Edited by author 05-29-2002 12:01 AM
I am more than a bit confused by your definition of satire -- as I understand it, satire is simply making fun of something, and is often protected (c.f. almost any issue of The Onion).<br>

Nonetheless the animation is unquestionably parody (as it mimics a prior "artwork" for humorous effect) and is excellent.

Edited by author 05-29-2002 12:58 AM
The Flash video was nicely done, but I think trying to paint corporations as villains for trying to "keep their profits high" is a strategy waiting to backfire. Keeping profits high is what corporations are supposed to do. No one in power is going to spank them for doing that.

The whole issue isn't about profits in the first place. It's about control. THEY want to control the things YOU buy AFTER you buy them. And they're using all their corporate powers -- money, lobbying, technology -- to stop you from owning things at all. In their world, you don't own CDs, just licenses to listen to them.

I think we'd all be doing better if we lampooned these corporations as communist dictators instead of capitalists. The analogy fits better, and it's funnier, too.

BTW: I believe satire is when you use irony or wit to humorously illuminate a subject. You don't need to use someone else's work to be satirical. :)

Whether it's good politics or not, it's a helluva cute parody.

It reminds me of the hugely popular parody, "He never returned'" done by a group of roots folk musicians to protest a rate increase on the Boston Transit line.

"Charlie handed in his dime at the Kenilworth station
with a ''change for Jamaica Plains
But when he tried to get off they hollered 'One more nickel!'
Charlie couldn't get offa that train!

Well, did he ever return
No, he never returned
And his fate is still unlearned (he'll ride forever)
He may ride forever
'Neath the streets of Boston
He's the man who never returned"

This parody became much more popular than the original folk song--in fact I doubt anyone remembers the words to the original anymore. What's more, I doubt anyone remembers what became of the fare increase.

"M.T.A." Kingston Trio, for the, uh, record.

About Weird Al's parody,"Like a Surgeon", I think you're mistaken. It's a putdown of Madonna just as much as it is of the medical profession. In fact, as I remember, it doesn't say anything at all cutting (!) about doctors. As he often does, Weird Al is just showing how close to the utterly nonsensical pop music by idiots like Madonna can be and still be popular. Is "Eat it" satirizing the food industry or fat people? No, it's about Michael Jackson. Weird Al is - well - weird, though. Sometimes it's a little difficult to tell what point, if any, he's trying to make. You get the idea maybe he doesn't even know - or care.

Robert Speirs
Tallahassee, Florida

Actually, 'Weird Al' Yankovic gets permission for all his parodies that are released on record. There are a few songs he's never released because he didn't have permission to, such as his parody of 'Live and Let Die' called 'Chicken Pot Pie', which Paul McCartney wouldn't let him release as it was against his vegetarianism.
I believe he occasionally performs some of these at live shows, but all official releases are with the permission of all concerned.

Your definitions of parody and satire are a bit off.

Parody is any work that directly mimics another for comic effect. "Like a Surgeon" is absolutely a parody.

Satire can take any form, really. What's required for something to be satire is that it has a fairly universal focus for its ridicule (the standard sictionary definition is that it mocks "human vice or folly"). "Like a Surgeon" might be satirical, in other words, depending on what you think Weird Al is saying, but there's no question that it's a parody.

[I can't believe I'm getting into a serious analysis of the works of Mr. Yankovich]

Many people "just! don't! get! this!" because your definitions and examples are so far off the mark as to be laughable. It's typical of online postings: Scream it loud enough -- even if you don't know what the hell you're talking about -- and imply that those who don't "get it" are idiots.

tardcart: See my remarks to Adameft. You're correct that my definition of satire was not exhaustive, and elided a large body of satirical works, such as The Onion.

DanZ: You're also right. One of the interesting things about the entertainment industry's demands is how much they resemble the socialist's call for a planned economy (Andy Setos, a VP at Fox, calls this a "well-mannered marketplace," where only non-disruptive technologies are allowed to be sold). But there is an element of unabashed greedy capitalism there, too: Copyright (in the US) is a bargain between creators and the public. Creators are granted a limited monopoly on their works, the public is afforded all other uses (like the First Sale doctrine's private viewing license, which allows you to watch a DVD as often as you like once you've bought or rented it -- the Hollywood proposal would abridge this freedom, calling for a private viewing license with pay-per-use royalties enforced by software).

Adameft: I'm afraid I must disagree with you. If "Like a Surgeon" were indeed parodical, then Weird Al would not need to obtain Madonna's permission to distribute his work. Your definition of satire is certainly more exhaustive than mine, and better, too. Thanks.

Robert: I must also disagree with you, I'm afraid. "Fat" is a song about obesity; "Bad" is a song about machismo. Weird Al does indeed secure MJ's permission to make "Fat," Madonna's permission to make "Like a Surgeon" and so on, because he is not engaged in fair-use criticism of either articist.

bobh: Nothing like a little constructive criticism. Something far more typical of online postings, I'm afraid, is a shrill blanket assertion of incorrectness without any substantiating background.

News of Tinsel Town Club just hit Slashdot.

I'm glad I watched it this morning.

I want to hear CHICKEN POT PIE!!!!!

Satire/parody may be exempt from First Amendment protection if it's used for commercial purposes. Weird Al makes his money by (barely) modifying someone else's work--his "permission" reads more like a license to me. When Berke Brethed had Opus shooting down After Dark's flying toasters for the Bloom County screensaver, the flying toaster people sued and won--basically because the Bloom County product was for profit. The parody defense did not fly, and neither did the toasters; they had to substitute something without the humorous resonance of the toaster. Not to imply this is the final word in fair use for parodic purpose, but...commercial intent complicates things, at least in court.

It's interesting that you use "Like A Surgeon" as an example of parody vs. satire, because that is the only song of Weird Al's that was actually suggested by an outside source...in this case, by Madonna herself. The Material Girl made a public comment to the effect of, "I wonder when Weird Al is going to turn 'Like A Virgin' into 'Like A Surgeon.'" Word of this got back to Al, and he said, "Well, normally I don't do requests, but in this case, I'll make an exception."

Incidentally, Al does get permission for his parody works, as a general rule. He tries to go to the original songwriters whenever possible, as they can generally cut through the red tape with the publishing houses and so forth. There are numerous anecdotes about the way he's gotten permission to parody certain songs, some of which are collected on his Web site at http://www.weirdal.com.

Cory - the laws surrounding parody are a little strange, song parody in particular. Weird Al probably does need to get permission, as a song's music is well-protected by copyright laws. In other words, if "Like a Surgeon" had a slightly different tune, he might be able to get away with not getting permission.

Still, that's all legal stuff. "Parody" is what it is, and I'm stickin' to that. ;-)