Satire: ‘I Smoked Pot With David Brooks’

Peter Z. Scheer / Truthdig Jan 4, 2014 If you've read David Brooks' column about weed, in which The New York Times scribe presents himself as a once-cool kid who got wise and found more fulfilling and morally sound pleasures in the conservative movement, then you know it's begging to be made fun of. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

The Solid Nonpareil

By Lewis Lapham, TomDispatch Dec 20, 2013 Laughter was Mark Twain’s stock in trade, and for 30 years as bestselling author and star attraction on America’s late-nineteenth-century lecture stage, he produced it in sufficient quantity to make bearable the acquaintance with grief that he knew to be generously distributed among all present in the Boston Lyceum or a Tennessee saloon. Dig deeper ( 13 Min. Read )

The American Way of Manners

By Col. Manners and Tom Engelhardt, TomDispatch Dec 2, 2013 Dear Col. Manners, In a recent New York Times piece, reporters James Risen and Laura Poitras describe the agency’s long-term goal as “being able to collect virtually everything available in the digital world.” Or as one of the NSA’s programs, Treasure Map, puts it: “any device, anywhere, all the time.” Doesn’t this strike you as overreach of a major sort? Dig deeper ( 10 Min. Read )

The Etiquette of War and Surveillance

By Tom Engelhardt, TomDispatch Oct 12, 2013 An old and knowledgeable friend, Colonel Manners (ret.), is ready to step into the void left by the Dear Abby column in the classic military newspaper Stars and Stripes. His assignment: to answer letters from Americans puzzled by the etiquette, manners, and language of the arcane national security world of Washington. Dig deeper ( 9 Min. Read )

‘Let’s Be Old-Fashioned’: Remembering Gore Vidal

Steve Wasserman / Truthdig Aug 2, 2013 When, exactly, to give him the bad news? Before our interview? That would spoil the conversation. Lunch would be best. But when, exactly? Before the first course, during the meal, or ought I to delay until dessert? Dig deeper ( 4 Min. Read )

GOP Senator’s Obamacare Threat, Weiner’s Alleged New Sex Chats, and More

Tracy Bloom / Truthdig Jul 24, 2013 A look at the day's political happenings, including Stephen Colbert skewers McDonald's over its unrealistic employee budget tool and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid stirs things up with House Speaker John Boehner. Dig deeper ( 4 Min. Read )

‘SNL’: Dennis Rodman Appears in Skit Mocking North Korea’s Kim Jong Un

Tracy Bloom / Truthdig Apr 7, 2013 In this weekend's episode of "Saturday Night Live," the show's version of the North Korean ruler made a couple of major announcements regarding state policy on nuclear weapons and gay marriage. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Jon Stewart Stands Up for ‘Egypt’s Jon Stewart’ After Arrest

Tracy Bloom / Truthdig Apr 2, 2013 Bassem Youssef, the famous Egyptian TV host and influential political satirist, was arrested over the weekend on charges that he insulted Mohamed Morsi and Islam (As the real Jon Stewart noted, "if insulting the president and Islam were a jailable offense here Fox News go bye bye!") . Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

The NRA Won’t Like This Jim Carrey Anti-Gun Music Video

Tracy Bloom / Truthdig Mar 25, 2013 The comedian, who supports gun control, will probably earn the National Rifle Association's ire by starring in a satirical Funny or Die video that spoofs firearms enthusiasts like the late Charlton Heston, the NRA's former spokesman. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Borowitz on How Dick Cheney Marked 10th Anniversary of Iraq War

Tracy Bloom / Truthdig Mar 20, 2013 “Making up a reason to invade a country is the easy part,” the former vice president said, according to a satirical story in The New Yorker. “Sticking to a pretend story for ten years—that is the stuff of valor.” Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Breitbart Site Duped by Fake Paul Krugman Bankruptcy Story

Tracy Bloom / Truthdig Mar 11, 2013 A Breitbart.com editor fell hook, line and sinker for a satirical story that claimed economist Krugman had filed for personal bankruptcy after accumulating more than $7 million in debt. The New York Times columnist took to his blog to respond to the hoax Monday. Dig deeper ( 2 Min. Read )

Borowitz: U.S. May Not Be Able to Invade Countries for No Reason Due to Cuts

Tracy Bloom / Truthdig Mar 4, 2013 One good thing might come out of the sequester, according to comedian Andy Borowitz. In a satirical report for The New Yorker, he writes that the budget cuts may prevent American forces from fighting "totally optional wars based on bogus pretexts." Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )