Clinton and Newt Gingrich, I'd choose Newt in a second, even though he is a bit too exclusionary".<28> Miller also declared himself a "conservative libertarian" in a 1996 Playboy interview.<29>

Miller's reputation changed significantly in the years following the September 11, 2001 attacks, when he became one of the Hollywood celebrities backing George W. Bush and the war in Iraq. Miller has said that one of the defining moments, in addition to 9/11, for his move from the Democratic to the Republican Party was watching a 2004 primary debate between the nine Democrats then contending for their party's nomination. "I haven't seen a starting nine like that since the '62 Mets", he remarked.<30>

Slate.com commentator Dennis Cass describes Miller as having changed from a "left-leaning, Dada-ist wisenheimer" to a "tell-it-like-it-is, right-wing blowhard".<31> The perceived change did not surprise former Saturday Night Live colleague and Democratic Party US Senate candidate Al Franken, however: “People have said to me, ‘What happened to Dennis?’ Nothing happened to Dennis. He’s the same Dennis. He’s always had a conservative streak on certain issues”.<32>
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I would have never known. It's like I don't even know the guy anymore. It makes you wonder...

-P

but i never thought his stand up was particularly good. That reminds me, remember the Chris Rock show on hbo, that was some funny stuff.

Now he's just tired, overblown, trying far too hard to be "erudite," and, frankly, past his prime. If he's with Fox News (I don't watch them), he's probably where they find him really entertaining because they can't understand what he says.

In the valley of the blind, the one-eyed man is king.

att he end of your post. Reminds me of the saying: I cried when I had no shoes until I met a man with no feet.

-P

"In the valley of the blind, the one-eyed man gets the crap kicked out of him by the pissed-off blind people."

He had to change his shtick before he faded into obscurity forever. And guess which political party had a lot of on-air openings?

Maybe not as much now, but there was a time. It is his ability to take obscure references and pull them into context. I must admit that if you are not well-read or up on pop culture, he may not make much sense.

-P

I said I wasn't dissing your sense of humor. You don't have to disparage other people's by implying they're not well-read.

Anybody can pickup a dictionary and look something up to throw in their prepared skit.

Miller does this and convinces morons that he is intelligent.

He never speaks intelligently off the cuff.

Its not a beard. Clearly.
Someone has apparently glued armpit hair onto Dennis Miller's face.

ago on SNL, but the crap he spews these days is just not funny.

:hi:

an opportunity to re-invent himself preaching to the the loons on the right using the excuse that 9/11 changed everything including himself. I think it's psychological, he seen the vulnerability to America and equated to his own person venerabilities. Nothing is forever.

absolutely correct. It was a career thing IMHO. Not that he doesn't have conservative leanings. But, it was just too big a swing.

-P

Given that his shtick has always been poking fun at power, declaring such a huge source of material off-limits was a stupid move.

or will he have another "off limits" on democrats? I guess whatever pays more.

Miller is a pathetic fraud.

...an Ann Coulter clone.

ole Dennis Miller. Carlin, back in the day, was a true comedic GENIUS on par with our present day Stephen Cobert. ;)

With regard to your inquiry above - I belive that Dennis Miller is nothing more than an intelligent comedic *OPPORTUNIST.* He would not be staying in the media spotlight had he remained politically left of center.

Like the, IMO, over rated Bill Maher, Miller wishes to always be special in sort of a "BIG FISH in a small pond" sort of way. My best cold hearted guess is that there's a profound narcissistic vein running through both of their morally bankrupt personalities.

That's not to say that he doesn't score a hit once in a while, but, for the most part, he's tiresome. At least, that's what I think.

He stole his whole stance and attitude from the late, great Bill Hicks, and he did it while Hicks was terminally ill but still performing. There's real nice coverage of what Maher did vis-a-vis Hicks in a brilliant biography of that late, great comedian called "American Scream."

I loved Hicks, still do. When I make a donation to his charity, which is wildlife conservation in his native Texas, I get a handwritten thank-you note from his mother, which always brings me to tears.

Maher's just a cheap ripoff artist.

Only one quibble: back in the day. From what I have seen, he still is. In fact, it was just announced that Carlin is going to be awarded the Mark Twain Prize for Humor on Nov. 10th at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. He is the 11th recipient. Past winners: Richard Pryor, Jonathan Winters, Carl Reiner, Whoopi Goldberg, Bob Newhart, Lily Tomlin, Lorne Michaels, Steve Martin, Neil Simon, and Billy Crystal.

a lot of the men that you would have put in open minded shifted with bush, war, 9/11. people like bruce willis

At the top of my guillotine list.

run before they get you!!!

It was a calculated move. He thought the shift would be a good thing for his already sagging career.

