Contemporary Satire (ft. Food Dudes)

Telling the truth is easy to say, but hard to complete. For this reason, "white lies" happen almost every day. As de Botton states, the goal of humorists is to convey messages that can't normally be stated. Humorists play a much larger role than simply to entertain; humorists provide underlying messages behind taboo topics. From satires to parodies, humorists provide an entry for the public to understand societal issues in a lighthearted manner.

Journalists display information concretely, allowing for much debate. Humorists portray information more abstractly and subconsciously, allowing for open interpretation. In contemporary society, satire is often used by humorists. For example, FOX's Family Guy includes much satire to ridicule politics and other relevant topics. With its high popularity, it reaches a broad spectrum of viewers, leading it to satirize topics from high school peer pressure to President Trump. At the same time, high popularity means that many are exposed to the issues of society. The show may seem like another Sunday night comedy show, but in reality, it teaches viewers the magnitude of several topics, such as the issue regarding sexual assault in Trump's episode. The satire makes viewers laugh at the moment, but lends them into questioning how broken society is.

Since humorists play a vital role in using wit to expose truths, it is often difficult to convey messages with "impunity." The topics discussed hold social stigma, so being able to keep satirical humor from crossing the line is a true talent of humorists. Another example of contemporary humor utilizing irony to affect viewpoints is Saturday Night Live. Often on SNL are commercial parodies, where the commercial is promoting a product that solves societal problems in a witty manner. These products are heavily exaggerated in order to produce the correct reactions from the audience. The hyperboles allow the audience to laugh and be entertained because of how unrealistic yet necessary the products are. This paradox of unrealistic yet necessary is the reasoning behind SNL's commercial parodies; it explains that the social issue is illogical, but yet such a prevalent problem. With humorists reaching a subconscious level of thinking, hidden behind the laughter are the feelings viewers maintain about these topics. While satirical entertainment may not change everyone's opinions, it gets people to be more aware of the issue and their subsequent actions.

Considering my recent blog posts and creative piece, I wanted to share "Food Dudes" on SNL. This parody is incredibly hilarious, from talking mannequins to makeshift microwaves. The issue being criticized is fast judgment. If someone orders a large quantity of food, why is it automatically assumed that they can't eat it all, especially according to their body size? SNL portrays how in order to feel accepted for your eating habits and desires, you have to put on a facade, that you're ordering for party or friends that are overweight. The over-exaggeration in this parody tells us simply that it is unnecessary to feel restrained simply due to societal expectations and perceived thoughts.