It’s safe to say that politics is particularly amenable to satire. Who doesn’t enjoy a good joke at the expense of politics and politicians? Without political satire, enduring election season and heck, even reading the newspaper, could get downright unbearable. With all the mud slinging that goes on, a good pie in the face can be awfully refreshing.

But people don’t necessarily want to be hit in the face by it. This is why successful satire comes around the corner and takes you by surprise – and this is when you find yourself stifling giggles and laughing at the very things in which you believe.

Ask Bartlesville native Joe Sears. Having mastered the art of satire, he knows a thing or two about successful political pie throwing.

Together with longtime “laughing buddy” Jaston Williams, Sears is one-half of the mastermind behind the longtime, critically acclaimed Greater Tuna comedic plays, which have garnered a dedicated following of fans both new and old for the past 30 years.

“There is always something new and silly going on in politics, so I think that people are always ready to laugh. We need to laugh. That’s what’s so fun about being a satirist – we make you laugh at some of our own mistakes and make you take a second look at things. We take something and stretch it way out of proportion, so when it slings back you think, ‘Oh wasn’t that funny?’” Sears says.

Based in the fictional town of Tuna, Texas’ third smallest town, where the Lion’s Club is too liberal and Patsy Cline never dies, the eclectic band of citizens –men, women, children and animals alike – who live there are portrayed by only two performers, making the poke on life in rural America an endearingly good time, no matter what side of the fence you’re on.

First written as a skit, Greater Tuna was originally based on a political cartoon depicting the difference between totalitarianism and authoritarianism, where in it, both sides lose, with the U.S. government beating up the same people on both the totalitarianism and authoritarianism angles.

“During the ‘80s, the Moral Majority was just raging, and every day in the newspaper it was something totally ridiculous. When we first performed it, I was a radio host interviewing a man from the U.S. government, and he was demonstrating the difference between authoritarianism and totalitarianism. He would beat me up, and I’d say ‘Folks, this man has just beat the livin’ hell out of me, and we’ll be back in a minute after this commercial,’” Sears explains.

During the commercial breaks, the little town of Tuna was born, and Sears and Williams would do commercials as the now seasoned, much loved array of different Tuna citizens. From that platform, the writing for Greater Tuna and its subsequent plays, A Tuna Christmas, Red White and Tuna, and Tuna Does Vegas came to life and have been making people laugh ever since, from Broadway and Carnegie Hall to the White House and the famed Edinburgh Festival in Scotland.

Sears says that they’ve always tried not to make any judgment in their plays, making sure that all of the characters have something likeable about them – a detail that he believes has contributed to the ongoing success of Tuna.

“We have never wanted to make fun of anyone in our plays. That’s just not who we are. Our roots are in small towns, with Jaston being a small town Texas boy, and me coming from Oklahoma ranch people. That’s who we are – those rural town people are our people. Our families are Republicans and conservatives and we love them,” Sears explains.

“At the same time, I think that’s why Tuna has been successful in places like New York and Washington. People don’t want to see us make fun of our own people – they enjoy the satire because that’s who they are, too. Our work may be stringing up small town folks, but politicians are just as much fodder.”

Now approaching retirement age, Sears says he’s looking to retreat from the national stage and utilize the teaching degree he earned at Northeastern State University in his younger years.

“I couldn’t have asked for a more glamorous life and I’ve enjoyed every minute of it, but I’m ready to settle down and teach young people – particularly the young Oklahoma people,” he says.

“We have extremely good talent that comes out of Oklahoma. We come from an area that’s repressed in the arts – we’re not really known for the arts – but when we pop up, we’re a talented lot. I want to take part in guiding young people who are interested in pursuing the arts. That’s what artists do – we pass down what we know. I think that’s the responsibility of any accomplished artist.”

You’ve probably seen the commercials on TV. Celebrities such as Robert Wagner endorsing them as the best thing since sliced bread. In light of the tanking economy, reverse mortgages, or at least ads for them, seem to be all the rage – promising financial help for seniors. 
But what are the real details, and risks, of this emerging trend?

A reverse mortgage is a loan for senior homeowners, which uses a portion of the home’s equity as collateral. The loan generally does not have to be repaid until the last surviving homeowner permanently moves out of the property or passes away. At that time, the estate has approximately six months to repay the balance of the reverse mortgage or sell the home to pay off the balance. The estate inherits all remaining equity. The estate is not personally liable if the home sells for less than the balance of the reverse mortgage.

If that sounds too good to be true, it’s important to note that there are conditions and caveats.

“Like a lot of financial services offered, when used correctly, it can make sense in the right situation,” says Stephen Plaisance, executive vice president and chief operating officer for Arvest Bank.

“However, these are highly specialized offerings that are not commonplace to find. Many lenders simply do not offer it, and it does have strings attached.”

Those strings include up-front costs, which are the most common target of reverse mortgage scrutiny. According to Plaisance, the government has tried to improve on the costs associated with a reverse mortgage, but it still has a reputation for its expense. 

It is also quite possibly the only loan program where you have to be a certain age to qualify: 62. Consequently, the profile of the customer automatically rings the bells of “taking advantage” of the elderly and other predatory lending concerns.

Plaisance recommends seniors considering a reverse mortgage get their family involved.

Arvest, like many other lenders in the area, does not offer reverse mortgages at this time. 

“At Arvest, we have explored offering this product, but since we are so interested in making sure we can be as much of the process, of the loan sale, we have been unsuccessful in offering it,” says Plaisance. “It requires a great deal of specialization which we simply do not have at this time. Plus, this is a highly sensitive loan product, and we would only want to do it the right way, ensuring we take care of our customers.”

Still, for some, and if used correctly, a reverse mortgage can be a useful tool, according to Gentra Abbey Sorem, an attorney with Conner & Winters. 

“The reverse mortgage is a good resource for persons who need to supplement a fixed income or need a lump sum for medical or other extraordinary expenses and do not wish to leave their home,” says Sorem. “No repayment is required to the bank until the borrower dies, moves away or the borrower fails to maintain the residence (i.e., repair, pay insurance premiums and ad valorem taxes).”

However, Sorem warns borrowers of potential pitfalls.

“The borrower may die or have to move into a nursing home within a few years or months after making the loan,” says Sorem. “And generally there is no equity or residence to leave to heirs because the outstanding balance will equal or exceed the value of the home.”