By Yael T. Abouhalkah, Kansas City Star Editorial Page columnist

Oh, boy, Wanda Sykes is in trouble. That's what you get when you make fun of Rush Limbaugh.

But while conservatives were screaming Monday, let's face it: Sykes said something mean but also funny about the right-leaning Limbaugh at the White House Correspondents Association dinner Saturday night.

Boy, Rush Limbaugh said he hopes this administration fails – so you said you hope America fails ....To me, that's treason. He's not saying anything differently than what Osama bin Laden is saying. You know, you might want to look into this, sir, 'cause I think maybe Rush Limbaugh was the 20th hijacker, but he was just so strung out on Oxycontin he missed his flight.

These dinners are supposed to feature sharp-elbowed humor, and Sykes delivered.

In fact, she also poked plenty of fun at President Barack Obama and others in his administration, a required part of the program.

But by Monday afternoon, her comments on Limbaugh were drawing ridicule from the right -- and a bit of admonition from the White House.

Spokesman Robert Gibbs said he hadn't talked to the president, but added:

"I think there are a lot of topics that are better left for serious reflection rather than comedy. I think there's no doubt 9/11 is part of that."

Then again, Sykes wasn't joking about people being murdered by terrorists. She was comparing Limbaugh to a terrorist for his comments about the Obama administration.

Over the top? Probably. Funny? To some, yes. As Sykes even said after her comparison of Limbaugh to a terrorist:

"Too much? But you're laughing inside."

Yes, plenty of Limbaugh critics were doing just that on Monday, even as they awaited the usual apology from the White House and others who attack the radio talk-show host.