Under the Guise of Humour and Critique: The Political Co-Option of Popular Contemporary Satire

Abstract

This chapter explores political co-option in contemporary satire, a process whereby politicians successfully co-opt satire for their own purposes in a way that neutralises the possibility for satirical critique. Popular satire is celebrated as a form of critique that “holds politicians to account”, and as satirists have gained public trust and prominence, politicians of all political persuasions have appeared more frequently on satire programmes. They have been interviewed by comedians, played along in quiz or panel games, appeared in scripted skits, and even participated in self-satirisation. Cases discussed include British Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg appearing on the UK TV show The Last Leg in 2015 and US President Barack Obama’s 2014 co-option of host Stephen Colbert’s “The Word” on The Colbert Report. Utilising theories of dominant culture absorbing counterculture and producing it as a consumer product, this chapter explores the complexity of satire as an oppositional yet incorporated element of mainstream political discourse. It develops a theory of the political co-option of satire, demonstrating how, when politicians play along, they can successfully present themselves as having the traits—good-humour, rebellion, honesty, ironic self-awareness, truth and so on—that are so celebrated by satirists and comedy fans alike. Satire’s celebrated critical edge is blunted when politicians use it as a public-relations tool. A more critical approach to satire requires not only acknowledgement of satire’s possibility for critique but also allowing for the possibility of political co-option.