Seeing David Misch speak today was a really great treat, but the point he made about pushing the envelope with “Duckman” before shows like “South Park” and “Family Guy” got me wondering: in another class I’m taking we read an article where comedy is described as the art which frees spectators and creators alike from fear of persecution and subjection.
When shows like the ones previously mentioned push the boundaries of “political correctness”, is it a testament to that idea? That we (as spectators and creators) should not fear those who threaten to crush an artistic vision? Does dramatic programming like we’ve studied so far have any type of similar purpose? Or is it more like the creators have a personal agenda and are simply out to tear down a society’s desire to maintain a safe and placid status quo?
Personally I like to think that the creators of these shows have some sort of bigger purpose than to just lampoon for the sake of proving another purpose wrong. But I believe with some programming (to me, particularly “South Park”) the creators invest so much of their personal interests and beliefs that, even though the material remains funny, there is an air of cynicism that takes away any other message that could be derived from the show.
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