Archives for April 2023

There was a time, many decades ago, when Whoopi Goldberg was considered a comedian.

Now Goldberg is better known as a would-be censor, looking to stifle the spontaneity and surprise that make genuine humor possible.

When the audience of the show “The View” showed mild amusement Tuesday at a recounting of a joke told by former Vice President Mike Pence, co-host Goldberg had to stop the fun with a sour scolding. She tried to browbeat the audience by saying the joke was not funny, implying it was a dud because Republicans said it.

WATCH: Whoopi Goldberg frustrated after retelling joke Mike Pence made about Buttigieg’s ‘maternity leave.’ Says it’s ‘NOT FUNNY’ as the audience bursts into laughter.

WHOOPI: “This joke wasn’t funny when @TuckerCarlson did it…It’s just NOT funny. It’s just NOT a funny joke!” pic.twitter.com/kN9uToOW1Q

— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) March 14, 2023

“Pence claimed Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg took two months of, quote, ‘maternity leave,’ during the nationwide airline crisis, Which makes Pete the only person in human history to have a child, and everyone else gets postpartum depression,” Goldberg said.

“Now, I will point out, this joke wasn’t funny when Tucker Carlson did it, it wasn’t funny when Lauren Boebert did it, it’s just not funny. It’s just not a funny joke.”

Pence, who is reportedly considering a run for the Republican nomination next year, told the joke Saturday at the annual Gridiron Club Dinner in Washington, a gathering of politicians and Washington media figures where major names are expected to make fun of their rivals — and themselves. (Pence joked about his own rumored presidential ambitions, according to The New York Times.)

The real problem for Goldberg is not that the joke isn’t funny. It was amusing enough that a portion of her audience audibly laughed.

Her problem is that not only is the joke funny enough for a political quip, it lands a direct hit on the negligence of the Biden administration’s secretary of transportation, a former contender for the Democratic presidential nomination who is all but certain to try for the presidency again. Goldberg wanted to shut down the accurate ridicule because it made Democrats look bad.

Before Buttigieg bungled the toxic East Palestine train derailment in February 2023, he shirked his transportation oversight duties during the supply chain crisis in 2021 and airline crisis in 2022.

Buttigieg quietly took two months of paid paternity leave in 2021 when the economy was being crippled by transportation problems.

Admittedly, Pence toyed with the timeline to earn his punchline, as the airlines melted down long after the transportation secretary’s paternity leave. Still, the point was well taken: In difficult times, Buttigieg is AWOL.

Naturally, President Joe Biden’s White House attacked Pence for being “homophobic,” and demanded an apology. The demand specifically referred to Pence’s reference to “postpartum depression” — a physical affliction that affects some women who have given birth. But it likely was spurred at least as much by Pence using the term “maternity leave” — the feminine version of “paternity leave.”

The coven of “The View” take themselves too seriously in general.

What they did not take seriously enough was when a well-known progressive icon called for the murder of pro-life supporters on their program.

On Friday, veteran actress and liberal activist Jane Fonda appeared on “The View” and openly discussed killing as a form of protest for the overturning of Roe v. Wade.

“I’ve thought of murder,” Hanoi Jane said, and clarified by repeating the word again: “Murder.”

Fonda’s threat has been referred to the Capitol Police by Republican Rep. Anna Paulina Luna of Florida.

The panel laughed at the time. “The View” co-host Joy Behar tried to give Fonda cover. “She’s just kidding,” Behar said.

Apparently, the murder of fellow citizens is “The View’s” idea of acceptable humor.

But a richly deserved jab at Pete Buttigieg isn’t?

Funny how that works.

Truth and Accuracy

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RELATED VIDEO: Washington family reunited with stolen dog

Koji was inside a car that was stolen out of a Tacoma Target parking lot. Soon after, he was returned to his family.

WOODINVILLE, Wash. – A funny-faced Husky named Harvey — who some people called “ugly” — was adopted last month by a Washington family who drove 2,600 miles roundtrip over six days to pick him up.

