Joke's On Jackson

Michael Jackson's across-the-board acquittals in his child molestation trial brought broad smiles to the faces of the pop star and his supporters, and to viewers of late-night TV.

Comics were all over the verdicts, aiming barbs at Jackson and other key figures in his trial. David Letterman, Jay Leno and Jon Stewart, among others, leaped on the acquittals as comic fodder.

On "The Late Show with David Letterman" on CBS, Letterman quipped, "How about this for a point of interest? The jurors, after they handed down the decision, said the accuser's mother made them uncomfortable. Wow! I mean, you know your case is in trouble when Michael is the second creepiest person in the room."

Leno, on NBC's "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" joked, "I'm sorry if I'm a little groggy today. I was up all night at a big sleepover victory party at Michael Jackson's place. Just Jesus juice all night long. Just crazy!"

And on Comedy Central's "The Daily Show" with Jon Stewart, the host kiddingly asked, "So what's next for Michael Jackson? Apart from hunting down the real multi-millionaire manchild boy-touchers?"

Leno added, "Legal experts say the key was the defense team did not play the race card. Well, duhh, they didn't know which race to play!"

Continued Stewart, "One woman released a snow white dove for each of the 10 innocents declared by the jury. It was a touching gesture. Ironically, all 10 of those doves wound up beheaded by the overhead throng of news choppers."

And Lettermasn wrapped up a Top Ten list with this crack: "The number one message left on Michael Jackson's answering machine? 'Hi, it's Saddam Hussein. How do I get one of them idiot juries?' "