European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - May 1, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Politicians stand up for laugh by Jennifer senior the new York times vice president is expected to say Many i things during his Public life. A a Buttafuoco is not one of them. Yet there was Ai. J a Gore uttering this word on National Tele vision As if on a schoolyard dare. Wearing safety goggles Gore smashed a government ashtray to Smithereens with a Large Mallet then he ticked off a top 10 list of reasons Why being vice president was so fabulous. No. 1 a secret service code name  for Daniel Kellison the producer who booked Gore for the show the moment was a a the crowning achievement of my  / for Gore the appearance on late show with. David Letterman last fall was More than simply a matter of promoting the Nat Norfal performance review his blueprint for streamlining the government in an alternative forum of of trying to recast his image in 60 seconds from that of robot to Cut up. That night the vice president became the most visible example of a bewildering trend in american politics when he volunteered to play a figure of fun even of the absurd in Pursuit of popularity. In years past there were notable occasions when political figures chose humorous settings to portray themselves As Good sports. Seeking the presidency in 1968, Richard Nixon appeared on Rowan and Martins Laigh in and said a sock it to me a / Nixon earlier cracked jokes on Jack Paar a show As did John and Robert Kennedy. And when he was still the governor of Arkansas Bill Clinton appeared on the tonight show enduring Johnny Carson s ribbing for his Long winded speech at the 1988 democratic National convention 6 but until recently a politicians trips to the comedy stage were rare. Now they Are Brazen and fre Quant. Extra Points go to those who can mock themselves or show ironic detachment. And kudos galore to those who can demonstrate outright weirdness. A the humor part of the political appearance is no longer incidental a said Mark Russell the musical comedian and satirist a it s become part of the main a  ,v.-. A mayor Rudolph Giuliani of new York appeared on the Letterman show after his inauguration making cracks about his hair and his unruly son. Sens. Alan Simpson of Wyoming and Orrin Hatch of Utah appeared on Murphy drown complaining that they once saw Murphy push Over a nun on the same show sen. Bob Dole of Kansas accused her of stealing his sherbet. Dole also went on the tonight show last summer toting Cue cards with Clinton jokes and he told Conan of Brien recently How he would redecorate the White House. Five senators a Simpson Paul Simon of Illinois Christopher Dodd of Connecticut Howard Metzenbaum of Ohio and Tom Harkin of Iowa a had a floppy group Cameo in the movie Dave. Dozens of elected officials including the president have also traded yuks with Don Imus the talk show Host on fan radio in new York. Sen. Ai. Fonse do Amato of new York goes mud sliding now and then with Howard Stern. Eight officials six of them House members have appeared on politically Ancor Rcck on the comedy Central Cable Channel. This year for the first time a Span also televised the White he use correspondents dinner a private roast in which politicians entertain the press corps. And members of Congress increasingly aware of the cameras on the House and Senate floors Are looking to sight gags to make a Point. Many say that Jim Nussle of Iowa got the Ball rolling when he showed up on the House floor two years ago with a paper bag Over his head Jack Paar jokes with vice president Richard Nixon while taping the arc television show in August i960. Al Franken an actor and a writer for saturday night live said he and James Downey a producer had even worked out the obligatory sketch a shot of the Capitol with a a Span logo and a voice Over that said a this week in the House of representatives several congressmen tried to be  a we did no to use it a Franken said. A it seemed too dry.�?�. V a a a Quot a no doubt the comic forays Are part of a desperate quest for air time. But elected officials also believe that the Public disenchanted with the byzantine ways of Washington Pines for leaders who seem real maybe even a bit nuts. A politicians Are doing this to ingratiate themselves with the voters a said rep. Barney Frank of Massachusetts known for actually being funny. A a we re. Seen As pompous and self important. Humor is a Way to humanize ourselves.�?�. But this freewheeling humor carries a risk if the vice president is willing to play the class Down wont the gravitas of High elective office erode Quot its a pretty bad sign a said William Kristol who was Dan Quayle a vice presidential chief of staff. A if you re trying to convince your fellow citizens that you re doing something important and worthwhile you done to go on to to make fun of yourself to be made fun of or to Wink at your fellow citizens a Kristola a former Boss has joined the ranks of the self parodying with a super bowl television appear Ante peddling potato chips sans a a cd for frito Lay. A that was different a Kristol said a a he a not in  a a a a a a a a a for those who still Are a Good conc performance Iowa rep. Jim Nussle and his paper message. Can blur the line Between political reality and Hollywood fiction. In january Gore recruited Lily Tomlin of appear As Ernestine the fastidious switchboard operator at a dense lecture he gave in los Angeles about the information superhighway. A a a a a no More ring Dingy a Tomlin said at one Point As if to clarify the discussion. V even Gary Ross who wrote the screenplay for. Dave found this vice presidential skit a bit Peculiar a it was a bizarre fusion of technological Arcana and a old laugh in episode a he said a a very  senses another Hazard in the comedy show Casco Quot you re subjecting yourself to these shows standards. You re allowing your speech  to the level of these  a consider the following declaration by do Amato on Imus in the morning where d amatos Telephone chatter is often unvarnished in a recent Call refer ring to the inquiry into the Clin tons involvement in the Whitewater development company he said a a in be been through this jazz where these jackasses throw charges at you.�?�. A the humor format also makes Loose cannons even looser. Rep. Robert Dornan of California who has a reputation for being the human equivalent of grape shot went of the Jan. 28 instalment of politic Salty incorrect and Tore the place. 16 shreds a think of this As the year not of the dog a Dornan said Quot but of the Penis a he then wove a Pun playing a on Slick Willy free Willy Loren a Bobbitt pee wee Herman Woody Allen and Michael Jackson. A Bob Dornan Isnit even rational on the House floor a said Frank. A you can to expect him to be rational on politically incorrect but one thing is certain working the comedy circuit is the Best Way to Duck the slings and Arrow s of outrageous talk show hosts. A at the Root of this is what happened to Dan Quayle a said . Of Rourke the humorist and foreign desk chief for rolling Stone Magazine. A the got laughed off the National political radar screen. This is a preemptive strike. Politicians Are trying to vaccinate themselves against getting \ Quayle a a a a a a. But there s a problem. A Quot these Guys Arentt exactly Steve Martin a said Lawrence of Donnell the chief of staff of the Senate finance committee and a comedy Central Corte Spoh Dent during its coverage of the 1992 political conventions a they would much rather stay on sunday morning politics shows speaking in  after Gores appearance with Letterman the late show office suffered a minor Blitzkrieg. As Kellison the Letterman producer put it a we got All these phone Calls saying a i. In a calling for representative so and so from Nebraska and head love to be on your show. He strums the Banjo and plays this a hayseed character who he thinks is really funny we  Page 6 sunday May 1, 1994 a