Jokers and peaceniks face patriotic wrath

America is having a hard time laughing at itself these days. Gripped by patriotic fervour since the attacks on the twin towers, even its professional satirists are now unsure what they can say.

Political humourists need look no further than the furore over Bill Maher, host of the late night television show, Politically Incorrect, to know where the limits now lie. He breached them by remarking recently that the terrorists who piloted jets into buildings might be braver than the US military, which lobs cruise missiles from a safe distance.

Maher was reprimanded twice by the White House and his show has been dropped by some affiliates of the ABC network. It cannot be seen in Washington and several sponsors have pulled out.

The reaction is part of what some are describing as a great realignment of the country's culture in the wake of the assaults. "During these recent days of nonstop news, did anyone miss the aggressive advertising or obsession with fame, sex, celebrity and beauty?" the Los Angeles Times asked, noting that the tragedy might have "cured our infatuation with shallow fame and hollow shocks".

It is too soon to assess the evidence. But there are some pointers. Americans have all but forgotten Congressman Gary Condit and his missing intern, Chandra Levy. The country barely noted Prince William's first days at St Andrews. Nor did anyone fret much over the rumoured wedding yesterday of Jennifer Lopez in California.

Hollywood films due to open at the start of autumn with the usual extravaganza of pyrotechnics and destruction have been held back, including Arnold Schwarzenegger's, Collateral Damage. References to terrorism have been excised from numerous new television serials.

"I think it's the end of the age of irony. Things that were considered fringe and frivolous are going to disappear," Vanity Fair editor Graydon Carter told the media Web site Inside.com.

Irony about America's current stars-and-stripes rapture is out there but you have to look for it. The Onion, an online magazine, tried this headline: "Not Knowing What Else To Do, Woman Bakes American-Flag Cake."

Maher made the mistake of targeting the US military. "We have been the cowards, lobbing cruise missiles from 2,000 miles away," he suggested to his panel of guests. "That's cowardly. Staying in the airplane when it hits the building, say what you want about it, it's not cowardly." He later apologised, but that hasn't been enough.

"It's a terrible thing to say, and it's unfortunate," George Bush's spokesman said last week. "There are reminders to all Americans that they need to watch what they do, and this is not a time for remarks like that."

Among those appearing with Maher on Politically Incorrect on the evening in question was the conservative columnist Arianna Huffington. She has defended him. "It shows how dangerous it is in a democracy when we are willing to stifle debate and dissent," she said on Friday. Debate is being tolerated, at least to a small extent, on the chat shows that crowd the country's radio dial.

"Now we're seeing certain factions beginning to assert themselves. The anti-war people are beginning to find some presence on radio," said David Lawrence, a syndicated radio talk show host. Hugh Hewitt, another syndicated radio talk show host, said: "Dissent isn't muted at all. It is just overwhelmingly viewed as stupid, and some 'dissenters' have lost jobs and audience because they are fundamentally out of step with their public."

In the cities where his programme is still aired, Maher has not stopped probing the frontiers of tolerance in the new America. On Thursday night he was poking fun at the wave of patriotism: The man flying five flags from his truck, the joke went, told the man displaying four to "Go home to Afghanistan".