Latest news with #mockery
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
All the times Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have been savaged by popular TV shows
They say imitation is the highest form of flattery. But is this true for mocking members of the Royal Family on television? Prince Harry and Meghan are no strangers to criticism. As early as 2016, when the couple had just started dating, Channel 4 comedy The Windsors mocked the couple by depicting Harry as telling Meghan that he had offered a producer a knighthood in exchange for helping her find work. The Duchess of Sussex's character is upset by this, telling Harry that if she 'is to make, I mean really make it, it needs to be because of who I am, not who I know'. She then storms off and says she's going back to Los Angeles. Animated TV show The Prince, with its cast including Sophie Turner and Orlando Bloom, mocked the couple's job prospects in 2021. Harry asks: 'What are we going to do? Can you get another show? I mean, not one that you act on, darling. I know people don't want to hire you for that anymore.' Meghan replies: 'HGTV did call my agent last week about us but, at the time, I thought we were too good for them.' Following the release of Harry's memoir Spare in 2023, the American show South Park - known for its satirical and surreal humor - made a jab at the Sussexes Creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone's episode follows the young royals, the Prince and Princess of Canada, flying around the world on a 'Global Privacy Tour' to promote his autobiography 'Aaargh'. The show has used Canada as a stand-in for other countries before. In season 19, the new Canadian president - who carries more than a resemblance to Donald Trump - looks to build a huge border wall to keep the Americans out. The Prince and Princess of Canada are seen at a large state funeral, where they are booed by the rest of the royal family - accused of bashing the Canadian monarchy. Against the backlash, the couple appear on breakfast television to demand their privacy. Arriving on the set of Good Morning Canada with a book to promote, the prince holds aloft a placard reading 'we want privacy', while the princess's banner reads: 'Stop looking at us.' The host asks whether, in reporting on the royal family for his new book, he has now become a journalist himself. 'We just want to be normal people - all this attention is so hard,' the prince replies. Another cartoon with a cult following - Family Guy - took a dig at the Sussexes' Netflix deal, which is reportedly worth $100million. Family Guy's third episode in its 22nd season, which aired in October 2023, shows the main character Peter Griffin going on an adventure to become a TV extra. 'I'll go it alone, just like Meghan Markle and Prince Harry,' he says. The scene then cuts to animated versions of Harry and Meghan, lounging by a pool, when their butler comes with a check. 'Sir, your millions from Netflix for… no one knows what,' the butler says. Harry replies: 'Put it with the rest of them.' The Sussexes have produced three series for Netflix since they signed an £80million deal with the streaming platform in 2020 And it's not only cartoons using satire to mock the royal couple. At the 65th Grammy Awards in February 2023, host Trevor Noah made fun of Harry for his notorious line about his 'frostbitten penis' in Spare. The prince claimed he was suffering from the shocking condition during William and Kate's wedding, after he undertook a 200-mile expedition to the North Pole in March 2011. While welcoming James Corden to the stage, Noah said: 'James Corden is a 12-time Emmy winner and the host of The Late Late Show. 'He's also living proof that a man can move from London to LA and not tell everyone about his frostbitten penis.' For many celebrities, being mocked on Saturday Night Live is a right of passage. Earlier this year the Sussexes were at the centre of a savage SNL quip as Colin Jost delivered a breakdown of the week's major news stories. The presenter addressed the UK-US trade deal between Sir Keir Starmer and Donald Trump, joking: 'President Trump also announced a new trade deal with the UK that will re-open British markets for American companies. 'All that Britain demands in return is that we keep these two,' as a photo of Harry and Meghan appeared on the screen behind him. Jost made a brutal joke about the couple, claiming the recent UK-US trade deal included a clause which meant they must stay in America It was reported as another sign that America is turning its back on the Sussexes, who stepped down as working royals and left Britain for a new life in US in 2020. Harry once again threw the breakdown of his relationship with his family back into the limelight with an explosive interview after he lost his court battle over the levels of security he and his family are entitled to when in the UK. Earlier this year he lost his attempt to overturn the Home Office's decision at the Court of Appeal - a ruling he has since furiously described as a 'good old-fashioned Establishment stitch-up'. Harry's bombshell interview with the BBC was met with a wave of criticism after he complained that his father, King Charles, 'won't speak to me ' and claimed he 