The typical guest on a late-night comedy show is a jaded celebrity who oozes irony or an average person who makes the news for some wacky reason.

Sen. John McCain, 71, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee is from a generation that eschews irony. McCain is like a fish out of water trying to exchange quips with Jay Leno or Conan O’Brien.

In high school sometimes the jocks would let a nerd eat lunch with them, not out of pity or compassion, but so that they could poke fun at him while they gobbled their fish sticks and fries. McCain reminds me of the hapless geek sitting with the jocks when I see his pitiful performances on the late-night comedy circuit.

McCain can’t discuss pop culture with Jay or David — that leaves only one subject to gab about: McCain’s age.

Here’s an example from McCain’s latest appearance with Conan O’Brien:

“John McCain and talk show host Conan O’Brien joke around about the Republican presidential candidate’s age and running mate pick.

O’Brien opened his show by saying, ‘Normally on Fridays we would tape our show at 4:30, but to accommodate Senator John McCain we agreed to tape the show at 5:30. Senator McCain wasn’t available at 4:30 because that’s when he eats dinner,’ according to a transcripta released by NBC. ‘Late Night with Conan O’Brien’ airs from 12:35 a.m. to 1:35am on NBC.

The 71-year-old McCain quipped, ‘Well, I had dinner and a nap.’” .. Quotation from Boston.Com/Foon Rhee

McCain is like that nerd who is so eager to please the jocks that he allows himself to be the butt of the jokes.

Unless a Republican scientist can resurrect Mike Douglas or Merv Griffin, McCain should avoid late-night comedy shows like the plague.

REFERENCES:

McCain at ‘LateNight with Conan O’Brien’

….and here is John McCain actually sleeping on the job!

…and more McCain Jokes