Babbitt

"Sinclair Lewis isn’t thought of these days as a funny writer, but his portrayal of the fictional Midwestern bore Babbitt is very funny, and it’s been ripped off many times – usually a sign that something works. I’m not sure if self-satisfaction appeals to me as a target so much as lack of awareness. Of course, that’s another signature characteristic of Babbitt. To take a current example, a reason why someone like Mitt Romney is funny to me is that he’s so blissfully unaware of other people and how they will take his comments. On a campaign trip to the Daytona racetrack, he made fun of the inexpensive rain ponchos that the race fans were wearing. The whole point of his visit was to pretend that he had the common touch, but he just couldn’t help himself. I find that hilarious."