And his films are downright painful to watch today, because of the overt racism, etc.

I'm sure conservative, status quo types still find his humor funny, because they feel so insecure with the cultural revolution in the US of the past 30 years. Hell, Bill Clinton thinks Bob Dole is one of the funniest men in politics. Of course, some of us more progressive types don't see the two of them as opposites, but as Republicrat birds of a feather.

Considering how far to the reactionary right Reaganism moved the nation's political center, I suppose it is no surprise to see so many Mudcat folk (essentially a pretty conservative group in social, political, and cultural terms, just as most folkies are nowadays) nostalgically praising Bob Hope. Personally, I'm about as saddened by his passing as I was saddened to hear that Lester Maddox died.