Laughing Matters: Humor and American Politics in the Media Age

by Baumgartner; Jody

• ISBN13: 9780415957472
• ISBN10: 0415957478
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2007-08-30
• Publisher: Routledge

Summary

This book examines the role of humour in modern American politics. Written by a wide range of authors from the fields of political science and communication, this book is organized according to two general topics: how the modern media present political humour the various ways in which political humour influences politics. Laughing Matters is an excellent text for courses on media and politics, public opinion, and campaigns and elections.

Table of Contents

Tables, Boxes, and Figures	p. xi
Preface: The "Truthiness" of American Politics	p. xiii
Acknowledgments	p. xxiii
Foundations: Humor and Politics
The Influence of "Infoenterpropagainment": Exploring the Power of Political Satire as a Distinct Form of Political Humor	p. 3
Serious Comedy: Expanding the Boundaries of Political Discourse	p. 21
More Than Laughing? Survey of Political Humor Effects Research	p. 39
Political Humor in the World Beyond Television
Political Cartoons: Zeitgeists and the Creation and Recycling of Satirical Symbols	p. 67
New Humor, Old School Style: A Content Analysis of the Political Cues Offered by The Onion on the 2000 and 2004 Elections	p. 81
Vote for Pedro: Film Comedy, Youth, and Electoral Politics	p. 97
Air Amusement versus Web Wit: Comparing the Use of Humor in 2004 Political Advertising on Television and the Internet	p. 117
American Youth and the Effects of Online Political Humor	p. 131
Ready for Prime Time? Televised Political Humor
Our First Cartoon President: Bill Clinton and the Politics of Late Night Comedy	p. 151
Political Punditry in Punchlines: Late Night Comics Take on the 2004 Presidential Debates	p. 171
A Culture War in TV Land? The Sitcom Viewing Habits of Bush and Kerry Voters	p. 187
The ABCs of the The Simpsons and Politics: Apathy of Citizens, Basic Government Leaders, and Collective Interests	p. 211
Saturday Night Live and Presidential Elections	p. 229
The Daily Show as the New Journalism: In Their Own Words	p. 241
Does It Really Matter? The Effects of Late Night Televised Humor
Late Night Comedy Television Shows as News Sources: What the Polls Say	p. 263
"It's Better Than Being Informed": College-Aged Viewers of The Daily Show	p. 279
The Political Effects of Late Night Comedy and Talk Shows	p. 295
The Daily Show and Attitudes toward the News Media	p. 315
Conclusion: Why Political Humor Is Serious Business	p. 333
Editors	p. 343
Contributors	p. 345
Index	p. 355
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