Bob Hope dead at 100 (the non-abusive thread)

[JHB]

Sorry for the redundancy (mods lock if you really must), but given the tone (and especially title) of the other thread, this one's for those of us who want to say our farewells without a flamewar.

(CNN) -- Bob Hope, whose quick wit, daring personality and ski-sloped nose identified him as an icon of 20th-century entertainment, has died. He was 100.

Known as "Mr. Entertainment" or "the King of Comedy," Hope appeared in more than 75 films, starred in more than 475 TV programs and 1,000-plus radio programs. He also toured tirelessly for the U.S. armed forces.

He was one of the last of the great entertainers whose career took off in the first half of the 20th century and who continued to reach new generations of fans by the end of it.
http://www.cnn.com/2003/SHOWBIZ/TV/07/28/obit.hope/index.html

Politically, Hope may have glued himeslf too tightly to the conservatives, but he brought a lot of laughs to a lot of people, at a time when many of them needed it most. Wherever he's "on the road to" now, here's to hoping it's with a lot of old friends and a lotta laughs.
:toast:

[WoodrowFan]

1. At Least

He went overseas to entertain the troops. That means he spent more time in a war zone that shrub, cheny, wolfie, perle, etc, etc, COMBINED. And some of his movies were funny.

[ronnykmarshall]

2. Thanks for starting this thread.

Regardless of what his politcal views SOME people might think, Bob Hope gave a lot to entertainment.

RIP Bob. Thanks for the memories. I'll always remember the "I Love Lucy" episode with Hope.

Say hi to Desi, Lucy, Viv and Bill.

[HawkerHurricane]

3. Bob Hope, the king of the USO...

Who provided so much to the troops.
He might have been a conservative, but he SUPPORTED the troops, while the modern neocons...well, you know about them.

He'll be missed.

Thanks for the memories.

[TahitiNut]

13. I pay my respects ... even though

I avoided his 'show' at Long Binh Post in '69. (That was actually one of the rare times I volunteered, for perimeter guard that time, so other guys in my unit could go see the show.) While I respected Hope's efforts to some degree, I was never comfortable with either his politics or his manner. His humor seemed misgyinistic and too infused with what I call 'victim humor' -- selectively demeaning and patronizing. I was never able to detect an egalitarian attitude in him. He seemed very elitist to me. He and his coterie were very insular, exclusively in the company of senior officers and patronizing to enlisted men, especially the lower ranked, usually draftees. His shows exploited and objectivized women to a degree that crossed the (imaginary) 'line' even in their times. I never thought that was 'cute' or even appropriate merely because the audience was supposedly testosterone-poisoned GIs.

RIP, Bob. You're probably where altogether too many in your audiences have gone far earlier in their lives than you.

[thom1102]

4. Additionally, he was an equal opportunity basher.

I remember him bashing Reagan, too.

[pansypoo53219]

5. my granpa

looked a bit like Hope,not that the family saw it.
and i always wondered why hollywood had dorothy go for Bing, because I would have gone for Bob.

[fertilizeonarbusto]

6. thank you for this thread

Regardless of his politics, Bob Hope dodged bullets more than once in his efforts to entertain the troops-in other words he put his ass on the line, which is more than the thugs and frauds now in power can ever say. And he made a good number of very funny movies.

[CMT]

7. what a bad summer for celebrity deaths--I mean real legends

Gregory Peck
Katharine Hepburn
Bob Hope

[JasonBerry]

8. Thinking the same thing....Here's To Bob - and thanks for the memories.

~

[NashVegas]

11. Yeah, Makes You Wonder

I'm not a religious person, but it looks like a lot of angels are being called home.

[Desertrose]

9. so many years...so many memories...

I just have to honor someone who gave so much time to the troops and to all of us to give us a good laugh.....watchin gall the ol "Road" movies.....

All politics aside...he seemed a real decent human being...husband & father....


100 years...wow....

:toast: to you, Bob!!!

Peace
Desertrose

[Laughing Mirror]

10. Bob Hope Smokes Dope

was my favorite chant at our huge counter-demonstration to Hope's big Honor America Day July 4, 197(0?1) extravaganza at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington.

He was much reviled during the Vietnam era as an irrepressible war hawk. Yeah, he entertained the troops all right, with tired C-list "stars" such as Joey Heatherton. For his big Honor America Day, the biggest star he could get was Lulu, who hadn't had a hit record in years. And Lulu was not even American.

He was always on TV promoting his endless shit, and had no wit at all.

He will not be missed.

[Cassandra]

12. Thanks for the improved thread

the other one was trash.

[Mika]

14. But the praise..

- for a misogynist humorist is equally offensive.

[Emperor_Norton_II]

16. Okay, you're offended. Fine.

If you could please wander elsewhere while you soak up your outrage buzz, the rest of us would appreciate it. Thanks.

Yrs in addiction to endorphins,

[Mika]

17. When did you start representing "the rest of us"?

"If you could please wander elsewhere while you soak up your outrage buzz, the rest of us would appreciate it."

When did you start representing "the rest of us"?

[Emperor_Norton_II]

21. When I was named Emperor, of course.

Was that not clear to you?

Yrs in imperialism,

[DoveTurnedHawk]

22. Oh Please

Bob Hope was a product of his times. He was by all accounts a good and decent man, and he brought laughter and joy to millions.

I mourn his passing. No one says you have to, but neither do you have to post disrespectful and inflammatory material in a thread devoted to him on the day of his death.

DTH

[Mika]

25. by all accounts?

" He was by all accounts a good and decent man.. "

Not really by all accounts. I do note a few posts in some threads of some of his scurrilous behavior.

[Terwilliger]

15. not being abusive

do we always give so much respect to Repukes when they die?

do people here at DU like Repukes? can I assume that all this vitriol about how evil they are is just pure political bullshit?

[BurtWorm]

20. I think people are responding to Bob Hope the comedian

and cultural institution, not Bob Hope the Republican.

[Terwilliger]

23. where does the distinction lie then?

When Reagan dies...lets make sure we praise...something...about him...right?

[Emperor_Norton_II]

26. Sure, I can do that.

Reagan made a few midly amusing movies involving monkeys. And he managed to not get us all killed.

There, good things about Ronald Reagan. Happy?

Yrs in Tinseltown,

[BurtWorm]

28. Reagan was all Republican

what's to praise about him? At least when people laughed at Bob Hope, he usually meant them to be laughing at him.

[ShaneGR]

27. Terr, from what I've read, you don't like ANYTHING

So it's not very surprising that you don't like Bob Hope.

[Bandit]

18. It is amazing how many DUers have no heart.

Bob Hope is a legend and will remain so despite those who have such pettiness in their being. No Heart and No Soul. I'm surprised they are here instead of Frei Republik. Bye Mr. Hope you will be missed.

[DoveTurnedHawk]

24. Certain People Are Blinded by Ideology

And forget that at the heart of liberalism is compassion.

DTH

[deutsey]

19. So long, Bob

We probably were worlds apart on politics, but you brought some laughs into my life, nonetheless.

:thumbsup: