Growing up, I thought high school would look a lot more like
the double life of a super spy, and I think a large portion of that belief is
because of Kim Possible. I appreciated that in the midst of high school drama and
the snarky pep squad, she still focused on important issues like defeating Dr.
Drakken and saving the world. She was fearless and made time for what mattered
most. It was no big, but she balanced her high school life with keeping the
world she loved safe and helping others. Even though she could jump out of an
airplane without a second thought, she still struggled to navigate cliques, and
deal with mean girls like Bonnie, and talking to her crush. Plus, her best friend and sidekick, Ron Stoppable, always brought plenty of shenanigans and comic relief.
She was smart, courageous and solving the world’s problems
as best she could. Basically, she was a childhood hero of mine, and I’m still
upset that there was not a top secret super computer in my locker.
The more I reflect on the times I’ve laughed the most, it’s
with other people. Laughter and comedy can be a powerful way to bring people
together. I hope to use that more in my life.
2. Humor can be found at all intellectual levels.
Tina Fey once said, “You can tell how smart people are by
what they laugh at.” I’ve learned to find humor and amusement in complex things
and in simple things. I’ve enjoyed that we’ve laughed at everything from prank
videos to satirical essays.
3. There are tools/rules/formulas to help create comedy.
The rule of three. The comic perspective. Comic problems
like the fish-out-of-water and center and eccentric. The comic through line. All
of these things can help give a frame to structure comedy and help take of the
pressure to simply “be funny.”
4. Laughter is a release.
We don’t just laugh at things that are funny. We laugh at
tension, to release emotions, to fill silence, to let ourselves be awkward.
Laughter as a release can be equally powerful and valuable as humorous
laughter.
5. Humor as a coping mechanism.
This has been the most important thing I’ve taken away from
this class and it came at a really important time. Between quarantine, and my
family experiencing tremendous health and financial hardship, and moving and
starting a new job, there are a lot of things to be stressed about. So, being purposeful
about finding time to laugh and looking for humor in things has helped me through
a lot. However grim life may be, find time to laugh. Thank you for laughing with me this semester.
Last night the Parks and Recreation show aired a quarantine
special that raised money for Feeding America. As a big fan of the show, it was
exactly what I needed this week. I’m also noticing, I mention Parks and Rec in
a lot of my blogs.
So, after watching the new special, my friend and I went
down a YouTube rabbit hole of Parks and Recreation bloopers. One of my favorite
characters, Andy Dwyre, is played by Chris Pratt. In the scene Andy is sneaking
into an office to steal Leslie Knope’s (Amy Poehler) birth certificate. He also
steals a briefcase but is told to leave that, so Andy throws the briefcase back.
In the blooper, as Andy chucks the briefcase, the lights go
out. The actors try to continue the scene, but the camera shows that the briefcase
completely damaged the light switch. And my friend and I absolutely lost it. It
was so unexpected and yet totally made sense that it would happen to Chris
Pratt.
I am grateful for YouTube rabbit holes.
Here is the video, the specific scene starts at the three-minute
mark. Also, there may be some foul language.
It’s a late night in the upstairs den of my friend Collin’s
parents’ house. It’s still confusing to me that there are no basements in
Texas, but that’s not important, right now. I’m surrounded by some of the best
friends I’ve ever known. We’ve had the best day. One of those days where we
didn’t plan anything and yet the day went perfectly. We spent the day outside
at the pool and playing spike ball and simply being. We got Culver’s drivethru
and that was described as “one of the most satisfying meals of my life.” That’s
a direct quote. If you grew up in the Midwest, you know that there are some
things only a butterburger can fix.
So, we’re in the upstairs den, in the middle of a heated
game of Scategories. Normally, most of the game is about listing words in
categories that start with a given letter. However, this has become a heated
courtroom where everyone is judge, jury, and executioner, arguing what really
constitutes “a notorious person.” You know, the typical debate topics that sharpen
your mind and make you see the world a little differently.
Again, I’m in the upstairs den with my Scategories partner
in crime. We’ve just been given the letter “I” and three minutes to construct
the best list of twelve items. First category: States.
