What does roasting have to do with running for the presidency and Catholicism?

The Alfred E. Smith Dinner had been held since the 1940s. They pretty much always include a lot of good-natured humor and ribbing. Taking one night out to poke a little fun at each other and, often, yourself, hardly trivializes the presidency.

@Darth_Algar “The Alfred E. Smith Dinner had been held since the 1940s” Slavery was a tradition for a long time too.

Edited:
...Also when someone tells you his/her loved one died, do you poke fun at them? No? Why not? Isn’t any time, the time for poking fun at one another?

You can not compare slavery with a traditional dinner/roast of presidential candidates that has been going on since 1940. The meaning of tradition:
the transmission of customs or beliefs from generation to generation, or the fact of being passed on in this way. [Oxford Dictionary] Slavery was an action of treating human beings in a horrific manner.

It is a charity event sponsored by the Archbishop of New York. And it isn’t a roast but supposed to be fun, like the White House Correspondents dinner.

Serious doesn’t have to mean devoid of humor. Think deliberate, genuine, honest, sincere, thoughtful. None of these synonyms are incompatible with lighthearted joking, especially when it is coupled with fundraising for deserving charities.

Now, because of this Q, I have this scene and song ringing in my head.

Prior to this year, the Smith dinner was a pleasant way for people, even political rivals, to get together and raise money for a good cause – it was a reason to get dressed up and have a good time and show how mature people act.

Sadly, Trumpie didn’t respect the historical meaning of this formerly pleasant get-together.

@flo If we weren’t living through this, and watching it in a movie instead, we’d be laughing our asses off. Trump has transformed this political cycle into a parody of a “real” election, and even though the consequences for all of us may be severe, my gut reaction to the destruction of the Republican party is sheer delight.

@flo

Did you just seriously compare a good-humored charity dinner to slavery? Really?

It helps Trump or in any other election cycle it helped the one who was worse for the country. Therefore it interferes with the outcome of the votes.
Thank you mainly 2 of the posters. Astute.

Correction: ...“the ones who were worse for the country”.

“It helps Trump or in any other election cycle it helped the one who was worse for the country. Therefore it interferes with the outcome of the votes.”

What?

But whether it’s called a roast or not the point is it’s reducing the presidencial election into a laughing matter. And this election cycle it’s scarier than scary.

There is no roast /comedy dinner to raise $ for charity, before an imminent hurricaine or a loved one’s death etc. And this election cycle it’s scarier than scary.

@zenvelo I didn’t call it roast http://www.npr.org/2016/10/21/498804666/clinton-trump-trade-barbs-at-al-smith-dinner

This article could be interesting, .slate.com/blogs/clinton_at_the_al_smith_dinner

How many people actually even knew about this roasting. First time I’ve ever heard of it and it was only because of Trump that it was even mentioned this year.
It was a thing for maybe one or two days. Trust me, most of America forgot what was said already. Well maybe SNL may get some hits of of it, but it will be forgotten by election day.

@Pandora

I’ve known about them since forever pretty much. It’s similar to the White House Press Correspondent’s dinner in that they’re both a more relaxed atmosphere where the speeches are humorous in tone.

@Darth_Algar Not saying there aren’t people who know about this, but for many people I know and myself included, they haven’t heard about it ever. The media never made a big deal about it. At least not that I’m aware of. I only heard about it the morning of the event.

But whether it’s called a roast or not the point is it’s reducing the presidencial (sic) election into a laughing matter.

I think Trump has pretty much done that on his own!~

But really, concept is not much different than SNL poking fun at the debates, or at Catholicism.

Western society has a long tradition of satire, dating back to the Romans and Greek classics. Television has a lot, including such shows as South Park, The Simpsons and Saturday Night Live. You can look at history of the media and find folks such as Bob Newhart, Phyllis Diller, Steve Allen, Red Foxx, San Kennison, Don Rickles, to mention just a few off the top of my head.

@Yetanotheruser

Yup, and the Alfred E. Smith dinner (as well as the aforementioned White House Correspondent’s dinner) are basically the candidates satirizing themselves.

@Yetanotheruser “But really, concept is not much different than SNL….poking fun at… ”
But there is the comedians doing their job, and the presidential candidates doing…It’s entirely different. Have you read the other parts of my posts?

