In August, I explored the rising role of humor in progressive political discourse in an In These Times piece titled In Politics, Comedy is Central.

“We now routinely watch the mainstream media with the expectation that we’re being spun,” I ask, “but when did we start watching comedy for the real deal?”

The rise of shows like “The Daily Show” and “The Colbert Report” have helped to effect a permanent shift in the public’s relationship to the media.

Rather than foster debilitating cynicism, these comedians-cum-newscasters reflect a contemporary mode of communication in which irony is not antithetical to—but synonymous with—authenticity. We have moved beyond the much-heralded (and lamented) GenX cynicism of the late ’90s. Sarcasm, doubt and distance have become default positions, havens in a world of fundamentalisms, false promises and lies.