I always thought that I was a democrat because that was what I truly believed. In a way, maybe that is true. But recently I came to the realization that what I believe politically is due mostly to Saturday Night Live. In an interview on vulture.com Lorne Michaels, executive producer of Saturday Night Live, conceded that they target republicans on the show because Republicans are easier to make fun of and are betting at taking a joke. Because of this reality, I've grown up to become a democrat.
I can't say I'm an avid political thinker but when it comes to the issues, I've always seemed to side with the democratic view. One day, I asked myself why this might be. I always assumed it was my parents. However, I recently learned they are both republican. Though they do still have some democratic personality that may have rubbed off on me I got even more curious as to why I grew up so strongly left. Then, as I watched SNL after and during the most recent presidential election, I came up with my answer. SNL made me a democrat.
How might that happen, you ask? Well that's easy. It may be strange, but I started watching SNL at the ripe age of 9. I remember filling out a survey in 5th grade that asked me what my favorite show was. As everyone filled out Hannah Montana and SpongeBob I wrote SNL without hesitation. my friends asked me what it was and I gladly told them it was a funny news show I watched on Saturday's with my parents. It may seem inappropriate that my parents let me watch this show so young in life but really what's the harm if I found what I did understand funny and didn't understand the inappropriate content? It's was harmless. Or at least in the way of crude humor. When it came to politics, I had no idea I was being brainwashed into the mindset I hold today.
SNL’s biggest focus has always been the current issues and politics of the US so they don't really have much of a choice when it comes to these sketches: in order to make it funny they must take a side. Otherwise they have no one to tease, and SNL's lifeblood is teasing. So, as Lorne has admitted, they chose the republicans. This doesn't mean SNL is completely democratic, in fact their views may not entirely be shown here. Maybe Lorne's right and republicans are just an easier and more sound option to make fun of. But all news sources, even credible ones like the New York Times have an overall viewpoint, no matter how neutral they try to be. So even if I grew up on the NYT or Huffington Post, I guess I would have been brainwashed one way or another.
Anyway, SNL has made me into the young voter that I am today. I know this because I've never once disagreed with one of their jokes. I always find myself cheering them on, wishing they'd go further. It's not necessarily a bad thing, I enjoy being a democrat. It is just interesting to think how much of an effect media and television have on a child’s future character. And it makes me wonder if I would be wearing a red "Make America Great Again" hat around if I'd never been introduced to SNL. Frankly, the idea scares me.
