‘Packaging evil into something funny’: is making fun of Trump now just ‘clownwashing’?

As the president’s second term has wrought new horrors, comedians reflect on whether humor can still ‘deflate the strongman’s image’ During Donald Trump’s first term, as his lies distorted reality and gaslighted Americans, Stephen Colbert said his goal was to remind his audience: “Hey, you’re not crazy.” But watching political comedy during Trump’s second term – be it a deranged Saturday Night Live impression of a cabinet member, or a rapid-fire late-night monologue full of ICE jokes – it’s har…