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Sunday, May 08, 2005Huey Rides Again!Public Enemy Number Two by Aaron McGruder I'm given to understand that a lot of people, particularly from my side of the ideological spectrum, don't like The Boondocks. I don't fully understand this. The Boondocks does from time to time push the outer limits of good taste. And there are certain sensibilities it fails to respect. But the strip is self-aware. McGruder at his most outrageous seems to recognize that a lot of readers are going to respond with a disgusted "Whatever!" The problem with hating The Boondocks, though, is that it's so darn funny. Maybe they'll have to yank my right-wing credentials, but thumbing through the latest I just couldn't help laughing out loud. My personal favorite goes something like this: Huey: Last night I dreamed I got control of all the television network signals and told the American people the ugly truth about the lies, deceit and evil actions of their government. Caesar: Wow, what happened? Huey: An angry mob chased me down and pummeled me for interrupting Survivor. [Not a transcription] Sure, it's the voice of McGruder, still dismayed that we won't come to his point of view. But it's so true it's hilarious. Any good cartoonist on the right could have offered us the same thing at the height of the Lewinsky cover-up. The American people get outraged about many things, but none moreso than being spurred to outrage when they're trying to get away from it all and be entertained. Equally hilarious were the meditations on what a couple Black kids were doing trying to defend three white Southern women - the Dixie Chicks. And you've gotta love Caesar's impassioned defenses of Kobe. And the conservative granddad's efforts to explain - or avoid explaining - the topic of gay marriage. Still, as a right-winger I have to admit my favorite bits of The Boondocks are those targeted at the race establishment, notably BET and Jesse Jackson. Not to mention the send-ups on the Democratic party's response to Al Sharpton's candidacy. Particularly delicious is the strip's black liberal DNC foot soldier Tom kidnapping Ralph Nader so the Dems will have a chance in '04. The Boondocks has plenty to offend, then, but also plenty to amuse. If you take yourself too seriously, you're not going to like it whether you're on the Right or on the Left. But if you're a bit bothered by the hypocrisies of both and are willing to check your own hypocrisies at the door for a few hours, McGruder offers a delightful skewering of sacred cows on all sides that is fresh, brash, vicious and just plain fun. 
posted by gbarto at 11:24 PM |
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