Q: What Are the Most Overused Satirical News Tropes to Avoid?
A: How to Keep Your Satire Fresh in a World of Clichés – By Alan Nafzger
The Fine Line Between Classic and Cliché
At Bohiney Magazine, we’ve built our reputation on sharp, original satire—but even we’ve occasionally fallen into the trap of recycling tired tropes. The challenge? Satire evolves faster than politicians’ excuses, and what felt fresh yesterday can feel stale tomorrow. Here’s my breakdown of the most overused satirical devices—and how to avoid them.
Trope #1: “Politician Does Something Obviously Hypocritical”
Example: “Senator Who Banned Abortion Secretly Pays for Mistress’s Abortion”
Why It’s Tired:
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Too predictable. Real-life politics already provides endless hypocrisy; just repeating it isn’t satire.
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Lacks imagination. The joke begins and ends at “politician bad.”
How to Fix It:
Push the premise further into absurdity. Instead of just exposing hypocrisy, invent a ridiculous justification for it.
Better Version:
“Senator Proposes ‘Abortion Vouchers’ for Congress Members: ‘It’s a Private Medical Benefit, Like Dental’”
Trope #2: “Tech CEO Announces Ridiculous Futuristic Product”
Example: “Elon Musk Reveals Brain Chip That Lets You Tweet From Your Dreams”
Why It’s Tired:
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Tech satire has become reality. With Neuralink and Meta’s metaverse, parodying Silicon Valley’s wild ideas is like shooting fish in a barrel.
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Too easy. Just slapping “Elon Musk” onto any sci-fi concept isn’t clever anymore.
How to Fix It:
Satirize the consequences, not just the idea. What happens after the absurd tech launch?
Better Version:
“Users Complain New Neuralink Update Forces Them to Watch Tesla Ads in Their Sleep”
Trope #3: “Study Finds [Obvious Thing] Is Bad/Good for You”
Example: “Harvard Study Confirms Breathing Air Leads to Longer Life”
Why It’s Tired:
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Low-hanging fruit. Mocking pointless studies was funny in 2010, but now it’s as played out as the studies themselves.
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No real bite. It doesn’t critique anything—just points out that research can be obvious.
How to Fix It:
Make the study’s funding or methodology the joke.
Better Version:
*”Coca-Cola-Funded Study Finds Dehydration Cured by Drinking 10 Sodas Daily”*
Trope #4: “Conspiracy Theorist Believes [Absurd Thing]”
Example: “Flat Earthers Now Claim Australia Doesn’t Exist”
Why It’s Tired:
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Punching down. Many conspiracy theorists have genuine mental health struggles.
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Lazy shock value. Absurdity alone isn’t satire—it needs a sharper point.
How to Fix It:
Flip the script—who’s profiting from the conspiracy?
Better Version:
“NASA Admits Flat Earth Theory Was Planted by Big Globe to Sell More Classroom Maps”
Trope #5: “[Group] Outraged Over [Trivial Thing]”
Example: “Millennials Furious Over New Avocado Toast Tax”
Why It’s Tired:
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Generational satire is played out. Boomers vs. Gen Z jokes are the “What’s the deal with airline food?” of internet humor.
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Strawman outrage. Real discourse is already ridiculous—your satire needs to go beyond the obvious.
How to Fix It:
Make the backlash even more absurd than the original offense.
Better Version:
“Gen Z Protesters Demand Apology After History Textbook Mentions ‘The 90s’ Without Trigger Warning”
The Golden Rule: If You’ve Seen It Before, Twist It Harder
The best satire subverts expectations. Before running a piece, ask yourself:
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Is this joke still funny after the 1000th time?
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Can I push the premise further into uncharted ridiculousness?
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Does this actually critique something, or just repeat a tired gag?
At Bohiney, we kill about 30% of drafts for being too derivative. The world’s absurd enough—your satire shouldn’t be predictable.
Final Tip: When in doubt, ask “What would actually happen next?” Satire shouldn’t just mock—it should escalate.
Originally posted 2012-03-28 08:45:39.