@Yetanotheruser I have never watched Steve Allen but is it more like Bob Newhart, therefore nowhere near the others?
If you see any similarity between South Park, Red Foxx, San Kennison, Don Rickles, on one hand, and Bob Newhart, or possibly Steve Allen(?) on the other then no wonder you’re okay with Al Smith Dinner.

Al Smith Dinner: “the stupidest traditions of America’s generally moronic campaign season…”

@flo But there is the comedians doing their job

This is the Alfred E. Smith Foundation doing its job. The Foundation was set up in 1948 to assist the Catholic Charities of the Diocese of New York. Here is an example from the Foundation’s website concerning who they serve. According to the Wikipedia article, the 2016 event raised a record $6M for Catholic Charities.

Correction: The Foundation was set up in 1948…

Make that 1945. (Typo)

http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2016/10/the-increasing-nastiness-of-american-politics/504995/

Please read the whole article but esp. the last segment heading:

“It’s too late to save the 2016 Al Smith dinner. But it’s not too late to save everything it was supposed to represent.”

“At the beginning of this election many, myself included, relished the havoc Trump wreaked upon his party. Only later did they fully realize that, win or lose, the Trump campaign was wreaking havoc upon our country as well.”

“For too long, delegitimizing democracy has been a means: to win the next election, ..... We should repudiate not just vulgarians like Donald Trump, but the respectables who know better and support him anyway. We should recognize that in a democracy, protecting the process is sometimes more important than achieving a desired outcome. Most of all, we should set boundaries: If a joke can cross a line, then surely an assault on our entire political system can cross a line as well.”

“It’s too late to save the 2016 Al Smith dinner. But it’s not too late to save everything it was supposed to represent. If we take just a fraction of the time and money spent on this campaign, and put it toward restoring democratic institutions, we will be better off four years from now than we are today. So here’s something to work toward: a 2020 Al Smith dinner in which a president and challenger can honestly, if grudgingly, display mutual respect. Let’s rebuild a country where two candidates can dress up like extras from Downtown Abbey, stand at a podium, and, in true tribute to our shared values, wonder what we are doing here.”

….Also
http://www.ncregister.com/daily-news/has-the-al-smith-dinner-ceased-to-be-a-worthwhile-event-for-the-catholic-ch

What does any of that have to do with the Smith dinner itself?

@flo From your own link…

The candidates’ punchlines aren’t meant to suggest that politics is a joke, or a game. Rather, they acknowledge a bedrock principle of American society: Even in our most adversarial moments, we’re all on the same team.

Granted, some are saying that Trump “broke” the event.

@Yetanotheruse Re. my own link, I only referred to the last segment with the heading:
“It’s too late to save the 2016 Al Smith dinner. But it’s not too late to save everything it was supposed to represent.”
and not the part above it, because it makes no sense to me. Just because we should all be on the same team it doesn’t mean we should undermine attack/ ourselves and help a Trump:
“If she gets to pick her judges, nothing you can do, folks,” Mr. Trump said, as the crowd began to boo. He quickly added: “Although the Second Amendment people — maybe there is, I don’t know.”

Or https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2016/03/11/could-donald-trump-be-held-legally-responsible-for-inciting-violence-at-his-rallies/

Not supposed to be on the same team with someone who encourages people to commit violent activities i.e Bush tape , http://www.cnbc.com/2016/10/17/donald-trump-groping-tape-billy-bush-leaving-today-show-effective-immediately.html

“If you see somebody getting ready to throw a tomato, knock the crap out of them,” he said. “Just knock the hell out of them. I promise you, I will pay for the legal fees.”
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2016/03/11/could-donald-trump-be-held-legally-responsible-for-inciting-violence-at-his-rallies/
etc.

.

@flo

Why are you posting links to unrelated stories from several months ago? What does that have to do with the Al Smith dinner?

@flo We’ve already established that Trump is a megalomaniac psychopath. The Huffington Post regularly editorializes every article on Trump with the following footnote (including links):

Donald Trump regularly incites political violence and is a serial liar, rampant xenophobe, racist, misogynist and birther who has repeatedly pledged to ban all Muslims — 1.6 billion members of an entire religion — from entering the U.S.

@Yetanotheruser Is it like knowing that smoking is harmful ans not stopping to smoke?

I suppose you could say that. It.‘s something like an addiction. Most addiction is 90% behavior no matter how strong the addictive agent.