2008 Still With the New Yorker Cover Responses!
posted by on July 22 at 11:50 AM
Vanity Fair offers this:
And in case you missed it, here’s Lee Siegel (mocked in our pages here) with a rather interesting art-historical perspective on why the New Yorker cover didn’t quite make it as satire:
In satire, absurdity achieves its rationality through moral perspective — or it remains simply incoherent or malign absurdity. The New Yorker represented the right-wing caricature of the Obamas while making the fatal error of not also caricaturing the right wing. It is as though Daumier had drawn figures besotted by stupidity and disfigured by genetic deficiencies — what might have been a corrupt 19th-century politician’s image of his victims — rather than the corrupt politicians themselves, whom he of course portrayed as swollen to ridiculous physical proportions by mendacity and greed.
They copied horsey.
on my yes there is VERY SERIOUS CRITICISM to be made of this failed ATTEMPT at satire.
As we all know, ATTEMPTED SATIRE THAT FAILS IS DANGEROUS AND THUS TO BE CONDEMNED AS UNPURE.
ALSO IT IS NOT FUNNY.
PLEASE MAKE A NOTE OF IT.
I saw some horrible pictures drawn up in MAD Magazine showcasing Obama too, but no media frenzy over those.
Apparently people don't know how to take a joke in America any longer.
It seems like it would be risky for any politician to embrace satire. Once they approve of satire that criticizes their opponents or opposing viewpoints or whatever, they'd have a hard time sounding credible when trying to denounce the satire that's targeting them. Satire is also based on the "I'm saying this because I believe the opposite" style of humor that promise-making candidates might wish to avoid associating themselves with. I feel like Obama had no choice but to denounce the New Yorker cover, while McCain had the option to denounce or stay mum.
After having seen it for almost a week, I finally got my copy in the mail, and I have to say by that point I was no longer outraged.
It just felt like the usual kind of New Yorker poking fun at people cover.
Maybe it's like playing I Kissed a Girl over and over - sure, it sticks in your head, but eventually you burn out the response to the song.
@3
Hey PC, were all those false rumors you spread "attempts at satire"?
You're off your rocker, elenchos.
@1 - Damn, that is blatant too. The Constitution in the fireplace, the pills. And they changes they did make are subtle (Bush instead of Cheney, walker instead of wheelchair). Is VF trying to get sued?
Why are they doing a fist bump?
Politics, fashion and New York, ugh.
Are the Doron Braunshtein $200 dollar shirts saying 'Jews Against Obama' satire?
better than the stranger cover.
Hee hee hee...very funny!
That caractiture is actually pretty kind to Cindy. Otherwise, the fist bump (it doesn't work on any level), the pills and walker (childish and mean-spirited), it's just stupid.
We won't support ball-less NO-Bama and will re-defeat him in November!!!
All the subsequent "New Yorker" covers work as satire, as they're making fun of the New Yorker, rather than the subjects. ;)
Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Wow Christ. Just pull BO's pants down and suck it. Again, Im voting for BO and I just occasionally peruse the stranger being an ex-seattleite but I was amazed the sycophantism (not a word) over BO at this paper. just suck it. go ahead.
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