Brazilian Law Way Too Serious, Comics Say
By Luciani Gomes, Special to CNN
Comedy is being taken too seriously ∈Brazil, humorists there are saying, ∈ response to a Brazilian law that forbids television and radio broadcasters from making fun of presidential, gubernatorial or congressional candidates ∈ the three months before the election. Brazil’s elections are ∈October of 2010.
Afraid of huge fines that can reach up to almost R$ 160.000, producers and stars of comedy shows say they are having to rethink their election coverage and ignore the names of this year’s presidential candidates, or just be serious about it. This month, humorists will gather at Copacabana beach, ∈Rio de Janeiro, to protest the law.
According to the 1997 law, television and radio broadcasters, which operate on government concessions, cannot “use trickery, montages or other features of audio or video ∈ any way to degrade or ridicule a candidate, party or coalition.” The law is not new, but humorists increasingly feel that it limits freedom of speech and that creation is restricted. One reason humorists believe the law will be enforced more stringently than before is that some of the country’s comedy shows have been dedicating a lot of time to politics.
The Supreme Electoral Court says that it is not enforcing the law any stricter than ∈ the past. The law has always been applied ∈ the same manner and the idea that this year it’s more is the perception of the humorists, the court said. The comedians say humor is necessary to generate debate and to get people involved ∈ politics. If there’s no humor, people will get bored, they say.
A former minister of the Supreme Electoral Court, Fernando Neves, agreed with the need of a rule to make sure the election coverage will be fair to all candidates ∈ all media. “I think it’s correct that the media cannot be used to favor or harm one or another candidate. They are there to inform,” he said.
“Casseta e Planeta”, a Rede Globo comedy show that’s been on air since 1992 and that has imitated and made fun of almost every politician since then, is more than ever avoiding references to any candidate. It was a decision made by the show. To avoid warnings or fines, comedy around election time is achieved with fake politician characters.
Helio de La Peña, one of the cast members of “Casseta e Planeta,” believes there’s two ways to look at the controversial rule. It helps democracy by not allowing one politician to be jeopardized, but at the same time it censors the humorists’ job.
In a statement, Rede Globo said the broadcast law is one of the initiatives ∈ place that undermine freedom of expression and believes that it will end up being revoked by the electoral officials.
Rede Bandeirantes’ “CQC”, a comedy show that started ∈2008 and became a huge success ∈Brazil by following politicians ∈Brasilia and asking them tough and tricky questions, continues to cover the election and mentions the candidates, but is being careful ∈ what to say or joke about.
For now, the law and its ramifications are affecting how humorists go about their business and, as exemplified by the gathering on Sunday, it is proving something of a unifying factor for the creative spirits of comedy. “It’s the first time the humorists will gather for a cause,” de La Peña said.
Adapted from http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/americas/08/19/brazil.election.comics/index.html? (20/08/2010)
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