There are people with no sense of humor at all (encountered them here) and there is NBC's Chuck Todd. He is concerned that Stephen Colbert's 24/7 satire of the Republican-allied Fox Network might be anti-Republican.
Appearing at a Winthrop University forum, Todd said that Colbert was doing a "noble" thing by educating his audience about the inner workings of a Super PAC. However, he told the crowd that he had been "very offended" when Colbert testified before Congress about immigration in character, and that he saw the comedian's presidential activities in the same light.
"He is making a mockery of the system," Todd said. "…Is it fair to the process? Yes, the process is a mess, but he's doing it in a way that feels like he's trying to influence it with his own agenda and that may be anti-Republican."
He cautioned the media to be "careful" about amplifying Colbert's message, and said it should not be treated as "shtick" or satire.
"What is his real agenda here?" he said. "Is it to educate the public about the dangers of money and politics, and what's going on? Or is it simply to marginalize the Republican Party? I think if I were a Republican candidate I would be concerned about that."
Perhaps this hypothetical Republican ought to be concerned about having such easily satirized views. I wonder if anyone pointed out to Todd that satire is a critical genre–someone is going to get it. Imagine Todd worrying that some Repubican lobbyist might be testifying before Congress with an agenda that "may be" anti-Democratic.
If I were a rational person I'd be concerned about Chuck Todd's status as a top political pundit in our national media.