That's one the funniest lines I've heard in years!! Who's your second funniest?
Colin Quinn?

You don't get much funnier than that.

Colin Quinn, Larry the Cabal Guy and Dennis Miller will be appearing together
at the International House of Pancakes on 79th Street in Topeka Kansas with special guest
Andrew Dice Clay.......The first hundred free ticket holders will get a free meal all remaining tickets are free.

He's a hateful, mean-spirited junior member of the right wing hate radio propaganda machine. With an ultra-smarmy twist.

So I guess I can't really comment further.

One of my favs when he was the SNL anchor was when he had a pic of Sununu (Sr) that popped out of a hole, accompanied by Dennis saying (in a falsetto voice), "SUNUNU! SUNUNU!" :rofl:

He drank the Coulter Kool-aid, and has been sad and unfunny ever since...:thumbsdown:

:sarcasm:

Same thing happened with the actor Ron Silver.

I was shocked to see him campaigning for Rudy. Years ago he campaigned for McGovern.

to be (gasp), a Liberal.

I really wasn't that aware of his politics, but he was part of the seventies independent film revolution, so I sort of assumed he was liberal. I understand some people start to move right when they get older, but geez, Giuliani? That's pretty extreme.

"9/11 changed everything" happened to him too???

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jon_Voight

Politics

Jon Voight's politics can be described as conservative.

He appeared on Fox & Friends on Fox News to endorse former NYC Mayor Rudy Giuliani for the 2008 Republican Party nomination. He attended a Giuliani campaign event and said New York City was transformed into a much safer, cleaner and more livable city. He said "God sent an angel, his name was Rudy Giuliani."<9> In another interview in Miami with AventuraUSA.com, Voight said he first met Giuliani "years ago" at a movie premiere in New York City and the main reason for his support was Giuliani's poise in the wake of 9/11. In the interview, Voight revealed he and Democratic hopeful Hillary Clinton "are friends" and he believes Clinton's chief competitor for the Democratic nod, Barack Obama will be the eventual next President.

In March 2008 Voight appeared at a rally aboard the USS Midway in San Diego, California for the kick-off of the Vets for Freedom's "National Heroes Tour."

In an April 11, 2008 interview, on the Glenn Beck show, Voight stated that he is now supporting Republican Senator John McCain for President.<10>

In May 2008 Voight paid a solidarity visit to Israel in honor of its 60th birthday. "I’m coming to salute, encourage and strengthen the people of Israel on this joyous 60th birthday," said Voight. “This week is about highlighting Israel as a moral beacon. At a time when its enemies threaten nuclear destruction, Israel heals."<11> Voight visited Israeli victims of Palestinian rocket attacks in Sderot. Voight said his experiences led him to believe that Israel should not negotiate with Palestinian militants for a truce. "They are barbarians," Voight said, referring to the Gaza militants. "They are relentless, looking to destroy (Israel). If somebody breaks your leg, don't give another. Don't play this game.".<12>

In Jon Voight's early career his politics could not be described as "conservative" since he actively campaigned for Democratic Presidential candidate George McGovern in 1972.

and thought it strange that his politics were only listed as 1972 and 2008.

Lt. Milo Minderbinder in Catch 22. Just took awhile.

were you asleep since 2000? Miller had a big rightwing conversion and is now that curiosity: a self proclaimed intellectual who has lined himself up with global warming deniers, people who think the wmd were moved to syria, religious nut cases who avow young earth idiocy or intelligent design fraud, and free market fundamentalists who, 30 years later and surrounded by the manifest evidence of a theory applied to reality with hideous consequences, still cling to their failed poltiical faith like pathetic old stalinists.

Plus he hasn't been funny in at least a decade. Clue: one failed comeback after another.

He's embarrassing to watch..:eyes:

did SNL, but when the righties gained power he switched his allegiance. He claims it was because Bush made him feel secure after 9-11. I think the truth is that he followed the money. Actually, I believe he lost his HBO show because he stopped being funny with so much Bush ass licking.

Miller has a market and is going to ride it all the way to the bottom like Ted Nugent, because it pays steadily.

Miller is a man without an audience.
Liberals can't stand him and right-wingers can't understand him.

In RW circles he's being rebranded as an intellectual instead of a smartass. Of course, we sort of do the same thing with Al Franken. I am not losing sleep over it.

He crapped himself on 9/11 and hasn't been funny since.

A few years ago, HBO dredged up some reruns of his old show from there. Back in 1995, actor Michael Douglas was his guest, and the topic was "Is Liberalism Dead?". The backdrop featured a picture of a tombstone with that inscription. Douglas was his guest because he is an outspoken liberal.

