Other articles by Phil Villarreal:

From cutesy to sadistic Lebanese food is their passion Phil's picks Ask Phil Hoffman, Kaufman lost in 'Synecdoche''Four Christmases' finds humor in holiday stressWelcome back, Disney: 'Bolt' is a winnerOscar-winner is back Moving film shows Holocaust through the eyes of an 8-year-old Phil's picks

Health Care
Rio Salado College
PA's/Online Instructors General
CORT
WAREHOUSE/DRIVER Education
Assessment Technology, Inc
Social Studies Content Writer Construction
Komatsu Equipment Co
Mechanic General
CORT
Warehouse Supervisor

Other than the awful Blue Collar comedy crew, you don't see a whole lot of humor come from the political right. The tasteless, wrongheaded but consistently entertaining "An American Carol" is David Zucker's effort to show the satire sword can swing both ways.

Never mind that the movie is about as politically relevant as Zucker's "Airplane!"

Taking a reverse Colbert approach, Zucker attacks Michael Moore by exaggerating his political stances and exposing logical fallacies. Lead Kevin P. Farley, as rotund, ballcap-wearing documentarian Michael Malone, is a major reason the slipshod film is as entertaining as it is. The unheralded brother of departed comic legend Chris Farley, Kevin does the family name proud by executing underplayed Moore mimicry worthy of "Saturday Night Live."

The movie's political messages are as pinheaded and weak as those it attacks. Still, Zucker is in fine form with his kitchen sink approach to comedy, and he slaps enough gags on the screen that even though only about a third stick, there's hardly a five-minute stretch where you're not chuckling.

The film seems intent on offending, complete with such right-wing-fanatic fantasies as Gen. George S. Patton gunning down a courtroom full of ACLU lawyer zombies and that Bold, Fresh Piece of Humanity Bill O'Reilly slapping Malone around.

Zucker steals the plot of Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol," with Malone in the Scrooge position. The story unfolds at an Independence Day picnic table, as intermittent narrator Leslie Nielsen spins a yarn to some kids. Malone, a successful doc-maker who longs for the prestige of feature film, unknowingly accepts jihadist financing for his epic, America-bashing screenplay. Malone works to get the film off the ground while spearheading an effort to do away with the Fourth of July.

The reason the comedy works is Zucker's ability to step away from his serious agenda for some sparkling throwaway gags, as well as his willingness to give Malone a few opportunities to skewer the right.

There's plenty of flat-out ignorance on display, but taken for what it's worth, "An American Carol" is a breezy diversion. And hopefully a sign of things to come. The right should follow Zucker's lead and engage its liberal opposition with humor rather than the crass protests and attempts at bans usually flung at Moore's films.