semi-OT: The unfair media on St. Pats day

Submitted by michelin on
According to the noted scholar, papal legate and gossip columnist for the Vatican, Father Guido Sarducci, poor St. Joseph, the Italian patron saint, has been treated unfairly by the media, especially in comparison with the Irish patron saint. “For St. Patrick's Day, we have-a lots of festivities, lots of-a green, celebrations and-a major parades. But for St. Joseph, a very good-a saint, there is-a nothing. the only thing he is-a known for is-a children's aspirin.” ********** Now, I don't mean to suggest any parallel between the treatment of poor St Joseph and UM or RR. Yet, I must regretfully inform you that the media also launched an “investigation” of poor St. Joseph. (1) the press published a four-part expose, claiming he took all "independent study" courses and had no academic qualifications for making aspirin. (2) The press called for an immediate investigation of the aspirin’s safety. They claimed that he shredded the recipe he developed at his last job. Others said he used “snake oil” in the ingredients. (3) The media claimed that, to make the aspirin, St-Jo recruited a criminal who once got his hand caught in a gumball machine. He was part of an organized gumball ring. Supposedly, he was never convicted. But everybody knows a hardened criminal when they see one.

michelin

March 17th, 2010 at 3:18 PM ^

with parallels to RR's battle with the press. Maybe I wrote it too hurriedly to make the satire clear. I am disappointed that many do not get it. But apparently, I did not communicate clearly enough.

michelin

March 17th, 2010 at 4:38 PM ^

Satire is a tricky business to write or to read. Even though it’s easier to communicate in person, with vocal intonations, it still often confuses people. eg The majority of Ohio State students thought that Steven Colbert only pretends to be joking and that his statements reflect his real attitudes (link below shows only the abstract). If I thought I had an Ohio State audience, I would blame the audience, but that’s not the case here. To make my intent clearer, I have added a sentence or two. I also made it shorter. I hope this does not the trick. But if you explain jokes or satiric associations too much, they're no longer very funny. The fun is in figuring them out yourself. Thus, I must follow the words of WC Fields, who said: "If at first you don't succeed, Try try again.... then quit... no sense making a damn fool of yourself." (another version is: "if at first you don't succeed, then skydiving's not for you.") http://hij.sagepub.com/cgi/content/short/14/2/212

MGoShoe

March 17th, 2010 at 4:12 PM ^

...that I couldn't follow it, even though I didn't think it was very funny (no sugarcoat). "E" for effort, Michelin. Sometimes forum topics succeed, and sometimes they don't.