Flipping off political complacency and cynicism: satyric satire as a comic corrective in Bill Maher’s 2014 #FlipADistrict campaign

Abstract

In January of 2014, comedian Bill Maher sought to alter Americans’ perception of the federal political system through a satirical advocacy campaign named #FlipADistrict. Through an alternative reading of Kenneth Burke’s understanding of satire, scapegoating, and mortification, I argue that #FlipADistrict fostered a critical sense of political awareness and responsibility in Maher’s televised audience. By outlining a comically oriented form of satire or satyric satire, this essay connects political humour to Burke’s comic frame. Rather than fostering cynicism, this essay posits that #FlipADistrict’s comically oriented form of satire advocated Americans become aware of their piety to political partisanship or complacency.

Keywords:

• Comic frame
• Kenneth Burke
• mortification
• political campaign
• rhetorical leadership
• scapegoating

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Notes

1 To select a member of Congress to target, #FlipADistrict first sought nominations from fans via YouTube, Twitter and Real Time With Bill Maher’s website. Throughout the summer of 2014, 16 finalists were picked. In the fall, Maher narrowed the field to four candidates: John Kline (Minnesota’s 2nd district), Blake Farenthold (Texas’ 27th district), Renee Ellmers (North Carolina’s 2nd district), and Mike Coffman (Colorado’s 6th district). Throughout August, Maher asked fans to vote for whom they thought was the “winning loser.” In an interview, Maher explained that Kline was chosen because he got the most number of votes, but also because he best highlighted everything wrong in Congress.

2 Addressing his critics, Maher noted that he was not looking to support any particular political party or favor a Democrat over a Republican. For example, when asked if he supported and was rooting for John Kline’s Democratic opponent, Maher stated, “I don’t even know his opponent’s name” (Phenow October 3, 2014).

3 I rely on Amy B. Becker and Don J. Waisanen’s understanding that political humor can be defined as a comedic genre that is publicly oriented. In other words, political humor is a form of public culture that bases its comedy in everything from satire against public figures to more direct jokes (Becker & Waisanen 2013, 161-183).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Thomas A. Salek

Thomas A. Salek (Ph.D. 2016, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee) is an Assistant Professor of Communication at Elmhurst University. His scholarship explores the rhetoric of politics and popular culture.