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Here’s Why ‘SNL,’ Late Night Won’t Touch Biden, Harris and Mayor Pete...'South Park's' royal skewering shows the power of pop culture roasts
www.hollywoodintoto.com ^ | February 26, 2023 | Christian Toto

Posted on 02/27/2023 6:23:28 AM PST by Red Badger

The term “shoot the messenger” had a very different meaning in medieval times.

Court jesters might be beheaded if they shared unfortunate news. Others could find themselves sailing over the battlefield, their last moments before landing with an unceremonious thud.

They probably shaped the news, to the best of their ability, to avoid such a fate.

Today’s court jesters provide a similar service. Colbert, Kimmel, Fallon and Oliver know they can’t speak the truth to their audiences. These realities must be avoided at all costs.

BidenFlation Mayor Pete’s Train Wreck of a Presidential Dry Run VP Harris’ Word Salad Menu Their hard Left audience, along with the journalists who fawn over their monologues, would abandon them. The comedians wouldn’t lose their heads. Instead, their contracts wouldn’t get renewed.

There’s another reason Colbert and Co. won’t go near Democrats, no matter how ripe the material may be. It might cause the politicians’ poll numbers to slump.

Remember how the public turned on Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin after Tina Fey’s dead-on impression caught fire on “Saturday Night Live?” That proved a cultural turning point, with comedians realizing their humor could impact the political landscape.

And they reacted accordingly, becoming cheerleaders for the progressive cause.

Now, we have another data point showing the power of satire.

“South Park” recently skewered Prince Harry and Meghan, the royal couple infatuated with fame, power and victimhood status.

And not in that order.

“The Worldwide Privacy Tour” episode focused on Canadian royalty, but everyone knew show creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone had Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in mind.

“South Park” never pulls a satirical punch, and the episode in question proved that anew.

Rumors circulated that the satirical targets wanted to sue Comedy Central, which aired the episode, in response. The royal couple dashed those clickbait stories, but the reality is proving much worse for them.

Their approval ratings drooped following the episode’s release.

A Redfield and Wilton Poll conducted for Newsweek detailed the damage done by the blistering satire.

The poll said that Harry’s overall US approval rating took a hit by three points to -10 since the “South Park” episode aired. His wife’s rating now sits at -17.

The new figures show a drastic shift in popularity, as in December 2021, Harry’s rating was up 48 points and Markle’s was up 40 compared to now, the poll shows.

It’s odd to consider approval ratings for anyone outside the political sphere, but that’s a measure of how the couple is viewed as well as their career ambitions.

Meghan Markle has her eyes on the White House, according to published reports.

The sketch hit its targets so effectively everyone was talking about it, even Spotify podcaster Joe Rogan.

That’s from a single cable TV show episode. Now, imagine if late-night humorists targeted the royal couple week in, week out.

They should, given their status and palpable flaws.

Instead, Team Late Night (sans “Gutfeld!”) hammers GOP targets early and often. So why not save a few comedic shots for President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris or Secretary Pete Buttigieg?

Did you see those sinking poll numbers? That’s why.

Comedians can’t afford to see their preferred politicians suffer at their hands. They know a sustained attack on their flaws would do real-world damage.

So they stand down and resort to jokes attacking former presidents and cable TV show hosts.

They don’t want to be the messenger who ends up in the crosshairs. Nor do they want to be blamed if the GOP takes back the White House in 2024.


TOPICS: Arts/Photography; Business/Economy; History; TV/Movies
KEYWORDS:

1 posted on 02/27/2023 6:23:28 AM PST by Red Badger
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To: Red Badger

Love South Park. They’ll roast anyone worthy of roasting.


2 posted on 02/27/2023 6:29:06 AM PST by BBQToadRibs2
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To: Red Badger

South Park isn’t hurting one bit. In fact, they are more successful because they don’t hold back.

Having said that their comedy has declined recently. Even the privacy tour episode, while decent, the jokes were too simple and obvious. But I guess they had to do that so the the idiot left would “get it”.


3 posted on 02/27/2023 6:31:06 AM PST by for-q-clinton (Cancel Culture IS fascism...Let's start calling it that!)
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To: Red Badger

I’m convinced SNL sends their scripts to DNC Headquarters for approval.


4 posted on 02/27/2023 6:31:28 AM PST by dfwgator (Endut! Hoch Hech!)
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To: for-q-clinton

They need to get back to killing Kenny every episode.


5 posted on 02/27/2023 6:32:32 AM PST by dfwgator (Endut! Hoch Hech!)
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To: dfwgator
I’m convinced SNL sends their scripts to DNC Headquarters for approval.

