I've always felt that listening to comedians made more sense than listening to the newscasters. Great comedians have the ability to analyze a societal situation, explain it in terms that can appeal to large audiences, and show them that they can laugh at it.
In a class at Heartland one time, I remember arguing that comedy is the way to get people to understand something new about society. Make people laugh at it, show them that it can be made fun of, and it will pass the OK test. Gay characters started coming out in TV and movies, and as long as we could laugh at them, it made it easy to sneak in a little bit of knowledge about people who are different - that they are all just like us.
George Carlin once said that there is a thing he looks for, when a laughing person gets it. When the realization hits that they are learning something, and seeing it for the first time.
Some studies have been done to determine why we laugh. Scientists say it is because our brain is reacting to something we don't understand, so it tells your body to laugh. That little bit of absurdity is needed to really deliver the punchline of knowledge.
I watched a Jon Stewart video last night and it was about his take on the recent political landscape. The interviewer was trying desperately to pull any and all information from him on various subjects, and at times it felt like he was forcing Stewart to say something. One of Stewart's points was that there is enough social commentary out there from other comedians who are doing a great job on that themselves. He is right, as there are many former cast members of the Daily Show spread out that are doing their own brand of comedy that is hitting on all fronts. There is a diverse number of comedic voices out there to listen to, and you have to open your mind to their ideas, one laugh at a time.
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