…Exploring the role of the prankster as artist, activist and social observer and the significance of the prank in society.
Satire uses elements of a prior work to target some other aspect of society, parody uses elements of a prior work to target the prior work itself.
From the Vault: Maqdananda
“Why deal with the legal system without knowing the outcome beforehand?”-Maqdananda
Legal council from the other side. From courtrooms to crystal balls, Maqdananda brings legal advice to another dimension.
Joey Skaggs as Maqdananda, Psychic Attorney, in a :30 CNN TV commercial (1994).
It may not be as environmentally friendly or accurate, but it might be a step up from current fiscal decision making.
“Albania’s mischievous AI stunt,” by Editorial Board, Washington Post, September 21, 2025.
The tiny country’s prime minister announces a chatbot as minister.
Move over, DOGE. President Donald Trump famously created a White House agency that uses technology to streamline government. Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama has one-upped Trump by appointing an artificial-intelligence bot to his cabinet.
Rama announced this month that “Diella” — Albanian for “Sun” — would join his government as a minister. Diella already pops up to greet visitors on the government website e-Albania. Her new charge: to oversee public procurement.
She won’t need to be that incorruptible to outperform the current system.
We need more militarization, more rules, less 1st Amendment protection and definitely more fear in our city streets. We need to bring back WALK RIGHT!
Back in 1984, when mercenary vigilantes like the Guardian Angels were “reclaiming” NYC subways, Joey Skaggs launched WALK RIGHT! an ad hoc group of vigilante sidewalk etiquette enforcers who patrolled the streets to make New York a better place to live and walk.
Here’s a short tease from Joey Skaggs: WALK RIGHT! oral history film.
WALK RIGHT published 66 rules for walking, including:
*Pedestrians must choose one lane and stay in it.
*No changing directions except at designated areas.
*No stopping unless in the shopping lane.
*No eating, gesticulating, or umbrellas held lower than 5’10”.
CNN and local news covered it as serious public policy. But it was satire then—and it is satire now.
They are to be forgiven because they weren’t born when WALK RIGHT! ruled the New York City streets. And they can’t be expected to do any research that might deter them from promoting a great idea to gain sponsorship $$ or eyeballs for their products.
Just sayin’…
“Jon Stewart Responds To Kimmel Suspension In The Most Brutally Sarcastic Way,” by Lee Moran, Huffpost, September 19, 2025.
The comedian delivered a very different version of “The Daily Show.”
Jon Stewart made a rare midweek appearance on “The Daily Show” Thursday night to wade into the controversy over ABC’s suspension of Jimmy Kimmel’s late-night program.
Stewart, who usually only hosts on Mondays, opened the show in front of a gold-emblazoned, Trump-style backdrop to deliver what he described as the latest episode of a “fun, hilarious, administration-compliant show.”
