10/12/2009
Saturday Night Live lists the president's accomplishments after a year in office and comes up with . . . nothing. The New York Times called the October 3 skit "a conspicuous (if not 'defining') episode" as it pointed out that late night comedians are getting harsher in their satire of President Obama. This weekend SNL came back for the second week in a row with an Obama skit -- this time skewering his unexpected win of the Nobel Peace Prize.
■Class discussion: The president has been handled gently by the comedians and political cartoonists so far. Do you think it will make a difference in how President Obama is perceived by the public if the jokes keep coming. Is it fair to make fun of the president? Should jokes about the president be banned? Or is satire healthy for the country?