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But in the same way that some English-language comedy will satirise a thing by pretending to be the thing, I think it's important to remember that Charlie Hebdo was often trying to skewer racism by taking the stupidities uttered by racist politicians to their point of illogicality, as a form of reductio ad absurdum. It's a strategy in which missteps are perhaps inevitable - look at Ricky Gervais and his 'mong' character.
See also Al Murray's Pub Landlord and the weird dissonance of a few people laughing with the character in an auditorium full of people laughing at the character.
Emyr
Yay, someone actually engaging with the French humour.
I think what you say is pretty fair, and I think it's why not everyone in France is necessarily a fan of Charlie Hebdo - some find it too provocative, too childish, too close to the bone. Maybe it is. Maybe they misjudged some of their cartoons. But in the same way that some English-language comedy will satirise a thing by pretending to be the thing, I think it's important to remember that Charlie Hebdo was often trying to skewer racism by taking the stupidities uttered by racist politicians to their point of illogicality, as a form of reductio ad absurdum. It's a strategy in which missteps are perhaps inevitable - look at Ricky Gervais and his 'mong' character.
I made the comparison recently - Cabu for the French was kinda like Tony Hart, if Tony Hart had a sideline in drawing controversial political cartoons for Viz. Like Chris Morris crossed with Tony Hart, drawing for Viz. Not some crackpot churning out racist propaganda by any means.