when news breaks, the daily show fixes it
DESCRIPTION
"When News Breaks, The Daily Show Fixes It", an exploration of how news satire exposes the implicit truths held in our culture. Using examples from popular satires including Saturday Night Live, The Onion, The Daily Show, and The Colbert Report, this presentation reveals that satire is not just entertainment but a necessity for understanding our cultural values.TRANSCRIPT
When news breaks,When news breaks,The Daily Show The Daily Show
fixes itfixes it
Daniel McCue ’99Daniel McCue ’99
Hope College, Martha Miller Hope College, Martha Miller CenterCenter
Friday, October 9, 2009Friday, October 9, 2009
• News stores our social normsNews stores our social norms• News violates our social normsNews violates our social norms• News satire restores our social News satire restores our social
normsnorms
• ……Yes, we will watch clips, tooYes, we will watch clips, too
News: a story about realityNews: a story about reality
News: a story about realityNews: a story about reality
What’s in the news?What’s in the news?
Gans (1979), Gans (1979), Deciding What’s NewsDeciding What’s News
What’s in the news?What’s in the news?
Gans (1979), Gans (1979), Deciding What’s NewsDeciding What’s News
What’s in the news?What’s in the news?
Gans (1979), Gans (1979), Deciding What’s NewsDeciding What’s News
What’s in the news?What’s in the news?
Gans (1979), Gans (1979), Deciding What’s NewsDeciding What’s News
What’s in the news?What’s in the news?
Gans (1979), Gans (1979), Deciding What’s NewsDeciding What’s News
News values: News values: concern for social cohesionconcern for social cohesion
Contemporary news Contemporary news landscapelandscape
News: a story about realityNews: a story about reality
News: restoring the mythNews: restoring the myth
News: violating the mythNews: violating the myth
Hamburglar Urges Senate Hamburglar Urges Senate Subcommittee To 'Robble Subcommittee To 'Robble
Robble Robble'Robble Robble'WASHINGTON, DC—Denouncing a prison system he WASHINGTON, DC—Denouncing a prison system he
described as "robble," hamburger advocate and described as "robble," hamburger advocate and convicted felon Hamburglar addressed the Senate convicted felon Hamburglar addressed the Senate Subcommittee on Penal Reform Monday, demanding Subcommittee on Penal Reform Monday, demanding more humane conditions for the nation's inmates. more humane conditions for the nation's inmates. "Robble robble robble robble robble robble robble "Robble robble robble robble robble robble robble robble robble robble robble robble," an emotional robble robble robble robble robble," an emotional Hamburglar told the 12-member committee. "Robble Hamburglar told the 12-member committee. "Robble robble robble robble robble. Robble robble robble robble robble robble robble. Robble robble robble robble robble robble: Robble robble." Reaction to the robble robble robble: Robble robble." Reaction to the speech was mixed. "Certainly there is room for speech was mixed. "Certainly there is room for improvement in our penal system," U.S. Sen. Bob Smith improvement in our penal system," U.S. Sen. Bob Smith (R-NH) said. "But I would hardly call the current (R-NH) said. "But I would hardly call the current situation 'robble.'"situation 'robble.'" The OnionThe Onion, September 15, 1999, September 15, 1999
News: too much News: too much information?information?
24-hour news cycle 24-hour news cycle or a virtuous circle?or a virtuous circle?
• The Informing The Informing EffectEffect
• ““A virtuous circle”A virtuous circle”• Strong correlation Strong correlation
between news between news consumption,consumption,engagement engagement
What is the role of news What is the role of news satire?satire?
Satire: how does it work?Satire: how does it work?
Irony vs. SatireIrony vs. Satire
IronyIrony• TropeTrope• Rhetorical deviceRhetorical device• Morally neutralMorally neutral• Mark of good Mark of good
literature (Booth, literature (Booth, 1974)1974)
SatireSatire• GenreGenre• RhetoricalRhetorical• Intending to Intending to
correct moral correct moral failings failings
Functions of ironyFunctions of irony
• Criticism: Criticism: ironic criticism > literal criticismironic criticism > literal criticism
• Compliments: Compliments: ironic compliment < literal complimentironic compliment < literal compliment
• Humor: Humor: ironic text > literal textironic text > literal text
Conclusion: irony is riskier, but more Conclusion: irony is riskier, but more effective.effective.
Example of Irony: Example of Irony: The Daily ShowThe Daily Show
“Professional Important “Professional Important News” News”
Functions of satireFunctions of satire
How does irony work?How does irony work?
How does irony work?How does irony work?
How does irony work?How does irony work?Performing a reconstructed Performing a reconstructed
meaningmeaning
How does irony work? How does irony work? Clues.Clues.
How does news satire work?How does news satire work?
How does news satire work?How does news satire work?RathergateRathergate
© Comedy Partners© Comedy Partners
Putting it all togetherPutting it all together
• News satire exposes the News satire exposes the mythological function of news mythological function of news by revealing violations of social values expressed implicitly in news stories.
• News satire speaks “truth” by exposing idealized social values that have been violated by subjects of news stories or by those who report the news.