Wanda, Wanda Bow Banda, Banana Fana Foe Fanda
Tuesday, May 12, 2009 at 12:35PM 
President Obama smiled at the time, but the White House declared Monday there was nothing funny about comic Wanda Sykes joking about 9/11.
Sykes skewered Rush Limbaugh at the White House Correspondents' Dinner Saturday - likening the conservative talk show king to Osama bin Laden.
"I think there are a lot of topics that are better left for serious reflection rather than comedy," White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said Monday. "I think there's no doubt that 9/11 is part of that."
Sykes began her riff by branding as "treason" Limbaugh's oft-repeated hope that Obama "fails."
it has since been revealed, Bert was the 20th hijacker"He's not saying anything differently than what Osama bin Laden is saying," she said. "I think maybe Rush Limbaugh was the 20th hijacker. But he was just so strung out on OxyContin he missed his flight."
That brought groans and guffaws from the crowd while Obama smiled nervously and took a sip from his glass.
Limbaugh ignored Sykes Monday on his radio show, and she also kept mum.
But earlier,Sykes took offense that she was warned "not to say the F-word or the N-word" before her bit. "They really think I was going to say that to the President?" she told Extra.
I am not going to go too crazy about this. This story is going to be covered every way possible. People are up in arms about her comments and rightfully so. 9/11 should be off limits when performing stand-up. Reporters are going to cover this point to no end.
All of the reporters are really missing the bigger picture here: It is WANDA SYKES we are talking about!
I am assuming the White House Correspondents Dinner is a pretty big deal. I watched a little of it and famous people were decked out in tuxedo’s.
You gotta be kidding me, WANDA SYKES?
So you are telling me the best they could do was WANDA SYKES?
Seriously, Barack Obama should fire who ever was in charge of hiring people for this event.
President Obama may be the most celebrated Leader of our time, and you are telling me that they best they could do is Wanda Sykes? She’s really not that funny, she is almost annoyingly unfunny.
The first sentence of this report states: President Obama smiled at the time, but the White House declared Monday there was nothing funny about comic Wanda Sykes joking about 9/11.
They could have satisfied the masses if they ended the sentence after her name: President Obama smiled at the time, but the White House declared Monday there was nothing funny about comic Wanda Sykes. Done and done! Let’s move on!
She is pretty good in situational comedy. She is always awesome on Curb Your Enthusiasm. I have nothing against her. I actually hope she continues to be successful and make a ton of money in the process. I just do not find her funny.
I understand she is black, which was probably one of the criteria for hiring her (considering the President is black), but you are telling me that Chris Rock wasn’t available? I would have even preferred that fat, unfunny guy from Saturday Night Live: Kennan Thompson a.k.a. the guy who ruined Fat Albert for everyone.
(I know a year or two back SNL revamped their cast and got rid of a few cast and crew members, so how did this guy make the cut? Has Kennan done one thing that has made a single person even cracked a smile? That is a conversation for another time. I can’t believe I would even think this about SNL, but I pine for the days of Horatio Sands, that is how pathetic that show has become.)
I can imagine President Obama entering the room, and looking down at the speakers list. He has faith in the people that he surrounded himself with and he should. While looking down at the list, he had to do a double take. Reading the list, searching the list, re-reading the list, he probably thought to himself “Wanda Sykes? Really? Is Chris Rock out of the country? We couldn’t get Bill Cosby? Jamie Foxx? Tracy Morgan? Martin Lawrence? Robert Townsend? Kid n’ Play? Anyone else?
I mean, the list is endless. Wanda Sykes most likely wouldn’t be in President Obama’s top 300 comedians.
He probably frowned on the inside and thought that his people wouldn’t let him down. This is the conversation President Obama most likely had with himself as he sat down at the table: Wanda has to say something funny eventually, right? Well let’s hope that day is today, or at least let’s hope that she’ll refrain from making headlines and saying something totally stupid and offensive.
Oops…
Reader Comments (10)
You obviously never seen her play the APPLE on the Applebee commercials. She is funny and nails the role right out of the park.
Chris Tucker was there...
...Would you have rather heard his high pitched sequels instead of her social commentary? At least he picked one of the top ranking Def Comedy Jam style comics.
I really don't find Chris Tucker all that funny either. He is the PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES. He should only have 'A' List Talent commentating here. I am sorry, Wanda Sykes and Chris Tucker are not 'A' List talent.
no controversy with me, I will be dreaming about doing sometin...somethin to Wanda, on the back steps of the 29th floor of Liberty Place I.
That polyester blue tux in the pic captured above should really make this folly interesting in my sleepy endeavors!
Damn I am getting horny, see ya later...
Very well said. I guess we should all be thankful Redd Foxx isn't around.
I do not like her. I do NOT think she is in the least bit funny. Her voice alone sends nails stabbing into my brain. Anyone would have been better than her. Anyone.
UGH what a topic. She is so unfunny that she annoys deaf people. lets hope they don’t send her to entertain the troops or we will lose alot of good men. I know Walt doesn’t not like the sound of losing alot of good men.. Hi OHHHH...
I can't even blame Obamas people here. They are in charge of setting uo so many things for our president I am sure none of them have ever seen a comedian let alone know who she was. She is popular with the community and they figure ahhh what the hell. Keenan Thompson is just as unfunny and so is Heratio Sands. I would like to have that comment removed from this article. Wanda Sykes is ok in the sitcoms she is in but I am sure they could have found 100 people with less talent to fill her role on those shows.
Chris Rock maybe over the top for that setting so why not go with someone simple like Cedric the Entertainer or Tracey Morgan.. I would have even preferred they went with HAMBURGER.... or Old School Bill Bellamy
Wanda Sykes you are a true disappointment and good luck in next years annoying bracket.
I agree that Wanda was probably not the prime candidate for this type of party. And you're right, she was probably picked because of her skin color but what irks me is the way the President reacted. He laughed. Played along with the crass behavior.
She shouldn't have talked about 911 and she shouldn't have wished for someone's kidneys to fail.
He's the President of the United States, the highest position in the land. Shouldn't he just acknowledge the comment (without fake laughter) and move on?
Tremendous post! I completely agree that her tasteless act has no place at a presidential function. Steve Kelley, political cartoonist for the New Orleans Times Picayune had a great cartoon May 12 that addressed the issue of Wanda Sykes' sense-of-humor (or lack thereof). The URL for the cartoon is: http://blog.nola.com/stevekelley/2009/05/12_may_2009.html
Ha! I love that cartoon! Perfect! Thanks Fat Lester!