Politics Is a Joke!

Politics Is a Joke!
Author: S. Robert Lichter
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 207
Release: 2018-09-03
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 042997292X

Does late night political humor matter? Are late-night comedians merely entertaining, or do they have the power to influence the way we think about politics and politicians? Politics Is a Joke! situates late night comedy in the historical context of political humor and demonstrates how the public turn to this venue for political information, and are in turn affected by it. Using exclusive data collected by the Center for Media and Public Affairs, the authors conduct a detailed and exhaustive analysis of political jokes on late night TV shows dating back to 1992 in order to pinpoint the main targets and themes of late-night comedy. Politics Is a Joke! uses a wide range of examples, from jokes about politicians' physical appearance and sex scandals to jokes about Congress and even the news media, to assess and understand the impact of political humor on political institutions, politicians and their policies and behavior. Engagingly written with analysis of jokes from comedians like Jay Leno, Conan O'Brien, Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert, Politics is a Joke! is essential reading for anyone who wants to understand the crucial role late night comedy plays in our political universe - and anyone who enjoys a good laugh.

The Joke Is on Us

The Joke Is on Us
Author: Julie A. Webber
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield
Total Pages: 345
Release: 2018-12-11
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 1498569854

This edited volume brings together scholars of comedy to assess how political comedy encounters neoliberal themes in contemporary media. Central to this task is the notion of genre; under neoliberal conditions (where market logics motivate most actions) genre becomes “mixed.” Once stable, discreet categories such as comedy, horror, drama and news and entertainment have become blurred so as to be indistinguishable. The classic modern paradigm of comedy/tragedy no longer holds, if it ever did. Moreover, as politics becomes more economic and less moral or normative under neoliberalism, we are able to see new resistance to comedic genres that support neoliberal strategies to hide racial and gender injustice such as unlaughter, ambiguity, and anti-comedy. There is also an increasing interest with comedy as a form of entertainment on the political right following both Brexit in the UK and the election of Trump in the U.S. Several essays confront this conservative comedy and place it in context of the larger humor history of these debates over free speech and political correctness. For comedians too, entry into popular media now follows the familiar neoliberal script of the celebration of self-help with the increasing admonishment of those who fail to win in market terms. Laughter plays an important role in shaming and valorizing (often at the same time!) the precarious subject in the aftermath of global recession. Doubling down on austerity, self-help policies and equivocation in the face of extremist challenges (right and left), politics foils the critical comedian’s attempt to satirize and parody its object. Characterized by ambiguity, mixed genre and the increasing use of anti-humor, political comedy mirrors the social and political world it mocks, parodies and celebrates often with lackluster results suggesting that the joke might be on us, as audiences.

The Sanity of Satire

The Sanity of Satire
Author: Al Gini
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield
Total Pages: 207
Release: 2020-10-07
Genre: Performing Arts
ISBN: 1538129728

Political humor and satire are, perhaps, as old as comedy itself, and they are crucial to our society and our collective sense of self. Satire is confrontational. It’s about pushback, dissent, discord, disappointment, and demonstrating the absurdity of the status quo. This book is an attempt to explore how these aspects of satire help secure our sanity. Aristotle famously said that humans are naturally political animals. We need political community to flourish and live good lives. But politics also entails unpopular decisions, oppression, and power struggles. Satire is a vehicle through which we reflect on and challenge the irrational, incomprehensible, and intolerable nature of our lives without becoming totally despondent or depressed. In a poignant, pithy, but not ponderous manner, Al Gini and Abraham Singer delve into the history of satire to rejoice in its triumphs and watch its development from ancient graffiti to the latest late-night TV talk show.

Political Humor

Political Humor
Author: Charles E. Schutz
Publisher: Fairleigh Dickinson Univ Press
Total Pages: 364
Release: 1977
Genre: Humor
ISBN: 9780838615362

Presents and seeks to explain the variety of humor in democratic politics. The humor ranges from the bawdy political comedies of Aristophanes in ancient Athens to the journalistic satires of our daily newspapers, and includes the jokes and comic invective of the people and their politicians.

