They’re laughing, but is he funny?

Sir — They’re not laughing any more. Well, actually, yes they are. The laughter that greeted US President Donald Trump at the UN was unexpected and very unusual in such an august setting. His response — “Didn’t expect that reaction, but that’s OK” — suggests that he didn’t realise what was so funny.

American politics has often been a rich source for comedians, as demonstrated hilariously by Tina Fey, who simply repeated the words of presidential running mate Sarah Palin. Some time spent on YouTube searching for funny speeches will provide many other examples, and it appears to be a worldwide phenomenon.

Humour comes in many forms, from prat falls through to insightful reflections on life. Perhaps the highest form is the use of complex speech and language as demonstrated by Danny Kaye or Groucho Marx.

The language of a president really shouldn’t be funny.

It appears that, this time, the humour comes from a perceived disconnect between what is said and what is the reality. Claiming more than what is due is a standard characteristic of a politician, so that shouldn’t be seen as unusual or funny. There is a need for both a speech-writer and a speech-checker to confirm the content.

It’s time to go back to repeats of Seinfeld, which was a comedy about nothing, but, then again, so are many political speeches.

Dennis Fitzgerald, Melbourne, Australia