Comedy is both a source of relief and an added perspective in the world of politics. With the high political tensions that exist today, late-night shows, “Saturday Night Live” skits and even humorous protest signs play a vital role in politics that can’t be undermined. They prove that it is still imperative that people laugh, especially in hard times.
Jimmy Kimmel was suspended just over a month ago after he commented on President Donald Trump’s response to the death of Charlie Kirk. He showed a clip of Trump responding to a reporter who asked how he was holding up. Trump’s answer simply mentioned the White House renovations, to which Kimmel joked, “This is how a 4-year-old mourns a goldfish.”
Critics painted Kimmel’s monologue as insensitive and disrespectful. However, he did not joke about Kirk’s death, but rather Trump’s immature and unprofessional response.
This is an example of comedy highlighting how ridiculous some things in the world of politics are. Leaders who lack eloquence and qualifications, such as Trump, provide comedians with a steady source of material.
High media coverage of politics also increases the amount of people who understand the reference, and therefore increases the number of laughs. Amid the stress caused by the current administration, it feels good to laugh.
“Saturday Night Live” opened its new season Oct. 4 with a reference to Kimmel’s suspension. In the opening skit, Trump warns “SNL” not to make fun of him or be too mean or else he will come for them in the same way he went after Kimmel.
In a chain reaction, Kimmel called out the absurdity of Trump’s words, and “SNL” brought attention to Trump’s tantrum-like reaction. In doing so, “SNL” emphasized how unprompted such drastic measures were and took a stand on the issue.
“SNL” took Kimmel’s side and shined a light on the dangers of censorship. Kimmel was the one suspended, but restricting speech like that could make way for the censorship of other popular programs.
The cold open on “SNL” was proof that comedy can be an engaging way to make a point. In fact, protesters at the “No Kings” protest seemed to take a page out of the same book.
About 125,000 people took to the Boston Common Oct. 18 to protest the Trump administration during the most recent “No Kings” protest. Many attendees took part in creative defiance, displaying signs that targeted the part of Trump that bruises the easiest: His ego.
A sign from Chicago read, “real clowns would run things better,” and one from Delaware said, “Ikea has better cabinets.”
A popular theme featured frogs, due to the Immigration and Customs Enforcement raid protests in Portland, where inflatable costumes have become a staple in protesting. Some protesters were in costume and others carried signs that said, “ribbit, resist, repeat.”
Trump mocked the almost seven million Americans who took a stand against him and the harmful agenda of his administration, but it seemed the costumes and jokes were just too much for him to handle. After the protest, he posted an AI video of himself, dressed as a king, dumping sewage on people exercising their constitutional right to protest.
Seeing that video only solidified what I had been thinking for a long time: I’ve seen 6-year-olds more mature than the current president of the United States.
I find it ironic that the same politicians who call people “snowflakes” for calling out blatant racism, homophobia and misogyny can’t handle some late-night jokes and protest signs.
All of this is proof that comedy is a useful tool in the political climate. It provides comedic relief through much-needed laughs. In the same way people laugh about their own trauma, sometimes you just have to laugh at how absurd our country is being run today. It’s therapeutic.
Making jokes is a way to take a stand and make a point. It brings much-needed perspective and helps people realize how silly it is that these politicians are trying to make us believe they want what’s best for the country.
Kimmel, “SNL” and the seven million protesters reiterate the same message: If you’re gonna resist a government slipping further and further into corruption, you might as well have fun with it. Crack some jokes, make people laugh, bruise some egos.
