Tag: satire

The Element of Satire in Get Out

On By Jhaden J.In Comedy/Satire, FilmLeave a comment

The movie Get Out was director Jordan Peele’s debut film; it immediately put him into high status in the directorial world, winning him an Academy award for best original screenplay, and for good cause. The film follows Chris, a black man who is going to meet Rose’s, his white girlfriend’s, family for the first time. Throughout this movie we see an amazing craftiness of the racism that exists beneath the surfaces of white America.

Hypnotizing is the main way throughout the movie that Rose’s family hides their true intentions under the mask of being proactive in race issues. Rose’s mother, Missy, uses hypnotism to keep various black people in a mental spell, working for her, portraying it to the outside world as them willingly working for her. She does this hypnotizing through tea, an unassumingly harmless activity, something that is done to be welcoming and social. 

The tea in the movie plays a huge role, having the ability to give Chris and the other mind controlled servants the feeling of falling and being trapped. The imagery in the movie, Chris falling from reality into a dark place, underlines the families true intentions to keep him suppressed. While this is happening the words, “you’ll live in a sunken place” are used. In the movie, this sunken place is a state where people are unable to be in control of their own actions, also hinting at the push back on going forward in racial issues. In the end of this scene, Chris closes his eyes, alluding to the things that black people in society cannot see and do not know because of the history and education being held away. 

Throughout the movie we see the support of two narratives within the satire, both of racial issues in America, accompanied with a clever and effective criticism of our society. As well as, a satire of what a horror movie is in general down to the movie being titled Get Out. The satire in the movie is not targeted at outward racism but more so the self approving white liberal mindset, causing viewers to put deeper thought into some of the things they do and why exactly they’re doing them.

Political Satire and Veep

On By Isabelle J.In Comedy/Satire1 Comment


Veep is one of the most iconic satirical TV shows in American history. As in the name of the show, it follows Vice President Selina Meyers (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) as she fumbles through her career and makes a mockery of American democracy by caring more about her own reputation and status than her ideology or party ties. The Veep and her staff have no respect for institutional processes and no need for any guiding moral principles. They’re determined, cynical, and indifferent if not contemptuous of the people they’re supposed to govern. The show is a parody of a documentary series, similar to the office, but it is not actually a documentary. The characters make use of verbal and dramatic irony, as well as hyperbole, constantly mocking the American political system with their incompetency and inability to show genuine compassion for the people that they govern and the responsibilities they have. Selina often uses “the president is calling” as her default escape from uncomfortable situations, which is hilarious irony mocking the “useless”  role of the vice president in the American government as she and her staff are aware that he never actually calls.  By focusing on the incredibly unbelievable stupidity and pettiness of these Washington officials, the show makes their chase for and inability to be completely in power even more hilarious. One of the beauties of this show is that not once do they make mention of political parties or ideologies, no one knows whose a conservative or a liberal, democrat or a republican is (although you kinda know). Both sides of the political spectrum are portrayed as equally corrupt, stubborn, greedy, and cynical which allows the show to reach a more heterogeneous audience.  The show began in early 2012 before Obama won his re-election and was a very different time in American politics compared to today. It demonstrates the broader theme in American society of the performative nature and ulterior motives inherent in political activities and how easily idiots can thrive in a broken political system, especially when the show imbecile and clown Jonah Ryan, becomes a front-runner in the presidential election of the last season (veering less from satire and more towards reality in this post-2016 world).

