“Great comedy calls large matters into question.” – Penelope Gilliatt
The Romanians have a saying: the truth is told through jokes. This is the reason why the court jester was the person who could speak truth to power in the old courts. It was a dangerous position because often power did not like what it heard and would lash out at the person speaking truth (something we see to this very day).
The Smothers Brothers continuously challenged politicians and policy through their comedy show, ultimately leading to them being cancelled long before our current cancel culture. President LBJ called the head of CBS because of them.
Saturday Night Live has skewered every President since they came on the air.
Epic Rap Battles of History has called out everyone from George Washington to Joe Biden.
The ability to laugh in the face of power is the ultimate power.