This January PBS had a series about comedy. The final installment made several points about comedy’s relationship to societal issues. As we saw during the recent U.S. presidential election, Saturday Night Live, The Daily Show, The Colbert Report, late night talk shows and many others capitalized on the thin line between politics and comedy.
Politics and activism can be extremely serious and easily make people frustrated and burnt out. When comedians target issues or people that cause us the most stress it give the activist a moment to breath and laugh. Both are essential to life!
Political leaders are the most targeted by talk show and variety host. SNL became the phoenix rising from low rating when Tina Fey perfectly portrayed Vice Presidential candidate Sarah Palin, whom she has a similar appearance. For the past 8 years, our president gave us many funny moments to help break the tension created by his administration. One example is the top 10 list of Bush moments on the David Letterman show. This featured moments where the former president looked like a deer in headlights and spit as he walked across the White House lawn.
Some people may take offense to these jokes, but it is all a part of being in the public eye. Also, there is a difference between someone in the U.S. making fun of an American president than someone who lives outside our borders. People across the world have a right, even a responsibility to let us know how our government is affecting them. However, making fun of our government officials seems a bit off. It is comparable to the idea that you can say stupid things about your family, but if anyone else does then those are fighting words!
Political comedy has been around for centuries and we are lucky to have the opportunity to partake in it. As long as serious issues are resolved and people continue to educate themselves in concentrate ways through several media outlets, then I say bring on the belly ache of laughter not tears!
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
History Starts Now
I was lucky enough to make it safely to Washington DC and witness history unfolding on January 20th, 2009. My position in the sun meant I could really only see Michelle’s yellow outfit and President Barack Obama’s red tie when the oath of office was taken. This held no effect on me or the crowd around me as we cheered with elation as the reality of a new era sunk into our emotions.
Moving forward none of us should expect miracles or even that everything will be fixed within the next four years. However, a feeling of relief has washed over me (and many others) like a soft blanket in winter. I woke up this morning and saw the American flag on a shelf in the living room and for the first time in years I didn’t pass it with a sense of yearning, but rather a sense of dignity.
Today, President Barack Obama gets to work at the most challenging job in the world. Already his leadership has been exposed. He signed an executive order to require ethics in his administration. This is a step in the right direction and sets the tone for his expectations. He also began taking action on Guantanamo Bay, which affirms his commitment to closing the prison, symbol of the recent demise of civil liberties. It is my great hope that within days the global gag rule, which denies and undermines healthcare access to several people in need across the globe, especially women, will be overturn.
As the crowds streamed off the capital lawn, I looked towards the next step in this journey. What will happen in the next 4 (hopefully 8) years? How will the country and the world react? What will America look like next January 20th? I can hope it is a little bit better and we all can be beacons of that hope by helping each other out from time to time.
Moving forward none of us should expect miracles or even that everything will be fixed within the next four years. However, a feeling of relief has washed over me (and many others) like a soft blanket in winter. I woke up this morning and saw the American flag on a shelf in the living room and for the first time in years I didn’t pass it with a sense of yearning, but rather a sense of dignity.Today, President Barack Obama gets to work at the most challenging job in the world. Already his leadership has been exposed. He signed an executive order to require ethics in his administration. This is a step in the right direction and sets the tone for his expectations. He also began taking action on Guantanamo Bay, which affirms his commitment to closing the prison, symbol of the recent demise of civil liberties. It is my great hope that within days the global gag rule, which denies and undermines healthcare access to several people in need across the globe, especially women, will be overturn.
As the crowds streamed off the capital lawn, I looked towards the next step in this journey. What will happen in the next 4 (hopefully 8) years? How will the country and the world react? What will America look like next January 20th? I can hope it is a little bit better and we all can be beacons of that hope by helping each other out from time to time.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Girls Golf too!
As a teen I began to enjoy watching golf tournament. My favorite is the Masters. It kicks of the major tournaments for the year and usually offers some sort of drama to enjoy all the way to the 18th green. For years, I watched blissfully unaware of the scope of drama that was taking place behind the beautiful flowers and plush fairways of Augusta National (the golf course where the Masters are played each year).
