Olbermann- Larry Craig Reenactment

Here is a comic newsreel of Senator Larry Craig's recent bathroom sex solicitation scandal. The satire of Dragnet in this retelling allows the news media outlet to frame Craig's situation as laughable, but also ironic in its serious implications. Frye writes that comedy is accomplished largely through mood, characterizations, and antics. The portrayal of Senator Craig with the mockable skin cap, and the retro-tv framing by the "Countdown Players" sets this up as a clear attempt at comedy. Keith Olbermann's more somber comments outside the frame, on whom the bell is tolling for, well, that drags the cllip out of straight comedy, and puts it in satire. For satire, there has to be target, Craig--the mighty who has fallen. In comedy, Frye tells us we look down on the hero as someone beneath us. The fallen is Craig, here offered up as a laughing stock. - MF