MUSEUM OF TELEVISION & RADIO SEMINAR SERIES, THE: MEDIA AS MIRROR: POLITICAL SATIRE IN THE DIGITAL AGE: JIBJAB AND SALIH MEMECAN {LONG VERSION}
Summary
One in this series of seminars conducted by The Museum of Television and Radio in Los Angeles which present "Media as Mirror." This seminar examines political humor from around the globe, as interpreted by "new media" such as the Internet. The program begins with host Barbara Dixon (director of the Museum in Los Angeles), who offers opening remarks before introducing Alex Ben Block (senior columnist, Hollywood Today.) He provides examples of how political humor's success is dependent on context and relevance.
Block then introduces the panelists: Salih Memecan, Turkish cartoonist/satirist; and Evan and Gregg Spiridellis, founders of JibJab Media Inc., a digital entertainment company based in Venice, Calif.
First, Memecan, a Muslim, tells why he feels that followers of Islam in some European countries have overreacted to his animations about current events. Following a screening of seventeen short "Bizimcity" cartoons (animated versions of Memecam's daily comic strip), he explains why he uses a laugh track, how he chooses subjects, and his secret for not making a product "boring." Next, the Spiridellis brothers reveal why they chose to make "What We Call the News," a satirical piece on the media, as a followup to "This Land," the 2004 animation about the George W. Bush-John Kerry presidential race which "put them on the map." Following a showing of "What We Call the News," "This Land," and "2-0-5: Year in Review," the brothers address the origins of the JibJab logo, the equipment used to design their pieces, and last-minute additions that have kept their work current.
The panelist then discuss topics which include: if the Internet is less common in Turkey than America; how freedom of expression for artists in Turkey compares with those in America; the "joy" in making fun of a given subject via satire; if artists should respond to "kooks" and threatening emails; Americans' response to Memecan's contributions to The New York Times; whether Republicans or Democrats take greater umbrage with the Spiridellis brothers; how connections are maintained between animators and their audience; and the recent proliferation of "viral videos."
Questions from the audience then lead to a discussion of the following topics: the chief inspiration for each panelist's artistry; how Memecan began on animated pieces for Turkish television; the effort by the Spiridellis to become "equal opportunity offenders"; what happens when satire becomes a personal platform for artists; if Memecan is accepted by governments in fundamentalist-based countries that border Turkey; whether JibJab has cross-generational appeal; why Memecan currently lives in New York City rather than Istanbul; if "The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show" was an inspiration for the Spiridellis's brand of humor; how the cartoon medium has changed over the decades; if Memecan is allowed to address subjects such as the Armenian genocide in his work; whether the Spiridellis got feedback from Bush about spotlighting his foibles; and if any subject is taboo for satire.
Details
- NETWORK: Paley
- DATE: April 5, 2007 7:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 1:14:05
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: B:91338
- GENRE: Seminars
- SUBJECT HEADING: N/A
- SERIES RUN: N/A
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Barbara Dixon … Host
- Alex Ben Block … Moderator
- Salih Memecan … Panelist
- Evan Spiridellis … Panelist
- Gregg Spiridellis … Panelist
- George W. Bush
- John Kerry