Harvey the husky has been adopted after the San Diego Department of Animal Services shared a post on Facebook. (Joy Ollinger)

When he arrived “thin and dirty” and with a “facial deformity” at the San Diego Department of Animal Services shelter in Carlsbad, California, last September, Harvey was named after the DC Comics character Harvey Dent or “Two Face” – one of Batman’s arch nemeses. 

“He has a crooked smile,” Joy Ollinger, 44, a lieutenant with the San Diego Department of Animal Services, told Fox News Digital.

“Our vets examined him and they think his facial deformity is possibly from being bitten when he was a very young puppy. He doesn’t know any different and it doesn’t bother him.”

It did however seem to bother potential adopters, Ollinger said.

“People would walk by him and just not even give him a second look,” Ollinger told Fox News Digital.

Harvey the husky has been adopted after the San Diego Department of Animal Services shared a post on Facebook. (Joy Ollinger)

“I actually heard people saying he was ugly because of his facial deformity. And then the whole time he was there, no one requested to take him out for an interaction or possible adoption. Not once in the whole time.”

The shelter houses about 110 dogs at a time, Ollinger said.

“People would walk by him and just not even give him a second look.”

“We get so many people walking through, and it just made us sad because we love Harvey,” Ollinger said. “We saw how much he had to offer.”

Ollinger began bringing Harvey, who she estimated to be almost two years old, into her office to get to know him better.

“He’s very sweet and he’s quiet and he’s smart,” Ollinger said. “He seeks attention and he would lay by my feet. He was always very interested in everything I was doing. When I was typing, he would get his front paw up and look at the keyboard.”

Ollinger created a Facebook post describing Harvey’s personality and why someone should give him a chance.

“Harvey is a quiet and mellow husky who gets along with other dogs and loves treats,” she wrote in the post.

“Harvey has a facial deformity that doesn’t bother him but gives him a crooked smile. I think it makes him even more endearing.”

Sherry Lankston, 41, of Woodinville, Washington, was immediately smitten — and responded to the post from more than 1,000 miles away.

“I wasn’t actively looking for a new fur baby, but this guy’s sweet face has me swooning,” she commented on the post.

Sherry Lankston (front) and her two children, Harrison (back left) and Fionnlagh (back right) drove over 2,600 miles in total to retrieve their new pup. (Sherry Lankston)

“The first time I saw Harvey’s goofy smile, I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, that’s the cutest dog ever,” Lankston told Fox News Digital.

“I joked with my husband that I had found our second dog. We’d been talking about getting a second dog for a while. River, our first dog, loves other dogs and needs a friend. So we’re talking about it, but nothing ever really clicked.”

After more consideration, Lankston said she knew Harvey was the one.

“I saw his goofiness and I thought ‘I found our dog,’” Lankston said. “He was so wonky and adorable.”

“The first time I saw Harvey’s goofy smile, I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, that’s the cutest dog ever,” Lankston told Fox News Digital. (Joy Ollinger)

Within three days, Lankston had packed up her kids – Harrison, 7, and Fionnlagh, 4, – and headed to Carlsbad. The drive there took more than 20 hours.

“So [Lankston] reached out to me one evening, packed her car the next day and then was off the following day,” Ollinger said. 

“And then it took her, I think, three days to drive down,” Ollinger added.

When the Lankstons were first introduced to Harvey, it was love at first sight, Ollinger said.

“It was so cute,” Ollinger said. “He immediately took to her and her kids. Sherry brought her dog, River, all the way down too. Harvey and River just hit it off as well.” 

Lieutenant Ollinger (far left) was present to pass Harvey along to his new family, Lankston (middle) and her son Harrison (far right). (Joy Ollinger)

Harvey was shy and reserved at first, Lankston said.

“He passed the first test — or we passed the first test, I guess,” Lankston laughed. “The next one was bringing in our dog River. She’s a shelter dog as well and so, she’s got baggage, but honestly they did great. They did a couple sniffs here and there, and then she’s like, ‘OK cool.’”

Then Sherry’s husband, Robert, flew down the following day to meet Harvey — and suddenly Harvey had met the whole family. 

