John Cleese Satire

The implications of this assert that parody is permissible and let comedians to preserve their expressive

Humorists are often seen as insignificant contributors of society. People consider humorists no more than just “entertainers”, willing to make fun of anything in order to make a crowd laugh, however, has the audience ever contemplated why humorists are the some of the only people who are allowed to critique anything that crosses their mind without consequences? Alain de Botton, claims the vital role of humorist is, “to convey with impunity messages that might be dangerous or impossible to state directly.” I agree with Alain de Botton’s claims, that humorists do hold an important role in society, which is far more than to entertain. They break the ice on delicate topics, communicating the messages to society. Political cartoons and the Colbert

From the very beginning, Smith introduces her father’s favorite hobby; comedy. As it says, “my father had few enthusiasms, but he loved comedy” (1). She then goes on explaining the uniqueness of comedy, how it gave her father freedom and that their is no division of social status when it comes to comedy; comedy was and will always be true freedom. She informs the reader of several British comedians and comedy history, mentioning how they all had different styles. For example, one comedian would continuously make fun of himself, other would make fun of their culture, and social status. On the other hand, she also mentions that people do not have to be funny to go on stage. “In the world of comedy, if you are absolutely determined to stand on a stage for five minutes with a mike in your hand, someone in London will let you do it, if only once” (7).

The comedic technique, Satire, is used in humour to criticise and trigger thoughts about today’s society, groups and issues. ‘Knights and Dames’ created by Satirist, Leahy, is a satirical cartoon that attempts to address issues and provoke thoughts about today’s political issues such as individuality and national identity. Hyperbole, situational irony and caricature are three of the satirical techniques used in this cartoon. This essay will aim to analyse the language features and satirical cartoons.

Modern society allows humorists to touch upon offensive topics without receiving much criticism. As Alain de Botton claimed in his 2004 book, Status Anxiety, humorists’ role is not merely to entertain but “to convey with impunity messages that might be dangerous or impossible to state directly.” De Botton’s argument proves legitimate. Many humorists, such as cartoonists and television hosts, decide to use their humor as a tool to prove an idea or express a belief that cannot be voiced candidly in public.

In Status Anxiety, author de Botton correctly claims that humorists are expected to not only entertain their audience, but to make statements about controversial events that may be too sensitive to say directly and causally present them in a way that is easy for the public to understand. This is demonstrated through various forms of media such as television shows and political cartoons.

In Monty Python and the Holy Grail satire is used quite often to make fun of the Catholic faith. One of the most noteworthy moments is near the beginning of the movie when the monks are walking through the town chanting. Monty Python may use rather ludicrous humor to get their point across; however, they do a good job conveying the faults in the Catholic Church and display them on film. The movie does this through setting, characters’ costumes, and music.

Many people feel that controversial topics, such as racism or anti-Semitism, should be regarded as off-limits when it comes to humor. These people argue that any joke about these topics is inappropriate and always should be punished, or, at the very least, condemned, and to a certain extent, I agree with

The power of comedy is that it takes contemporary issues and stretches them to the extreme and then puts the exaggerated picture of who we are as a society back in our faces. Back a while ago, comedian great Mike Myers played Pitka in the movie flop "The Love Guru". During a number of scenes, Pitka would make comments, realize that they were catchy, and then quickly tack on and little "TM" to his statement. The idea was that he was trademarking everything clever that he said. Ridiculous? That's why it's comedy.

Terry Gilliam and Terry Jones’ film Monty Python and the Holy Grail is set in medieval England. The narrative is centred around Arthur's divinely fated quest for the Holy Grail, and the exploits of his most trusted knights in its pursuit. Contained amidst the comedy and timeless illogicality, are very real satirical insights into the medieval way of life for every social distinction and the two most powerful forces of the age, the Church and monarchy. There were no police, no grazing sheep, no textile work, no cathedrals, abbeys or shrines awaiting pilgrim, no town markets or fairs, no taxes, no dynastic struggles or endless wars, no invasions, no married couples or families, no gunpowder, no industry, no roads or waterways, no planted fields,

Satire is constantly evolving in order to maintain with the times. As technology, culture and humanity change and grow, satire is forced to grow with it. Satire of our modern time is more likely to be found on our phones than on print, more likely on a television than a telegram. By merging with pop culture, in forms of Family Guy and Comedy Central news shows, these forms of satire are able to stay relevant. But, despite the change in medium, the purpose of satire and effect of satire holds true. Modern satire, just as that of past satire, sheds light on the problems of our society through ridicule and mockery, without reinforcing and further cementing the stereotypes and prejudices they are trying to expose.

Satire is a literary device used by writers typically to critique society or an individual. It can be done a variety of ways, including humor, irony, and ridicule. An example of a writer using satire to critique society would be Jane Austen’s Northanger Abbey. Using a variety of techniques, Austen criticizes how society viewed novels and the people who write them by parodying common tropes in novels.

Today, comedy news shows are becoming progressively more popular, and in so, becoming a new source of information – which may, or may not, be a positive consequence. Most comedians twist the truth in order to connect to people and make them laugh. The article “A Serious Business: What Can Comedy Do?” suggests some comedians “use logic to make painful things make sense” (O’Hara 108). Satirical comedy acts as a relief mechanism in that it comforts people that may be wary about a certain subject, especially in the realm of politics. Similarly, Peter McGraw and Joel Warner discuss how comedy can act as a coping mechanism. The authors conclude that “activists all over the world have been using comedy as a form of political protest” (McGraw & Warner 147). Iain Ellis writes about how political satirists do more than just deliver jokes, they use satire “to expose, ridicule, and–implicitly–call for action and change” (Ellis 152). Ellis contends that comedy can make a difference by its constant presence in our daily lives. Socrates, Plato, and even shows like South Park believe that humor is a way to persuade others. One of the most effective expressions of humor to affect social change has been the inclusion of satire. Although humor often provides people a welcome escape from the burdens of their daily lives, the satirical comedy deconstructs social issues in various ways as a means to persuade the

Imagine a vast concert hall filled with people. The audience excitedly clamor in anticipation for the main star of this event. The event they paid so much money for, cleared up time in their schedule for, spent time getting to the event for. As the lights dim, the spotlight shines on the center stage. Then an average person emerges on the stage with a thousand eyes’ on him. He only has with a microphone in his hand. Just a typical person, with a normal gait and normal sense of fashion. However, after speaking a few words in the microphone, the crowd bursts into a cacophony of laughter. No matter how ordinary or extraordinary the person, entertainment through humor is universal. Utilizing humor, an extensive language of amusement, to open perspectives and challenge what is conceived right or wrong can be impactful- if done correctly. Dave Sedaris accomplishes that goal when he uses humor to illustrate his dilemma because of his identity. Despite being an accomplished successful comedian, author, radio show host, certain people look down at him as just a homosexual freak. Rather than gravely addressing his opposition, Sedaris utilizes a jovial yet relatable anecdote called “Chicken in a Henhouse”. Incorporating ideas from Ardian Bardon’s “The Philosophy of Humor”, specifically, the three theories of humor: superiority theory, incongruity theory and relief theory, Sedaris argues that the American public stereotypes homosexuals as pedophiles and ,as a result, they feel

Humour is the only way to survive the next four years. We need it so desperately or we may all end up in an asylum or in the graveyard out of being unable to contain our laughter. Assuming that we don’t all lose our sanity under the presidency of Donald Trump.