Rachel Carpenter Satire: English Language

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Rachel Carpenter Satire Final Paper
Nicholas Brennan May 15, 2018

Satire is a form of literature that has been used in the English language for thousands of years. Satire can be defined as “the use of humor, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule to expose and criticize people's stupidity or vices, particularly in the context of contemporary politics and other topical issues.” (Marriam-Webster Dictionary) In media, many people use satire as a form of humor. Satire is also popular to use when news reporting. News satire is a type of parody that is …show more content…

While many find news satire funny, some people misunderstand it. There is a notable gap between good satire and bad satire. Good satire helps to add humor in the form of mockery. An example would be when people mock the president or other famous individuals. Bad satire is when people of power mock people who are powerless. For instance, when individuals use blackface to mock black people. Bad satire can cause a bad reputation for satirists in general. Another issue that comes along with satire is that satirists’ open dislike for politics influences their viewers to feel the same, resulting in political disfranchisement. “Watching political comedy can influence our attitudes towards politicians, both negatively and positively, tends to make us feel more cynical about our political institutions, and is perceived to privilege a partisan political outlook. Despite these drawbacks, political comedy is seen by most as a boon for our democracy, not a bust.” (Becker, 1) Their use of satire also discourages discussion about the topic and the sharing of ideas. Frequently, political satire chooses reports based on comedic value instead of deviating from essential information which often highlights the news aspect and undermines important issues in politics. In many cases, these shows do not give full information to their viewers resulting in the inability to discuss or debate the topic. Since satire is often used for entertainment, people …show more content…

The show describes itself as a fake news program. The show gains its comedy based on recent news stories. Due to the show’s popularity, many Americans have been exposed to news satire. Jon Stewart is well-known for being a humorous, outspoken critique of many news media shows, such as CNN, Fox News and MSNBC. The Daily Show mirrors the same template and some of the same content as the news networks that it is criticizing for satirical effect. Jon Stewart had guests from either end of whatever argument he was addressing, in an attempt to humanize both sides of the issue. Throughout the series, Stewart was able to maintain his persona despite any negative backlash or setbacks.
Saturday Night Live is a satirical show based on skits that comment on and parody current events. SNL satirizes both sides of the political spectrum, unlike other political satires which tend to lean towards one side. Saturday Night Live’s Weekend Update, a mock news segment, acts as a legitimate news source but is a

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