Hi Fraud, Interesting, you bring up the reverse process, that social criticism infects comedy. Although I'd argue that there is even a politics of bathroom jokes, it is interesting to ponder whether the two things might be related.
Navy, good point about Friday! Tivo keeps me confused about these things. Right. Oprah's not funny, but critical in a stealth kind of way. I assume you're right that Stewart gets a better gender mix, but I'll bet he tilts the scales pretty heavily toward men--You know the Democrats keep loosing because they are a bunch of p-- um, girls. Maybe women like to hear that and think it's funny, but I kinna doubt it.
Suphur Siren, it's not that I disagree with you. Obviously I watch, and even record the Daily Show. I also think humor is vitally important for me, personally and politically, but I'd hate to see Stewart get confused about the reason he can be more critical than his journalistic counterparts. (Comedy is the lure for him.)
Yes, Life is Beautiful, nbb. I couldn't live in a world without humor, but I also think that if we had to do it all through humor, we'd be screwed. I'm especially remembering Stewart's first show after 9-11. It was a disaster, in itself. We had been drowning in the "real" news for I-forget-how-long while he tried to recover and then took some more time off out of respect. When he finally came back, he had nothing, and there was so much to say! I am sympathetic to his personal dilemma, I'm sure it was just impossible to be funny, but it was not impossible to be critical! I could have tossed the tv out the window that night.
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Posted by kodachrome to academicsecret at 8/29/2006 06:41:47 PM
