THE NEW YORKER: WHAT’S SO FUNNY ABOUT SATIRE?
Okay, it’s a cartoon. Cartoons are supposed to be funny. I get that. But usually you at least get a caption underneath that tells you why it’s funny. The New Yorker cartoon didn’t even give us a “Git ‘er done” or a “Wha-a-at?” or in this case, “Black People In The White House And They’re Not The Help.”
How in the world is anybody supposed to get that this thing is a joke?
I know funny, and I can tell you right now, having a Negro Muslim and his angry terrorist-militant wife in the Oval Office isn’t what anyone would ever think is funny. At least no one I know. It isn’t even a decent “Family Circus.” Now there’s something that’s funny. Why? Because so much of what that guy draws could happen. A black president who burns the American flag or thinks the Koran is our bible? That could never happen. Not where people have died in another country fighting for the right to have the red, white and blue to fly in that country so they won’t be able to fly it over here, or something like that.
A lot of people in New York - not just Jews - Americans too, think this satire thing goes over the head of people like me. But even if I was taller I wouldn’t think it was funny. Things aren’t so hot in America right now and we could use some good laughs. What we need is something that makes fun of people who think they’re so smart. You’re not going to get that from satire.
You know what would have been funny? If that New Yorker cartoon was on the cover of a major metropolitan city magazine where a lot of black people actually live.
Or how about just have everyone listen to whatever Bill O’Reilly says.
Yeah. Satire could use some of that.
Steve
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8 Responses to “THE NEW YORKER: WHAT’S SO FUNNY ABOUT SATIRE?”
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Dear Steve,
Spot on as usual! Of course, I can’t say that the New Yorker, in its whole long history, has ever really been the source for “gut busting” humor, satirical or otherwise. At least nobody that I know of ever rushed to the mailbox, or the newstand, in breathless anticipation of yet another New Yorker “yuck filled” cartoon satire. Personally, I always thought that satire was designed to reveal a meaningful insight on the human condition in an unexpectedly humorous fashion. Except for the, insight and the humor part, I’d say that the New Yorker’s Obama cover nailed the whole satire thing! The New Yorker– bringing America yet another WTF moment in cartooning satire.
It’s their publication and they can do what they want, but it should be tempered with editorial judgment.
The cartoon belonged inside, not on the cover.
If I noticed there was no caption, I did it subliminally.
I first saw it on HuffPo’s home page, glanced at it and thought it was something from an extreme right wing blog; another piece of extreme crap nonsense and immediately forgot about until it hit the MSM fan.
I doubt any of whiners has ever picked up a copy.
Boo hoo for you that irony is above your heads.
This so called cartoon is disgusting, racist, anti american, vulgar and political. Even if I were a republican (thank goodness I’m not), I would be repulsed for printing this “cartoon”.
I said this earlier over at ThomHartmann.com and MMfA.org….. Right idea to try and show how pathetic the rightwing attacks, but bad implementation of the message!
Perhaps the next time the New Yorker will take a bit more time before going to print!
Thom Hartmann must have read this post before going on air yesterday, because he took the same tack. Only he said it was out of context, where Steve hit it more squarely by saying, no caption.
Please! At least it gave all of you something to write about! Turn your attention from other most important things. Like how Bush cockblocked Bernanke while he was delivering a testimony on the state of economy before the Senate Banking Committee. Slap! Don’t look there! Look here! Everything is just fine! Economy is great! Here’s a cartoon for you to blog about…
Your post makes one think! Great article. Thanks for allowing me to comment!