| So political comedy is your thing, eh? The purpose | | | | however, you'll be able to extract the comedy |
| of this article is to help you get started in making | | | | potential from the most serious of topics. |
| political jokes. It is also an attempt at thinning the | | | | Let me walk you through a simple example. I |
| paint that is our polarized politics, if you will. I want | | | | used this very news story in a similar way in my |
| to add water to the orange concentrate that is | | | | political humor blog: |
| our unwavering partisan views and beliefs in the | | | | On August 15th, 2010, Tea Party members held a |
| United States. In the spirit of the Gulf oil spill, I | | | | rally in Arizona on the border with Mexico. Let's |
| want to take oil and water in a jar, and shake it | | | | forget about why the rally was held (remember: |
| until I get conservatives intermingling with liberals | | | | avoid the main topic/issue). What do you think |
| in an effort to bring the two sides together. | | | | was so eccentric about this news? Well, Sheriff |
| Laughter is a powerful tool and it can bring people | | | | Arpaio of Maricopa County addressed the crowd |
| together. Poking fun at our political beliefs is a | | | | of Tea Partiers. Now, this guys is eccentric on his |
| good way of creating humility and seeing what | | | | own, but put him on the border, allow him to |
| the other side sees. I have found this to motivate | | | | speak, and comedy ensues. This purveyor of |
| me and others to laugh at ourselves and work | | | | order and law enforcement told the crowd that |
| with our opposites not just in politics. | | | | he would climb the border fence if all of the |
| It pains me to see my country divided on almost | | | | country's television news was there to report it. If |
| all issues. Our political party system has divided | | | | you don't see the comedy in this, don't worry, it |
| the United States in two on things ranging from | | | | takes practice for some. I don't care if you have |
| foreign policy to something as insignificant as | | | | even the most conservative ideologies. The |
| clothing style! I heard an older gentleman say to a | | | | SHERIFF, not even just a deputy, the Sheriff of a |
| twenty something year old, "Uhm, kid? Your | | | | major U.S. county (1) wants to break the law, no, |
| pants are too low and baggy." The kid responded, | | | | international law, and (2) he doesn't think the rest |
| " Uhm gramps? Your pants are too high and | | | | of the country will hear about it. He also said that |
| tight." Where does the madness end? For a more | | | | border patrol should be allowed to cross the |
| serious example, there is uproar about an Islam | | | | border and prevent migrants from crossing. |
| group wanting to establish a mosque near Ground | | | | That part is the raw material. We need to shape |
| Zero in New York. In a struggle for power and | | | | it to make it funnier (or in some cases, funny at |
| public support, it didn't take very long for our | | | | all). What can we add to make it funnier? Look at |
| politicians to turn the issue into politics. In turn I | | | | his picture. What does he look like? Is he on |
| am seeing this create a civilian divide between | | | | overweight side of the spectrum? How high is the |
| those who believe the mosque is insensitive to | | | | fence? Bring in Nothing gets past being posted on |
| the families of those who fell at Ground Zero and | | | | these days, so how can he think no one will see |
| those who argue for religious freedom (i.e., | | | | his lawlessness? Exaggerate it. Compare it to |
| conservatives and liberals, respectively). And of | | | | something funny or an exaggerated version of it. |
| course, both sides are stubborn. | | | | Make the connection between allowing border |
| Enough with the serious stuff and let's get to the | | | | patrol to cross the border and preventing |
| comedy. First, avoid your temptation to make | | | | migrants with invading a foreign country and |
| jokes about your political opposite. I know that it's | | | | declaring preeminent illegal immigration sweeps. |
| hard. They make it so easy for us, don't they? | | | | What does that sound like? Bush's preemptive |
| The problem is that it just adds to the stonewall | | | | war maybe? What else? Make a list and see what |
| partisanship and makes your opponents angry at | | | | has comedy potential. Then try your joke on |
| you. You can poke fun at the other side when | | | | your opposite party friends. If they laugh, it's |
| you give your politics equal time. Showing your | | | | good. Then introduce it to the less partisan friends |
| opponent that you can joke about yourself will | | | | on your side of the fence. |
| open them up for jokes about their beliefs. | | | | That news story is comedy gold! If you can't |
| Second, read the political sections in newspapers | | | | laugh at that, keep thinking about the irony, the |
| (including online) and watch political news on TV. | | | | eccentricity, or made odd comparisons. The point |
| As you read or watch the news, try not to think | | | | is to find humor in your views. Then spend some |
| about what the issues mean or how they affect | | | | humor time on the other side. Laughter is a |
| you (you can do this later). This helps us avoid | | | | powerful tool in bringing people together. |
| embedding ourselves in the issue. I know that this | | | | Remember to find comedy in yourself before |
| seems difficult, but I will walk you through later. | | | | ripping the other side with your comedy genius. It |
| Third, find the eccentricities in the news stories. | | | | helps to loosen you from your polar barrier. |
| Believe me, this part isn't hard. What you might | | | | For more hilarious examples (most of them at |
| find difficult is avoiding seriously analyzing the | | | | least), find them on my blog linked below - The |
| meanings of the topics. With enough practice, | | | | BCN Report. |