Smith & Waugh Talk About Satire

Inspired by Adam's recent adventures in Santiago de Comepstela, Spain, where he talked about satire at the second Conference on Feminisms and Humour: Humour-Sofías, and a new BBC Report which determined that comedy is a premium British export, Jo and Adam investigate the reception of British comedy abroad. They take a look at an enormous project undertaken by King's College London to survey screen encounters with Britain abroad, before considering the tricky question of whether comedy can be successfully adapted across international borders (with specific reference to The Inbetweeners and The American Office). In the second half, Jo and Adam respond to a listener question about comic songs and satire in music, which takes them on a wide ranging musical journey that touches on Half Man Half Biscuit, The Beautiful South, Eminem, The Lancashire Hotpots and much more else besides.

Why is it that so many classic British sitcoms (such as Keeping Up Appearances , The Good Life and One Foot In the Grave) are set in the suburbs? The recent smash hit Amandaland seems to be drawing satirical inspiration from these shows. Similarly, musicians (such as Pulp and The Pet Shop Boys), poets (such as Philip Larkin), film-makers (such as David Lynch) and novelists (such as Hanif Kureishi in his seminar Buddha of Suburbia) all seem to have found a reach source of satiric inspiration amidst the liminal hinterlands of the "burbs." Why is this? Jo and Adam are back to investigate. They also discuss Boon Joon Ho's Mickey 17, and reflect on their recent life event at the York Literature Festival, "Literary Feuds: Authors Hating Authors in the Olden Days."

At the time of recording, Traitors UK is on TV, Nosferatu is dominating at cinemas, Donald Trump is one day into his second presidency, leaving Jo and Adam with many memes to discuss as they try to determine what will be their 2025 energy. Charged by a listener to determine whether or not Robert Eggers's new adaptation of Nosferatu is in any way satire, Jo and Adam diligently investigate. What follows is a surprisingly clarifying discussion of the relationship between satire, sincerity, parody, and Paul Simpson's case for satire as an "echoic discourse". You'll also hear the phrase "having sex with the air" more than once. Adam and Jo also tease two forthcoming publications arising from their research on satire and hating in the works of Charlotte Brontë and Samuel Johnson. And Jo has brought a curious artefact to the recording which involves satire, Brontës, and once more, potatoes.

Jo and Adam reflect on their recent experience of venturing to a special screening at York Picture House Cinema on Halloween night to watch a film so disgusting viewers have been reported to have left the cinema to be sick. The film is The Substance, and Adam and Jo are here to analyse its satire. Heralded as a satire on female beauty standards, we wonder if it is actually having too much fun laughing at grotesque caricatures of the ageing female body? Is patriarchal capitalism really the target, or is it the vanity of Demi Moore's character for hoping she still had a place in it? Intergenerational conflict is also the theme of our second study in this episode: Ben Wheatley's Generation Z, which announces itself as a 'satirical horror series in which Baby Boomer Zombies eat their relatives' -- but is that really all that is going on? Also, Jo and Adam talk about the role of satire during the American presidential election, and the suggestion that big tech should use AI to label online content as satire.

As a new term begins, Jo and Adam get back in the mood for another year of learning and teaching by having a wonderful conversation with comedian, broadcaster, BBC writer, novelist an 8 time BAFTA winner Dave Cohen; best known, of course, for writing songs for the TV version of Horrible Histories. Dave talks to us about this comedy inspirations for the show, the day-to-day production of the show, its reception over the years, its skirmish with cancel culture, and about how satire played a part in the show's educational mission. (Adam also apologizes for a grievous error in the last episode, which we are ashamed to have broadcast).

Pour yourself a spenny natty wine, pump up the aux and get yourself gassed for a snappy genylex afters that is hundy p dank vibes. And if that makes no sense to you whatsoever, fear not, Jo and Adam are here to help. [Translation: Pour yourself an expensive glass of natural wine, turn up your sound system and prepare to laugh with us at our Snap General Election Afterparty which is going to be 100% cool]. Yes, in this bumper episode, Jo and Adam investigate the alleged "satire" of popular TikTok man Henry Rowley, survey the satirical aftermath of the 2024 General Election, reflect on their recent trip to Northampton University for a conference on satire, humour and history, discuss parallels between Bridgerton and Gustave Flaubert's wonderful novel Madame Bovary (1857), dig up the (deservedly) obscure 2013 movie Austenland and react to Steven Moffat's new star-studded drama, Douglas is Cancelled. Wham, bang, wallop, what a grab bag!

We need to talk about campus satire, again. Jo and Adam take a deep dive into two recent cultural takes which wear their satirical ambitions very much on their sleeves: the movie American Fiction, written and directed by Cord Jefferson, starring Jeffrey Wright and based on the novel by Percival Everett, and the controversial new novel by Lionel Shriver, Mania. Each examine their respective satirical targets through the lens of an academic protagonist on the edge, and each wield the blistering scalpel of satire with varying degrees of success. Jo also explains why the Mitford sisters would never want to be confused for one another. SSE!