The first serious scholarly account of the works of comedian John Clarke has just been published. Here, we consider the creative genius of his command of language.
Public taste has changed and that is that. It’s not just the references that date in topical satire. Audiences are powerful, and if they feel insulted they can shut down a comedian.
As parody goes, this infamous Monty Python film is a pretty gentle, even, respectful sort. It is now more likely to be criticised for breaching the boundaries of ‘political correctness’.
Today’s screen satire frequently preaches to the converted. Fortunately, there are some notable exceptions that can skewer even the most progressive of viewers.
The term ‘political correctness’ is often used to imply that those who resent racist comedy just lack a sense of humour. But First Nations people are using humour to speak back, especially on social media.
For media activists The Yes Men, hoaxes have emerged as a proven tactic to generate public discourse on social justice issues that are not generally given space and time in mainstream news media.
We may be living in a golden age of satire, but comedy has always struggled to communicate across political divides. Much of today’s satire may be preaching to the choir.