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Radio Times

Political comedy & satire in campaign season

September 19, 2012


Hour 2

Thick in the thrall of election ads and political coverage, we ask: What’s so funny? We’re in a golden age of political satire, with millions of viewers tuning in to Jon Stewart on The Daily Show and The Colbert Report for news and laughs, and we’re in a hyperpartisan age of politics itself, with a polarized electorate agreeing on very little except their distaste for most if not all political ads. In her new book, “A Conservative Walks Into a Bar: The Politics of Political Humor,” Shippensburg University political scientist ALISON DAGNES explores whether popular political comedy is biased, and why there are so few popular conservative political comics. We’ll also hear from DANNAGAL YOUNG, University of Delaware expert on mass communication, politics and entertainment, and media effects, and an improvisational comedian who performs with the improv troupe ComedySportz Philadelphia.

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Photo Credit: AP Images


Coming Soon on Radio Times

Historian Richard Beeman's behind the scenes look at the Continental Congress
May 20

National Politics Round-Up
May 20

NewsWorks.org

When to Listen

Radio Times with Marty Moss-Coane can be heard over the airwaves from 10-11 a.m. and 11-noon Eastern time weekdays on 90.9 FM in the Delaware Valley, and rebroadcast from 10-11 p.m. and 11-midnight as well. Radio Times is also heard live on the Sirius - XM channel NPR Now 122, weekdays from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. Eastern.