'doesn't know how much longer he has left'. Just days later, a YouGov poll revealed that Harry is the second most popular living member of the Royal Family among Americans - behind only his brother Prince William. But William, Harry, Kate and King Charles were all more popular than Meghan - the only US citizen on the list. Harry has spoken at length about the constant pressure of being in the spotlight and the strain this has on his relationship. At the beginning of the year, a close friend of the prince told the Mail the barrage of criticism serves only to intensify his loyalty to Meghan. Earlier this year he lost his attempt to overturn the Home Office's decision regarding his family's security entitlement - a ruling he furiously described as a 'good old-fashioned Establishment stitch-up' 'It's horrible for him to know that people don't like his wife,' said Harry's friend. 'He adores her and doesn't think she deserves any of the backlash or criticism that has been thrown at her over the past few years.' Satire is seen as an important tool with which to poke fun at those in positions of power. It is a simple fact that as long as the duke and duchess are in the public eye, they will be held to a high standard and mocked for any perceived shortfall of this. There is a reason shows such as South Park and Family Guy have continued to produce episodes into their 20th seasons.
Al Arabiya
06-05-2025
- Politics
- Al Arabiya
From socks to sarcasm: How Syrians are mocking the al-Assad dynasty
At Basel al-Sati's souvenir shop in a central Damascus market, socks bearing caricatures that ridicule ousted Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad and his once feared family now sell like hot cakes. 'I want to bring joy to people who've been deprived of happiness for so many days and years,' said Sati, 31, displaying pairs of white ankle-length socks. 'Everyone who comes from abroad wants to buy the socks -- some to keep as a souvenir, others to wear mockingly and take pictures,' he told AFP. 'There are even some who buy them just to stomp on them,' he said. Stamping on someone's image is considered deeply insulting in the Arab world, so the socks allow wearers to trample the al-Assads underfoot as they walk. Pictures of the al-Assad clan have gone from being ubiquitous symbols of repression to objects of derision and mockery since his December 8 ouster by anti-government forces after nearly 14 years of devastating civil war. Some socks showing al-Assad in sunglasses read 'We will trample them', while others depict him with heavily exaggerated features. Others bear a caricature of Hafez al-Assad who ruled Syria before his son, depicted in his underwear and chest puffed out. They bear the phrase 'This is what the al-Assads look like' -- a play on the family's last name, which means lion. Al-Assad's once feared younger brother Maher labelled 'the captagon king' also features. Western governments accused Maher and his entourage of turning Syria into a narco state, flooding the Middle East with the illegal stimulant. 'No better' gift Sati's shop, brimming with other gift items, is decorated with images from Syria's revolution. An image of al-Assad is on the ground at the entrance so people can walk on it. 'It's another kind of celebration, for all the Syrians who couldn't celebrate in Ummayad Square after the fall of the regime,' Sati said. The Damascus landmark filled with huge crowds from across the country and hosted days of celebrations after al-Assad's ouster, with people raising the now official three-starred flag symbolising the revolution. Afaf Sbano, 40, who returned after fleeing to Germany a decade ago, said she had come to buy 'Assad socks', which sell for around a dollar a pair, for friends. There is 'no better' gift for those 'who can't come to Syria to celebrate the fall of the regime', she told AFP. 'I bought more than 10 extra pairs for my friends after I shared a photo on Instagram,' she said. 'We had never dared to even imagine making fun of him' before, she added. 'People hate him' Manufacturer Zeyad Zaawit, 29, said the idea of socks to mock the al-Assads came to him after the former ruler was deposed and fled to Russia. Zaawit started with a small number and then ramped up production when he saw they were selling fast. 'People hate him,' Zaawit said of al-Assad. 'I took revenge on him this way after he fled,' he said, adding that the socks were so popular that some customers even paid in advance. Zaawit said he produced around 1,000 pairs in the first week and has since tripled production, making more than 200,000 pairs in three months. Images of the socks have been shared widely on social media and they have even been used in satirical television programs. Al-Assad's own words have also been turned against him -- including a refusal to meet Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, a foe who is close to Syria's new authorities. Erdogan made repeated overtures to al-Assad in the period before his overthrow. In August 2023, al-Assad famously said: 'Why should I meet Erdogan? To drink refreshments?' The pronouncement, now the subject of jokes on social media, appears on posters in food and juice stalls, sometimes accompanied by mocking images of al-Assad.
