A reader saw me at the pool last week, and when I mentioned the large Indivisible “Hands Off” protest here, he exclaimed, “I’ve lived here for over 20 years, and this was the biggest march I’ve ever seen.”

There were indeed plenty of fervent anti-Trumpers all along Sims Way that day. Best estimate is that there were 1,700 protestors here. Not bad for a small town. 

Many have been dispirited since Election Day, so we need all the upbeat news and laughs we can get.

One tonic: I’ve been watching MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow most nights since the election, and she’s featuring protests from around the country every night in virtually every state, showing large gatherings in locales both large and small, such as Missoula, Montana. 

To her credit, she’s also been using selected, GOP-abandoned town halls and funny protest signs every night. One sign featured singalong lyrics based on the familiar “Mary Poppins” ditty, to wit: “Super Callous Fascist Racist Sexist Nazi POTUS.” Kinda catchy.

You can say what you want about what all these anti-Trump protests accomplish, but they do usually feature some witty anti-Trump humor. 

The Leader carried a photo of this clever local protest sign: “So Much Wrong, So Little Cardboard.”

It’s well-known how much POTUS hates being mocked, and these funny signs from Maddow’s recent shows on Hands Off marches do the trick nicely: 

“Dear Canada: We Hate Him Too.” (Note: My wife carried a sign here with a Canadian flag that got a thumbs — and elbows — up from Canucks and Americans) 

Other selected  funny signs from both here and Maddow’s show: 

“It was the Gulf of Mexico at Birth.” 

”We Shall Overcomb.”

“Fight Truth Decay.” 

“Grab Him By The Teslacles.” 

“Let Them Eat Teslas.” 

“Make America Broke Again” (this on a red baseball cap)

“I’ve Seen Better Cabinets at IKEA” 

“Wisconsin Hates Elon So Much It Could Be One of His Kids.” 

“Bad Doge! Somebody Call Kristi Noem.” 

And…

“Honk If You’ve Never Drunk-Texted War Plans.”

In these downbeat days, I’m always looking for any input that’s funny.

One tried and true source is New Yorker humorist Andy Borowitz. One of his better recent headline posts: “Trump Claims Tariffs Were Eric’s Dumb Idea.”  

Late night TV hosts are having a field day … once again.

Jimmy Fallon: “More powerful showerheads are on the way. The bad news: They’re all made in China.” 

Jimmy Kimmel: “Why does Trump even need a shower? You’d think that three-hour tongue bath he gets on Fox News every morning would be sufficient.”

Stephen Colbert: “So, worst day for the economy since Covid? Just a little reminder: this time HE’S the disease.” 

Colbert again, on one “tariff-fying” day at the While House in a segment cleverly titled New Tariff in Town: “America is finally free from the terror of being able to buy stuff from other countries.” 

Jon Stewart: “Trump says there are methods he can use to get a third term. I think he tried that one a few years ago. Now, he wants to order off-menu from the Constitution.” 

Speaking of which, Fallon quotes Trump: “I edited  the Constitution with a sharpie, and the Donstitution says it’s legal.” 

So, don’t just sit around and stew without checking in on Stewart or these other guys. Humor is still our best weapon against the Mango Mussolini, a guy I’ve never once seen laugh. That’s worrisome and telling. 

Trump could identify with a funny, sarcastic line by comic Bobby Slayton: 

“If you can’t laugh at yourself, what the hell … laugh at somebody else.” 

Except the vindictive Cadet Bonespurs can’t and doesn’t laugh. He just sneers. 

PT humorist Bill Mann is accepting more Trump jokes at Newsmann9@gmail.com.