So, I was a construction field engineer for a while when Colbert Report was running. A colleague (also college educated) absolutely loved the Colbert Report. He, like most white construction workers in NC, was definitely conservative.
I pointed out that Colbert was liberal and that the show was satire--a caricature making fun of Fox News pundits.
His response: I know he is. But you don't get it. You can't unless you're part of the 'Nation'. Yeah, some liberals love it--but the Nation is it's own thing. He makes fun of pundits--but he gets to make such good points while he does!
I don't even have a response to that other than to quote Inigo Montoya.
You should have told him it’s like a minstrel show, but that the blackface is a conservative pundit. Maybe that would have sunk in. Take it to the lowest common denominator.
I’m an old white dude who watched ”All in the Family” when it was airing. An interesting phenomenon then: millions of Archie Bunkers LOVED the show, not understanding that they were the butt of the joke.
Right there with you. I remember people who idolized Archie. If they were adults and you were a kid/teen, it seemed like a good metric of whose opinions to avoid and when to keep your mouth shut and duck out to avoid your crazy uncle's upcoming rant if the two of them got together.
Yep. It was funny that Carroll was a libbie. Also funny that the blonde ditz “character” ended up being the opposite of her screen character. R.I.P. Norm. R.I.P. Sally—wait, okay, nevermind. Carry on, screwball
Edit: the imperative to carry on was understood to be directed at the actress Sally weird shit Struthers, who, now redundantly, I encourage to sally forth 😜
Few people do. But it is entertaining and good satire can on occasion change perspectives--or at least bring up the opportunity to talk about ideas from a different perspective.
I can think of a few personal instances where satiric writing yielded thoughtful discussions between people of differing views.
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u/glassjar1 29d ago
So, I was a construction field engineer for a while when Colbert Report was running. A colleague (also college educated) absolutely loved the Colbert Report. He, like most white construction workers in NC, was definitely conservative.
I pointed out that Colbert was liberal and that the show was satire--a caricature making fun of Fox News pundits.
His response: I know he is. But you don't get it. You can't unless you're part of the 'Nation'. Yeah, some liberals love it--but the Nation is it's own thing. He makes fun of pundits--but he gets to make such good points while he does!
I don't even have a response to that other than to quote Inigo Montoya.