Dear MoveOn member,
Donald Trump is running quite possibly the most hateful and childish campaign in history. So we’re taking him on … with raucous laughter.
As part of our broader United Against Hate campaign to keep Donald Trump out of the White House, MoveOn is launching a nationwide search for the funniest comedians who can harness the power of humor to take on Trump, the GOP's politics of hate, and the pressing issues of bigotry and bullying.
(Not a comedian but want to stay in the loop on the contest? Click here to be automatically signed up for updates!)
Why a comedy contest? Comedy is one of our best tools to take on hate. Comedians can often deliver messages more effectively, pointedly and memorably than politicians. Remember Sarah Palin as portrayed by Tina Fey on "Saturday Night Live"?
Plus, let’s face it—Donald Trump is terrifying, authoritarian, and a real threat to our democracy. We take the threat posed by Trump seriously. But he's also ripe for ridicule that can put that bully on the ropes and maybe help win this election.
That's why, in addition to running a massive grassroots door-to-door voter turnout effort and innovating with a shareable video program to mobilize progressives, we're launching this contest to help expose Trump's bigotry and hate.
MoveOn has a long history of cultural interventions. In 2004, we ran the "Bush In 30 Seconds" video contest and a "Vote for Change" concert tour with Bruce Springsteen, R.E.M., and the Dixie Chicks. And in 2008, we collaborated with artist Shepard Fairey, who created the iconic “Hope” poster of Obama. Our cultural campaigns have driven national news cycles and produced award-winning images, television ads, and online videos.
And just this week, we teamed up with more than 100 artists—including Shonda Rhimes, Mark Ruffalo, Kerry Washington, Lena Dunham, Neil Patrick Harris, and Michael Moore—to launch Artists #UnitedAgainstHate, an open letter opposing Trump's candidacy and his hate-filled campaign.
Laughter Trumps Hate builds off these successes—as we capitalize on the comedic superpowers of our members and performers around the country to deliver an engaging, entertaining, and politically critical message that can reach people who often tune out politics.
So get involved—check out the video and then get ready to enter.
Whether you're a seasoned vet or just starting your comedy career, all performers are welcome to enter the competition, doing stand-up, sketch, or impressions. Our panel of comedy pros will select winners, along with an online vote on the crowd favorite.
If you’re one of the lucky winners, you’ll receive a cash prize and a spot on the Laughter Trumps Hate Task Force, a group of comedians and creative politicos tasked with creating compelling and funny content that will send a powerful message to the masses: America is united against hate.
And to be clear, our goal is ultimately to work across our divides, not exacerbate them as Trump and those who've enabled his hateful campaign do. So we're not interested in submissions mocking regular Americans who happen to be Trump supporters—the idea, instead, is to aim our comedy at Trump and the hate and bullying at the heart of his campaign.
Click here to check out the Laughter Trumps Hate website and rules and submit your entry.
Thanks for all you do.
—Ben O., Nik, Erica, Jadzia, and the rest of the team
Want to support our work? MoveOn member contributions have powered our work together for more than 17 years. Tens of thousands of members already support MoveOn's work with a monthly contribution—it's one big reason why we're able to be fiercely independent, answering to no individual, corporation, politician, or political party. Will you chip in $5 a month to support our work?
No, I'm sorry, I can't make a monthly donation.
PAID FOR BY MOVEON
No comments:
Post a Comment