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| | NOW with David Brancaccio. Politics & Economy. Who's Laughing Now? American Political Satire | PBS (Site not responding. Last check: 2007-10-25) |
 | | Although the term satire may describe an entire work, a passage, or a tone, its characteristics are shared: among these, it employs comedy or humor; has a target and an ideal to compare it to; and describes folly or vice in detail. |
 | | The many diverse forms their statements have taken reflect the origin of the word satire, which is derived from the Latin satura, meaning "dish of mixed fruits," hence a medley. |
 | | In the early 1900's, Will Rogers "drolly expressed his skepticism about industrial technology and corporate capitalism and celebrated the wisdom of the common folk." Politics was a top target for his unique brand of humor, espoused in stage shows, films, and newspaper columns. |
| www.pbs.org /now/politics/satire.html (603 words) |
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