When is an onion not an onion?

When it's a political satire magazine from the USA. Hadn't heard of NewsBiscuit or The Daily Mash either, both of which are British publications. Notice the food related titles: Onion, Biscuit and Mash. Rather a French trait that!

All three were mentioned in an article about political satire (p.s.), which suggested that it is a far bigger deal in France than in the UK.

We've had our fair share of p.s. in the UK. And for some time. But by comparison to France, mostly on television and radio and rather spasmodically. Whereas in France it is mostly in print and online.  There are some exceptions of course. I mustn't forget Private Eye in the UK and here currently on French television channel TF1, there is a little satirical gem called C'est Canteloup. It's hilarious. 

On British t.v. That was the week that was really began it all, since when we've been treated to a stream of classy writing: The Thick of it, In the Loop, Yes Minister, Yes Prime Minister, Have I got News for you, Bremner, Bird and Fortune, House of Cards. Found this guide to   British comedy/satire, but am not sure how up-to-date it is. Only a couple of years back there was some feeling that on the one hand, British satire had gone too far and on the other, that coalition government was too damn bland to satirise. Sadly in the interim we've lost a few these masters of the form, who might have found a way.  However an article by Alex Needham in The Guardian from 2102 reckons it's the 'Occupy' generation who are now set to produce exciting political satire in theatre and comedy venues. Great. It's about time, another generation took it on.

From this side of the Channel French cartoonists have always played an extremely important role in French society and from the moment mass-circulation of newspapers and magazines began. The 19th century caricaturist Honoré Daumier launched scathing attacks on the Bourgeoisie, with his caricature of King Louis Philippe landing him in prison for six months. He paved the way for modern cartoonists who in France, are generally accepted as presenting a more honest and realistic picture than that usually offered by official spin doctors - sorry, official sources.

Weekly publications include Le Canard enchaîné, Charlie Hebdo and L'Echo des Savannes, which was originally founded by three cartoonists: Claire Bretécher, Marcel Gotlin and Nikita Mandryka. It was Charlie Hebdo that published the controversial Danish drawings depicting Mohammed with a bomb under his turban.

The best-know and longest-standing cartoonist is Jean Plantureux known as Plantu. His work appears on the front page of Le Monde, and is best known for the irritation he cause with Sarkozy. George Wolinski's drawings appear in Charlie Hebdo and even on occasions, Paris Match. Another very popular and prolific cartoonist is Jean Cabut, known as Cabu. He is credited with the term Beauf - a shortened version of beau-frère, which is now part of the national vocabulary and refers to a particular type of right-winger.

Being a non-native speaker, French political caricatures and drawings can sometimes be a bit of a challenge. But they're well worth the effort, because of the insight they give to French politics and society. I've really only just started getting into this sort of stuff. My accelerated interest is entirely due to Mr. Hollande. Donc, merci monsieur.