I'm convinced DNC headquarters sends their scripts to SNL. :)

6 posted on 02/27/2023 6:33:09 AM PST by 1Old Pro
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To: dfwgator

Other way around...........................


7 posted on 02/27/2023 6:33:34 AM PST by Red Badger (Homeless veterans camp in the streets while illegal aliens are put up in hotels.....................)
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To: Red Badger
Meghan Markle has her eyes on the White House, according to published reports.

As what? The court jester?

8 posted on 02/27/2023 6:33:45 AM PST by Sirius Lee (They intend to murder us. Prep if you want to live and live like you are prepping for eternal life)
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To: Sirius Lee

Harry is just a decoration.

He’ll soon learn that .........................


9 posted on 02/27/2023 6:35:56 AM PST by Red Badger (Homeless veterans camp in the streets while illegal aliens are put up in hotels.....................)
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To: Red Badger
"The comedians wouldn’t lose their heads. Instead, their contracts wouldn’t get renewed."

We are dropping the Dilbert comic strip because of creator Scott Adams’ racist rant.

LA Times.?

10 posted on 02/27/2023 6:42:54 AM PST by unread ("It's not enough that we do our best; sometimes we have to do what's required." W. Churchill.)
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To: Red Badger
Well, for some reason....SNL did allow this truth bomb to happen ....

SNL Goes BASED!? Host Woody Harrelson Calls Pfizer a Evil ‘DRUG CARTEL’ Forcing Lockdowns

https://rumble.com/v2b2oo6-snl-goes-based-host-woody-harrelson-calls-pfizer-a-evil-drug-cartel-forcing.html

11 posted on 02/27/2023 6:46:47 AM PST by Jane Long (What we were told was a “conspiracy theory” in 2020 is now fact. 🙏🏻 Ps 33:12 )
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To: Jane Long

The monologue is the only way for stuff to get past the gatekeepers.

Bill Barr’s monologue a few years ago was just as inflammatory.


12 posted on 02/27/2023 6:47:44 AM PST by dfwgator (Endut! Hoch Hech!)
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To: Red Badger
South Park literally destroyed The Duke of Churl and Meghan.
"We want privacy. We want privacy"!!!
And the Duke and Meghan can't sue in the U.S. because they are public figures and because South Park is an equal opportunity parody show.
Therefore, the United States Supreme Court does not allow for recovery for parody or satire under a libel or slander claim unless the alleged victim can prove actual malice in the publication. Some court cases have made distinctions between satire and parody, sometimes providing a greater degree of protection for the latter. Source

13 posted on 02/27/2023 7:30:06 AM PST by RoosterRedux
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To: RoosterRedux

Plus they were never mentioned by name, their titles were “The Prince and Princess of Canada”, so they weren’t even British. They had the typical Canadian flapping heads.


14 posted on 02/27/2023 7:32:26 AM PST by dfwgator (Endut! Hoch Hech!)
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To: Red Badger

Except for the fact that Meghan would be a little-known b-list actor without him.


15 posted on 02/27/2023 7:34:20 AM PST by RoosterRedux
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To: RoosterRedux

C-list.....................


16 posted on 02/27/2023 7:37:22 AM PST by Red Badger (Homeless veterans camp in the streets while illegal aliens are put up in hotels.....................)
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To: Red Badger

But Trump is okay with them.


17 posted on 02/27/2023 8:13:38 AM PST by SkyDancer (Hold on tight to your dream)
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To: Red Badger
Ben Affleck dreams about those...

Bens

Taco Flavored Kisses. (Burrito, burrito.)

18 posted on 02/27/2023 10:50:02 AM PST by MikelTackNailer (Fortunately despite aging I've been spared the ravages of maturity.)
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To: Jane Long

Yeah I think what he said was hilarious and on point.


19 posted on 02/27/2023 12:01:58 PM PST by Sam Gamgee
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To: Red Badger

Colbert address Biden’s goofs regularly, but... he makes the point of the Joke, not about Biden, but about anything else...Colbert skillfully directs his audience —away— from the topic, Biden, and onto other things. Or, I should say, Colbert’s writers do this.

This Colbert “pretends” to have covered “the story.”

I’m waiting for the Dem. Primaries for others to attack Biden and his Admin. Never-fear though, Colbert and his writers will “get the Memo” from the DNC about which of Biden’s competitors are to be made fun of.


20 posted on 02/28/2023 10:51:16 AM PST by Texan4Life
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