Political satire is the most “serious” form of expression in cultures around the world. Political satire is basically a form of expression that uses ridicule, irony, sarcasm, etc. exposing insanity or vice, or lampooning an individual or a political-related system to attempt and bring about political change. From print to film, political satire has been present in all media and has left a lasting impact on societies.
In America, many satirists have commented on the state of political affairs since the days of the American War of Independence. However, the prominent political satire has been American television shows. The two most prominent genres of satirical shows, which originated in the US, are late-night talk shows and animated series.
Over the years, many late-night talk shows have been aired on American television and each of them has been wildly popular. The first program of this genre, which continues to run to this day, is “Saturday Night Live”. This show, which first aired on NBC in October 1975, has entered its 37th season. The show has had legendary hosts like John Belushi, Eddie Murphy, and Will Ferrell, among others. The show pioneered the field of political satire on television. Impersonations of famous politicians like Bill Clinton and mock election campaigns were some of the highlights of the show. After this show, they were Tonight Show with Jay Leno, An Evening with David Letterman, The Daily Show with Jon Stewart and The Colbert Report, being the famous examples.
Jay Leno’s show first aired in May 1992. After a short sabbatical in 2009, it resumed in March 2010. His popularity can be measured by the fact that even Barack Obama made an appearance on the show on March. 2009. He is the first president of the United States to do so, after taking office. All of these shows and their hosts gained enormous popularity among young audiences. Not only did they entertain audiences, but they were even recognized as the shows that gave the average American teenager their share of knowledge about politics.
Another massive contribution from American television in the field of satire are two other legendary shows, namely The Simpsons (since 1989) and South Park (since 2004). The public was able to identify with the characters of these two series; and this made the satirical comments even more forceful. While South Park’s Stan and Kyle struck a chord with all audiences for their ideologies leaning to the right and left, respectively, Homer Simpson and his family can be called the most beloved set of television characters. Both series address political issues such as corruption and incompetent government. At the same time, they talk about more everyday issues such as racial discrimination, religion, and caste-based issues.
The popularity of political satire in the US can be significantly attributed to the shows discussed above. Today, these shows have reached dizzying heights and unprecedented popularity around the world, proving their originality and sympathy from the public.