Satire is 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. Shows like The Daily Show, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, and Late Night with Stephen Colbert are examples of contemporary political TV satire. Satire typically has the tendency to attack political structures. This is not your traditional attack, but one that is intended to educate and entertain in addition to persuading the audience to adopt a certain attitude.
Additionally, it is important to note that there are two types of satire; Juvenalian and Horatian. Juvenalian satire seeks to ground its arguments in everyday activities and is often presented to critique the ruling elite and the norms of social behavior. For example, The Daily Show plays off of traditional news media in terms of the appearance of the show. The host sits at a desk and runs various stories. On the other hand, Juvenalian satire is more hash and referred to as “savage and merciless.” This type of satire is not meant to heal or to be light hearted, but rather it is meant to wound. An example of this would be when Stephen Colbert roasted president George W. Bush at the White House Correspondence Dinner in 2006. Another example would be a Michael Moore movie. Although there are many other forms of satire, these are the main ones that pertain to political TV satire as it is represented today.
Personally, I think it is interesting to examine the effects of Horatian satire like The Daily Show and Last Week Tonight, because of the light-hearted comedy associated with each show. I would make the argument that these forms of political satire resonate with the audience more than Juvenilian satire due to its witty nature. In the age of a Trump presidency, political satire is even more important, because I would say that they have done a better job of informing the public. Traditional news sources like CNN often legitimize outlandish claims from the Trump administration through repetition, but satire really unpacks these issues.
For instance, Trump administration officials have lied about events like the “Bowling Green Massacre,” and Trump accused Obama of wiretapping him during the election. These things are so ridiculous it can actually become humorous. The sad reality is that some people take it to be truthful, while others are swayed by outlets like Fox or CNN. John Oliver did a piece about how Trump gets all of his news from Fox and how terrifying that is.
In the same story, Oliver also talks about how Trump has said multiple times that he does not read books and never really has. This type of context is important, because it puts into perspective the thoughts that he has and why he makes certain decisions. To take it to the extreme, John Oliver actually paid for an advertising spot to teach Trump a few things about international relations like the nuclear triad.
All in all, satire has done a tremendous amount of good in general, but in the age of Trump it is a unique perspective that all people should pay attention to.
