July 29, 2003
bob hope
Sad to see him go. I accept that he was a master of the comic monologue and the topical wisecrack--a drug store wit with roots in vaudeville.
But I had no warmth for his peculiarly American persona of the streetcorner smart arse.
I never really liked his work as a comedian. I detested sarcasm of the oneline wisecracks. I did respect his many tours of duty for US troops. And he did good work for charity.
I can acknowledge that he was very influential re the development of American comedy.
But I recoil from American comedy, eg. Seinfield or early Woody Allen. It leaves me cold. And I loathed the road movies. And as for Drew Carey and Steve Martin, juk.
Its a cultural thing I guess.
Of course, some would call it anti-American. Yeah. He was a Vietnam hawk who backed Richard M. Nixon and taunted protesters.