MovieChat Forums > The Daily Show (1996) Discussion > Just Realized Why Partisan Humor Sucks

Just Realized Why Partisan Humor Sucks

posted 8 years ago by Wilde_2015
10 replies | jump to latest

Here's my epiphany: Dennis Miller and Rush Limbaugh do this from the Right while Jon Stewart and Lewis Black do this from the Left. A little bit of clever/witty word play and mockery that reinforces its audiences' biased views that the opposite side are angry/insincere/stupid/mean/naive/evil. Laugh at the other side, rinse and repeat. Try the occasional joke about your own people and get a muted response as you've touched on a taboo. It's humor related to those kids on the school bus mocking/taunting the slow/autistic/outsider kid. It's about making yourself feel smarter and more anchored in your group. It's repugnant human tribalism.

[–] politicidal 8 years ago

Thing is, when one side becomes intolerant and anti-progress to the point of absurdity whilst under the guise of political incorrectness and defending themselves that both sides do it when that's no longer true...I don't give a *beep* . Check your history, some are losers and some are winners. Come 2016, the GOP are going to be the losers. Good riddance.

What's missing in movies is same as in society: a good sense of work ethic and living up to ideals.

[–] Wilde_2015 8 years ago

Check your history, some are losers and some are winners.

You mean like the Communist bloc were documented losers to the West?

What are your metrics?

You mean like who controls of the houses of government in the U.S.A.? Or who controls the majority of the media? Or generates most of the tax money that supports the government? Or wrestles away the most of that tax money? Or who controls the education system? Or the group that is the least restless and jealous?

[–] politicidal 8 years ago

You mad bro?

[–] MrMcMurphy 8 years ago

You mad bro?

^^^ NOT a great retort.

[–] MrMcMurphy 8 years ago

Great retort!!!

[–] ReelReviews14 8 years ago

I agree with the gist of your post. The Daily Show has no place during partisan humor. Alienating half your potential audience because they're not on "your side" is certainly no formula for success.

Some of your examples were poor though. First off, Rush Limbaugh's partisan humor on his short lived TV show was actually funny. It catered to a niche audience instead of being broadcast on a late night comedy channel for "everyone", and Rush's bit where he did visual reactions to some liberal talking head spewing liberal stuff was hilarious.

Lewis Black isn't NEARLY as partisan as Stewart, and PLENTY of conservatives find Lewis Black funny and relate to his rants about crazy stuff happening in every day life.

People like Stewart and Maher are more like the left-wing equivalent to Ann Coulter. None of them are remotely funny. They just love mugging the TV camera, spewing hate at anyone who disagrees with them, and think being angry and "outraged" all the time is somehow "funny". Nobody enjoys it except a small segment of society that mindlessly agrees with them and likes watching them demonize people who have a different worldview.

[–] merh 8 years ago

Good heavens.

We have had this forever.

Look up Will Rogers, kiddies.

I am not a member of an organized political party. I am a Democrat.

I don't make jokes. I just watch the government and report the facts.

When I die, my epitaph, or whatever you call those signs on gravestones, is going to read: "I joked about every prominent man of my time, but I never met a man I didn't like." I am so proud of that, I can hardly wait to die so it can be carved.

Died in 1935.

Find some Pogo comic strips.
We have met the enemy & he is us
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pogo_(comic_strip)

Doonesbury
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doonesbury

This isn't Wall Street-this is Hell. We have a little something called integrity-Crowley

[–] rphilip1 8 years ago

They go where the humor is and right now it's Trump an his people. Are they just supposed to ignore all the ridiculous *beep* Trump and his people say?

[–] MrMcMurphy 8 years ago

Great point, and great examples.

For strictly reason and evidence, I recommend Stefan Molyneux (lots of videos on YouTube).

For a funny version of that evidenced based reason: Gavin McInnes. (It's very cathartic to hear evidence used against all the emotional/feeling-based "positions" out there, esp in a funny way).

[–] PACman66 8 years ago

Gavin IS GREAT!
There were (and are) lefty comedians that were just as funny, regardless of where you sat politically. George Carlin was a hardcore lefty, but he didn't shy away from attacking his own side when they got stupid. Same goes with Dennis Miller.
This show just leans way too far left for me personally. Sure, Trump may be an easy target... But if the Right ran someone universally loved such as (fill in the blank) These guys would rip him/her to pieces.
The OTHER problem with political humor, is that it automatically comes with a sell by date. Robin Williams was a phenomenal comedian...
But his Regan tirades are so tiresome to listen to now... And they were a HUGE part of his stand up in the 80's...