Throughout the past couple of years political satire has started becoming more acknowledged and respected throughout our society as an outlook on current affairs while adding in a touch of humor. From mock news programs such as The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Last week Tonight with John Oliver and The Daily Show to political parodies that Saturday Night Live put on every Saturday, there is a body of political humor that can be explored and characterized in a way that can be informational to us and still seem entertaining. While these are well respected programs that provide viewers with a practical and playful understanding of current affairs, late night political humor has the ability to undermine and persuade how we understand politics
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One of the first pioneers of late night television, Dick Cavett, believe in the idea that he could make fun of high political elites, while covering hard topical news and maintain an entertaining personality. Though this aggravated President Nixon, because he was being made fun of, there was very little that he could do to screw over Cavett for what he had said about him. In a PBS documentary, Cavett explained that he set out to create an entertaining talk show, not realizing that he created a bit national scandal (Ip, …show more content…
“Do they characterize it as “an impious enterprise,” or do they embrace it as a forum for sociability, as a chance to “connect” with the viewing audience? Do the uses of Saturday Night Live humor seem purposeful, reflecting views of political humor as strategy (Compton, Josh).” While it is easy to say that what Saturday Night Live does portrays people as caricatures, of themselves, the humor can be incorporated by the people to make it funny and to express who they are or what kind of message they want to get across. The next half of the article focuses on how previous presidents were impersonated on Saturday Night Live. Comedian Chevy Chase’s impersonation of President Gerald Ford became part of political parody lore because of how blunt and physical of an impersonation he did. Though Chase did very little too look like President Ford he rather just continued the joke of falling down a lot, after seeing news footage depicting falling down on several occasions. President Ford acknowledge the actor for impersonation but remarks offer the self-deprecating humor to play along with the
One of the first pioneers of late night television, Dick Cavett, believe in the idea that he could make fun of high political elites, while covering hard topical news and maintain an entertaining personality. Though this aggravated President Nixon, because he was being made fun of, there was very little that he could do to screw over Cavett for what he had said about him. In a PBS documentary, Cavett explained that he set out to create an entertaining talk show, not realizing that he created a bit national scandal (Ip, …show more content…
“Do they characterize it as “an impious enterprise,” or do they embrace it as a forum for sociability, as a chance to “connect” with the viewing audience? Do the uses of Saturday Night Live humor seem purposeful, reflecting views of political humor as strategy (Compton, Josh).” While it is easy to say that what Saturday Night Live does portrays people as caricatures, of themselves, the humor can be incorporated by the people to make it funny and to express who they are or what kind of message they want to get across. The next half of the article focuses on how previous presidents were impersonated on Saturday Night Live. Comedian Chevy Chase’s impersonation of President Gerald Ford became part of political parody lore because of how blunt and physical of an impersonation he did. Though Chase did very little too look like President Ford he rather just continued the joke of falling down a lot, after seeing news footage depicting falling down on several occasions. President Ford acknowledge the actor for impersonation but remarks offer the self-deprecating humor to play along with the