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Socks and satire: Syrians mock ousted Assad dynasty
At Basel al-Sati's souvenir shop in a central Damascus market, socks bearing caricatures that ridicule ousted Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad and his once feared family now sell like hot cakes. "I want to bring joy to people who've been deprived of happiness for so many days and years," said Sati, 31, displaying pairs of white ankle-length socks. "Everyone who comes from abroad wants to buy the socks -- some to keep as a souvenir, others to wear mockingly and take pictures," he told AFP. "There are even some who buy them just to stomp on them," he said. Stamping on someone's image is considered deeply insulting in the Arab world, so the socks allow wearers to trample the Assads underfoot as they walk. Pictures of the Assad clan have gone from being ubiquitous symbols of repression to objects of derision and mockery since his December 8 ouster by Islamist-led forces after nearly 14 years of devastating civil war. Some socks showing Assad in sunglasses read "We will trample them", while others depict him with heavily exaggerated features. Others bear a caricature of Hafez al-Assad who ruled Syria before his son, depicted in his underwear and chest puffed out. They bear the phrase "This is what the Assads look like" -- a play on the family's last name, which means lion. Assad's once feared younger brother Maher labelled "the captagon king" also features. Western governments accused Maher and his entourage of turning Syria into a narco state, flooding the Middle East with the illegal stimulant. - 'No better' gift - Sati's shop, brimming with other gift items, is decorated with images from Syria's revolution. An image of Assad is on the ground at the entrance so people can walk on it. "It's another kind of celebration, for all the Syrians who couldn't celebrate in Ummayad Square after the fall of the regime," Sati said. The Damascus landmark filled with huge crowds from across the country and hosted days of celebrations after Assad's ouster, with people raising the now official three-starred flag symbolising the revolution. Afaf Sbano, 40, who returned after fleeing to Germany a decade ago, said she had come to buy "Assad socks", which sell for around a dollar a pair, for friends. There is "no better" gift for those "who can't come to Syria to celebrate the fall of the regime", she told AFP. "I bought more than 10 extra pairs for my friends after I shared a photo on Instagram," she said. "We had never dared to even imagine making fun of him" before, she added. - 'People hate him' - Manufacturer Zeyad Zaawit, 29, said the idea of socks to mock the Assads came to him after the former ruler was deposed and fled to Russia. Zaawit started with a small number and then ramped up production when he saw they were selling fast. "People hate him," Zaawit said of Assad. "I took revenge on him this way after he fled," he said, adding that the socks were so popular that some customers even paid in advance. Zaawit said he produced around 1,000 pairs in the first week and has since tripled production, making more than 200,000 pairs in three months. Images of the socks have been shared widely on social media and they have even been used in satirical television programmes. Assad's own words have also been turned against him -- including a refusal to meet Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, a foe who is close to Syria's new authorities. Erdogan made repeated overtures to Assad in the period before his overthrow. In August 2023, Assad famously said: "Why should I meet Erdogan? To drink refreshments?" The pronouncement, now the subject of jokes on social media, appears on posters in food and juice stalls, sometimes accompanied by mocking images of Assad. mam/lg/srm
