The "capture" of
popular and reputedly
progressive comedy shows by various industries which wield influence over stakeholders within particular corporate
parent companies and networks, which in turn borrow from certain comedians' or comic writers' reputations as independent-minded social critics, cashing in this artistic credence to advance the interests of industries or political lobbies which these artists and performers might otherwise be expected to satirize and expose.
The term comicapture is related to "regulatory capture", an expression originated by Woodrow Wilson to signify the phenomenon of state regulatory agencies which were created to act in the public interest but which instead advance the commercial or
special interests that dominate the industries the agencies are charged with regulating.