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Dec
16
I honestly can’t see how anything that Kevin DeWine is reported to have said on the occasion of his and Chris Redfern’s end of service in the Ohio statehouse is funny. I know some people think I have no sense of humor, but I gotta say, I’d rather have no sense of humor than be someone who laughs at what DeWine apparently thought was humorous:
“Just the fact that you’re leaving is what’s so rewarding and exciting for many of us,” DeWine told Redfern in this the final week in the Ohio House for both lawmakers, who are term limited.
Okay – yeah, smirky smile. Not particularly funny, but smug.
DeWine started off promising to keep his remarks short. “The only thing you like more than other people talking about you is the opportunity for you to talk about yourself directly,” he said, drawing laughs from the room.
Eh. Weak, really weak. When people tell me I’m longwinded, does anyone laugh? But when Joe Biden gives a one word answer when people expect him to go on and on, that’s very funny.
DeWine went on to poke at Redfern’s boyish looks and style, noting he doesn’t have to shave everyday, doesn’t wear “big-boy socks,” and resembles “a cartoon character my boys watch on a regular basis (Jimmy Neutron).”
Run of the mill school-yard taunt that is more or less accurate as far as caricatures go.
He called Redfern cocky, arrogant and smarmy. “And those are just the things your caucus told me.” On the rumors that Redfern might take another government job: “Chris will never take another job where he has to fill out an ethics statement.”
I can’t find anything funny in that.
Redfern, of Catawba Island along Lake Erie, also served as House minority leader until he took over as party chairman about three years ago. This year, with Rep. Joyce Beatty, D-Columbus, serving as leader, Democrats regained control of the House for the first time in 14 years. “It was Joyce Beatty who was able to accomplish what you were unable to do,” DeWine said with a smile.
That’s funny?
Yeah you know, I think DeWine is just incredibly bitter. I’ve never met him and I suppose lots of people love and support him – maybe he is really a nice person. But this ribbing sounds an awful lot like spite to me.
And if that’s what passes for humor in our statehouse, I can see why they meet so rarely with one another.
I was just leaving a comment about film’s greatest villains at historymike and was saying how, when people are mean just to be mean, that to me is the utmost torture and villainry. This “humor” of DeWine’s sounds much more like mean to be mean than anything else.
By Jill Miller Zimon at 9:30 pm December 16th, 2008 in Ohio, Politics, Statehouse
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12 Responses to “Someone is laughing at Kevin DeWine’s farewell to Chris Redfern, right?”
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I’ll wait for the video to be updated on Ohio Channel then watch, sometimes things seem funnier when you actually hear them.
It almost sounds like a roast type environment which depending on what was said by the others could either be in line or way out of line.
I’m wondering though why the Dispatch decided to include the cartoon character next to Redfern…
Being here from NWO, I have heard Redfern described using some of those words, from Democrats…
All reasonable and easily something I agree with. Waiting to watch is a good idea, this post obviously reflects my reaction moments after reading the blog entry about it – I’m the kind of person who is most likely never going to think that calling someone arrogant, smarmy and cocky is funny. Truth and funny aren’t the same.
I hear you, I was supposed to roast someone, I sucked at it because I was nice and I couldn’t say bad things about them like I was supposed to, even in jest.
Lol – yeah – I confess that I might be totally deficient in this respect – but even so, I don’t know – DeWine’s comments, maybe because they ARE true aren’t funny?? lol I think roasts are supposed to be extreme exaggerations or something – I watched the Obama roast of Rahm Emanuel three years ago I think it was – it was HARSH I thought, but very extreme and therefore some of it, though I didn’t think all of it, was pretty edgy funny.
But yeah – I don’t think I would even ATTEMPT it! NO ONE would laugh lol.
It’s hard to judge without watching it, then? We’ll know more but I can tell you one thing, doing a roast really really badly makes sure no one ever asks you again.
Perhaps if that was his intent, DeWine will learn that lesson, I did.
Ok – this is making me laugh OUT LOUD for REAL still – now I’m coughing from laughing lol -
“doing a roast really really badly makes sure no one ever asks you again.”
I can just imagine!!! lol that’s good
Yeah, Jill, I recall the word “asshat” being thrown — by you — at someone I know…right here on this very blog too…for the crime of having a thought and writing about it. Yep…you have not a mean bone in your body…
Give me a break…
Matt – two things:
1. Link to it.
2. Are you saying that you don’t know the difference between speaking an opinion, speaking truth and being funny? Wow.
Are you saying that you don’t know the difference between speaking an opinion, speaking truth and being funny? Wow.
Matt sounds like a disgruntled Republican who is mad at… Well, there is the problem with Republicans these days. It seems to me that they allowed their party to move so far to the right that they lost America in the move.
As a consequence, they have lost big time all across the nation. Republicans need to direct their anger inward and begin to cleanse their party. Colin Powell has made important suggestions in the past few weeks that ought to be heeded.
Jill:
I think there is a bit of a tradition at the Statehouse about farewells: They are supposed to be not entirely somber and serious. The departing politicos can crack wise. It always doesn’t work. Somebody, I can’t remember who right now, gave a really stinko farewell in 2006 I think. It was supposed to be funny but bombed. Does anybody remember who it was. I think it was a GOPer.
The video is up now Jill, there was quite a bit of laughter during it, I’d recommend heading over to the Ohio Channel when you get a chance. DeWine also said some nice things about Redfern as well, it was not all slams as the article suggests.
Ha for some reason, the two clips from yesterday won’t play! I can see the live stuff going on now – good wishes to Armond Budish, but there’s just a blank when I try to bring up 12/16. lol I’ll try later. Thanks for the heads up.