Philosopher Umberto Eco, for example, demotes joking that fails to critique power structures to the status of mere “carnival.”
Comedy theorists tend to diminish, or at least distinguish, right-wing humor from what they deem to be more authentic, liberal humor. There are also intellectual trends that make it possible for Greg Gutfeld to spend two decades sneaking up on the Colberts of the world. In part, this has happened because social media algorithms don’t send users jokes likely to challenge or offend their political sensibilities. Hiding in plain sightĭespite its growing prominence, right-wing comedy remains largely invisible in both mainstream and scholarly discussions of media and humor. Regardless of whether or not this comedy is to your taste, it’s working for Gutfeld and his audience. Then “Bond” heads to a bar to order a latte – a soy latte – instead of a martini. In the prerecorded bit, a crudely costumed actor chases down a thief and pulls a banana on him instead of a gun. One recent episode broke from a panel discussion on cancel culture in order to imagine what a politically correct James Bond would look like. Then, of course, there are the silly “Saturday Night Live”-like sketches. The opening monologues are filled with Jay Leno-like punchlines that draw laughs from the studio audience, and the interviews with conservative politicians, pundits and other comedians frequently center on “ owning the libs” with one-liners. But it has all the markers of late-night comedy, too. Yes, “Gutfeld!” is on Fox News, the cable channel known for partisan, right-wing political perspectives and news commentary. These prejudices obscure an important truth: Right-wing comedy has become both a viable business strategy and a crucial element of conservative politics. Gutfeld’s success might come as a shock because it punctures long-standing assumptions about what comedy is, who can produce it and who will enjoy it. In August 2021, Fox News’ “Gutfeld!,” a late-night comedy-talk show hosted by right-wing pundit Greg Gutfeld, overtook “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” in overall ratings.Īs media and comedy scholars, we’ve been tracking the recent ascension of right-wing comedy, which has flourished thanks to shifts in media industry economics and political ideologies.
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