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AgeismKnee-Slapper or Low Blow?Posted by: Anti-Ageism Task ForceThursday, February 21, 2007—Last night, David Letterman delivered a series of one-liners about John McCain, asking the audience questions like, "Doesn't he look like the old guy at the barber shop?" and "Doesn't he kind of look like a Walmart greeter?" Before Mitt Romney dropped out of the race, Letterman had been regularly making him the butt of his jokes ("Mitt looks like the guy who has a crease in his jeans...") but his takes on McCain all seem to center around his age. We'd love to hear your thoughts on whether you see Letterman's jokes as humor or ageism. Watch the video, then click on "Add Comment", below. Back
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Ageism
By Unknown on Feb 26 2008 at 11:12 PM
The media did it again, they managed to encourage prejudice against aging through humor. Unless people become more offended by this, it will not stop - what are you going to do about it? Ageism is not a laughing matter.
Very bad and demeaning.
By Unknown on Feb 28 2008 at 5:54 PM
Definitely a low blow. It seems that the awareness about ageist remarks is not very high. Think if he were saying comments like that about a black candidate. ...he would be crucified....but these get by. Very bad and demeaning.
Letterman's age bias
By Unknown on Mar 01 2008 at 9:57 PM
Only fat people and old people can still be insulted by the media.
McCain should keep talking about his vigorous 95 year old mother.
Peg Cruikshank
Maine
ageism
By Unknown on Mar 06 2008 at 4:35 PM
Yes this is ageism and it is NOT funny. If Don Imus had called a basketball team of retired white males a \"bunch of balding geezers\", nothing would have happened. But a racial slur and you are crucified. I find the word \"geezer\" as offensive as calling a Hispanic a \"greaser\". But I see these ageist terms in print all the time. When are you going to do something about it? And please dont use words like \"elderly\" and \"aging\" either. One sounds like a frail, impaired person and the other sounds like molding cheese. \"Senior Citizen\" isnt much better. \"Older Adults\" or \"Retired people\" or \"Mature adults\" is much better. Instead of \"as we age\" why not use \"over the course of our lifetime\" or \"over time\". Words paint a pictue and in our society it seems like all the referrals to older people are negative. I wonder if Tina Turner would be considered an \"elderly lady\" HA! Also the greeting card companies that create insulting \"over the hill\" cards should be sued, just as if they made insulting cards against race.
knee slapper
By Unknown on Mar 14 2008 at 2:03 PM
Letterman should be careful, He is not far from being an old fart himself.