Gordon Wrote A Song About This Scenario

I made a comment a few posts again that referenced satire and parody. I've been thinking about the two terms ever since.

What I can't do is define them. Like Potter Stewart and pornography, I have to see them in order to recognize them. Providing a classic definition is pointless and often leaves one further confused. It's like trying to definitionally differentiate democracy and republicanism. You can't.

To be fair, I do have working definitions for both. To me, parody is exposing the folly of another entity by emulating or becoming that entity. Satire is achieving the same end, but by becoming your subject's disfigured cousin instead of its twin.

Where is this all leading?

Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert.

I am not a big fan of Stewart's. As a believer in the political process, I don't believe he gives it the respect it deserves.

Yeah, I get it. He has a disdain for traditional news media, politics, and politicians he finds intellectually inferior - which is a group primarily composed of Republicans. But by attempting to become superior by debasing those institutions, I don't believe he contributes anything meaningful to them.

I used to watch his show for one reason - Stephen Colbert. He played bit roles but his best was the commentator of "This Week in God".

What's the difference between the two men, you ask?

Colbert, I believe, recognizes the same infallibilities in the media and in politics as Stewart. They are human institutions - of course they're flawed.

The difference is how Colbert approaches his craft. Whereas Stewart is blatant and unforgiving in his disdain, Colbert plays a character (an overbearing conservative named Stephen Colbert) who is just as blatant, unforgiving, and disdainful - but knows he's full of it.

60 Minutes profiled Colbert a few Sundays ago. I laugh at how low-key, reserved, and average the guy is in real life. I laugh even more at the transformation to the megalomaniac and egocentric jerk his character becomes.

I was initially skeptical that Colbert's stand-alone show would survive. I wasn't sure his schtick would translate well to 30 minute programming. I was wrong and I'm fortunate.

No longer is Colbert caught between the between the Scylla and Charybdis.