Political Satire from Mark Twain to The Daily Show

June 21, 2008

Satire has ancient origins, and comes in many forms, with the goal of exposing foolishness in all its guises. It has been an American form of expression from the colonial period, and may now have reached its zenith (or its nadir, depending on one’s perspective) with modern media and such “fake news” venues as The Daily Show.  

This seminar will trace the development of political satire in the United States starting with Mark Twain. It will consider Twain’s art and his role as one of the country’s severest critics. Twain could make Americans laugh at their foibles, but he could also shock his contemporaries with the dark vision that lay behind his gentle banter. We’ll next turn to another great American satirist, H. L. Mencken. The “Great Iconoclast” was among the leading satirists and journalists of his time, airing his views in a variety of publications, including the Baltimore Evening Sun and the American Mercury. We will take a close look at some of his most famous satirical works, including his coverage of the Scopes trial in Tennessee in 1925.

Moving from the early twentieth century to its later years, we’ll turn our attention to the form of satire and consider the role television has played in shaping commentary. For cultural historians, the TV screen is a two-way mirror. The Smothers Brothers, All in the Family, Saturday Night Live, and Seinfeld not only made millions of viewers laugh. They reflected serious trends in American political culture during the last third of the century. We’ll conclude with the present day and current popular forms of political satire. In an age of “infotainment,” when the real news has become another form of entertainment TV, the so-called fake news has become a central source for the serious discussion of public affairs on television. Blending information, comedy, and commentary in unprecedented ways, The Daily Show and The Colbert Report offer not just a new kind of TV news, but an important critique of contemporary journalism and political communication and a consistent demand for a return to reason in public discourse.

Topics and Speakers

Mark Twain, America, and Its Damnable Politicians
Joseph M. Flora, Atlanta Professor of Southern Culture

H. L. Mencken: The Great Iconoclast
Mark Canada, Associate Professor of English, Theatre, and Languages, UNC-Pembroke

Looking Through the Screen, 1960s-1990s
Peter Filene, Professor of History Emeritus

The Daily Show, The Colbert Report, and the Reinvention of Public Affairs TV
Geoffrey D. Baym, Associate Professor of Media Studies, UNC-Greensboro

American Satire Then and Now
Professors Flora, Canada, Filene, and Baym  

Time and Cost

9:15 a.m.-5:15 p.m., Saturday, June 21, 2008. The tuition is $120.00 ($105.00 by May 28). The optional lunch is $10. Scholarship tuition for teachers is $60 ($52.50 by May 28). 10 contact hours for 1 unit of renewal credit.

For information about lodging click here.

Co-Sponsored by the General Alumni Association.
For information about GAA discounts and other scholarships available to Humanities Program participants, click here.

Register for this seminar.