This 2012 political campaign has demonstrated a growing role of political satire and comedy in shaping public opinion, and has emerged as a real challenge to conservative talk radio and Fox News Channel.
Saturday Night Live, The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, and Stephen Colbert have become major players in the media, and the Capitol Steps series conducted every weekend at the Ronald Reagan Building in Washington, DC, and in numerous venues all over the nation throughout the year, has also had an effect on how people perceive politics.
Only in a democracy such as ours could this occur, and it is to be applauded, as in the midst of crisis and turmoil, it is good to reflect on personalities and events, and laugh, rather than always be angry!
So we should salute the impact of political satire and comedy as good for public health!