He leans over and whispers, “Okay. What state begins with
the letter “I” besides Illinois?”
Knowing that two of the people we are playing with (myself
included) are from the Land of Lincoln begin to write down Iowa and Idaho.
That’s when my trusted partner says, “Oh that’s right. There
aren’t any.” He says with absolute confidence.
I break the quiet brainstorming with a burst of laughter. My
partner looks at the two states he forgot existed and laughs. We could not get
it back together. All the other players looked at us with confusion. We barely
wrote anything else on the list.
When I’m bored, or need a quick pick-me-up, or just
something mindless to have running in the background, its Sitcoms that I go
back to again and again. I think the best sitcoms have a good balance between
outrageous characters and outrageous situations. The continuity of characters
adds depth and perspective and emotional attachment that sketch comedy can’t
provide. When I think of the things that make me laugh the most, and the most
consistently, its sitcoms.
Some of my favorite sitcoms...
The Dick Van Dyke Show
Its in black and white, it doesn’t portray modern values,
but I think the show acts as a good bridge between what comedy in the US in the
first half of the 20th century to what comedy could become in the
second half of the 21st century. In the show, Dick Van Dyke is a
comedy writer on a weekly sketch show. This setup perfectly enables Dick Van
Dyke to be creating new sketches weekly, while maintaining his character on the
show. I love this shows use of physical comedy. Dick van Dyke had such unique
physicality in his acting and this show brought out the best in this.
This is one of my favorite bits. Here, Dick van Dyke is entertaining some
guests while at his producer’s party. Sally is another writer on the show who
helps him with the bit. There are some nods to slapstick humor, for a variety
show, in the context of a sitcom.
Schitt’s Creek
I find that this show has humor that is original and unlike any other family-based
sitcom. The show uses a fish-out-of-water structure as the wealth Rose family loses
everything and is forced to move to a town called Schitt’s Creek. The
characters are so strange and yet so loveable.
Cheers
A classic. This show has consistent witty banter. It amazes me that the writers
continue to come up with new content and new jokes when it seems that 98% of
the scenes take place in the same setting. This show feels like your favorite
spot, on your favorite couch. Its comfy, familiar, faithful, something you
don’t grow tired of.
New Girl
This is a show I go back to time and time again. Quirky roommates that are so
relatable. The constant struggles with being a responsible adult and living with so many people. The twists and turns of Nick and Jess’s romance.
Parks and Rec
I mean I could go on about this show. A fun workplace comedy that doubles as a
political satire with heart. The endless ways each character disagrees with one
another yet still manage to accomplish good for the parks system in a small
town in Indiana.
The Office
So many great scenes, so many great characters. I think what makes this show so
timeless is all the humor around menial workplace tasks. Everyone can relate to
being stuck in a cubicle and feeling unsatisfied, yet this show makes it feel amusing
and meaningful.
Modern Family
In some ways, this sitcom revamped the structure of a family-based
sitcom. No longer was a sitcom centered around a traditional nuclear family.
Instead, this show centers around three different families with a range of
dynamics and personalities. The different setup allows this show to explore a
range of phases of life at the same time.
Brooklyn 99
This show is hilarious. I love crime shows. Add some humor? TV comedy gold.
Andy Samberg plays a not-so-typical detective in Brooklyn’s 99th
Precinct. Much of the humor is character based, the squad is an unusual assortment
of personalities, yet they work together to fight crime. If you enjoy action
movies, this show’s comedy has a lot of spoofs on common methods in the action
genre.
Big Bang Theory
A great show that plays with the classic relationships between a nerd and the
pretty girl next door. The unique characters drive the heart of this show and
it explores career issues, recovering from tense family dynamics, friendships
all while making physics funny.
3rd Rock From the Sun
This includes an all star cast of John Lithgow, Jane Curtin, Kiersten Johnston,
and Joseph Gordon Levitt. Its about a group of aliens who are trying to figure
out what human life is all about. They discover the complexities of emotions, relationships,
family, love, learning, boundaries and more.
