So in the past three hours (while I was out at a band practice) you guys wrote something like 50 posts and comments. That’s pretty dramatic.

I was writing comments on people’s satire blogs, but I’ve decided to give up and go to bed. First, though, let me point you to a few interesting posts.

Patty, who wins the Distinctive Blog Post Title of the Week Award (to be given out at the Hollywood Bowl in January), says that

When a person makes satire and especially when they are well written it can really help open peoples eyes and look at the bigger picture, which is why satire is a good thing.

Sam, meanwhile, has this take on satire:

Satire makes making people feel like jerks an American pass time. Just look at South Park. Its one of the best examples of satire around. Not only does it make fun of absolutely anything that breaths, but it has managed to gain both loyal fans, and mortal enemies. Like good old Tom Cruise and his Scientology friends.

And I think Joe really sums it all up:

You have to be very clever to write satire.

It looks to me like you folks are getting it. The reason I asked why, say, Scary Movie doesn’t count is to drive home the idea that satire has to have a socially redemptive purpose.  Even if you don’t agree with the author’s view (perhaps starvation in Ireland doesn’t bother you, or you think Scientology is A-OK, or whatever) the intent has to be to bring public attention to something that can be improved in the culture.  Comedy doesn’t have to be satirical to be funny; it’s perfectly fine to laugh at something that’s just hilarious (most of my favorite movies are comedies and very few of those are satires).

I’m looking forward to seeing how you folks handle “The War Prayer” tomorrow.