Classified diplomatic cables. Sensitive military documents. Lists of vulnerable sites to US interests. WikiLeaks is serious business. But humor is one way the public sifts through the meaning of news. Or at least a way to distract ourselves from looking at those same 12 photos of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange over and over again. Here's a look at the lighter side of WikiLeaks.
8. WookieeLeaks
Wikileaks has inspired users of Twitter to post messages under the tag "WookieeLeaks," envisioning leaked secrets in the realm of "Star Wars."One example: "Sources close to the Emperor claim that he was aware of the tragic design flaw that allowed Rebels to destroy the Death Star."Another: "Following fiasco above Endor, Admiral Ackbar received ... threatening parcels containing cocktail sauce."
7. David Letterman, antiterror mastermind
Some actual WikiLeaks documents have revealed the comedic sensibilities of diplomats. At least one apparently points to the social importance of comedy.
A State Department cable, according to news reports, was headlined "David Letterman: Agent of influence." Its point: American comedy or other TV shows that become popular in Saudi Arabia may help to dissuade youths there from becoming terrorists.
6. It's a generational thing
Jon Stewart of "The Daily Show" brought in "senior intelligence correspondent" Aasif Mandvi for a dialogue that played up an age gap over privacy.
Speaking for the younger crowd, Mandvi said: "It's the 21st century, what I've coined the 'information age,' a glorious Utopian datascape in which everyone has a right to know everything about everyone. It's why I get to see your [private parts] at the airport."
When Stewart offered a different view, Mandvi said "wrong again, Rip Van Old Grampa Man."
5. The Onion peels back WikiLeaks layers
Satirists have taken the WikiLeaks release of private State Department communications and reframed the information a bit.
Citing the documents, for example, the Onion website reveals: "Threats and aid offers equally ineffective in forcing Vladimir Putin to put a shirt on during diplomatic negotiations." After a few more items, the Onion discloses a final secret: "U.S. diplomatic privacy measures are terrible."
4. Um, Hitler?
The movie "Downfall," a 2004 German film chronicling the final days of Adolf Hitler, has become the source of seemingly endless parodies on YouTube. WikiLeaks is just the latest story line to be overlaid (using subtitles) onto a "Downfall" scene in which Hitler rants in front of his inner circle.
In one recent YouTube post, Hitler laments that WikiLeaks is spoiling plans for his mother's birthday party. In another Hitler calls Mr. Assange and tries to get him interested in new details about the 9/11 terrorist attacks. (Assange claims that's "boring," preferring something more current.)
And another "Downfall" takeoff shows Hitler getting angry because hackers have shut down access to WikiLeaks websites.
Warning: The videos can include language that wouldn't be printed in a family newspaper.
3. Sarah Palin goes caribou on Julian Assange
Some comedians explore serious questions through humor. The line becomes a tad blurrier in video news reports by Next Media Animation (NMA), a Taiwan-based company that blends factual news with over-the-top animation.
In recent NMA videos, an animated Assange appears to obtain documents by personally sneaking into government buildings, or flies over Washington throwing documents out of an airplane, while Sarah Palin grabs her gun, apparently ready to help hunt him like a caribou.
2. A little privacy, please
"Well, that WikiLeaks founder, Julian Assange, turned himself in to police in England today," Jay Leno said this week on late night TV. "When the judge asked him where he lived, he said he didn't want to give out that information. Well, you can understand that. Everybody has the right to privacy, don't they?"
1. Everybody's gettin' hacked
Rep. Jack Kimble, a faux congressman from California, told his Twitter followers on Wednesday: "I have been attacked by Wikileaks. They have changed all the prices in my campaign shop to ridiculously low levels."
Late night comedian Jimmy Fallon said: "WikiLeaks supporters ... have hacked Sarah Palin's credit card information after she criticized founder Julian Assange. Sarah [is] very upset and hopes suspicious charges to her account
No comments:
Post a Comment