"Oprah Effect" in the US is "Comedy Satire" effect in Canada?

This article in the Journal the other day was interesting, apparently there's a study that those "who watch daytime talk show coverage of election issues and candidates...are more likely to vote for the candidate best aligned with their views than those who didn't". Meaning that even if the talk show seems all fluff and frivolity, somehow the candidate's message is getting through.

However, a pollster in Canada pointed out that that approach wouldn't work well here.

"Canadians -- in this more egalitarian, questioning-of-authority culture -- desperately want to get on a show where they can be teased," Adams says. "In Canada, the currency is irony, humour and self-deprecation. It communicates a kind of intelligence and self-confidence."

Therefore, the Canadian equivalent would be the comedy satire programs such as Mercer, 22 Minutes, and the Air Farce... (hmm, what does that say about me that I watch those shows each week and not much other TV?)

On a somewhat similar note, I want to know why Shaw Cable doesn't carry LeapTV ;-).

(I should mention that Todd Babiak has been my favourite Journal columnist for some time, I have The Garneau Block, just haven't read it yet but look forward to it).