Not included, but honorable mentions: HIMYM, Friends,
Seinfeld, Arrested Development, The Goldberg’s, Blackish, That 70s Show, 30
Rock, and probably many more.
Your guide to the latest trends in makeup, hair, and
fashion.
I started to clean out my closet yesterday because that’s
how desperate I am for a new activity. Most of my clothes are still in Fort
Worth and the clothes that are home all seem to be from 2010. In recent weeks,
pajamas have made a major comeback. Pants that require a belt or zipper are as
old as your nana’s house slippers. For fancier occasions, like leaving your
house to the dog, athleisure is still trending. However, as weeks go by, we’re
seeing a rise in obscure T-shirts.
Lake Zurich Homecoming “A Night to Remember”
complete with signatures in sharpie across the back. Lake Country
A faded tie-dye shirt that pays tribute to a
Children’s Choir Concert: Songs for Spring
The local YMCA basketball team championship
shirt from 2009 is gaining a large fan base
We think that these “bottom of the drawer finds” are
continuing to grow in popularity throughout the neighborhood because no wants
to do laundry. So, its time to wear the bottom of the drawer. Radical adopters of
this method are considering fashioning clothing out of drawers and other
household items.
In hair, there are increasing divides between attitudes of
what to do. A large pool, the “keep it natural’s” have taken an apathetic
attitude to their grooming routine. These styles include:
Who cares: Start by napping a few times a day
and simply patting the crown of the head after waking up. When asked about your
new style, act extremely pompous and lecture those around you about the
life-threatening dangers of commercial hair products.
Cave man: to get this look right takes a lot of
time and requires washing at least half as often as normal if at all. Throw out
all scissors, razors or any means of clipping the hair. The best way to achieve
this look is to grow as much hair as possible and spend several days in the
woods with a water bottle and a granola bar.
Another pool, “the experimentalists,” have taken matters
into their own hands to tame their follicles. These methods are not entirely
safe and extremely creative, yet some have produced salon quality results and
say it helps them feel more like their normal selves.
Do or Dye: This group draws from chemistry
backgrounds to cover up those roots or the pesky grays. With no salons open,
this look requires mixing your own special concoction and using self-hypnosis
to convince yourself that you really do like the new color and that this was
the color that you were going for.
For blonder hair: Add lemon juice and
vinegar and set hair in direct sunlight for an extended period. For darker
hair: Mix blue, purple, and red Kool-Aid until the drink is desired tone.
For
noticeable results: Paint hair with a mixture of bleach and water.
The Lumberjack: To get this look, you need to be
tough. Tools are essential. Search through Dad’s old toolbox, the kitchen
drawers and gather sharp objects of any kind. Gather all hair into one pile and
chop to desired length. While scissors are recommended by salon professionals,
many have found that just about any sharp object – from a shard of glass to a
steak knife – will produce adequate results. Critics also call this look the
“breakup cut” as it is best done when the decision is rash, tactless and for
dramatic emotional reasons one later regrets.
The Amateur Barber: Got confidence? This look is
for you, dress in your trendiest all black outfit and charge your family
members for your lack of expertise. Emotionally manipulate your little brother
into trusting your inexperience and trap him in a chair. Wet his hair and comb
through thoroughly. With dog clippers or rusty scissors sculpt your uneven ambiguous
masterpiece that is both a bowl cut and a combover. Best practice tip: Pluck
the unibrow and trim nose hairs. Toenail clippers can substitute for small
trimmers.
The makeup landscape is changing, perhaps, the most rapidly.
With Ulta and Sephora closed, many products are sold out online, and many
people find themselves rationing the supplies they have left. Avid users find
themselves excessively trying outrageous new looks and posting a 10 minutes
Instagram story on how to create “the perfect mermaid face” and spamming you
with notifications. Yet, these desperate times have surfaced innovative
solutions that could change fundamental approaches to maquillage for generations.