Satirical Song Analysis- “We Didn’t Start the Fire” by Billy Joel

On By Jairo P.In Comedy/Satire, MusicLeave a comment

One of the most iconic examples of cultural work that uses satire is the song “We Didn’t Start the Fire” by Billy Joel. The song was released in 1989 and features a rapid-fire list of historical events, pop culture icons, and political figures from 1949 to 1989. The song has become a classic and is still popular today, thanks in part to its catchy tune and memorable lyrics. “We Didn’t Start the Fire” is an excellent example of the use of hyperbole and irony in satire. The song’s hyperbole is evident in the way it compresses more than 40 years of history into a single song. The use of irony is also clear, as the song’s chorus repeatedly asserts that “we didn’t start the fire” while the verses list a litany of events that seem to suggest otherwise. The song also uses understatement in places, such as when it mentions the death of Elvis Presley with the simple line “Elvis Presley, we lost him young.” In addition to these techniques, the song also employs parody by using a musical style that was popular in the 1950s and 1960s. The song’s melody and rhythm are reminiscent of early rock and roll songs, which adds to the song’s nostalgic and satirical feel. While “We Didn’t Start the Fire” is undoubtedly a humorous and entertaining song, it also serves as a biting critique of American society and culture. The song highlights the many challenges and crises that have occurred over the past 40 years, including political scandals, wars, economic downturns, and cultural shifts. By listing these events in a single song, the song suggests that they are all interconnected and part of a broader trend in American society. At the same time, the song’s repeated refrain that “we didn’t start the fire” suggests that society is not entirely to blame for these problems. Rather, the song suggests that society is a product of its history and that the events listed in the song have shaped the society we live in today. By pointing out these connections and underlying causes, the song encourages listeners to think critically about the society they live in and to work towards making positive changes.

Shrek Satirical?

On By Khylie A.In Comedy/Satire, Film4 Comments

Satire in simple terms is “A form of literary criticism: that uses irony, sarcasm, etc.” Quite frankly it surrounds us in our everyday life, from television advertisements, books, newspapers, and artwork, to children’s movies. Yes, I did say children’s movie.

“Shrek” a staple movie in the early 2000s is a trilogy that follows none other than Shrek an ogre whose life is turned upside down by a series of fairy tale characters trying to save their home.

I know our probably thinking “What is satirical about a children’s movie?” Let me explain.

Overview of the scene: Depicts the capture of Princess Fiona by Robin Hood, who mistakenly thinks that the Princess has been taken against her will by Shrek. After “rescuing” the princess, Robin Hood and his Merry Men pause to introduce themselves by performing a ridiculous song and dance number. In the middle of the routine, Princess Fiona screams, “That’s enough!” and attacks and subdues Robin Hood and all of his Merry Men.

So how is it satirical?

Within the scene, many satirical techniques are being used in this situation such as incongruity, reversal, and parody. You see incongruity within the way Fiona uses her hair to punch one of the Merry Men and when they freeze her in mid-air to fix her disheveled hair. The actions are absurd and unrealistic, and they also show a parody of movies like “The Matrix” and “Crouching Tiger” which incorporate martial arts styles and special effects as the scene depicts an exaggeration of different fighting styles. The scene also depicts a role reversal; rather than a damsel in distress being saved by the male hero the roles are being reversed and Fiona is saving/standing up for herself.

While not a perfect example nor is it a realistic depiction of modern gender roles; this scene is a piece of satire as it mocks the outdated societal ideology that women are damsels in distress that needs to be saved by a male hero, an idea that is still a prevalent theme within the media. It also can be viewed as a way to hint at the overuse and dramatization of special effects in modern action movies.

South Park and its Satire

On By Owen SIn Comedy/SatireLeave a comment

South Park is one of the longest running shows that is currently still airing. The show takes place in a small town in Colorado. It mainly follows a group of elementary school students and what they get up to into their town. However, most of the adventures the characters get up to relate to a larger meaning have it be about politics, race or religion. The show shows how stupid many of the beliefs we have our and the prejudice we have for groups is by putting the characters in certain situations. Though its comedy and irony it is able to show people the absurdity of many of the beliefs we hold. To satirize some larger idea. The main character they use is Eric Cartman. He is a racist, homophobic, antisemitic, white power and many more awful traits being just a 9-year-old. The writes of the show use him to represent these traits some Americans have. From covering police brutality and gun laws to white power ideals and the nazis cartman as shows the often-dark side of the land of the free. The South Park episode “Two Days Before the Day After Tomorrow” is a prime example of the show’s masterful satire. In this episode, two of the show’s main characters, Stan and Cartman, accidentally damage the biggest beaver dam in the world, flooding the adjacent town as a result. The two decide against telling anyone and instead want to wait for things to settle themselves. Sadly, it appears like nobody wants to assist the residents of the flooded town. Stan questions his father, Randy, as to why no one has come to their rescue. Randy responds, “That’s not important right now, son. It’s crucial to determine who is to blame for this. That short remark sums up the typical attitude people have toward many issues these days nicely. Through stupid situations like this South Park is able to show to the viewers many situations they may laugh at but then realize they do themselves. The show perfectly captures aspects of life, displaying our own behaviors through idiotic characters to show how ridiculous we are. People can laugh at the different characters’ antics, but also see themselves in their actions.

