On a snowy February night in Somerville, Mass. tucked away in Davis Square, a panel of journalists and comedians came together at The Rockwell performance venue to discuss their careers in America’s increasingly tense political climate.
Hosted by comedian Alexa Albanese, “Truth, Jest & the American Way” brought six guests to the stage, each representing a different intersection of journalism and comedy. The panel included journalist and Emerson College alumnus Matt Shearer ‘09, or “Reporter Matt,” of WBZ NewsRadio, Nick A. Zaino III, a Boston Globe freelance writer and creator of Boston Comedy Radio, among others.
Albanese took the stage at the start of the evening in a bright red suit, heeled Dr. Martens, and a Drake Maye jersey, telling jokes ranging from pop culture to politics. She moved between jokes about Crave’s — an independent Canadian television production company — latest hit, “Heated Rivalry,” to issues like the growing presence of ICE in American cities. Her humor was an effortless blend of political critique and sharp wit, also including jabs at quarterback Tom Brady’s apathetic relationship with the New England Patriots and Vice President JD Vance’s criticized appearance at the Olympics.
When panelists joined Albanese onstage, the conversation took a more serious tone.
Silvia Foster-Frau, a Nieman Journalism Fellow at Harvard University and an immigration reporter for The Washington Post, spoke about her reporting during a difficult time for the immigrant community. She said that the casual use of political language and buzzwords can polarize people.
“What is democracy? Why are we throwing that word out there?” she asked the room.
Foster-Frau discussed the human cost of the immigration policies, noting that children as young as two months are being detained by federal agents. She emphasized that the majority of detained immigrants are not violent criminals.
“The administration in power often makes decisions for its own benefit and not for the good of the people,” she said. “A lot of these [immigration] laws leave a lot of discretion.”
For Foster-Frau, comedy plays a crucial role in revealing uncomfortable evidence.
“The best comedy always reveals a truth … in an accessible way because you are laughing and usually in a community,” she said.
The communal nature of comedy, she said, creates a shared space where people can process hard evidence and reflect on it collectively, making the truth easier to engage with rather than ignore.
Another panelist, Simone Iglesias, also a Nieman fellow and a Bloomberg News reporter in Brazil, took the conversation beyond the United States, reflecting on political developments in Brazil and on China’s growing influence in the region.
She described how the Brazilian government prefers to make trade agreements with China rather than the United States. Iglesias also discussed the challenges of understanding global power shifts from a regional perspective.
Iglesias emphasized the importance of “international rules to regulate this situation.”
Daniel Strauss, another Nieman Fellow and a CNN political reporter, focused on the absurdities of American politics, joking that cryptocurrency is “the new 100-pound gorilla,” before adding, “That’s a small gorilla!”
He credited crypto as one of the biggest wild cards in the next election cycle, second only to President Donald Trump.
He mentioned political figures who’ve faced career threats for their stance on crypto regulation, such as House Majority Whip Tom Emmer and former Chair of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission Gary Gensler, and he criticized what he described as the Trump administration’s “blatant corruption.” Despite the humor, Strauss stressed the responsibility that comes with reporting.
“It is a responsibility to pursue the truth,” he said, noting that comedians often enjoy more public trust than journalists.
Zaino emphasized the benefits of local journalism and live performance. In an era greatly influenced by mass media and digital platforms, he asked audiences to seek information from multiple sources and to discuss news with one another.
Shearer reflected on how social interaction has devolved since the pandemic.
“People cease to chat with strangers,” he said.
As someone whose job relies on striking up conversations with passersby, Shearer argued that we as a society contribute to the world what we learn from other people.
“When we put up these walls, the only thing we know is what we’re allowed to see,” he said.
He asked the audience to reengage with the world beyond screens, arguing that people experience growth when they interact with others.
While Shearer acknowledged that the title of reporter carries weight, he also said that humor helps him navigate the darker aspects of the job.
“I’m not a serious person,” Shearer said. “Joking is the only way I can communicate.”
He urged the importance of supporting local comedians and live shows, where shared laughter can foster connection. “There’s something powerful about a bunch of people laughing at once,” he said.
In an interview with The Beacon, Shearer said that the event’s concept immediately appealed to him.
“I love comedy. I love journalism,” he said.“Why not put the two together and see what happens?”
Zaino told The Beacon he initially hesitated to join the panel, saying that while he writes about comedy for a living, many of the other panelists cover “more serious” issues.
“All aspects of journalism are equally important,” he said.
Zaino said aspiring journalists should start writing now and contribute wherever they can.
“We have to depend on each other more than the government,” he said. “Look up from your phones … talk to each other … don’t buy into everything you’re told.”