Bare face: A popular look long before
quarantine. Scrub your face with 2-3 types of soap. We recommend a combination
of face wash from a few years ago, damage repair shampoo, and bar soap. Lather
the soap on your face in circular motions. Rinse with cold water. Purists of
this technique stop there, however some will finish the look with a light
moisturizer.
The Hoarder: This look requires intense
preparation and commitment. Hopefully, you maxed out two credit cards at Ulta
before it closed. At a minimum you’ve collected over 200 shades of eye shadow.
A mixture of brands and quality is best, a seven-year-old kit from Claire’s
that only contains neon shades, a Smokey eye palette that burns your eyes, and
the nearly empty eyeshadow that you actually use. Release your inner Picasso
and find a way to use every lipstick, blush color, and dried out foundation
that you have. If you’re wondering if you can pull of blue eyeshadow, you
absolutely can.
Kindergarten Art Project: A look coined by
celebrities and simple enough for you to do in your own home. It’s our favorite
way to look red-carpet ready without the price tag! All you need is a pack of
markers in the primary colors, available at a Walmart near you. While Crayola
is the top brand in this niche, any generic will work just as well. Check out a tutorial here
These tips should give you plenty ways to freshen up your
look in this season. Be creative, use the resources that are available. Don’t
be afraid if it looks unconventional, these designs are cutting edge. High
fashion is changing and it’s your time to shine. Whatever the situation, a new
look is sure to brighten your day.
“Your worth is not dependent on having achieved traditionally age-appropriate milestones.” – Chani Nicholas Through an unexpected and unfortunate series of events, it looks like I will become the millennial cliché of moving into my parent’s basement for a while. That’s not really where I imagined spending my quintessential Taylor Swift year. I’m slowly attempting to accept that my senior year and likely the last “Summer” of my life, will look drastically different than what I planned and those of everyone around me. But, it will be okay. It’s not that I’m unemployed or a dropout or on the front page of a tabloid bringing shame to my family (at least not yet). No, this is about some really bad news no one saw coming and now we adjust the best we can. It will be okay. I’m a planner. I live through my google calendar. If it’s not in my google calendar, then I’m not showing up. Quarantine deleted most of the events for March and April. It seems May – September will be drastically different. Right now, as tough at is to admit, this may be the most difficult thing I’m wrestling with. My google calendar will recover. It will be okay. Some may shop for the perfect graduation dress for an elaborate graduation party or get really into words with friends. I will be cast in a new role* to help four of the best people I know. It’s unlike anything I’ve done before and there is no time to rehearse. My resume doesn’t quite make me the ideal leading lady. The CAPM model will not get me far. Oh well, the show must go on and we are working with what we’ve got. Time to improvise. It will be okay. If you haven’t noticed, I’ve adopted a new philosophy/mantra of sorts: It will be okay. All of it. The laundry I still haven’t folded. The online lecture from 3 weeks ago that is unwatched. The cancelled formals, celebrations, weddings, and vacations. The individual milestones we were looking forward to that are now in limbo. The ever-growing to-do list and the dwindling motivation. The inflow of “postponed” and “cancelled” notifications. The devastating trials each of us are facing in such different ways. It will be okay. It really will. *Disclosure: This post is purposefully vague because there may or may not be some realities I am still not ready to accept. It will be okay. Current Mood:
Saturday Night Live from home! This sketch plays on the
struggles of zoom and working from home. This episode was really cool to see
how people came up with sketches they could perform from home. Maybe one of my favorite episodes ever.
John Krasinski created his own news network called Some Good
News (SGN). Each week he is releasing a new episode with uplifting stories and
some humor. The first episode celebrates the anniversary of the office.
Trey Kennedy has some great videos about different people struggling
through quarantine. This video compares quarantine to the Tom Hanks movie castaway.
About 2 years ago, in a rash decision, my parents drove an
hour to purchase a used ping pong table. None of us played ping pong. I guess
they thought it was time we learned or that we needed to simply play more, like
kids, and make a game of everything. They bought it in the middle of their move
from Chicago to Kansas City. Our last Easter weekend in that house, the ping
pong table was the only piece of furniture in the living room. So we played a
lot of ping pong. The game quickly became much more about trash talking. It
didn’t matter if you lost, as long as you could throw shade across the table. Anyways
this is a long-winded way of saying that competition has added a lot of fun to
my quarantine.
