Once upon a time the wives of the president were immune from the slings and arrows of national comedians.
These women didn’t choose to run for office. Nor did they invite the scrutiny their husbands brought on with their career choices. So comedians wisely held their fire.
Today, first ladies are fair game for mockery. Or should we say first lady-elects?
Over the weekend, supermodel Gigi Hadid let loose on future first lady Melania Trump during the American Music Awards. What are they? That’s a good question, but it’s not the point.
Hadid co-hosted the event, which meant the show’s producers tasked her with being funny on occasion.
Bad move.
Need proof? Here’s her routine making fun of Melania Trump:
“This is my Melania Trump impression. I have to get the face right,” the Victoria’s Secret model told the crowd before making a duck face. “I love my husband President Barack Obama and our children, Sasha and Malia,” she said, imitating a thick Eastern European accent and reminding viewers of the plagiarism scandal.
US Weekly reported that some on social media called out the bit, claiming it was both inappropriate and racist. That’s half right. Let’s not rush to call Hadid’s impression racist. That’s what Social Justice Warriors do way too quickly, often with much less proof.
It’s far more accurate to say our culture’s knack for protecting first ladies should be reinstated. That includes wannabe comediennes who clearly don’t know their way around a punch line. Comics haven’t spent the last eight years mocking Michelle Obama.
That’s a very good thing.
Of course, you can’t completely blame Hadid for her awful impression and its consequences. The crowd yukked it up at the AMAs Sunday night. She won’t face much blowback from her peers or the media.
And Hadid isn’t the only one torching Trump’s bride. In recent weeks, “Saturday Night Live” mocked Melania Trump through a running gag called “Melania Moments.”
The sketch’s takeaway? A woman who speaks five languages is a moron. Wonder how many SNL cast members speak more than two?
“The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” also hired Tony winner Laura Benanti to make fun of Melania Trump on the CBS program. That backfired when the actress came on for an election night program hoping to cheer on Hillary Clinton’s victory.
The actress wasn’t happy when Trump emerged victorious.
Hadid’s routine and the other comedic moments are simply more liberal hypocrisy in action. Get used to it. It’ll soon get a whole lot worse.
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