Local Man Shocked To Find His Vote Only Vote To Count

On By SETH ENGLEIn Comedy/Satire1 Comment

November 4, 2020

“I don’t believe it!” cried 45-year-old Oak Parker George Shure when he was informed by local government officials that he was the only one to vote in Tuesday’s general election in the entire state of Illinois.

“It just doesn’t make sense,” said Shure. “I’ve heard people say that a vote in Illinois doesn’t really count because of how consistently blue the state is, but I never thought it would come to this.”

After a 2016 general election which had roughly 43% of eligible voters not bother filling out a ballot, Illinois’ 2020 general election marks a new low in voter turnout, with Shure as the lone voter.

Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot among all other Illinois residents not to cast a vote Tuesday.

“I’ve had a lot of work on my hands recently and didn’t really love either of the candidates, so I decided to sit this one out,” said Pritzker. 

“I, as all other Illinois residents, believed this election was surely going to be a win for the Democratic candidate,” said Lightfoot.

Oddly enough, Shure didn’t even vote for one of the eligible candidates, having written in Bears linebacker Khalil Mack. “I thought it would be something I could joke with my friends about,” said Shure. “Turns out none of them even voted.”

The Horrific Brilliance of Get Out

On By SYDNEY GIn Comedy/Satire3 Comments

Get Out, directed by Jordan Peele, is a Mystery/Thriller movie that was released in 2017. As a realistic thriller fan, I had been looking forward to seeing this movie as soon as the first few trailers started coming out (practically a year before the actual movie was released). You can click this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uG_KHjd_PSc to see one of the many examples of satire shown throughout the movie. 

I would definitely classify this movie as more of a “horror parody”. Although I didn’t necessarily realize all of the examples of satire and irony in the film while I was watching it, all of the scenes and their true meaning started to make sense to me after I had watched the whole film. Even now, almost three years after I originally saw the movie, I still read articles and watch videos about the true meaning and hidden messages behind certain scenes in the film. One of the most shown examples of satire woven throughout the movie is the idea of “liberal racism”, i.e. the white family members talking about how much they love black people and their “genetic makeup” to the point that it objectifies them and unravels to show racism at its purest form. The wealthy white characters are so obsessed with Chris (main character, black boyfriend to a white girl) and the way he looks and acts that it almost comes off as disrespectful and most definitely intrusive. 

Another example of satire is the concept of racism and its relationship with police. When Rose (Chris’s girlfriend) is pulled over, the police officer asks for Chris’s ID, even though he was just a passenger in the car. Rose then flips out on the officer, asking him why he would ever need to see the passengers ID, which contributes to her characterization as someone trying so hard not to show their racism that it backfires. Jordan Poole is depicting a scene of racism and exaggerating it to show just how ridiculous some of the situations black people find themselves in due to facing a bias/stereotype truly are, especially with the police. 

Jordan Poole, in my opinion, does a truly outstanding job in showing all of the examples of racism that people look past in society. This movie definitely helped me to better understand the world around me, and I hope it did that for others as well. 

