What The Hell Happened To Dennis Miller?

What The Hell Happened To Dennis Miller?
By Mark Morford - morningfix@sfgate.com

Dennis Miller has usually been happy to spray his acerbic wit across the political spectrum, but things will be different on his new CNBC talk show. BushCo is in a mock-free zone. "I like him," Miller explained. "I'm going to give him a pass. I take care of my friends." Miller is a familiar figure from his years on "Saturday Night Live," HBO and "Monday Night Football," but he will be in a different role on his daily show -- that of a total suckwad right-wing prickmonkey who's just a sad and miserable and crusty shade of his former self. This is the Miller who has appeared at fund-raisers for Bush, ridden with the president on Air Force One, sat in the gallery at last week's State of the Union speech and was even talked about as a Republican senatorial candidate in California. This is the Miller everyone used to think of as cool and articulate and hilariously hyperintelligent and able to dissect relatively complicated issues with deliriously inspiring rants that were able to sub-reference Nietzsche and Bela Lugosi and chaos theory usually all in one sentence. What a pathetic and moribund loss. What a sad blow to articulate thinking. What bilious and dank forces of right-wing fearmongering and neurosis and tax-break bullshit must've attached themselves like rabid leeches to Miller's seething soul to suck him so far over to the Dark Side. Dennis Miller, the new RushHannityStern of the Right. How sad. As if you needed another reason to ignore CNBC.

When I first read of Miller's seeming "defection" to the Dark Side, I was really puzzled, too. Then I read his explanation which is essentially that he's politically conservative and socially liberal and I (kind of) understood.

Miller is unique--a very bright and sometimes hugely witty man. It would be shame to "lose" him as a commentator/comedian ('cause let's face it, Republicans are not funny, they are scary) but I don't think this is the case.

Miller is quite happy to put it in perspective:

"I don't have credibility, I'm a comedian," he said. "I'm not Ed Murrow up on the roof in a London fog reporting on the blitz."

As a viewer, Miller believes one of the titans of objective network news -- ABC anchorman Peter Jennings -- couldn't appear more liberal.

"At least I come out upfront and tell people about my politics," Miller said. "He sits there and displays it through subtle poker (expressions) all year long -- the raised eyebrows, the arch tone of the voice. We get it that he's liberal. We get it that he doesn't like Bush. Just come out and say it!"

Dennis Miller, AP interview

Comments

[Cyn]

I totally used to dig Dennis Miller but as he's aged he's lost a lot of his sense of humour.
--Cyn
Thanks all for commenting. I don't know how I'd missed you prior to now! :)

[Erik Stehlar]

I'm really sad that Dennis Miller has become what he is today. His rants used to {and still} inspire me greatly. I love his brand of comedy and how he really {used to?} push the envelope. He was a one of a kind. Now he's just a sad man who does nothing but stand behind Bush. I approve of Bush {more or less...} but you can only go so far. I wish we could have the old Dennis back. We need his special brand of wit more than ever in this increasingly dull and bureaucratic world.

[greg]

I keep wondering when he is going to break in to a smile laugh and admit this has all been a ruse....could be his best gag yet...unfortunately this is probably not the case...sold to the highest bidder; the sarcastic hog in pen 13

[Colby]

The terrorist's plan has worked; to scare otherwise intelligent people like Dennis Miller into accepting republican values of instilling fear and suspending civil liberties in an attempt to prevent further terrorism. His admittance to supporting Bush no matter what is proof that 9/11 destroyed the reasonable part of his brain. It's not only too bad his show doesn't reflect both sides of the issues, it's scary to see a changed, damaged America reflected in a guy who used to make us all think and laugh, and think again. He now just makes me shudder.

[Mike]

I don't think anyone should be overly surprised about him "turning". If you listen to his rant on "Rebels", you'll hear him say something like, "...if HBO wants to open every show with 'It's Raining Men', then you better break out the hip-waders." He's catering to his employers so he can keep on receiving his fat (phat?) weekly cheque. Not to say that he isn't fundamentally conservative in nature, but he had to keep that in check while on HBO. Now that he's in O'Reilly/Hannity-Land, he can play a little looser and, like the rest of the Right, ignore the facts and rant on with his unique brand of (now less funny) catch-phrases to convince the already-convinced.