I was never naïve to the fact that golf is mainly a white, middle/upper class men’s sport. However, I didn’t fully comprehend how inaccessible prestigious golf clubs are to minorities, in particular women and the major consequences of this discrimination until I was an adult.
Augusta National does not have any women members. They are not the only golf club that has a lack of estrogen in its roster, but they are one of the most prominent golf clubs and therefore are (and should be) a target for protest. Minorities began to be invited into membership there in the early 1990s after the P.G.A. of America and the United States Golf Association, all adopted new guidelines effective in 1991 requiring private clubs that want to host tournaments to demonstrate that their membership policies are not discriminatory against minority members or women by policy or practice. (NY Times, 2002) Somehow women are still left out of the equation.
Some of you may be thinking, what is the big deal, so the boys want a club to themselves. It is just a grown-up version of The Little Rascals He-man Woman Hating Club and shouldn’t be taken so seriously.
First of all, you should see the problem with little boys having a misogynistic club in 2009. Second, society should insist that boys become men that respect women. Lastly, there are real world consequences to these kinds of exclusionary policies that affect the workplace and taxpayers.
Golf courses are used as a formal and informal business setting. If women aren’t in the golf club, they can’t contribute to these meetings. Beyond this, they won’t have the chance of running into a potential business partner in the clubhouse to make connections that are vital for career advancements. This hurt women AND it hurts business. Leaving women out of the decision making and creative brainstorming process means a business is forfeiting ½ of its potential staff and the ideas they bring with them.
People who bring clients and partners to these clubs can take a tax deduction for a portion of those expenses. This rewards both the discriminating club and thoughtless actions of executives that are patrons to these clubs. All the while, most of us of any gender would never be invited to play at one of these clubs and we have to pay more taxes. It is ridiculous. Rep. Maloney has a proposed suspending these discriminatory tax deductions. I encourage you to show your support for this bill.
Now, I still enjoy golf. I look forward to watching Phil, Sergio Ernie and Freddy as much as I did before. However, I won’t be watching blissfully unaware any longer. Instead, I’ll support the end of discrimination in a sport that I hope I will enjoy watching into my golden years.
I was never naïve to the fact that golf is mainly a white, middle/upper class men’s sport. However, I didn’t fully comprehend how inaccessible prestigious golf clubs are to minorities, in particular women and the major consequences of this discrimination until I was an adult.
Augusta National does not have any women members. They are not the only golf club that has a lack of estrogen in its roster, but they are one of the most prominent golf clubs and therefore are (and should be) a target for protest. Minorities began to be invited into membership there in the early 1990s after the P.G.A. of America and the United States Golf Association, all adopted new guidelines effective in 1991 requiring private clubs that want to host tournaments to demonstrate that their membership policies are not discriminatory against minority members or women by policy or practice. (NY Times, 2002) Somehow women are still left out of the equation.
Some of you may be thinking, what is the big deal, so the boys want a club to themselves. It is just a grown-up version of The Little Rascals He-man Woman Hating Club and shouldn’t be taken so seriously.
First of all, you should see the problem with little boys having a misogynistic club in 2009. Second, society should insist that boys become men that respect women. Lastly, there are real world consequences to these kinds of exclusionary policies that affect the workplace and taxpayers.
Golf courses are used as a formal and informal business setting. If women aren’t in the golf club, they can’t contribute to these meetings. Beyond this, they won’t have the chance of running into a potential business partner in the clubhouse to make connections that are vital for career advancements. This hurt women AND it hurts business. Leaving women out of the decision making and creative brainstorming process means a business is forfeiting ½ of its potential staff and the ideas they bring with them.
People who bring clients and partners to these clubs can take a tax deduction for a portion of those expenses. This rewards both the discriminating club and thoughtless actions of executives that are patrons to these clubs. All the while, most of us of any gender would never be invited to play at one of these clubs and we have to pay more taxes. It is ridiculous. Rep. Maloney has a proposed suspending these discriminatory tax deductions. I encourage you to show your support for this bill.
Now, I still enjoy golf. I look forward to watching Phil, Sergio Ernie and Freddy as much as I did before. However, I won’t be watching blissfully unaware any longer. Instead, I’ll support the end of discrimination in a sport that I hope I will enjoy watching into my golden years.
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