Ping pong has been a great game for us. Mostly because it
involves excessive trash talking. It gets us moving around even when it's too cold to go outside. My skills have not improved at all.
Our family has been rotating who cooks dinner each night. My
siblings and I are all in competition for the best meals. Not to brag, but I’m
winning. We try to out do each other on presentation, taste, difficulty of
recipe and everything in between. Making dinner is not a chore, its about
winning.
Another game we love it Secret Hitler. If you haven’t played,
I highly recommend. Its like mafia, except more complicated, and you throw wild
accusations and see what sticks. Tonight, we’re experimenting playing it on
zoom. I have some doubts.
I’m learning that you can make a game out of anything. And
it’s making these times a little lighter or overly competitive. If you have other games we should try, please let me know!
Being funny is tricky, and some people just seem to have it.
Here are some tips that are hopefully helpful.
1. Do laugh at yourself. Laughter is social,
if you can laugh it invites other people to laugh. Life can’t be taken too
seriously. If a joke flops, that’s okay. Laugh it off!
2.Do take things higher. This kind of goes
along with the improv technique of “yes and”. Build on the outrageousness that
is occurring around you. A classic example:
Me, a whiny toddler complaining to my Dad about a bruised knee.
My Dad, in all his dad humor glory, “If it hurts that badly, we could just cut
it off”
This was humorous, but also an effective way to get me to stop complaining.
Great in many social situations.
3. Do be random. The unexpected can be so
funny. Word an email like a town crier would, try out an impression or a voice.
An exercise to practice this: Walk around your room and point at an object
while saying aloud any other word that isn’t the name of the object. For
example, point at a chair and say table. Better yet, point at a shelf and say orangutan.
It’s also an easy game to play in quarantine.
4. Don’t overthink it.
5. Don’t try to be funny. Take the pressure
off of yourself to perform or to make other people laugh. Some people aren’t
cool enough to understand your jokes.
6. Don’t use any of these tips. Just be yourself
and eventually your unique sense of humor will shine.
1. When Harry Met Sally – this film
has been credited with starting the entire romantic comedy genre. If you haven’t
seen this film this is one of the best scenes:
2. Bridesmaids – some amazing
comedians from SNL getting into a lot of shenanigans. Melissa McCarthy is
incredible in this film.
3. Blues Brothers – a classic Jim Belushi film with a great
soundtrack.
4. Mrs. Doubtfire – Robin Williams is one of my favorite actors,
so this list had to include one of his films.
5. Ferris Bueller’s Day Off – As a native from Chicago, I love all
the classic places they go to in this film. And would this not be so fun to try
to do?
Uncontrollable Laughter – Part 2 – A dog named Fiera
When I was a freshman, one of my friends was housesitting
for her Aunt and Uncle in South Lake. They had a beautiful home, with a pool
and a hot tub, a big yard, and best of all two sweet golden retrievers.
Saturday night, she invited several friends to spend the night (with the
permission of her Aunt and Uncle). We made a whole night of it. We had
appetizers, made ourselves a home-cooked dinner, played games, went swimming. As
the night unfolded, everyone’s patience was tested. Several arguments broke
out, and then arguments about the arguments broke out. About half the group was
uninvolved in the drama, and the other half ready to drive away that night. I
don’t really remember why anyone was so upset, but the next morning, was
incredibly tense and awkward. Sunday morning, as we were about to drive back to
campus one of the dogs, Fiera, ran out the front door. We all tried to call her
and chase after her but she thought we were trying to play with her. In an
atrocious attempt at a southern accent one of my friends started yelling
“Fiera! Fiera! Get in here, Fiera!”. We laughed. One person collapsed on the
grass in laughter. As soon as we caught our breath from laughing, we began
imitating the same voice and calling after the dog that had already ran back
inside. The burst of laughter allowed for a much-needed emotional release. This
instance displays how laughter can be used to ease social tension and express
underlying emotions. The laughter helped ease a lot of the tension lingering
from the night before.
