Barney Frank's Strange Obsession With Misogynistic Henny Youngman Line

NewsBusters ^ | Mark Finkelstein

[governsleastgovernsbest]

What's with Barney Frank and his odd obsession with a Henny Youngman line that—had virtually any other politician used it—would result in him being accused of the worst kind of misogyny?

Back in 2011, I noted that, appearing on Morning Joe, Frank had quoted the hoary Henny line: "How's your wife? Compared to what?" Yet there was Barney again this evening, this time on Al Sharpton's MSNBC show, breaking out the identical line. Really: what gives? And imagine the feminist outrage if, say, Mitt Romney had dared used the line during his presidential campaign.

View the video here.

[governsleastgovernsbest]

[governsleastgovernsbest]

What would the left have done to Mitt Romney if he had used this line during his campaign? Ping to Today show list.

[gorush]

[PieterCasparzen]

IMHO, inescapable truth can drive the reprobate to intense self-hatred.

[HereInTheHeartland]

I find Barney Frank to be a particularly disgusting human.

[Williams]

Hardly Barney’s worst sin, but in answer to his question mine would be: “compared to your pot smoking boyfriend’s a**”.

[RoosterRedux]

However much some segment of society might try to convince the rest of us that perversion is OK...IT ISN'T OKAY.

It is the embodiment of mental illness...the embodiment of insanity.

And that goes for Bwany Fwank!

He's sick...he might be like your brother or your friend...but he's still sick...and so is your brother or your friend.

[thoolou]

Lamppost, barbed wire... Make your own connection.

[USFRIENDINVICTORIA]

The joke isn't "misogynistic" -- it's not about all women, it's just about one particular woman. We shouldn't fling these p.c. identity-politics terms about willy-nilly.

(Note: I'm not defending Barney Frank.)

[Steely Tom]

I don't know about a "hoary Henry line," but the oldest known asker of that particular question was that great misogynist Socrates. I come by this information courtesy of James J. Kirpatrick, another obvious misogynist:

Now, Socrates had a wife, Xanthippe, who was known to all men as a shrew, a nag, and a scold. Her sole pleasure in life, it was said, lay in making the philosopher groan. Yet the venerable sage once turned this very situation to the uses of his teaching.

This occurred one morning when a pupil encountered Socrates on the street, and pause to inquire of his health. "And how," added the pupil politely, "is Xanthppe?"

"Compared," asked the philosopher, "to what?"

Socrates lived - according to Wikipedia - from 469 BC to 399 BC.

[dr_lew]

The joke isn't "misogynistic" -- it's not about all women, it's just about one particular woman.

It's about him. Anyway, the line I always heard was, "Take my wife ... please!"

[Bob]

Much like Bill Clinton's response to the question "How's Hillary's head?"

"Compared to whose?"

[Bobalu]

Henny Youngman Roasts Don Rickles

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CW1tND0EzxE

[Rummyfan]

An angry, bitter, self-loathing old queen. Thank God he is no longer in Congress.

[USFRIENDINVICTORIA]

A classic! It shows how important timing is to joke telling. Youngman was the master of the one-liner.

[Mr. K]

Frank is no longer in congress? since when? thats one bit of great news (to me) today