Political Correctness 'Out Of Control'

Bob Simon Interviews The King Of Comedy, Larry The Cable Guy

(CBS)  This segment was originally broadcast on Dec. 17, 2006. It was updated on Aug. 8, 2007.

If you like your comedy unadulterated and unsophisticated, this story is for you. It's about a man we're calling the "King of Comedy" based on the fact that he made more money touring this year than any other comedian. Who is he? We'll give you a hint: the King of Comedy is a country bumpkin, a tobacco-chewing, pig-raising hillbilly. And as we said last winter, he performs not in small comedy clubs, but before thousands in concert halls all over America.

Correspondent Bob Simon caught up with this comedic king at a packed house in Columbus, Ohio.

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His real name is Dan Whitney, but if you know him at all, you know him as "Larry The Cable Guy."

If you’re in the mood for subtle, sophisticated, urban comedy, you’re in the wrong place. With Larry The Cable Guy, we're out in the sticks with our fishing rods and our hunting rifles.

"It's nice if people can finally loosen up a little bit and just go out laugh at silliness," he says. "I mean, people take themselves way too seriously sometimes."

Larry the Cable Guy is the epitome of a good ole’ boy: he loves to tear across his 180-acre farm in Nebraska. And he’s no slave to fashion either – he dresses like an average Joe, even at his own wedding. He loves Nebraska football and has a skybox where he and his buddies gather to cheer the Cornhuskers on to victory.

Unlike many comedians the 60 Minutes team has met, Larry is not angry, he’s not depressed, he’s not paranoid. He’s a hard-working, supremely confident, happy-go-lucky funnyman.

But the question that always dogs him is: does he play mainly to rednecks?

"I do just as good in the Northeast as I do in the South. I do just as good in the Midwest, the Northwest, the Southwest," he tells Simon.

"You know, you are so vehement about that, it sounds like I've hit a sensitive spot," Simon remarks.

"I know," he replies.

Asked if he plays a blue state differently than a red state, the comedian says, "Not at all, I play it all exactly the same. I was just in Portland, Ore., I mean, shoots that's about as blue as they get."

Larry conceived his cable guy shtick on the radio, and worked out the kinks doing standup. But the routine really began to take off after he was invited to perform at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville.

"I went up there and I had a great set, did real good, killed as they say," he recalls.

He killed the crowd laughing. "Yeah, you don't wanna say it at the old folks home though," he adds, laughing.

It was soon after the Grand Ole Opry gig that Larry’s career exploded. He played the voice of the tow truck in the Pixar-Disney movie, "Cars." His latest CD, "The Right To Bare Arms," won Billboard’s comedy album of the year award. And he starred in a new movie called "Delta Farce." It’s about American soldiers who think they’re being sent to Iraq but mistakenly get dropped in Mexico. Only, they don’t know it. For Larry, life just keeps getting better and better.

"You know what, it boggles the mind everyday. I'm just, I'm real thankful for it. … It's a dream come true. It really is," he says.

[bluemule6]

I am much more offended by the black comics who have to say the f word in every sentence. To me that's not funny at all but if vulgarity is your form of entertainment then enjoy yourself and if you can't stand Larry then don't go to his show. The world is full of stupid entertainment for the low IQ masses whether it's vulgar comedians or professional wrestling or TV shows like Psychic Detectives. The garbage will always exist because poor quality people who desire it will always exist- GET OVER IT!

[grammawhamma]

PC is out of control. When little we were taught "sticks and stones can break my bones but names can never hurt me". But we were also taught "if you can't say anything nice...don't say anything at all".

Lighten up people and enjoy comedy...laughter is a good thing...learning to laugh at yourself is a ok also.

[djconklin]

""Political Correctness" is nothing more than
the liberal-lefts' attempts to stifle the
free-speech of conservatives"

I get more from the right than I do from the left.

[rational_1]

We have created a situation that implies people are permitted to live unoffended - that just plain dumb.
Posted by jimmyc1955 at 10:22 AM : Aug 13, 2007

Maybe it's yet another newly-discovered constitutional right, the right not to be offended by something someone else says. Dig deep into the constitution, I'm sure it's in there somewhere. You're right it is just plain dumb!

[processor2]

"Political Correctness" is nothing more than
the liberal-lefts' attempts to stifle the
free-speech of conservatives

...

[minminmin-2009]

brettkenney - larry the cable guy is funny, but he's a huge phony.

It's called an 'act'. Like when Al Jolson painted his face black and 'pretended' to be a black singer. It's an 'act' for the purposes of 'entertainment'. Just thought I'd spell that out for you.

[prairiefox1]

I LEARNED THE N WORD FROM HEARING AFRICA AMERICANS USING IT CALLING EACH OTHER THE NAME!
SO IT MUST BE POLITICALLY CORRECT TO USE IT!
THEN WHY AM I CALLED A BIGOT BY USING THE WORD LEARNED BY THE SAME PEOPLE THAT ARE CALLING ME THAT NAME?
SEEMS LIKE THEY ARE JUST JERKING ME AROUND!

[brianbwb-2009]

It has created an environment of fear and doubt. Like your phrase of the use of the N-word. Your statement that "you will know the context" means your judgment can be arbitrary without explanation. jimmyc1955

This is true for any word or phrase in our modern parlance, however the context evolves over time. Remember when gay meant happy?

If no one ever says the N word again, but still practices the same racial intolerance, against the same people for the same reasons, where has anyone advanced the human condition?

I say if one has the courage to take responsibilities for one's speech, then there is no forced PC, the only ones complaining about it are those who wish to speak without being held responsible for what they say. If you hate "N's," then freely say so, that is what America is supposed to be about, but accept that there are many who find such a position unacceptable, and they have the right to act accordingly.

