The Fey factor

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: In the aftermath of the post-9/11 wars, many said that America’s soft power had taken backstage to a hard show of might. But whether you go by the headlines splashed across the world’s newspapers or the fact that more people have followed this year’s US presidential debates than ever before, it’s clear that the American spectacle retains its top dog spot in the global cultural terrain. Particularly entrancing is the American media’s gift for satire, for using comedy to put all candidates in the hot seat. Not always without bias, but always with a hearty laugh. Some key movements in the political comedy of this season:

TINA FEY: A resemblance to John McCain’s VP pick may have been a gift from the gods, but Fey sure worked it to great highs on Saturday Night Live. Gluing back her ears to get maximum mileage out of her Sarah Palin impersonation, doubling the show’s ratings, she still maintains her trademark modesty off-camera: “I’ll tell you, that lady is five times better looking than I am. She’s 44? She’s got none of that droopy s***. She’s keeping it tight!”

DAVID LETTERMAN: Boy, these laughmongers may appear a happy-go-lucky lot, but that may not be their deep truth at all, as McCain learnt to his chagrin in September. He cancelled a Letterman appearance, leaving the latter miffed: “Now I’m feeling like an ugly date.” And in subsequent weeks, Letterman just ripped into McCain night after night, till the latter caved in, came on the show, admitted he screwed up. Letterman refused to be seduced into good humour, ridiculing for example the McCain campaign’s pursuit of the Obama-Ayers connection: “Are they double-dating, are they going to dinner, what are they doing?” McCain behaved like a trooper through it all: “I haven’t had so much fun since my last interrogation.”

JAY LENO: Palin has provided him plenty of fodder too. Example: “According to a recent poll, 61% of Americans surveyed said they would rather see Sarah Palin in a bikini than Pamela Anderson. Although 99% said they would rather see Pamela Anderson as vice-president.” He has also let loose on the other side. Consider this zinger fired against Obama’s expensive infomercial this Wednesday: “The show was very well done. I got to admit, I especially liked the end, where Barack rose to the heavens on a cloud. Wasn’t that unbelievable?”