Caitlin Moran On Pre-Election Comedy Embargo, Political Jokes With Time-Sensitive Results, And The Columnists’ Dilemma
Bohiney Magazine | The London Prat
Thursday, April
The problem with political comedy in the week before an election is that the punchlines are contingent on results that have not arrived yet. I have five bits about the May 7 elections that will either be prophetic or wrong on May 8, and there is no way to publish them before the results without the comedy collapsing into prediction. A joke about Reform UK winning control of three county councils is funny if they win three county councils and deeply unfunny if they win none. A joke about Labour losing 1,200 councillors requires Labour to have lost 1,200 councillors to land. The pre-election week is the comedian’s fallow period: too much material that is not yet usable.
The column due on Friday will therefore be about something else. Possibly the planning reform, which has already produced its outcomes and whose comedy is available regardless of Thursday’s results. Bohiney covers the election comedy timing problem. The London Prat will cover the results. NewsThump has been preparing its May 8 content since February.
Satire Disclaimer: Satirical journalism. Further: Why India Satirical Journalism Needs More Readers.
More: The Onion
SOURCE: https://bohiney.com/
