Coming 10/1
09.23.06 (2:58 am) [edit]Next weekend, I will begin examining two very separate and distinct vehicles of modern American political discourse in hopes of drawing worthwile socio-political conclusions. "Saturday Night Live" and "Meet the Press" both air within 11 hours of one another on NBC every weekend. SNL communicates the often absurd monologue handed down to us by our elected officials through a form of sardonic hyperbole, while Tim Russert of "Meet the Press" attempts to hold those same officials accountable for various brands of patronizing rhetoric like campaign promises to constituents. Within that mere 11 hour frame, varying cross sections of American media consumers run quite a range of emotions in their respective political experiences. Humor to hate. Hate to despondency. Is comedy really an effective medium for enriching the American political discourse? Is it acceptable that a vast majority of 20-somethings are tuning in to Comedy Central's Daily Show with Jon Stewart for objective news coverage? These are questions worth asking, and also worth attempting to answer.