Parody as social commentary and artistic expression

¶ … parody is a comical spoof usually ridiculing a work of art or literature. Parodies may address anything from a popular fairy tale to a piece of music. Use of parody is commonplace in the arts, and has become integral to the postmodern sensibility. Usually parody refers to a work of art that most audience members will already be familiar with. Even audience members who are unfamiliar with the original piece may find the parody funny in its own right.

The popular television show The Simpsons used to rely a lot on parodies, especially during its Halloween specials. The Simpsons parodied Alfred Hitchcock films like Psycho, turning an old suspense film into an animated comical short. Likewise, the "Itchy and Scratchy" show on The Simpsons is in part a parody of the animated series Ren and Stimpy. Colbert Report is another example of a parody. In this case, the entire television series parodies right-wing cable news talk shows like Bill O'Reilly. Sometimes parodies are purely funny, and other times they can be used to make political statements. When Stephen Colbert or Jon Stewart use parodies in their shows, the humor delivers an underlying social or political message. When The Simpsons parodies Psycho, the effect is purely playful.