News Satire Roundup: May 7th-May 11th

Sunday, May 7 – John opened with a brief bit of fun news that gives him joy – a New Zealand political party in a legal battle with Eminem – before moving onto the far more depressing news of the new health care bill.  He covered some of the bill’s more horrific points, of course, along with the number of representatives who voted for it without reading it and/or understanding what it entails.  The main story was a blast from the past:  net neutrality, which was the subject of the show’s first segment to go viral back in season 1.  Bless John for explaining the issue in a way that’s really clear, allowing me to see what the problem is, why the potential reclassification is a big deal, and how ISPs are being less than upfront about the whole thing.  I thoroughly enjoyed his digs at the FCC’s Ajit Pai, and cutting through the obstructive rigamarole on the FCC’s website to give people an easy, direct link they can use to post their comments was awesome.

Monday, May 8 – More on the health care bill, focusing on its move to the Senate and the all-white-male team picked to rework it.  Michelle showed up to rip apart the ways that, essentially, being a woman is considered a preexisting condition, and given the fact that the average man can’t even talk about periods, seriously side-eyed any notion that an all-male group could make a bill that addresses women’s health in a human way.  Next up, Trevor celebrated the outcome of France’s election (after showing a montage of American reporters mispronouncing Macron and Le Pen’s names.)  I liked his observation that Le Pen’s outcome – giving her opponent a good fight but not actually winning – was all Trump really wanted for himself.  He and guest Wanda Sykes had fun together, discussing France’s election, commiserating over Black people’s aversion to the outdoors, and geeking out for Sally Yates’s testimony in the Russia investigation.

Tuesday, May 9 – The news was too recent to explore in depth, but Trevor obviously touched on James Comey’s firing, bringing up the convenient timing re:  the Russia investigation and the “gangsta move” of Trump firing Comey over his treatment of Clinton.  This led into more on the Russia investigation, focusing on Sally Yates’s testimony and how Trump ignored the warnings both she and Obama gave him about Michael Flynn.  Hasan did a quick desk piece addressing snark in the news media.  He argued that, as satisfying as it is, it plays into Trump’s accusations of the media being biased and urged journalists to keep their game faces on while reporting on the president.  Great interview with Djimon Hounsou.  He had interesting things to say about a documentary he did on voodoo, and I really appreciated his anecdote about voicing Black Panther in an animated project so his son could recognize he had Black heroes to relate to.

Wednesday, May 10 – It was pretty much all Comey all the time.  Trevor unpacked the stated motivation behind Comey’s firing and the tangled web within it, wha with the ongoing Russia investigation and the obvious BS happening.  I liked his impatience with the euphemisms journalists were using for “what sort of country” this kind of thing happens in (“Just say Africa!”), and he did not mince words about how autocracies begin slowly, step by step.  The show also looked at the details of how Comey was fired (by letter delivered to his office when he was out of state, learning of it himself by seeing it on the news) and the general skeeviness therein.  The guest, former Obama senior adviser Valerie Jarrett, continued to go over the still-developing story with Trevor; she talked a little about Obama’s relationship with Comey and emphasized the importance of having a truly independent FBI and Justice Department.

Thursday, May 11 – A fun opener on South Korea’s election, featuring the candidates dabbing as the results were announced.  The Comey story continued with the administration’s inability to give a straight story on the firing – with Trump going the furthest afield, as per usual.  Trevor also covered the awkwardly-timed visit from the Russian ambassador and allowing in press from Russia but not the U.S.  Next up was a look at the “multiple Trumps” narrative, the idea that anything Trump said as a candidate, or on Twitter, or… or… doesn’t count as “real Trump.”  I liked the graphics showing the different possible “hats” Trump could wear to signify who we’re getting, and I liked the bit about being fortunate that other dictators haven’t picked up the same technique:  “That was just Genocide Idi!” was a great, awful line.  Guest D.L. Hughley talked humor and politics.  The interview was a little overtly punchline-y for me, but still enjoyable.