The Clarence Thomas takedown
On Saturday night, 4/29, something incredible occurred. Such a thing had never happened before. But when this thing did finally happen, it produced guffaws and laughs of derision in a way that undoubtedly did not leave the target of the joke with a smile on his face.
It was the Clarence Thomas take-down — and it was watched around the world. It happened at the White House Correspondents Dinner. This event is always loads of fun. I haven’t missed watching one in many years. But this particular one was unique. The comedian Roy Wood Jr. made many jokes and made many laugh. But his take-down of the for-sale Thomas was one for the history books.
Wood cheerfully ripped into Thomas, saying he takes unreported trips around the world “like an Instagram model.” He spoke about Harlan Crow. “This man bought a Supreme Court Justice. Do you understand how rich you have to be to buy a Supreme — a black one on top of that.”
“There’s only two in stock, and Harlan Crow owns half the inventory.”
“We can all see Clarence Thomas, but he belongs to billionaire Harlan Crow. And that’s what an NFT is.”
My gosh readers, did people laugh. There were thousands in this room — Hollywood stars, the Press, and politicians. And ALL of them let loose deep belly laughs. On this evening, Clarence Thomas, one who always wanted to be taken seriously, was laughed at in a way NO Court Justice ever has been — at least as far as I’m aware.
And it serves him right. Clarence Thomas flouted the rules again and again. His haughty attitudes leave no room for either humanity or humility. He is, for all intents and purposes, a vacuum when it comes to breaking the rules. If there’s a rule to be broken, have no fear; Thomas will zero in on it, scoop it up and break it. That’s his MO, and most would appear to know it.
So on Saturday evening, as Clarence was off into the yonder doing who knows what (sitting in Walmart parking lots perhaps?), the audience of thousands laughed and laughed and laughed. Thomas has become the favorite punchline of comics. And no, he hasn’t been ejected from the court. But I’ll tell you — for now, this is certainly the next best thing.