Fiesta's annual Cornyation show, a longstanding comedy staple of San Antonio's celebrations, is roasting high-profile politicians left, right, and center. Kicking off with digs at Reps. Lauren Boebert and Marjorie Taylor Greene, the adults-only event took no prisoners as it lampooned members of Congress for their recent scandals, according to a San Antonio Report. In an act of defiance against supposed decorum, Congress was portrayed engaging more in salacious acts than in the grinding work of governance. In an early skit, Boebert got cast out for vaping in a theater and making inappropriate moves during "Beetlejuice," while Greene faced ridicule over an alleged affair.
Not shying away from local politics, Cornyation performers warned San Antonio's mayoral hopefuls that their turn under the satirical gun is coming next year, promising an irreverent look at the tremors shaking the city's political foundations. The show has evolved into a biting political commentary since being revived in the 1980s, with proceeds supporting AIDS nonprofits and LGBTQ+ youth services. "Welcome to your friendly, Fiesta neo-liberal echo chamber," said Master of Ceremonies Mindy Miller Hill, taking a jab at their own event, as reported by the San Antonio Report.
In what became the night's most provocative skit, audiences witnessed an actor playing Gov. Greg Abbott impound books like booby traps, setting them ablaze to a disco soundtrack. Yet, the show did more than just aim for laughs. It held up a mirror to society's current struggles with censorship, using Abbott's own crusade against certain literature to fire up the crowd. Amid the artful and unabashed ribbing of Texas' book ban efforts, Boebert and Greene were spotlighted for their personal life mishaps, with Miller Hill crafting quips that turned the politicians' gaffes into punchlines.
As Cornyation honored its tradition of pushing the envelope, the performances also peeked into pop culture. An unexpected turn in the program left audiences watching an actor present as Britney Spears slicing through the night's targets. Festivities, although entrenched in jest, also touched briefly upon the gravity of the upcoming presidential elections. The portrayal of Hunter Biden, seen rabidly snorting confetti-cocaine, was a testament to the blurred line between such political farce and the realities it feeds upon, a sentiment reflected again as co-host Payton Kane quipped about the "wheels on the bus" falling off in politics, told the San Antonio Report.
As the night drew to a close, Kane didn't hold back, promising that the upcoming mayoral race would be fair game for next year's event. The Cornyation stage vows to keep marking the city’s power plays with unabashed comedy, branding the mayoral race as the "biennial, completely nonpartisan San Antonio Shi*tty Council Hunger Games." With additional performances scheduled, the show continues an unrelenting tradition of politically charged humor that seems ready to take on all comers in the political arena, much to the delight of Fiesta attendees.
