Satire In The Film 'Thank You For Smoking'

Good morning ladies and gentlemen. Today I will address a revolutionary topic that is taking the world by storm, known as satire. Satire is one of the most powerful tools used in our modern society. Satire works to manipulate the audience into believing selected information that supports an industry’s corporate agenda through the power superior industries have over society. This can be seen through studying four different satirical pieces presented through the media, these include; drama film “Thank You for Smoking”, “Frontline – The Siege” an Australian comedy show, “Harrison Bergeron” by Kurt Vonnegut, and “Lisa the Vegetarian” in ‘The Simpsons’. “Thank You for Smoking” is a comedy-drama film written and directed by Jason Reitman. It is a fiercely satirical look at today’s culture and the nature of choice in our society. Nick Naylor, chief lobbyist for ‘Big Tobacco’, makes his living defending the rights of cigarette companies in today’s

In one instance, we see the reporters discussing how to make a student psychologist look more credible than he is. They suggest tacky tricks for example, getting one with a beard to imply maturity and knowledge, and interviewing him in front of a bookcase to extend this fabricated image of a scholar. In another scene, Brooke, a reporter, asks a grieving mother if she has any nine-volt batteries the production team could use, before asking the emotionally distraught woman if she “would be able to cry again”. By using exaggeration of the stereotype of cold, manipulative journalists, Frontline mocks the often cynical way in which sensationalist media fabricates, distorts and manoeuvres to create a more compelling, dramatic