LOCAL SATIRIST FORCED TO POSE AS A REAL JOURNALIST, IN ORDER TO GET HIS WORK PUBLISHED.

The old adage states, truth is stranger than fiction, but for one local man the reality in this aphorism has caused quite a bit of heartache.

"There used to be a time when there was a clear distinction between journalism and satire", said Jason Allen a satirist for the Wokeville Gazette. "People turned to their local newspapers and periodicals to find out what was happening in the world beyond their local sphere of influence. The newspapers were a great source of information that mattered to most people."

Satire, by definition, has always been a way to use of humor, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule to expose and criticize people's stupidity or vices, particularly in the context of contemporary politics and other topical issues. It was an intentional 'break from the norm' of regular journalism as a means by which to address serious topics from an irreverent angle, in hopes of catching people off guard and making a point.

"Real life has moved beyond the  pale of what was once believable", said Jason Allen. "If I was to tell you that Rep. Emanuel Cleaver (D-Mo.) finished the first daily congressional prayer of the new session with the words 'amen and awoman', I would expect a chuckle. The only problem is, this isn't a joke or hyperbole. It actually happened and now the joke is on the American people."

Many satirists, like Jason Allen are now finding it difficult to continue in their genre of writing, because regular journalism has entered into the fray of competition. There was a time when these genres competed for people's attention but did so in very different ways. Many newspapers and magazines had even included regular satire columns into their publications. However, now real life is infringing upon satire in ways that have rendered the outlandish genre pointless.

"Whether it's Hunter Biden's laptop being left at a computer repair shop run by a blind man, or a crazy man shooting up a Pizza parlor because he believed it to be an underground pediphilia ring, or anti-fascists using fascists tactics to protest fascism, hidden suitcases of ballots being pulled from under a table after election officials were told to go home, people who claim to love law and flooding their state capitol buildings and screaming in faces of local law enforcement, or even Nancy Pelosi getting her hair done while demanding everyone else stay home and stay safe. These were stories that once would've been too outlandish to be taken seriously, and yet here we are. It's almost as if truth traded places with fiction. It's quite alarming and leaves very little room for people like me, who used satire as a way to communicate with others.

​When asked what he is going to do, now that real life has replaced the need for satire, Jason Allen said, "Well, I've been forced to do some freelance work for mainstream journalistic publications. It seems that my style of writing is preferred as these newspapers and online websites shift away from true journalism into a mix of sensationalized op-ed pieces. I've always preferred to make my point with humor, but now that the joke is on the American people, I guess I'll save my jokes for a more appropriate time."