Strange Bedfellows

Strange Bedfellows
Author: Russell Leslie Peterson
Publisher: Rutgers University Press
Total Pages: 276
Release: 2008
Genre: Performing Arts
ISBN: 0813542847

A significant number of Americans get some of their "news" about politics and national affairs from comedy shows. Is "infotainment" a debasement, or a replacement, for traditional news outlets?

Because I Tell a Joke or Two

Because I Tell a Joke or Two
Author: Stephen Wagg
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 336
Release: 2004-01-14
Genre: Art
ISBN: 1134794320

Because I Tell a Joke or Two explores the complex relationship between comedy and the social differences of class, region, age, gender, sexuality, ethnicity and nationhood. It shows how comedy has been used to sustain, challenge and to change power relationships in society. The contributors, who include Stephen Wagg, Mark Simpson, Stephen Small, Paul Wells and Frances Williams, offer readings of comedy genres, texts and performers in Britain, the United States and Australia. The collection also includes an interview with the comedian Jo Brand. Topics addressed include: * women in British comedies such as Butterflies and Fawlty Towers * the life and times of Viz, from Billy the Fish to the Fat Slags * queer readings of Morecambe and Wise, the male double act * the Marx brothers and Jewish comedy in the United States * black radical comedy in Britain * The Golden Girls, Cheers, Friends and American society.

A Conservative Walks Into a Bar

A Conservative Walks Into a Bar
Author: A. Dagnes
Publisher: Springer
Total Pages: 348
Release: 2012-09-06
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 1137270349

Conservative critics argue that modern political satire, in the age of The Daily Show, has a liberal bias. A quick review of the humor landscape shows that there are very few conservative political satirists, and using personal interviews with political humorists this book explains why. The book explores the history of satire, the comedy profession, and the nature of satire itself to examine why there is an ideological imbalance in political humor and it explores the consequences of this disparity. This book will appeal to Daily Show and Colbert fans, political junkies, and anyone interested in the intersection of politics and media.

Political Jokes

Political Jokes
Author: Aaron Remus
Publisher: Independently Published
Total Pages: 0
Release: 2023-05-08
Genre: Fiction
ISBN:

Political Joke is a hilarious collection of 200 jokes that pokes fun at politicians, political parties, and the political process. Whether you're a political junkie or enjoy a good laugh, this book has something for everyone. The jokes in this book cover a wide range of political topics, from elections and campaign promises to scandals and controversies. No matter your political leanings, you're sure to find plenty of jokes that will make you laugh. One of the great things about this book is the organization of the jokes. The jokes are arranged by topic, making finding just the excellent mark for any occasion effortless. There are sections on politicians, elections, political parties, and more. You'll find it here whether you're looking for a quick joke to share with friends or a more extended anecdote to tell at a party. Of course, the real star of this book is the jokes themselves. Here are just a few examples to give you a taste of what's inside: - Why do politicians always smile so much? They're trying to convince you they're not lying. - Why did the politician cross the road? To get to the other side of the aisle. - Why do political parties have conventions? So they can all get together and agree to disagree. - Why did the president go to bed early? To get some executive rest. These are just a few examples of clever wordplay and hilarious scenarios in Political Jokes. Whether looking for a quick laugh or a more extended anecdote, this book has everything you need to keep your sense of humor intact.

Trump Was a Joke

Trump Was a Joke
Author: Sophia A Mcclennen
Publisher: Taylor & Francis
Total Pages: 208
Release: 2023-03-24
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 100085874X

Written by a scholar of satire and politics, Trump Was a Joke explains why satire is an exceptional foil for absurd political times and why it did a particularly good job of making sense of Trump. Covering a range of comedic interventions, Trump Was a Joke analyzes why political satire is surprisingly effective at keeping us sane when politics is making us crazy. Its goal is to highlight the unique power of political satire to encourage critical thinking, foster civic action, and further rational debate in moments of political hubris and hysteria. The book has been endorsed by Bassem Youssef, who has been referred to as the “Jon Stewart of Egypt,” and Srdja Popovic, author of Blueprint for Revolution, who used satirical activism to bring down Serbian dictator Slobodan Milosevic. With a foreword by award-winning filmmaker, satirist, and activist Michael Moore, this study will be of interest to readers who follow politics and enjoy political comedy and will appeal to the communications, comedy studies, media studies, political science, rhetoric, cultural studies, and American studies markets.