“the instant the criteria of authenticity ceases to be applicable to artistic production the total function of art is reversed… instead of being based on ritual, it begins to be based on anothor practice, politics”
I had never thought of authenticity and the role of art to have influence on one another and I had definitely never considered a correlation between the meaning of a piece and its authenticity however obvious as it now seems. Benjamin however makes an excellent point: the origin of where art comes from impacts its meaning more so than the ritual itself.
This new found understanding forces me to consider satirical humor differently. I had never considered how "authenticity" directly impacts the degree of which that something is funny, whether it be perfectly authentic or not at all. In my current Satire and politics class, we consistently analyze the meaning and content of many political pieces. In the following video, Stephen Colbert addresses George Bush in front of a national audience and "roasts" him. Had someone else been giving the speech and not had the timing, tone and courage of Colbert, it would not have been nearly as funny, additionally if Colbert not authentically portrayed such a republican, his material would not have been as comically effective.
Stephen Colbert uses his authenticity in his role to change the function of his art from entertaining to additionally informing. This strategy allows him to offer his political views indirectly, keeping him (hopefully) free of angry back lash.
Stephen Colbert's Speech to George Bush
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