Presidential campaigns are always great fodder for comedy, and 2016 is certainly no exception. Knowing this, I went into this season expecting plenty of political jokes on America’s Got Talent. What I did not expect, however, was to hear a political joke from a contestant who will not be able to vote in this presidential election or the next one.
Even Howie Mandel could not prepare me for the awesomeness that was about to transpire, although he certainly tried.
Lori Mae Hernandez’s comedic talent was clear from the moment she stepped on the stage. She absolutely nailed the timing of her bit, as well as the vocal delivery. The content was, at times, pretty dry, but there’s only so much you can say about being a babysitter. Thankfully, she rescued the bit with a quip about Donald Trump that both the judges and the audience loved. They even rewarded her with a standing ovation!
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I’m usually tough to please when it comes to comedy, but the line, “Weren’t you a host of a reality show? You wanna be president of the United States?” elicited a chuckle.
Full disclosure: I am not a Trump fan, so naturally, I’m going to find this a lot funnier than his supporters ever will. And Hernandez’s joke was not exactly the type that would appeal to both supporters and detractors, as is the case for certain quips about, say, Bill Clinton. Still, I like to think that even Trump supporters could appreciate Hernandez’s gutsy approach to the audition process.
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Following Hernandez’s brief Trump roast, Twitter went wild. A few people went so far as to suggest that this single joke should deliver her straight to the finale.
I think it’s ludicrous to suggest that one moderately funny joke about Trump is enough to get into the finale, but I do appreciate Hernandez’s willingness to go beyond the expected babysitting jokes and bring a political figure into the fray. She will have to fight her way into the finale like everybody else, but if she continues to take risks, she can go a long way in this competition.
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