If you hate me, fine, but don't expect me to say you are a good person, or continue to do any business with you once I know it. PC is not forced, it is just that accountability is beginning to be demanded.

There can be no freedom if there is no responsibility.

[jimmyc1955]

shanev137 - Well aren't you the sophisticated, urban well educated person??

Or maybe your just and arrogant bigot who believes that the angry, foul and confrontational is worthy of their precious time and attention.

Or do you just follow those same "intellectual" forms of entertainment in order to impress yourself how sophisticated you are? I have had my fill of paranoid, self centered, narcissistic, whinny comedians who spend all their time belittling the folks in "flyover country." If you like PC then your attitude is as un-PC as possible.

[jimmyc1955]

brianbwb - Of course PC is forced on you - nobody has a choice. When an innocent phrase, a word out of context or a cliche from our childhood can end your career, get you thrown out of school and ostracized from your community - that is PC being forced on you.

It has created an environment of fear and doubt. Like your phrase of the use of the N-word. Your statement that "you will know the context" means your judgment can be arbitrary without explanation.

PC police have no humor, allow no latitude for individuals to make minor mistakes and react way to violently to misspoken words that were never intended to offend.

We have created a situation that implies people are permitted to live unoffended - that just plain dumb.

[shanev137]

Dumbed down comedy for a dumbed down America.

No wonder he's rich.

[barbjc1]

Political correctness is OUT OF CONTROL, all this has occurred because of psychologists and psychiatrist cannot get a REAL job. A spade is a spade no matter how you wrap it.
There is nothing wrong with the term "people of color".
Did any of you watch 60 minutes last night especially the segment on "STOP SNITCHING". That was scary.

[rational_1]

JAIL BUSH and JAIL CHENEY and Vote OUT the complicit spineless corporate-owned Democrats that won't hold these criminals accountable.
Posted by mh4cbs1 at 02:01 AM : Aug 13, 2007

Way to stay on topic man. Your ADHD acting up again?

[bluemule6]

If you find him offensive don't buy a ticket to one of his shows then. I find gangsta *** offensive, vulgar and ignorant. I don't buy it. This is what a free society is about - you must tolerate views you don't agree with so long as they don't impose on your own freedoms.

[cryonbrian]

Comedians are just a bunch of cowards who are afraid to take a stand on issues so they crack jokes about it!

[jscribe58]

Here we go again, with people taking just plain funny and comparing it to the 'let anyone who is not white Christian get away with whatever they say' culture. First, the dreamer who says everyone has forgotten and forgiven Jane Fonda needs to come off their cloud and have another reality check. You cannot forgive and forget something someone hasn't asked to be forgiven for or even accepts responsibility for. Period. Then you can perhaps take your head out of your a$$ on a few of the other things you cried and whined about. This guy should be left alone to do what he does so well - make people laugh. Politically correct junkies need to give up their drug and allow people to laugh again

There was a time Eddie Murphy did a bit about Italian-Americans. What did everyone do? They laughed! Why? Because it was funny. It was real - it was true. A sense of humor is the missing part of a politically correct junkie.

[brianbwb-2009]

PC is not being forced on anyone, accountability for one's statements is beginning to be demanded by a not so passive anymore audience.

I am a "Black" man, whose position on one aspect of PC, the "N-word", is this; Say it, write it, scream it, sing it, or shout it, if your need be. We will hear it and understand the context. Whether you are a Barbara Bush/ Pat Robertson/ Pat Buchanan type, or a Chris Rock/ Dave Chappelle/ Lenny Bruce type, we know the difference, we know the context, and we know who the true enemy is.

So don't hide your fear of accountability behind PC, no one is forcing it on you, no one can. Show courage in your convictions, let us all see who you really are, so without the camouflage we will know better how to relate to you.

[carlylaine]

Dan is funny to me sometimes, but he has a right to be as offensive as he wants...and people have a right to listen and enjoy his humor or not.

You control freaks who want everyone to play nice are nothing but robots and you try to control the rest...well, one thing I do like about Dan is that he doesn't care who he offends. Those who care are the people like Michael Richards and he buckled. DON'T BUCKLE DAN!!!

To the CONTROL FREAKs: People who buckle to your PC whims are W-I-M-P-s..

PC=wimps

[lorinkundert]

PC is pure BS, I ignore it and say and do whatever I want, I have no interest in other peoples business and they should stay out of mine.

[beuschman]

It's clear that the right and the left won't agree about Dan Whitney's humor. The true travesty of Sunday's profile was Bob Simon's softball "yeah, everyone in Hollywood is a PC thug" approval of everything Whitney said. He didn't challenge Whitney at all -- not even playing devil's advocate as a good reporter would. A lot of posters have brought up the double standard of black and other minority comedians getting away with the kind of material Whitney uses in his act. The difference, however, is that had one of those comedians been on 60 Minutes, he/she would have been grilled on their use of un-PC language. For example, Chris Rock, when he was interviewed on 60 Minutes was questioned on whether or not using the "n" word and making fun of whites was really necessary. Barbara Walters, when she had Richard Pryor on her show, brought up the same issues. But Whitney gets a pass on calling homosexuals queers and Arabs ragheads? Not exactly fair, is it?

The Bob Simon interview was a piece of entertainment fluff that had no place on an investigate journalism show -- especially 60 Minutes, the greatest investigative show of all. Please, CBS, if you have another entertainer/comedian like Dan Whitney on your show, give the story to Safer, Stahl, Kroft or, better yet, bring back Wallace. Then maybe we'll have an interview worthy of the 60 Minutes standard instead of the disgusting, pandering, fawning fan piece inflicted on the viewing public by pseudo-journalist Bob Simon.