In a world where comedy used to be nonpartisan and enjoyed by all members of the political spectrum, it appears those days are over. In the past, political satirists prided themselves on hiding their political preferences from their audience; however, in recent times, they are no longer hiding their true colors. According to the Washington Wire, Jon Stewart & David Letterman sport blue jumpsuits under their normal suit-and-tie garb while Jay Leno and Jimmy Fallon look better in red. What gave them away?
The Center of Media and Public Affairs found that 3 out of every 5 jokes coming from Stewart & Letterman were aimed at making fun of the Republican party, while the opposite was true for Leno & Fallon. While this may not be "news" for avid television watchers, the true impact will be on the polarizing effect it will have on network TV. Since news is already polarized (Republicans=Fox News, Democrats=CNN/MSNBC), it is safe to say that comedy will be too. Stewart's show is featured on Comedy Central, while Leno & Fallon both have shows on NBC. I find this unfortunate....comedy is something that should be free of partisanship. We certainly get enough politics in our day to day life, can't humor be left out of it!?While the comedians may differ on political ideologies, they agree on who should receive the brunt of their jokes: President Obama. According to the study, Obama received the majority of jokes from both sets of commentators, with Sarah Palin (totally deserving), George W. Bush (also not a shocker), and Joe Biden finishing the list. So while our country remains divided on various political issues, it appears we can all unite when it comes to making fun of our country's leadership. God Bless America.
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