I love satire. The kind that's edgy and unafraid. A good satire is more powerful than the best of rants. Smart, good-humored satire quietly deconstructs prejudices, official lies and irrational beliefs while we are being entertained. Satire can undermine the Powers That Be more surely than a litany of op-eds. Think The Daily Show.
I recently found this absolute gem: The Old Negro Space Program:, a scathingly funny assault on racism and a friendly dig at Ken Burn's documentary style. The short film is apparently a big hit at the Kennedy Space Center. It's the funniest thing I've seen in a long, long time.
From Andy Bobrow, its author:
Wow!! I never expected that this little side project would find so many viewers. I'm flattered by all the praise in my guestbook, and I'm frankly relieved that almost no one has taken this the wrong way! I did this for fun, and seeing it take off like this has been the most fun of all. -AB
Bill Moyer's NOW has this: to say about political satire:
Satire has long been a tool of political criticism. Although the term satire may describe an entire work, a passage, or a tone, its characteristics are shared: among these, it employs comedy or humor; has a target and an ideal to compare it to; and describes folly or vice in detail.
From THE COLUMBIA ENCYCLOPEDIA:
From ancient times satirists have shared a common aim: to expose foolishness in all its guises -- vanity, hypocrisy, pedantry, idolatry, bigotry, sentimentality -- and to effect reform through such exposure. The many diverse forms their statements have taken reflect the origin of the word satire, which is derived from the Latin satura, meaning "dish of mixed fruits," hence a medley.
I hope that Andy Bobrow's mini-masterpiece will inspire budding satirists to put their PCs and video editing software to good use. These worst of times are the best of times for a new golden age of american political satire.
Any thoughts on the satirical shorts you'd like to see made?