brexit a godsend for satirists
Last Updated : GMT 09:03:51
Almaghrib Today, almaghrib today
Almaghrib Today, almaghrib today
Last Updated : GMT 09:03:51
Almaghrib Today, almaghrib today

Every aspect of national life

Brexit a godsend for satirists

Almaghrib Today, almaghrib today

Almaghrib Today, almaghrib today Brexit a godsend for satirists

Satirical magazine Private Eye is enjoying record sales of 230,000 copies
London - Arab Today

Divisive, chaotic and with implications for almost every aspect of national life, Brexit has been a godsend for political satirists -- giving them a wealth of material -- and audiences desperate for a laugh.

"There's a voracious appetite in the UK for anything to do with Brexit, and there's a huge appetite for satire," said Neil Rafferty, editor in chief of the popular satirical website The Daily Mash.

He told AFP: "It's a massive subject. There's also a massive number of colourful characters involved. There are some very extreme views, which are great for satirists."

Britons have a long tradition of turning to humour in troubled times, and the June referendum vote to leave the European Union has inspired comedians across the country -- even if most of them opposed the decision.

"When it comes to writing jokes, this referendum outcome is a better one," comedian Al Murray, who adopts the persona of a xenophobic pub owner, told The Guardian newspaper.

Satirical magazine Private Eye is enjoying record sales of 230,000 copies every fortnight, while Twitter and the Internet are alive with Brexit-related gags.

A Daily Mash story poked fun at the insistence that Britain will be better off outside the European single market, with the headline: "Australia ideal trading partner, say Britons happy to wait three months for stuff."

Comedy can also help Britons deal with some of the darker issues thrown up by Brexit, including reports of an increase in hate crime after a referendum campaign dominated by immigration.

"Brexit raised a lot of tensions, some of them racial, a lot of them political," said Steve Bennett, editor of comedy industry website Chortle.

"I think comedy is an important tool in smoothing over that."

- 'Better than crying' -

One Friday night in the Comedy Cafe in east London, a stand-up comedian asked the crowd if anyone likes gaffe-prone foreign secretary Boris Johnson, a leading Brexit campaigner.

When one hapless audience member tentatively raised his hand, he was treated to a barrage of jokes at his -- and Johnson's -- expense.

Most comedians were among the 48 percent of voters who opposed Brexit in the referendum, but the jokes are also flowing from the other side of the political divide.

"Straight after the vote happened, a lot of my friends were saying 'well, thank you very much, leavers, now we are going to have a future with no money or human rights'," said stand-up Geoff Norcott, who backed Brexit.

"And I was thinking -- no, we are leaving the EU, not joining North Korea. Let's just turn down the rhetoric a little bit. But it's that hysteria that makes it funny."

He told AFP: "We'll laugh until we are really poor. And then we'll laugh for different reasons. Because laughing is better than crying."

- 'Argulfoop means Argulfoop' -

Prime Minister Theresa May has repeatedly refused to outline her negotiating strategy ahead of talks with the EU early next year, saying only that "Brexit means Brexit".

The phrase has been widely mocked for being meaningless, while clips of several politicians inadvertently saying "breakfast" instead of "Brexit" have brought a surreal aspect to posturings on Britain's future.

For some comics such as singer-songwriter Mitch Benn, however, the jokes cannot disguise their anger at the situation.

He has lived in France and Spain, and has a song offering an affectionate look at the stereotypes of Europeans, from the napping Spaniards to the "boring" Germans.

"Saying 'Brexit means Brexit' is a meaningless statement because it's like saying, 'Argulfoop means Argulfoop'," Benn told AFP.

"It' a word you've just made up and you've said that it means what it says it does. We've no idea where we're at or what we're doing."

Source: AFP

almaghribtoday
almaghribtoday

GMT 10:41 2018 Friday ,19 January

Taiwan chip 'godfather' bullish on cryptocurrency

GMT 14:50 2018 Thursday ,18 January

YouTube toughens rules regarding

GMT 13:41 2018 Wednesday ,17 January

Remand extended for Palestinian teen

GMT 12:17 2018 Tuesday ,16 January

Russia's Lavrov lashes out at US

GMT 11:44 2018 Sunday ,14 January

Facebook move will play out

GMT 12:33 2018 Saturday ,13 January

New Eurogroup chief vows to press

GMT 09:37 2018 Friday ,12 January

S. Korea govt sends bitcoin
Almaghrib Today, almaghrib today

Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

brexit a godsend for satirists brexit a godsend for satirists

 



Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

brexit a godsend for satirists brexit a godsend for satirists

 



Almaghrib Today, almaghrib today Skincare PR Performance Full Year 2017

GMT 09:22 2018 Monday ,22 January

Skincare PR Performance Full Year 2017
Almaghrib Today, almaghrib today New hunt for flight MH370 gets under way

GMT 11:03 2018 Wednesday ,24 January

New hunt for flight MH370 gets under way
Almaghrib Today, almaghrib today Modern colorful bedroom renovation

GMT 10:57 2017 Thursday ,21 December

Modern colorful bedroom renovation
Almaghrib Today, almaghrib today Puigdemont candidate for Catalan president

GMT 13:56 2018 Tuesday ,23 January

Puigdemont candidate for Catalan president
Almaghrib Today, almaghrib today Turkey detains dozens more

GMT 10:47 2018 Wednesday ,24 January

Turkey detains dozens more

GMT 07:43 2017 Monday ,16 October

'Final phase' of battle for Raqa

GMT 07:58 2011 Monday ,17 October

Chinese stocks close 0.37 pct higher Monday

GMT 13:38 2011 Friday ,11 November

Tips to great skin and hair

GMT 16:57 2017 Tuesday ,24 January

Bahrain condemns attack on market

GMT 19:36 2017 Thursday ,13 April

Despite warning, Assad regime uses barrel bombs

GMT 18:42 2017 Tuesday ,11 April

Muscat Securities Market Loses 29 Points

GMT 11:44 2014 Saturday ,01 November

Arab League council to hold emergency meeting Sunday

GMT 09:21 2011 Monday ,17 October

Tulisa showed on X Factor

GMT 18:08 2017 Tuesday ,17 January

Jordanian Royal Decree Approves Cabinet Reshuffle

GMT 09:07 2011 Sunday ,12 June

Israel to allow limited goods into Gaza

GMT 12:16 2011 Saturday ,18 June

Marilyn Monroe dress stars in Hollywood sale

GMT 13:42 2011 Sunday ,30 October

Watermelon helps reduce atherosclerosis

GMT 21:45 2017 Thursday ,27 April

US dollar exchange rate stable at major banks
Almaghrib Today, almaghrib today
 
 Almaghrib Today Facebook,almaghrib today facebook  Almaghrib Today Twitter,almaghrib today twitter Almaghrib Today Rss,almaghrib today rss  Almaghrib Today Youtube,almaghrib today youtube  Almaghrib Today Youtube,almaghrib today youtube

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©

.almaghribtoday .almaghribtoday .almaghribtoday .almaghribtoday
almaghribtoday almaghribtoday almaghribtoday
almaghribtoday
بناية النخيل - رأس النبع _ خلف السفارة الفرنسية _بيروت - لبنان
almaghribtoday, Almaghribtoday, Almaghribtoday