P-I Says Hitler Isn't Funny, Stop Laughing

A Hitler mashup about the Apple Cup made it onto the P-I's Big Blog the other day, and Managing Editor David McCumber has ordered it taken down posthaste: "I think we goofed in this instance." Hitler isn't funny, McCumber says.

One of the more popular Hitler mashups, where the Fuhrer is banned from World of Warcraft, has been viewed over one million times. Hitler's battle with Windows Vista has almost 500,000 views.

The clip that's being resubtitled in each case stars Bruno Ganz; it's from the film Downfall. The online London Times calls it an "online phenomenon," and points out that "films in which the Führer explodes with frustration at events in the sporting world over which he has no control are funny because they locate the ranting, screaming, infantile little Hitler in all of us."

We are sure there are some people to whom nothing involving Hitler is or will ever be funny. But that is not the same thing as the edict "Hitler isn't funny." We hope McCumber is emailing Mel Brooks with the news that The Producers isn't funny. Not the film, not the remake of the film, not the musical. What can we do about Chaplin's The Great Dictator? The list of comedians and sketch shows with Hitler jokes...they'll take a little longer to round up. Maybe get an intern on that, David. They need to be told: Your ridicule of Hitler isn't funny.