Political Humor
By Jim S., Owings Mills, MD
I must respectfully disagree with “Political Humor: Not a Laughing Matter.” In it, Allison S. claims that talk shows like “The Daily Show” and “The Colbert Report” perpetuate political ignorance. However, I’ve found the opposite to be true: Before watching either of these shows, I was completely ungrateful for my status as a citizen and blissfully unaware of political news.
While both shows are defined as comedy, since watching them, I’ve been far more interested in current events. Rather than glance at the front of the newspaper, I sit down every day and immerse myself in The New York Times and The Baltimore Sun. This is a result of watching “The Daily Show” and “The Colbert Report.” Both are relentlessly funny, but clearly Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert foster a deep respect for our country. The shows attract a large number of younger viewers who would otherwise be apathetic about issues plaguing our nation.
I won’t deny that political knowledge has declined recently, but placing the blame on “The Daily Show” and “The Colbert Report” simply is unfair. Some major news organizations have done nothing but spread misinformation to sway public opinion about the war and other important issues rather than do what news organizations are supposed to do: report the news. It’s important to remember, though, that Jon Stewart himself has said that his show’s main goal is to entertain, and watching his show is better than receiving no political news at all.
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