Where is The Punchline?

Katrina still dominates much of the news and you may recall that a week or so ago I noted how people tend to think about disasters in terms of what they are most familiar with. Medical folks think about the looming public health crisis, lawyers think about the legal angles, builders think about the task of well, rebuilding.

I am nevertheless stunned about the reports that are coming of the gulf region. Firefighters being used as props; rescue helicopters being grounded so that they can be used as a backdrop for press conferences; and the list goes on.

Some stories, like those about the press being shut out from reporting the news of the recovery efforts or of a person commenting that some people are "better off" being in a shelter make you think that you are reading the Onion and not a regular newspaper. It makes you think that what is to be protected is the reputation of an elected official, rather then the people who are in need. It makes me as a comic think, "where's the punchline?"

There will be investigations and commissions and studies that will result from this natural disaster. There will be plenty of work for the medical people, the lawyers, the builders, the teachers, and yes - even the comedians.