Are You a Good Parody? Or a Bad Parody?

[Now That's Good Parody] From Homotracker, here are a couple of TV spots that not only illustrate the folly of California Proposition 8, but also nicely parody Apple's "Mac vs. PC" ads.

Part I:



Part II:



It's good parody because it keeps a light touch and pays attention to detail: The "Mac vs. PC" ads are multipartite and depict the "PC" character in various silly and unfortunate circumstances that he has brought upon himself by his own neuroses. The "Mac" character is sympathetic but maintains a polite distance, since PC is prone to misunderstand and vaguely rebuff Mac's attempts at helpfulness.

The fact that right-wingers are incapable of parody is no secret, although why this is so remains a mystery. As evidenced by attempts such as Fox News' failed The 1/2 Hour News Hour [note] or the ersatz Michael Moore parody An American Carol, right-wingers know that they should be parodying the left in some way, any way--their studies have shown that it's "the hip thing to do" or something--but they just can't seem to figure out exactly how to pull it off.

The right-wing sense of humor is angry and heavy-handed, motivated by a sense of fear and impotent rage. It is the nasty taunt hurled, not by a 10-year-old playground bully, but by the 10-year-old victim of that playground bully--in retaliation, from behind Teacher's plaid skirts.

If the anti-gays had produced these ads, PC would be flouncing around limp-wristedly in a black-leather harness and pink tutu, attacking married couples with little kids. At some point, Mac would break the fourth wall and address the camera directly, asking, "Is this what you want for your children?"

And what a laugh that would be.

Humor requires self-awareness, curiosity, a certain amount of intellect and a good measure of empathy--all of which seem to be in short supply among self-styled "conservatives."

The reason the left is so good at parody is that, for decades, freethinkers and creative types were trapped in the postmodern dilemma--a reality in which it became impossible to express oneself genuinely, without sarcasm. Things moved on; the rediscovery of earnestness received much acclaim, and eventually the left managed to recapture a certain amount of sincerity.

Right-wingers will, eventually, develop a knack for parody. But what a multilayered irony it is that, by the time they do so, it will have become utterly passé.

(Brandon Burt)

Fair & Balanced Radio

[Smut/Meth News] A KSL radio news broadcaster, announcing that Blue Boutique will open any day now, referred to its windows as featuring "Santa's helpers dressed rather provactively," as an example of the kind of lewd smut the Boutique's neighbors will have to endure, turn away from etc. Whatever the merits of the arguments on either side of the pro and con fence, let's inject a little reality into our coverage. Rather provocative? What the hell does that mean? Is this a sly dig at plunging cleavage, long legs, or thrusting bosoms on the mannequins? If we're talking T&A, then let's do it. Where's the glorious Lenny Bruce when you need him?

I also caught the radio ad campaign designed to get folks off meth this morning on KSL Newsradio. "My mom's on meth" some sweet young girl intones, then her mother talks about the hell of her life and we cut back and forth between addict and abandoned child. Mother disappears for a year, mother returns presumably after rehab, court dates, urine analyses, then we finish with a twee piano twinkle. For anyone who has sat through a few days of, for example, Judge Andrew Valdez's juvenile court, the agonisingly harsh reality of meth addiction and what it does to families is almost too painful to bear. This ad campaign with its Christmasy-like sickliness will have as much effect on getting meth-head moms to straighten out as "Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer" will impact on traffic accident deaths. (Stephen Dark)

This Red Light Brought to You By Red Bull

[Ads Gone Wild] Every time I think that America has run out of places to put advertising, I am proven wrong, wrong and oh-you-poor-naive-thing wrong. The guy who auctioned off his forehead as billboard space will seem positively quaint in another year.

Next time you park in the Gateway parking garage, take note of the diagonal lines between spaces. Yes, the dividing space between cars is now sponsored by Nationwide Auto Insurance -- so that when you swing that car door open too wide and ding your neighbor, you know exactly whom to call.

Because I never want to be surprised again, I challenge City Weekly blog readers to come up with the best marriage of as-yet-unsponsored-space in Utah and the corporate/business logo we'd be most likely to see there one day. The most creative idea may just win something from the piles of DVDs, books and other goodies in a certain editorial office. (Scott Renshaw)