On Satire and Apologies to Lettuce
December 2, 2012
Anthea Fisher People read The Forum? Who knew! Well, I didn’t, so now I’m going to clarify the last article I wrote where I made fun of myself and I guess people didn’t like it. Or, more specifically, “Girls with Boyfriends” (as a source claims) really didn’t like it. Regardless, whoever was unhappy and/or didn’t laugh while they read what I wrote: I’m sorry!
Though The Forum is a serious school newspaper, there are people who write sarcastic and/or satirical pieces for the sake of humor, and it doesn’t seem like readers have been getting it. To be funny is the number one goal of satire (Noun: The use of humor, irony, exaggeration, etc.) so if my self deprecation wasn’t funny á la Jon Stewart (another example of satire: Stephen Colbert. He’s humorous, right?), then I feel pretty bad.
Stupidly, I thought that this school would have liked some poorly-executed Louis C.K.-type self-loathing in an article about what it’s like to see people who are really cool and/or your friends together whilst being single, but apparently it was just “super bitter.” Maybe single jokes aren’t funny anymore or maybe it’s just that—if Taylor Swift has taught me anything—high school relationships are no laughing matter. Whatever it is, it’s a real bummer when people don’t read the stuff you write as funny and instead take every word seriously. To be clear though, I have seen every episode of 30 Rock four times, and I did illegally download season three of Downton Abbey. That part I will not apologize for, because I have no regrets. But to the couples in my grade, I seriously have no problem with you, and if you’ve ever met me, you should know I’m not some inter-gender-interaction-hating monster. Someone mentioned that we have more relationships than last year, and I thought of seemingly funny stuff in my article that loosely referenced and exaggerated that. Maybe it was a bad idea, maybe you didn’t think it was funny, maybe you have a boyfriend and “got really offended”—whatever it was, it wasn’t what I wanted and I think we may need to stop taking everything written in this news source so seriously. So, finally, I just want to remind everyone that comedy is benevolent. People say that laughter is the best medicine (though I think penicillin is kind of good too) and it’s really supposed to make people happy. I guess people haven’t been finding the recent Forum satire funny, so the happiness aspect didn’t pull through. But, from the bottom of my (last one, I promise) lonely heart, I hope you at least laughed at my salad comment, because I really do hate lettuce. Next time: a formal apology to lettuce, and every other leafy green vegetable I’ve besmirched in the past.]]>
mbegel • Dec 5, 2012 at 11:35 am
Anthea, thank you for this. I feel much better now, and I appreciate your references to comedy writers/actors/satirists. I cannot wait for your expose of lettuce (hopefully it’ll end up being an expose), and good luck with the rest of your articles.
Your friend,
Michael
P.S. I am being sarcastic
P.P.S You’re sitting next to me and reading this and said it was “annoying.” I disagree.
bhennessy • Dec 5, 2012 at 9:30 am
Anthea, thanks for posting this apology – it inspired me to go back and read the original article! And thanks to Caroline Kaplan for telling me about these articles!
Both are great! I think you forgot to mention, however, that you like to snuggle with an obese kitty while watching 30 Rock/Downton Abbey.
And as far as your colleagues who didn’t like the original article, Nknox took the words right out of my mouth.
Well done, sister!
bsulliva • Dec 5, 2012 at 12:54 am
You cut off the definition of satire to change its meaning, humor is not the main purpose at all. Satire is meant to criticize or ridicule through humor or irony in order to invoke a change. Hopefully you don’t think that you need to publicly shame yourself in order for you to make changes in your own life. You don’t need to change, Anthea, be yourself! 🙂
gbrandt • Dec 5, 2012 at 12:20 am
oOooh, comparing yourself to Louis C.K.? Bold move, Fisher. I like it.
nknox • Dec 4, 2012 at 7:54 pm
And I am a girl with a boyfriend sooo #notbitter
nknox • Dec 4, 2012 at 7:54 pm
Wise words from Ms. Hennessy, “haters gonna hate, move to the left”. Great article (both of them.)
tczaplin • Dec 3, 2012 at 12:40 am
Anthea, the real good that came out this was you learned that everyone reads (and loves) The Forum.
scohen3 • Dec 3, 2012 at 12:17 am
#i’malergictopenicillin #funfacts
abalmuth • Dec 2, 2012 at 9:45 pm
Anthea, on behalf of lettuce, I accept your apology. I think the use of satire in the forum should be welcomed, but can easily be misunderstood #cherikashredsthestreet