Satire TV: Politics and Comedy in the Post-Network Era

by Jonathan Gray (Editor), Jeffrey Jones, Ethan Thompson

A fascinating look into what happens when comedy becomes political and politics becomes comedy

Satirical TV has become mandatory viewing for citizens wishing to make sense of the bizarre contemporary state of political life. Shifts in industry economics and audience tastes have re-made television comedy, once considered a wasteland of escapist humor, into what is arguably the most popular source of political critique. From fake news and pundit shows to animated sitcoms and mash-up videos, satire has become an important avenue for processing politics in informative and entertaining ways, and satire TV is now its own thriving, viable television genre.

Satire TV examines what happens when comedy becomes political, and politics become funny. A series of original essays focus on a range of programs, from The Daily Show to South Park , Da Ali G Show to The Colbert Report , The Boondocks to Saturday Night Live , Lil’ Bush to Chappelle’s Show , along with Internet D.I.Y. satire and essays on British and Canadian satire. They all offer insights into what today’s class of satire tells us about the current state of politics, of television, of citizenship, all the while suggesting what satire adds to the political realm that news and documentaries cannot.

Genres: Nonfiction

288 pages, Hardcover

First published April 1, 2009

Reviews

[Eric · Rating 3 out of 5]

When I was 17, I would watch South Park and the Daily Show and gain my opinions of current events off of those shows. Honestly, despite what some might say to that, I was more informed then than I am now. Both kept me up to date on the political climate, the war, and events of our country. Somewhere, I stopped watching both, mainly stopping South Park for it's crude humor. But I only stopped watching the Daily Show due to it's time and my changing schedule.
Reading this book made me rethink what I've been missing and now I'm watching the show again online, where it's much easier to adjust time for. This book highlights the power of satire, the mistakes or failures of the genre, and the importance of political satire. A good read for someone who doesn't know how they feel about the current state of satire television, or for someone who might doubt the importance of The Daily Show and its kin.