In an age when Jon Stewart frequently tops lists of most-trusted newscasters, the films of Michael Moore become a dominant topic of political campaign analysis, and activists adopt ironic, fake personas to attract attention—the satiric register has attained renewed and urgent prominence in political discourse. Amber Day focuses on the parodist news show, the satiric documentary, and ironic activism to examine the techniques of performance across media, highlighting their shared objective of bypassing standard media outlets and the highly choreographed nature of current political debate.
Table of Content
Acknowledgments
1. Introduction: Poking Holes in the Spectacle
2. Ironic Authenticity
3. Truthiness and Consequences in Parodic News
4. Heroes and Villains: Satiric Documentarians Spearhead the Debate
5. Irony in Activism
6. Moving beyond Critique
Notes
Bibliography
Index
About the author
Amber Day is Assistant Professor of Performance Studies in the English and Cultural Studies Department at Bryant University.