The Implicit Cultural Policies of US Late-night Comedy Shows
This paper argues how comedy is used as an implicit tool by US late-night shows to create an informed citizenry. It explores how late-night shows have transcended its original format to emerge as an alternative form of journalism and realized its potential to disseminate political knowledge and deb...
| Main Author: | |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
ULAB Press
2018-08-01
|
| Series: | Crossings |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://journals.ulab.edu.bd/index.php/crossings/article/view/106 |
| _version_ | 1797659698030182400 |
|---|---|
| author | Towhidul Islam Khan |
| author_facet | Towhidul Islam Khan |
| author_sort | Towhidul Islam Khan |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description |
This paper argues how comedy is used as an implicit tool by US late-night shows to create an informed citizenry. It explores how late-night shows have transcended its original format to emerge as an alternative form of journalism and realized its potential to disseminate political knowledge and debunk political lies through the framework of a cultural entity. These shows successfully package humor as information shortcuts, making it easier to remember facts and leaving a greater lasting impact on both media-savvy and informationally-ignorant audiences. The effectiveness of these shows is strengthened as the use of comedy provides instant gratification, compared to a delayed gratification provided by other hard news sources. This paper further discusses weaknesses of such shows by exploring whether the political allegiance and self-selective set of knowledge of its audience influences the outcome of the viewing. It also argues that US late-night shows create a political/cultural laicity through the use of laughter.
|
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T18:17:59Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-3257840b92274a4c8cc8c901fc7905e3 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2071-1107 2958-3179 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T18:17:59Z |
| publishDate | 2018-08-01 |
| publisher | ULAB Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Crossings |
| spelling | doaj.art-3257840b92274a4c8cc8c901fc7905e32023-10-16T04:21:35ZengULAB PressCrossings2071-11072958-31792018-08-01910.59817/cjes.v9i.106The Implicit Cultural Policies of US Late-night Comedy ShowsTowhidul Islam Khan0Senior Lecturer, Department of English and Humanities, University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh This paper argues how comedy is used as an implicit tool by US late-night shows to create an informed citizenry. It explores how late-night shows have transcended its original format to emerge as an alternative form of journalism and realized its potential to disseminate political knowledge and debunk political lies through the framework of a cultural entity. These shows successfully package humor as information shortcuts, making it easier to remember facts and leaving a greater lasting impact on both media-savvy and informationally-ignorant audiences. The effectiveness of these shows is strengthened as the use of comedy provides instant gratification, compared to a delayed gratification provided by other hard news sources. This paper further discusses weaknesses of such shows by exploring whether the political allegiance and self-selective set of knowledge of its audience influences the outcome of the viewing. It also argues that US late-night shows create a political/cultural laicity through the use of laughter. https://journals.ulab.edu.bd/index.php/crossings/article/view/106implicitcultural policypoliticsentertainmentaudienceinformation shortcut |
| spellingShingle | Towhidul Islam Khan The Implicit Cultural Policies of US Late-night Comedy Shows Crossings implicit cultural policy politics entertainment audience information shortcut |
| title | The Implicit Cultural Policies of US Late-night Comedy Shows |
| title_full | The Implicit Cultural Policies of US Late-night Comedy Shows |
| title_fullStr | The Implicit Cultural Policies of US Late-night Comedy Shows |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Implicit Cultural Policies of US Late-night Comedy Shows |
| title_short | The Implicit Cultural Policies of US Late-night Comedy Shows |
| title_sort | implicit cultural policies of us late night comedy shows |
| topic | implicit cultural policy politics entertainment audience information shortcut |
| url | https://journals.ulab.edu.bd/index.php/crossings/article/view/106 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT towhidulislamkhan theimplicitculturalpoliciesofuslatenightcomedyshows AT towhidulislamkhan implicitculturalpoliciesofuslatenightcomedyshows |