So the Fake News Awards were last night. Apparently the link on GOP website wasn’t working, which the GOP attributed to higher than usual traffic. I’d attribute it to good old fashioned incompetence.
Here’s something. The Fake News Awards has it’s own wikipedia page. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fake_News_Awards
So, aside from the unrelenting pace at which other autocrats are popularizing the term ‘fake news’ being a threat to journalism at home and abroad, I’m also concerned with how popular culture chooses to engage with our idiot traitor whom occupies the Oval Office (sometimes).
I’m always of two minds when Trump starts up some nonsense like this. It can be hilarious and infuriating. But that doesn’t we should always indulge him. We know that, his tweets can be used to distract the populace from other things happening. So when something like the Fake News Awards, which has it’s own page on the GOP website, gains traction as the “thing for which we mock the President”, it starts to feel less genuine. As if they’re playing into popular culture’s mockery.
There were some choice jokes from people concerning it, don’t get me wrong,
Chrissy Teigen is a goddamn national treasure. https://twitter.com/chrissyteigen/status/953767063180455936 (h/t to @Paulie Almonds)
If you think its worthy of derision, I will gladly support that because it is indeed a dumb and vacuous concept made by a man in a terrifying position of authority. I’d probably just as well have ignored it. It’s just feels like a co-opting of one of the most powerful weapons we’ve had in our arsenal since this vain, incompetent, unstable jackass assumed the highest office in the country: our mockery.
It’s not a great co-opt, mind you. These are Republicans and I’ve found that subtlety in conservative humor is rare. It reminds me, oddly, of the differences in bad movies. Sure, Sharknado is bad, but intentionally so, I feel worse about consuming that than I would something like The Room, Miami Connection or Birdemic. These movies are awful, sure, but they come from a genuine place. Which is why I support mocking Trump for other weird shit like ‘Covfefe’, for example.
Anyway, rant over. If you enjoyed The Fake News Awards, I’m glad you enjoyed it.
Oh, and we might have a government shutdown on Friday. Mayor McSquirrel Rules are in effect. Get in moderation, contact one of our lovely and helpful mods!
Welcome to Thursday!