ParodyHUMOR IN LIFE & LITERATURE

What is a parody?

A parody imitates a work of art, literature, or music for the purpose of making playful fun or a joke of the original work.

It may take an ironic or cynical approach to the work it is imitating or may just be for comedic relief.

Most times, a parody involves a serious work that has been changed to make it seem absurd by mocking or pointing out shortcomings in the original work.

This imitation is similar to and may also be referred to as a lampoon or a spoof.

Where do we find parody?

In television, shows like Saturday Night Live often make fun of other shows, movies, and celebrities in the mainstream media.

Many comedies parody movies. For example, Vampires Suck parodies the Twilight series. Space Balls parodies Star Wars.

Musical artists like Weird Al Yankovic creates many parodies (instead of Michael Jackson’s “Beat It”, he sings “Eat It” about overeating.

The Simpsons is notorious for using parody.

Examine these artistic parodies…

The Original

The Original

The Original

The Original