When he was introduced, Douglas referred to Miller as "my favorite fascist in Hollywood". Which means privately Miller must have been outspoken in his ignorance, because he kept it in check on the show.

I also recall, pre-9-11, his defending Rush Limbaugh. "Give him credit, he speaks his mind" or some similar craphole bullshit.

I always found him to be a smarmy, irritating, smug, pinheaded dildo. Fuck him with an inflatable Dick Armey doll.

:rofl:

Dennis old boy, you weren't funny on 9/10/01 either. Ya snot-eating rightwing boring.... oh nevermind.

:wtf:

And don't give me this BS about 9/11, Miller turned into a rightwing hack well before that ever happened.

he had no choice but to become a right wing radio blowhard.

:wtf:

Miller has been a right-wing hack for 8 years, and to my mind he was NEVER funny on Saturday Night Live.

didn't realize I was being flamed so badly.

Look, I haven't seen or heard Dennis Miller in years. I only caught him in an interview where he was supporting the RW cause. I was sort of confused. I remember his work from years ago and I honestly thought he was funny. I especially liked his (obviously scripted) diatribes where he would pull obscure references into present context. I thought it was pretty creative. I never bought into his pretentiousness...for me, it was just a part of his act.

Okay...flash to present day. Apparently he is an ass hole. And apparently he must have sold out in an attempt to resurrect his failing career.

For those that say I'm an idiot for liking his humor (way back when), so much for tolerance. I guess I better tow the line and say his humor sucked all along...that he was a talentless RW thug from day one.

Sorry, I didn't actually know what a dick he had become. Apparently I wasn't paying attention and didn't see the transformation...hence the reason for the post.

-P

Miller did some creative stuff with Weekend Update and on his HBO shows...and I, for one, never gave a real thought that he had right wing leanings until the Clinton years. First it was, like the others, the Clennis jokes and then it got more personal. In 2000 he claimed "hands off boooosh" and that's where his career started to plummet.

Miller had always been a dick...it's just whose dick. Bill Mahrer surely is a dick but many here love him cause he says things they like. As always taste is subjective. Miller's game had always been to ridicule and berate...fun when you're with him, an insult when you aren't.

In short, yep he sold out...thought he could be the right wing comic guru...filling a void that still is a void. The problem is wingnuts have no sense of humor unless it involves racism, sexism or some kind of exploitation...Miller's rants go over most of their heads. Inversely, as his career has sunk, his rhetoric has gotten more shrill to stay relevent..a move that has him on the edge of palookaville. From big network and cable star to also-ran hate radio spewer. He must be one very angry and frustrated dude.

Cheers...

dunno if he's on WIND, but I've listened a for a few moments, and it's very obvious that Miller stopped being funny when he began losing his good writers on the HBO show

in various unscripted TV appearances, and on his very bad network/syndicated talk shows, he showed himself to be the unfunny, untalented hack that he is. I've seen him live, back when he had good writers, and he can (could, anyway) deliver a rant, I'll give him that. but he's very ignorant of real issues, badly misinformed, and just another variant on the unthinking, kneejerk trog that dominates wingnut radio.

too bad his TV monkey doesn't translate to radio, as that was by far the best thing on his disastrous last TV show.

It's an artform...just like the list of the 50 worst films of all time. I think John Wayne and Genghis Khan still ranks #1...the thing was so bad it took a lot of work to get that way. I kinda feel the same way about Miller's career. He's visibly gone from the "A List" to the dumpers. No doubt the SNL writers and others made him look good...even the monkey had some good material. His humor that was tinged with vile went to vile tinged with less and less humor.

I think he's carried on WIND...my radio develops hives on most of the AM band these days. They used to promote him on the cable system...I think he's on from 10 til noon. He's definitely cut out for hate radio...none of those oxygen thieves have any real communication skills other than shouting talking points...Miller's rants barely fit in here.

The fun is watching how hate radio is flailing right now...ratings and revenues are down and you've got this asshat Pence trying to protect the format with his sham "Fairness Doctrine" crap...it's a bill that makes it difficult for a hate radio station to drop goons like Miller and Rush for almost any reason.

Cheers...

what ever happened to Ron Silver and Rob Schneider also? they used to...

I found him to be not very funny before he turned political.

apparently a really unpleasant, arrogant, egotistical pig. I know someone here who used to be a security guard at the Desert Inn, where Miller performed, who had a lot of contact with the stars that played there. He said most of the stars were fine people, with the most prominent exception being Dennis Miller. He hated Miller. So did everyone else. And this man is a Republican type, generally anti-'liberal' even though he hasn't got much of a clue about politics (he just watches and believes Fox 'News' and those false e-mails that always make the rounds that have a neocon or otherwise spurious spin).

Now Barry Crimmins writes for ....Randy Rhodes.