Fresh Politics, New Media

I published two research articles on public opinion toward same-sex marriage this week. The two solo-authored research articles extend my previous research on attitudes toward this controversial issue . The first piece,  What’s marriage (and family) got to do with it? Support for same-sex marriage, legal unions, and gay and lesbian couples raising children   was published by Social Science Quarterly . The article examines the impact of marital and family status and views on the purpose of marriage on support for gay marriage, legal unions, and gay and lesbian couples raising children. The bottom line: while ideological and religious values still matter most when it comes to predicting opinions on gay civil rights issues, it's also important to look at the role that marriage, family, and views on the purpose of marriage have in shaping the debate. The second piece,  Determinants of public support for same-sex marriage: Generational cohorts, social contact, and shifti...

Jon Stewart offered his own commentary on the latest Rush Limbaugh incident on Tuesday's broadcast. In the clip, Stewart mentions that Limbaugh is criticizing a private citizen but doesn't capitalize on this distinction. Instead he focuses on how the Right responded to Limbaugh's comments. Their answer: criticize Bill Maher, a liberal comedian with his own show on HBO, for calling Sarah Palin the "c" and "t" word. Do note that Sarah Palin is a very, very public person but Sandra Fluke is simply a Georgetown University law student. The clip continues by discussing Fox News' targeting of comedians. Did you know that comedians wear helmets according to Fox? By the end of the clip, Stewart tells the network to "Shut the F@#k Up!" The Daily Show with Jon Stewart Get More: Daily Show Full Episodes , Political Humor & Satire Blog , The Daily Show on Facebook Regardless of the helmet fiasco (mocked nicely during the Will Ferrell interv...

We've been hearing a lot more about Iran these days -- whether it's during the Republican presidential debates, in the wide range of  reporting on the speeches of Barack Obama and the 2012 GOP hopefuls at this year's AIPAC conference, or the coverage of Benjamin Netanyahu's meeting with Barack Obama. Even  The Daily Show weighed in this past Tuesday with a carefully constructed, graphically pleasing, and incredibly poignant discussion of the current controversy and the influence that the 2012 election season has had on the rhetoric surrounding the debate over what to do about Iran. I used to write a column for The Baltimore Sun  pointing out the best political comedy clips each month. I can honestly say that this clip would have made my list for March and perhaps for the entire winter season. Check it out for yourself: The Daily Show with Jon Stewart Get More: Daily Show Full Episodes , Political Humor & Satire Blog , The Daily Show on Facebook Stewart...

Stuck in an elevator? Sixty-three percent of young men surveyed said they would choose to be there with Jon Stewart (or some other favorite comic), and only 15 percent said they would prefer that time with Eli Manning (or some other idolized athlete). At least that's what The New York Times  is reporting today with a review of a new Comedy Central study about young men and humor.  Turns out that comedy and absurdity (not irony) is more important to young men, specifically Millennials, than previously thought.  While Millennials are watching less television that older counterparts -- preferring YouTube and brief Internet content to traditional television -- they're a ripe market for Comedy Central and their marketing partners. Ever wonder about those ads you're seeing during The Colbert Report  and The Daily Show ? 

The lead story in the National section of today's New York Times  focuses on the debate over same-sex marriage in Maryland. The controversy is starting to heat up this week as legislators in Annapolis consider possible legislation. The story focuses on the concerns of African-American churchgoers in particular, highlighting a cultural dynamic that is particularly relevant given Maryland's demographic make-up. According to the article: Maryland’s Democrats are sharply divided by race on the issue. A Washington Post poll published on Jan. 30 found that 71 percent of white respondents supported it, while 24 percent did not. Among blacks, 41 percent were supportive, while 53 percent were opposed. African-Americans are an important constituency here: their share of the population — 29 percent — is greater than in many Southern states, including Alabama and South Carolina, according to the Brookings Institution. Those backing the bill hope the religious accommodations proposed ...

Here's a great "picture of the day." It was featured in the print edition of today's New York Times  in the National section. Look at Obama's excitement over the marshmallow launcher. What a cool science fair project! If only I could have made a marshmallow launcher back in my day. And for more on the Obama administration's plan to promote STEM education, check out this post on the NYT's blog, The Caucus.

My last post was about Mitt Romney's "oops" moment -- his statement on CNN that he does not care about the very poor . As it turns out, both comedians and the Democrats really did seize on the opportunity to chastise Romney over the remarks. Here's The Daily Show's take on the incident: The Daily Show with Jon Stewart Get More: Daily Show Full Episodes , Political Humor & Satire Blog , The Daily Show on Facebook The Obama team had a strong response -- particularly online with emails, advertising, and through the use of Twitter posts. As it turns out and according to an article in today's NY Times , they're on the lookout for Romney's gaffes, collecting more juicy content each time the candidate slips up. So, who will Mitt Romney choose not to care about next?