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Deonna Lawrence’s laugh echoed in the Quad as she watched jumping Eskimos and a dancing moose hop around Gov. Sarah Palin on a clip from “Saturday Night Live.”Lawrence, sociology senior, said even if she didn’t understand all the lyrics in SNL cast member Amy Poehler’s rap to Palin, she thought it was hilarious.  Comedy blending with the political world is not entirely a new trend, said mass communication professor Michael Xenos,  who — in 2000 — started researching the effect new media has on politics.But Xenos said evidence suggests voters perceive candidates well when they appear on comedy shows. Voters see the candidates on a personal level, and audiences remember the issues better when they’re mixed with comedy, he said.One common thread between presidential candidates Barack Obama and John McCain and the vice presidential candidates is their many recent appearances in the comedy scene.After Palin’s Oct. 18 appearance on SNL, Youtube.com received more than 6 million hits on the video, and NBC.com had close to 3 million hits on the clip in one week.Obama and McCain appeared on separate episodes of “The Late Show with David Letterman” in the last two months. Joe Biden and Michelle Obama were guests on “The Ellen Degeneres Show,” and Barack Obama was taped on Ellen’s Oct. 21 show. Many jokes on politically themed TV shows like “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart” and “The Colbert Report” on Comedy Central reference the upcoming presidential election on a daily basis. Former president Bill Clinton’s 1992 appearance on “The Arsenio Hall Show,” a comedy and music show, was the first time a presidential candidate was on a TV comedy show, Xenos said.  One reason comedy is popular during elections is the candidates’ desire to talk directly to voters through comedy and talk shows, Xenos said. “You have to look at the cognitive effect,” he said. Part of a person’s brain is figuring out what the joke means, so next time the issue is brought up in a serious context the viewer will more strongly recall the information.The audience can then relate to the candidate on a personal level, he said. “Humor is an universal language,” said Clyde Ray Webber, humorist and Clerk of Court in Concordia Parish. “Everybody likes to laugh.” Webber, who hosts comedy shows, said when politicians are funny, it makes people want to listen to what they have to say. “It spices up whatever you do,” he said.Xenos said evidence indicates comedy shows help candidates secure election victories. In 2000, then-Gov. George W. Bush received better ratings after appearing on comedy shows, Xenos said. He said the audience is not going to see candidates change stances on issues, but viewers will gain a more personable view of the candidate. Comedy brings political contenders to the audience’s level, said John Fletcher, theatre history professor. “If someone is too perfect they seem elite,” he said of voter’s general lack of support for elitists. Chris Rippetoe, communication studies senior, said it’s easier to relate to candidates when he sees the them on TV. “It helps to show you’re not a rigid politician,” Rippetoe said. Comedy shows provide entertaining takes on current issues, Xenos said. But if an appearance on a comedy show is forced, it could have a negative effect because the audience will know if the candidate is uncomfortable, Flethcer said.Marshal Mays, business freshman, said when he watched Palin’s ability to joke and have a good time on SNL, it showed she can handle criticism.Andrea Pizza, psychology sophomore, said when she saw Barack Obama dancing on “The Ellen Degeneres Show” it helped her realize he’s just a normal person. Unlike comedy shows, late night shows have a different effect on audiences, Xenos said. Because hosts like Jay Leno and David Letterman tend to pick on all candidates, critics say these jokes make audiences more cynical and skeptical of politicians, Xenos said. Webber said making jokes about issues doesn’t take away from the seriousness of politics. Instead, he said humor adds to politics.If a politician can make people laugh, Webber said the candidate is likely to secure a vote. “It makes people want to hear what you have to say when you’re funny,” he said. —-Contact Joy Lukachick at [email protected]