The Lankston’s have another dog, River, and the two “just hit it off,” Lankston shared. (Sherry Lankston)

“Harvey just walked up to her husband and leaned against his legs,” Ollinger said. “It was precious.” 

The next morning, the Lankstons picked up Harvey and began the long road trip home. Ollinger said watching Harvey drive away was bittersweet.

“I would’ve been sad, but Sherry [Lankston] and I have become friends and we’ve been texting each other pretty much every day,” Ollinger said.

“It’s been great,” Ollinger added. “She sends me photos and videos of Harvey all the time.”

Lankston said that on the drive home, she learned more about how Harvey was rescued when a woman who had been monitoring Ollinger’s Facebook post reached out to her.

“It took River a day or two to really kind of settle in and realize that he’s not just visiting. He is here forever,” Lankston remarked. (Sherry Lankston)

“She explained that they were riding ATVs in the desert when they spotted Harvey and two female dogs under a bush,” Lankston said.

“We were able to get him to follow us with the two girls for miles back to our car,” the woman wrote to Lankston. 

“He saved the other two girl Huskies’ lives. The girls were very afraid of ATVs, but he helped them and wouldn’t leave them behind. We had no leashes or anything, and [were] in the middle of nowhere and he helped them so much. He’s the only reason they were alive.”

The group took them back to their camp, Lankston said, and fed them chicken hamburger patties and strawberries.

“It took River a day or two to really kind of settle in and realize that he’s not just visiting. He is here forever,” Lankston remarked. (Sherry Lankston)

“I think they were pretty happy with their first meal,” the woman, who asked to remain anonymous, wrote to Lankston.

Since he’s been home, Lankston said Harvey is thriving.

“Having him here is great,” Lankston said. “He’s playing with the kids, he’s playing with us. It took River a day or two to really kind of settle in and realize that he’s not just visiting. He is here forever.”

Harrison is pictured with Harvey, who is slowly starting to settle into his new home and embrace his husky personality. (Sherry Lankston)

Harvey is gradually meeting the other members of the Lankston family: four cats named Angel, Nimitz, Mak and Momo and a snail named Gary who will be released when spring arrives in Washington, Lankston said.

Ollinger said she hopes Harvey’s story will encourage people not to judge a dog by its flaws.

Harvey the husky has found his forever home over 1,000 miles away with the Lankston family. (Joy Ollinger)

“Give them a chance. It’s easy to fall in love with the cutest puppy or the cutest kitten, but they all need homes, so just give them all a shot,” Ollinger said.

Saturday Night Live’s Michael Che celebrated April Fool’s Day by pulling a prank on his “Weekend Update” co-host Colin Jost during the live segment.

It was seemingly business as usual for Jost and Che on the NBC late-night show with both anchors mocking the news of the week. However, there was one thing that was missing while Jost delivered his Donald Trump zingers — the laughs.

Every time Jost said the punchline of his jokes, the laughs from the audience were tepid. In contrast, when it was Che’s turn at making quips, the crowd was overly enthusiastic with roaring laughter.

Jost then took another turn at cracking more jokes and Che came clean telling his co-host, “I told them not to laugh at you for April Fool’s.”

When everything was all out in the open, Jost covered his face with his hands in disbelief that he had been pranked by Che.

“Am I not miked?” Jost said he was asking himself. “And then I was like, ‘Oh, I just suck.’”

Jost couldn’t contain his laughter as Che tried to move the show along cracking a joke about Marjorie Taylor Greene. Jost still hadn’t recovered from the prank and was heard saying to Che, “God, you’re evil.”

Che finished his joke and Jost continued to laugh after falling victim to the April Fool’s prank adding, “That’s the meanest thing you’ve ever done to me. I’m covered in sweat.”

Jost received support from the audience but he yelled back at them, “Don’t you even dare.” Following the prank it was difficult for Jost to get back into the wisecracking mood as he quipped throughout.

Watch “Weekend Update” in the video below.

Happy April Fool’s Day from Weekend Update pic.twitter.com/hhgIPAyYe4

— Saturday Night Live –