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Show MONDAY • NOVEMBER 20 • 2006 WWW.NETXNEWS.NET AS- ••&• •>•#*•. One person's opinion ) •!- >- , ' • \:^U \ One person's opinion Election reflections Justin Ritter Opinions Writer The voting is over, the results are in, and now that the dust has settled, it's time to take a look at the midterm elections. Here it goes: 1994 was the last time the Democrats had control of the House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate. It was also the last time my home team, the Buffalo Bills, went to the Super Bowl. Two weeks ago, however, the Democrats regained control of the House, which they took by storm, and the Sen{I ate, which they won by a narrow margin of 51 to 49. The thing is, I can't think of any way this Democratic victory will translate into success for the Bills. They've got about as much of a chance at winning the Super Bowl this year as UVSC does of getting a football team. * * * With her party taking over the House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi is poised to become the first woman Speaker of the House. Pelosi is known for her political presence, her Italian heritage and her hatred of President George W. Bush. To make things even more interesting, Bush isn't so keen on Pelosi either. Thankfully, however, both have already pledged to work together. Let's hope they do; otherwise, the political scene in Washington will become as violent as a Wolverines-IceCats hockey game. * * * Here in Utah, we got to try out the new electronic voting machines. For the record, these are the best things to come to oirr fair state since Krispy Kreme doughnuts. No confusing rows of cardstock, no stylus, and above all, no worries about hanging chad. As I slid my ballot card into its slot and cast my vote on a sleek, new touch screen, I couldn't help but think, "If only college registration was this easy." * # # In Salt Lake County, citizens voted to not retain Judge Leslie Lewis. This is a big deal because in Utah, a judge getting voted off the bench is about as common as a person being killed by a sting ray. Lewis has become infamous for her Judge Judy-like tirades, some of which were captured and posted on YouTube for the world to witness. Metaphorically speaking, her judicial career has gone the way of the Crocodile Hunter. * * * Last but not least, Utah voters approved a .25 percent tax hike to fund the expansion of busy roads, the extension of TRAX and the building of a commuter rail in Utah County. The bad news? The project won't be nearing completion until at least 2015. The good news? We should have university status by then. We hope so, anyway. i! It's impossible to tell right now just what effects this election will have on our country. Will U.S. troops be pulled out of Iraq? What new laws will the new majority try to pass? Will registering for classes ever become as easy as touch-screen voting? Stay tuned, folks; this one is just getting started. Things could get interesting. mi longer funny Has the novelty of deconstructing stereotypes worn off? VegorPedersen Opinions Editor few years ago, Dave Chappelle was the most successful comedian in show busi£L ness. After the first season of the groundbreaking Chappelle Show on Comedy Central, He was offered $55 million dollars to give the network a few more years of his life. All his dreams of success and fame were coming true. It should have been the happiest time of his life. Instead, Chappelle recoiled at the image he had created. At stand-up gigs eager fans would scream "I'm Rick James, bitch!'1 to him, sometimes in front of his family. The genius creation that was the Chappelle Show often featured con- • « • Sacha Baron Cohen as alter ego Borat. tent that was as politically incorrect as it was funny. The willingness of Chappelle to push the boundaries of social issues, particularly in his stereotypes of young black men, garnered him high praise from critics and instant appeal to the mostly-white 18-35-year-olds who watch Comedy Central. Comedy Central looked to cash in on the show's notoriety and soon the direction of the show went from playful stereotype deconstruction to what Chappelle describes as blatant exploitation of Black America. In interviews, Chappelle has said that the tipping point for him came during the shooting of an episode that once again would feature racial-driven content, when he noticed a crewmember was laughing at him. It is supposed to be a funny show and this crew guy, who was white, was laughing at Dave. But Chappelle said the man was no longer laughing with him, but at him. He saw the direction his show was going and he got out. The joke was still funny to some, but not to him. While Comedy Central played repeat after repeat and DVD sales rose to record highs, Chappelle was in Africa "soul searching' and "purifying himself." A year later and desperate for new material, Comedy Central proposed airing portions from the show's ill-fated third season, the same content that had prompted Chappelle to leave. Chappelle vowed he would never return to finish his i contract if Comedy Central played those episodes. Comedy Central played them anyway, and Chappelle severed all ties with the network. Most of you know this story, or at least know that Dave isn't making new episodes anymore. I feel your pain...I miss them too. I bring up Chappelle's story because of what is happening right now with the whole Borat situation. Just like Dave, comedian Sacha Baron Cohen, has changed the rules for what is acceptable with his outrageous stereotypes. Cohen, who is himself Jewish, frequently pokes a stick at the Jewish culture through his character Borat, a fictional Kazakh journalist with a soft spot for anti-Semitism. Dave Chappelle And just like Chappelle, Cohen is incredibly funny. His movie Borat: Cultural Learnings Of America For Make Benefit Glorious Nation Of Kazakhstan has led the box office the past few weeks bringing in over $70 million. It is not just Chappelle and Cohen who have changed the pop culture landscape. All over the industry are seen entertainers pushing the limits of decency. Race, sender, religion-all of it is free game. But should we be laughing at this? I know I have loved watching both Chappelle and Cohen push the boundaries of not just comedy but what is acceptable in our society. But should slurs and stereotypes be the cultural touchstone they have become lately? Because we have the right to say anything we want, does that mean we should? It might surprise you, after all that moralizing I just did, but I say Yes. We should continue to have comedians push the limits of good taste. We need people to say the things we think sometimes. We need to respect the rights of people to explore language and culture in any way they see fit. My darling wife recently graduated from UVSC with a degree in philosophy. She spends most of her time dodging the many offers she gets from companies desperate for more philosophers. But when she's not being paid big money for her thoughts on Marx and Nietzsche, she ponders her new ethical system, one that basically states that if it is funny than it is ethical. While most might not want to admit it, her thesis rings pretty true. The problem isn't that this brand of humor is destructive. I don't think it is, I believe the problem is the lack of alternatives out there. Where are the positive roll models for people? Why can't things be funny and cool and socially responsible at the same time? Why does the common denominator continue to drop as profits from movies and television shows rise? I don't have an answer. I hope guys like Borat aren't shut down. I also hope there are more voices out there. Voices who can explore touchy issues like race or sexuality with frankness, but with a little less venom and a little more respect. I want more choices. |