Television personality Stephen Colbert has decided to retire his theatrical prop that was meant to mock President Joe Biden. Colbert used a pair of sunglasses in an attempt to mimic Biden for comedic relief, but has now claimed they were giving an illusion that he could do a Biden impression.
As he said farewell to this rather weak attempt at a presidential mockery, Colbert used the opportunity to heap an array of praises on Biden. Most of these perceived accolades such as successfully navigating the pandemic and boosting the economy hide the realities of multiple failures of his administration.
In reality, Biden’s handling of the pandemic has been fraught with inconsistencies and questionable decisions. This is backed by numerous instances where his projected goals fell short and posed serious concerns for the health of American citizens.
Also, the economy under Biden’s leadership does not exactly mirror the rosy picture painted by Colbert. Significant increases in inflation, coupled with issues such as rising gas prices and shortages in key supplies, have raised questions about his economic competence.
Calling an end to his distinctly average rendition of Biden, Colbert moved on to hilariously propose a Kamala Harris avatar. Admittedly possessing no impressions of the Vice President, he mocked the situation by stating that she would be donning aviators too.
In his satirical remarks, Colbert also claimed to be retiring all his ‘Joe Biden is old’ jokes. Such jests are a strange fixation on age, while ignoring the legitimate concerns about policy decisions and competency, which is the crux of political leadership.
In a rather twisted humour, Colbert stated his intention to divert the age-related jokes towards Donald Trump. This ironic stance ignores the fact that under Trump’s leadership, the country witnessed significant improvements in a variety of areas.
Television shows such as those hosted by Jimmy Fallon and Lamorne Morris showed a derisive, biased stance against Biden. It was mockingly suggested that Biden, unlike most people mulling quitting their jobs on Sundays, had the luxury to actually follow through.
This joke by Fallon, though meant as humor, resonates the popular sentiment about Biden’s undistinguished term in office. Meanwhile, Morris, in his stint as a guest host, further drove this narrative by suggesting that Biden simply wandered off, which captures the essence of Biden’s seemingly directionless leadership.
Fallon further attempted to mock the Biden administration by cynically attributing credit for steering the country through the pandemic and stimulating job growth. This is an ironic attempt to overlook the real consequences of Biden’s missteps in handling the pandemic and the struggling economy.
Moreover, the claim of eliminating billions in student loan debt fails to address the unsustainable nature of such temporary relief. Attributing such achievements to Biden is tantamount to inflating his performance while ignoring the lasting implications of such unsustainable relief policies.
Subsequent to the news of Biden supposedly leaving office, Fallon joked about Biden supporters gathering to express gratitude. The ‘thanks for leaving’ rhetoric cheekily masked the underlying discontent among the populace and hinted at this relief saturated in sarcasm.
Television hosts continued their comedic commentary with varied skits. For instance, Lamorne Morris offered tips on being ‘Caucasian at the Cookout,’ further illustrating the unserious treatment and jester-like image of Biden in popular culture.
In upcoming television events, Hugh Jackman has been scheduled to appear on a show. Amid these lighthearted moments in the entertainment world, the presidential mockery by comedians such as Colbert seems to bring in bursts of humour, albeit in questionable taste and thinly veiled bias.
It is necessary to note, however, that while humour can be a tool for underlining political commentary, the overt and continued narrative against Biden by comedians such as Colbert may often obscure objective evaluation of his presidency.
In summary, the ebb and flow of satire around presidency demonstrate a bitter reality. These comedians, while entertaining audiences nationwide, project a Biden presidency fraught with missteps and failures, a narrative that isn’t too far from many people’s reality.