Satire In ‘JoJo Rabbit’

On By Toby KIn Comedy/Satire, Memory/Past/History2 Comments

‘JoJo Rabbit’ is a historical and satirical comedy about a German city during World War II. The movie came out at the end of 2019 and was directed by Taika Waititi, who is half Jewish. The movie is about a 10 year old kid names Johannes who idolizes Hitler and the Nazi way of life. He dreams of being a Nazi soldier and trains in a Hitler Youth summer camp. Throughout the movie, he imagines he is talking to Hitler (played by Waititi) who could also be seen as his ‘imaginary friend’. Through JoJo, Hitler plays his companion, adviser, and friend. SPOILER ALERT- One day, JoJo finds a Jewish girl in his attic that his mom has been hiding for some time. JoJo is conflicted between his preconceived hate for Jewish people and his naturally kind heart and must make a decision to either follow Hitler’s orders or his own instincts.

Trailer- https://youtu.be/tL4McUzXfFI

Waititi employs satirical comedy all throughout the movie using overstatements and irony. The most prominent use is overstatement. He exaggerates the perception of Hitler greatly by showing him as an idolized celebrity to young German kids. For example, to start the movie, footage of Nazi rallies and Germans going crazy for Hitler is shown with the song ‘I Want to Hold Your Hand’ playing over it. This compares Hitler to the Beatles showing how each of their fanbases treated them both similarly. Later in the movie, during a scene in which people are greeting others, “Heil Hitler” is said 31 times in one minute to emphasize the ridiculousness of the Nazi way of life. To employ irony, Waititi plays Hitler and portrays him as a sidekick who is weak and powerless, opposite of how he is viewed by the other characters in the film. When Waititi was asked about why he chose to play the role of Adolf Hitler, he said “What better fuck you to the guy?” The movie does more than just make fun of Hitler, Nazi’s, and Hitler worshipers. It shows viewers how ridiculous people in Germany were for supporting and idolizing such a terrible person and adopting the terrible beliefs he preached. Satirical work that criticizes the Nazi’s like ‘JoJo Rabbit’ will continue to be made and hopefully prevent another person like Hitler from coming into power again.

On the train

On By YUNHAO XUIn Comedy/Satire, Power and Identity, Short StoriesLeave a comment

Years before I read a very profound article on a magazine and it was called “on the train.” The story stated author’s experience on the train of a business trip. Since he came alone, he felt extremely boring about the trip, at last, he decided to make friends with the people on the train to kill the time. His eyes first fixed on a young man on the opposite side of his seat who seems shared a similar age with him. When he was thinking how to start the conversation, the young man opened his phone and started checking the social medias. Then, he looked around and recognized a beauty was sitting beside him. He recovered his energy and tried to speak as gentlemanlike as he could, but after his cordial introduction of himself, he didn’t receive any reply. Then, he saw a black string down her long hair. So she was enjoying the music and tried to separate herself from the carriage, he thought. However, he still didn’t give up, he stood up and walked towards an amiable old man who just like his father. To his surprise, as the old man saw him moving towards himself, he hid his handbag behind him and face his body to the window. This made the author felt very awkward and discouraged. He slightly shook his head and arrived at the back of the train. He lighted up a cigarette and sighed heavily. At the same moment, a little boy came, grasped his pants who can hardly speak but still bravely opened his mouth and asked:”Mr, are the big tall trees over there called oak tree?”

The story itself is very short and precise. It shows authors wish for communicating with people gets discouraged several times. His feeling grows from the initial excitement, to boredness that lets him want to talk to someone, to discouragement and finally to distress. The best part of the story is the insertion of a little boy who just learned how to speak at the end. The author used the radiant boy compare to those indifferent adults to emphasize the problems in nowadays society. That’s a satire towards not only the people on the train who refused to communicate with others but also the wry modern world. It should be a happy thing that the technologies become advanced, but it also become an obstacle between people. We choose to chat with those we familiar with online instead of encountering others in the reality. We watched the horrible news about robbery, theft, and killings on the television and assumed those back lucks also may happen on us. We scared and shook at home and separated ourselves from the whole world. The author used this specific article to tell us that all these behaviors are wrong. We should always be positive, keep a curiosity of the life like the little boy and discovery the beauties in the world. Even though we are scared about, we got hurt in this cruel world, we should never give up our hope like the author who keeps endeavoring and finally find the people that are willing to talk to him.

No matter how dark the world is becoming, the darkness should never get into our hearts.

Alone on the train