'Barack Obama So Far Has Been a Comedian's Nightmare'

Translation: You can't make fun of Black Jesus.

U.S. President-elect Barack Obama's historic victory does not bode well for comedians who have thrived on jokes about President George W. Bush, experts say.

Obama, who was backed by many Hollywood figures, will be inaugurated on Jan. 20 as the United States' first black president against a backdrop of a global financial crisis and wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Whether because he was the favorite of left-leaning comics, the historic nature of his election or that so far he has made few gaffes, comedians are finding little to joke about so far.

So few gaffes?

Let's face it, they just don't want to be called racist. Instead, they pretend the times are now so dark and gloomy, nobody can even tell a joke.

"Obama's election is great for our country but bad for comedy," said Michael Musto, a columnist for New York City's Village Voice. "He is an earnest, intelligent person trying to rescue a country in crisis and that's not all that hilarious."

"Comedy thrives when there are buffoonish targets," he said. "Traditionally shows like 'Saturday Night Live' have done best when dealing with people like President (Gerald) Ford, who couldn't stand upright all the time, or (Bush) who couldn't say nuclear, or Sarah Palin who didn't know Africa's a continent."

Nothing like perpetuating that tale.

"Barack Obama so far has been a comedian's nightmare," said Robert Thompson, a professor of television and popular culture at Syracuse University.

Even Obama joked at a dinner in New York, where both he and his Republican rival John McCain made fun of themselves, that his greatest weakness was, "I'm a little too awesome."