Nov 13: Notes Towards a Joke on Obamacare

Notes toward a joke on Obamacare

Need to come up with something soon before people start thinking I’m not capable of being ‘current.’ One hold up, I don’t really know which side I’m on. Do I love Obamacare? Do I hate it? Do I like it as a friend? Did Obamacare and I hook up at a party and now it’s awkward because I do kind of like Obamacare but I’m not sure there’s long term potential? And aren’t I getting a little too old to just fool around if there’s no chance things might get serious?  I guess that depends, like, is Obamacare a sexy 22 year old who just wants to have fun without strings? Because then there’d be no harm in hanging out with Obamacare a couple more times, right?

Need to figure out an audience for the joke. An attack will appeal to Republicans, support will appeal to Democrats. Is there a way to come up with something both camps will like? Maybe split the difference, like, ‘Experts are now saying Healthcare.Gov is the leading cause of boredom in people waiting for the weather report on the local news.’ Just sort of acknowledge that the whole thing is exhausting? Runs the risk of turning off women who like politically committed men…could, however, charm a local weather girl. Remember to check if there are any attractive local weather girls. Is that okay to say? Weather women? Meteorologettes?

Now I can’t shake the image of Obamacare as a sexy 22 year old woman. It feels like she’d be well intentioned but have unrealistic expectations.

One benefit of appealing to the tea party crowd is that those people will put anything on a t-shirt or placard, so there might be some profit potential there. Maybe ‘Healthcare.sux,’ or ‘If Obamacared, he’d have made sure the site worked.’ Possible drawback, they’d definitely try to lowball me on the licensing for the shirts.

Never a bad idea to go after a younger audience…so then it would have to be kind of edgy…something that mentioned drinking, or maybe something misogynistic, but snarky. Misogynistic with a wink, but also glorifying drunkenness. But not in a frat boy way, more of a ‘I really care about voting but I still know my way around a keg,’ thing. ‘I’m proud of my pink ribbon, is it cool if I take off my pants?’ ‘Caring so much about these social issues is wearing me down, thank god for artisanal ale.’ Like that. Maybe mention herpes? Got to do a little research, find out if herpes is still the in STD. I’m so old and out of it, it probably isn’t. There’s probably some cool new STD that I’ve never heard of. And of course by the time I get it the next thing will have come along.

Something highbrow? Get at that New Yorker crowd…what kind of joke would appeal to people who have enough money they don’t need Obamacare but still feel compelled to care about the issue…thinking about those cartoons now…maybe an upscale couple out for drinks, everything very fancy, and the man looks real bemused and he’s saying…what, he’s saying…I don’t know. But the upscale couple out for drinks part feels solid.

‘Healthcare.Gov designers hope to boost site traffic by adding feature that allows users to send unsolicited dick pics.’ That might be less of a joke and more a valid suggestion.