Politics: "Humor Times" Doesn't Mind Being Laughed At

"The Humor Times," a political humor publication out of Sacramento, California, is poised to expand to a national audience, tapping into the current popularity of political satire. The monthly paper is a humorous review of the news, using editorial cartoons, columns and a "fake news" section to lampoon politicians and newsmakers alike.

August 13, 2007 -- It's no joke - or maybe it is. The Humor Times, a monthly political humor and cartoon newspaper published in Sacramento, California for over 16 years, is launching a national expansion, hoping to take the country by a storm - of laughter.

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Similar to Funny Times, a very successful monthly out of Columbus, Ohio, the Humor Times goes further with the political angle, taking advantage of a national news climate that just begs for satirical treatment. There is plenty of room for another competitor in the field, and James Israel, the publisher of Humor Times, is ready to pick up the slack. "I figure about half the country is our potential market - especially these days, when people are looking for intelligent humor that exposes the absurdity in politics today," he says. Mr. Israel plans to use the same template for success that Funny Times did - marketing subscriptions nationally through venues that attract the type of reader that tends to fall in love with the paper. "Once people discover it, they can't get enough!" says Mr. Israel.

This is one "news" paper you can't take too seriously. The Humor Times lampoons both Democrats and Republicans alike, and while it does lean left, it takes aim at the whole "power elite," including powerful Senators, CEOs and the president himself. In fact, the powerful are nothing more than laughingstock fodder for the laser-like wit of editorial cartoonists and satirical columnists in this monthly tome of salient sillies.

Unlike many online comedy sites and other publications, the Humor Times features mostly topical political humor. The incisive, yet clean humor is suitable for a general audience of all ages - at least those old enough to be interested in what's happening on the world stage.

And according to publisher James Israel, that's a very large audience - and growing daily. "Satire is huge right now," says Mr. Israel, "look at the popularity of the Daily Show and the Colbert Report on Comedy Central, the proliferation of 'fake news' sites on the internet and the success of papers like The Onion." Which brings up another feature of the publication - besides the cartoons and columns, the paper also features a "fake news" section with made-up stories that closely mirror actual news stories of the day, with hilarious twists that manage to highlight some of the hidden absurdities of the "real" news stories.

Lest readers leave feeling too jaded, the paper also features many non-political cartoons, which help to lighten up the mood, including Cornered by Mike Baldwin, Reynolds Unwrapped by Dan Reynolds and Bizarro by Dan Piraro.

When asked about the competition online humor sites pose, Mr. Israel does not sound worried. "No matter how much people like to surf online, there is nothing like having a publication in your hands that you can cuddle up with on the couch or even take with you to the john," he explained. "It's also a great conversation starter, left sitting around your home or office."

The Humor Times is available anywhere in the world, with U.S. subscriptions starting at only $17.95/year. Easy online ordering is available on the Humor Times site at www.humortimes.com.

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