Uncontrollable laughter – Part 1 – The Addison Station
I was discussing this assignment with my roommate. We
immediately thought of the same moment. We both spent our summer living in
dorms in downtown Chicago while interning. One night Friday or Saturday night
we went out along with another friend. We’d been exploring several bars and
clubs close to our dorms that came recommended. Then we received several texts
from new friends telling us to go to a bar in Wrigleyville. So, in a desperate
attempt to make more friends we took a twenty minute train ride at 1 a.m..
While on the train, we receive several texts that indicate the bar may be
shutting down or that our friends may be leaving. Great. The train arrives at
the Addison stop and we exit down the stairs. We look outside, hear a loud
crash of thunder, and see the torrential downpour we now have to walk through.
My roommate looks at me and our friend and casually says, ”who would like to offer
me their body?”. As if she were asking to borrow a pen, not a big deal, she
simply wanted to use us as a human umbrella. Maybe it was all the drinks, or
the frustration from the long, pointless train ride, but we all burst out
laughing at this comment. I recall our friend, Keely, saying she was having
trouble breathing. It Even as we stumbled out to the street we could not stop
laughing. Its not a particularly funny comment or story. My roommate certainly
didn’t say it to make us laugh. It took us a while to remember what that
comment was, and I’m not sure if those were even the exact words she said. Yet,
I still smile thinking about how much we laughed.
In class, we discussed how monkeys and other primates laugh.
Unlike the way humans laugh, speak, and sing, monkeys produce sound on the
inhale rather than the exhale. That is hard to do. The closest I could get to sounding
like a monkey sounded more like I was creating sound effects for an under-budget
children’s cartoon.
As a singer, the human voice has fascinated me for a long time,
and while most people sing and speak while exhaling there are weird techniques
that alter your voice and use muscles in a different way. Turban throat singing
allows you to create two pitches at the same time, but only at the lowest
ranges. Yodeling emphasizes the natural break in one’s voice to create unique
sounds. Freddy Mercury used the muscles around his throat for his sound in
Queen.
If we could speak on the inhale and the exhale in our voice,
we would never have to take a breath while speaking or singing unless we wanted
to. Beyoncé could belt out notes for minutes straight. A dull professor would
never even pause in the middle of a lecture. Your younger sibling might never
shut up at the dinner table. Maybe the breath is necessary, but how interesting
if it wasn’t?
Its fascinating to me that the bible often claims laughter
to be foolish and wasteful. There must be more to that interpretation, or I
hope that there is. Church services remind me a lot of standup comedy. You
gather in chairs with a lot of people to have a person talk at you about life. Then
you leave and go about your life. Just like church services, the comedians that
stick with you are relatable, engaging, and can make you see things in a new
perspective. People have different styles that they enjoy too. Some like a more
traditional service similar to the way that some people prefer a clean-cut
comedian.
If the comedian was enjoyable, the audience continues to
talk about it and laugh after the show. This is just like the way people talk
about sermons after church. Typically, the person talking has a much different
life than the people sitting in the chairs, yet they have to create a message
and make it to those people. A priest, who cannot be married or have
children must write homilies for children and parents who live much different
lives. Comedians, are often famous and eccentric, their typical day is not spending
nine-to-five in the office.
I’m not sure where God truly stands on comedy,
but its ironic that stand-up is so similar to church, hopefully He has a sense
of humor about that.
I’m taking my religion core credit this semester, and I took
religion and sports because I heard it was easy. I thought it might be
interesting to see sports intersecting with religion and hoped that would make
the heavy content of religion lighter. I was completely wrong. We cover heavy
subject matter about racism, sexuality, sexism, hypocrisy, judgment, and
sickness. There are some sports stories sprinkled into emotionally taxing
material. My mind feels like its doing gymnastics trying to reconcile my own
experiences and beliefs, with new information and competing viewpoints. The
more I know, the more I know that I don’t know. This is challenging, and that’s
exciting for me and my education. Its also a lot to process at nine in the
morning.
