Countless documentaries on climate change have aired on national television, including one last week from the newly-converted FOXNews, but last night for the first time saw a comedy special on the issue. Hosted by Tom Hanks and Leonardo DiCaprio, the special was mostly stand-up, with a few skits and plenty of advertisements, but did find its share of laughs and, perhaps most importantly, avoided predictability. No doubt they could have found some rockers to feature on the issue; instead, they called on Tim McGraw, who sang a country-rock tune about living where the green grass grows, and helpfully reminded everyone that the natural world is not just for lefties.
The special was organized by National Resources Defense Council trustee Laurie David, who's married to Larry David, of the "Seinfeld" show. David was one of several celebrities whose appearances were as much about self-mockery as politics; clearly, the show wanted to be funny more than anything else, and mostly succeeded. As David told Amanda Griscom Little:
You need to make people aware that a problem exists, but without talking down to them. Without being preachy. I refuse to be a part of being preached to. That's what "Earth to America!" is all about.
The most passionate celebrity voice on the issue came from Bill Maher, who earlier had told USAToday that "the environment is one of the hardest subjects to do in comedy. It doesn't have an obvious, easy, funny target." But probably the highlight of the show was Will Ferrell's vicious parody of George W. Bush Jr. blithering attempts to make a coherent statement about global warming from his ranch, climaxing with a discussion of how 6,000 years ago it was hot, which we know because Adam and Eve didn't have any clothes on..."I'm not just making this stuff up, you know!"
We know better. The current placeholder in the White House has been pretty much a disaster for the country, but for satirists, he's been golden.
