We all like to believe we’re making a difference. As a political comedian – aside from doing benefit shows for good causes – I like to believe some of the humorous points I make on stage might actually get audience members thinking and even change a few minds. Strangely enough science seems to agree with me and various pieces of research have suggested that jokes are more likely to affect people’s opinions than facts. Which is pretty worrying in itself.
Leftwing political comedy is a bit of a niche market, though – too one-sided for TV or radio companies to sniff around much. You can blame that one on facts, not jokes. As Stephen Colbert said in his White House Correspondents’ dinner turn in 2006: ‘Reality has a well-known liberal bias’.