Do you think one day we will look back and wonder why we
forced toddlers to wear tiara’s and glorify the drama they and their moms
endure by publicizing it to an entire nation? Should we reward neurotic,
dramatic behaviors with fame and money and endorsements and public appeal? Reality
TV has never appealed to me. I think I prefer entertainment that helps me
forget the “real” world. The name never made sense to me, I rarely see my
reality on these shows, and I don’t think these shows encourage a healthy sense
of what reality should look like.
There must be something about the stakes
actually being real that makes us crave the drama more. If so, what does that
say about our society? Is there a sadistic portion to the enjoyment of reality
TV? I was watching an episode of the bachelor with some friends the other
night. They were laughing at this girl crying about the latest drama over
Peter. Everyone had a different opinion about each girl, how they acted, their
appearance. It was a strange thing to observe. If several of my girl friends
were into one of my guy friends, we would be judgmental and cruel to gather and
discuss it. It makes me think of the ways we subconsciously judge those around
us. Maybe we should do that less.
Blog 1 - Parks and Recreation: The political a-political
satire
Parks and Rec is one of my favorite comedic TV shows. One of
my favorite parts about the show is that it is humorous on a shallow light
level similar to the comedy found in the office and 30 rock, yet its characters
satire different political perspectives on a deeper, more intellectual level.
Here’s how I see several of the main characters representing various
perspectives and attitudes in today’s political environment.
Leslie Knope: Democratic and pro-government
Leslie Knope loves her job and her hometown immensely. She
believes in the system and that if she works hard enough, she can make a
difference. Leslie believes in togetherness and sees the government and her
role in it as a way to bring positive change to her community. She sees the
government as an institution that can and has the duty to make people’s lives
better. A lot of irony throughout Leslie’s career path satirizes the
inefficiencies in government and the impact bureaucracy and media have in
communities. For example, Leslie’s project in the first season is to fill a
dangerous abandoned pit in town and replace it with a park. It takes years,
full of backlash from other citizens, businesses, and bureaucratic issues for
this seemingly simple, harmless project to be completed. The show satirizes how
politics can turn non-political issues, such as a small park, into hostile,
complex, and lengthy battles.
Ron Swanson: Libertarianism and anti-government
Ron identifies as
libertarian and his views juxtapose Leslie Knope’s, yet they remain close friends
and work together well. In some ways, their friendship serves as a model-for
what productive compromise could look like in the political environment. Ron
would like the government to be involved in as few things as possible. He is a
self-made person who wants the government to get out of his way. His
characterization uses exaggeration to emphasize his unique beliefs. Ron’s ideas
for new government projects involve things like taking down traffic lights, eliminating
the post office, or bringing “all of this” (the government) crumbling to the
ground.
April Ludgate: Apathetic and pessimistic
April is dry, sarcastic, and uninterested in everything. She
reminds me of an Addams family character. April represents people who are
apathetic about politics. She is not necessarily for or against any ideas,
policies, or candidates, rather, she is unengaged entirely. This is especially
ironic since she works for the government and you would expect her to feel more
about her career.
Andy Dwyre: Blissfully Ignorant and optimistic
Andy is playful, optimistic, and hopelessly clueless. He
represents the attitude of believing things will turn out alright without
wanting to participate or educate themselves on politics. He is hopeful and
places blind, faithful trust in his superiors.
Ben Wyatt: Fiscal and Economic
As an accountant, Ben Wyatt focuses on data, numbers, and
statistics to make decisions. He represents the impact government action has on
the economy in positive and negative ways. As an 18-year-old Ben was elected
mayor of his small town and spent the entire city’s budget on an amusement park
called Ice Town that ruined the town’s economy. This mistake led Ben to spend
the rest of his career in politics trying to help different governments make
fiscally responsible decisions.
All in all, the show is interesting
in how this show is about politics without being polarizing or
overly-political. It shows ways people with completely opposing viewpoints can
work together and make effective compromises and develop creative solutions. It
makes light of a subject that can be divisive in a way that brings people
together.
