To help explain how Stephen Colbert and Jon Stewart influence political discourse today, Robinson reminds us of the decisive “Dance of the Comedians” scene in the opera “The Bartered Bride,” in which a ringmaster presents an ensemble of circus performers who simultaneously make the opera’s plot more chaotic and help to resolve it. That, he says, is the role of political comedians, who throughout history have played a critical role in our democracy—redefining Americans’ perception of the presidency, and shaping public attitudes and behaviors.

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