The satire I chose to do was an SNL skit on
complaints about the iPhone 5, with Christina Applegate as "Tech
Talk" host Caitlin Owens, Bill Hader as C-NET complainer Josh Savage, etc.
This skit is set up as a talk show, where Caitlin Owens interviews three
technology reporters that complain about the iPhone 5, and then she brings in
three Chinese factory workers who make the iPhones in China, and talk about how
their problems 'are similar' to those of the reporters' with the iPhone 5. In
this satire, there are of course literal and metaphorical aspects to it. There
are many literal aspects, such as the literal characteristics and bugs of the
iPhone 5 that the tech reporters complain about. "...Apple Maps has been a
total disaster."-Josh Savage. "Every time I point it straight at the
sun, there's a very slight purplish hue in all my photos..." -Adrienne
Terzoli. "...It's just too thin, and light!" -Dennis Metcalf. Another
literal aspect is when the host, Caitlin Owens, has the 'Chinese peasant
laborers' come in. This is literal because in reality, there are hundreds of
thousands of 'Chinese peasant laborers'
mass producing iPhones in factories to this day. One last literal aspect is
when the Chinese workers are sarcastically saying that the reporters suffer
with their "First world problems" as much as they suffer with their
actual harsh struggles. In this, the struggles of the workers are the literal
aspect, because they are all, whether exaggerated or not, struggles that 'Chinese
peasant laborers' probably face in reality. With this said, this satire has
some realistic literal aspects.
Also
with this satire, are the metaphorical aspects, or deeper meanings. The part of
satire used the most in this skit is sarcasm. The characters that play the
reporters are being truthful about their complaints on the iPhone 5, but the
Chinese worker characters are being sarcastic when they talk about how the
reporters' lives must be so hard. "You want Starbucks and it takes you to
Dunkin Donuts? That must be so hard for you.", and, "You want Macy's
and it take you to J.C. Penny, how you deal with that?", are sarcastic
quotes in the beginning from the Chinese workers. In the midst of trying to get
their point across, and that the iPhone 5 has some flaws, they're saying with
sarcasm against the reporters, that it's nothing compared to their own lives! This kind of sarcasm is used
throughout the whole video, showing how America complains about "First
world problems", such as, our iPhone 5 has bugs and flaws. Meanwhile,
China rightfully complains about things such as, 'sleeping at work with strangers', 'lice are the best bug you can get', and 'Americans wait in line for 6 hours for
new iPhone 5, while Chinese peasant laborers wait in line for 21 days for baby
formula'. These are possibly exaggerated examples from the Chinese workers in
the skit, showing through satire what problems are for the average American, and
what they would be for an average Chinese (laborer). Another usage of satire is
scathing humor. The obvious scathing is put upon Apple for making the iPhone 5.
Scathing is also directed towards the average American, and who we are as
people for complaining about iPhones. The
possible vice for this skit could be that the reporters make their complaints, and
without thinking but also knowing, that they are bad for making the complaints
and should be grateful to even have a new iPhone and a good life, compared to
the workers especially. Lastly with deeper meaning, mockery and insult tie in
together with this skit. "What does America make? Does diabetes count as a
product? If not, we have to get back to you.", is the Chinese worker
insulting the reporters, by also being sarcastic saying that diabetes is 'a
product' of America. "Good idea, Einstein!", is mockery from the
worker, mocking a reporter on how he thinks he's smart because he's a tech guy,
but meanwhile he makes a complaint right in front of them! With sarcasm,
scathing, insult, mockery, and more, all parts of this satire have a deeper
meaning, as well as every other satire out there.
SNL Tech Talk iPhone 5 skit
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