Other Courses taught by Kate Lyn Reiter

Lao Tzu said, “As soon as you have made a thought, laugh at it.”Spirituality, as this course will address it, is not a dogma but a way by which we are transformed - in tune with Zen and Mindfulness. What does humor have to do with that? Humor turns things upside down, pops illusions, shakes us up to see the world slightly askew. That keeps us open. Without a little opening in our minds, there is no innovation, no creativity, no adaptation, no evolution . . . We will look at connections of humor with the traditions of the eastern philosophies, a bit of  psychotherapy, and the wisdom of poets and authors, -- all to invite a transformation of our human consciousness. We will look at these traditions with humor, and hopefully, take ourselves less seriously in the process. As G.K. Chesterton said "angels fly because they take themselves lightly." And Lao Tzu, "as soon as you have made a thought, laugh at it."

What is the definition of "yellow journalism"? When and why did tabloid reporting begin, and how has it taken hold of modern broadcasting? The term "yellow journalism" came alive during the Spanish-American war when two prominent newspapers — one owned by Hearst and one owned by Pulitzer — fought for the narrative of the war. Hearst even claimed, "You provide the photographs, I'll provide the war," which begs the question, when does tabloid reporting become propaganda?  

Then came radio and television. We will explore a brief history of broadcast journalism, taking a closer look at Walter Winchell and asking the question: Where are his techniques still broadcasting today? What was the role of the FCC? What was the "Fairness Doctrine"? Has social media become the tabloid pièce de resistance? The course will be sprinkled with humor and a light touch. 

What is Satire? Why isn't it always Funny? Is satire always liberal? When does it cross a line to ridicule? This course will take a fun dive into satire from literature and Jonathan Swift's "A Modest Proposal" to Jon Stewart and "The Daily Show." Must satire always be biting? Are there some subjects which should be off-limits? Where do Will Rogers and Mark Twain fit? Can we agree with Chris Bliss, a former comedy writer for Letterman & Tonight show  who said comedy has a way of “circumventing our engrained perspectives”?

Note: the course will tackle some controversial and tough issues of our times. Come with an open mind and a buffet attitude: "take what you like and leave the rest."