Trailer For The Doc CRIME & PARODY About an Ohio Comedian Jailed for Mocking Police on a Facebook Parody Page

What happens when a joke lands you in jail? That’s the wild, very real story at the center of Crime & Parody, a new documentary that dives into the case of Ohio comedian Anthony Novak, who was arrested and charged with a felony for mocking his local police department on Facebook.

We’ve got your first look at the trailer as the film gears up for its world premiere at the Big Sky Documentary Film Festival.

The story even caught the attention of The Onion, which did something it rarely does. It submitted an amicus brief to the U.S. Supreme Court in Anthony Novak v. City of Parma, Ohio.

In its brief, The Onion wrote: “Americans can be put in jail for poking fun at the government? This was a surprise to America’s Finest News Source and an uncomfortable learning experience for its editorial team.

“Indeed, ‘Ohio Police Officers Arrest, Prosecute Man Who Made Fun of Them on Facebook’ might sound like a headline ripped from the front pages of The Onion—albeit one that’s considerably less amusing because its subjects are real.”

That wasn’t satire. Novak was arrested by Parma police, locked up in county jail, and charged “with a felony punishable by up to 18 months in prison,” all because he created a parody Facebook page spoofing his local police department. The page was clearly satire. The police didn’t see it that way.

Crime & Parody follows Novak’s long legal battle as his case climbs through the courts with support from The Onion, eventually reaching the U.S. Supreme Court. And the timing couldn’t have been more intense.

As the film’s synopsis explains: “Nearly a decade before Jimmy Kimmel and Stephen Colbert came under attack for their political humor, an unknown comedian from Ohio finds himself in even more serious trouble for making fun of the government.

“Crime & Parody opens with the story of Anthony Novak, an amateur comedian who creates a parody Facebook page mocking his local police department. The page is satire, but the police take it very seriously.”

The documentary tracks how Novak’s fight unfolds against a national backdrop where debates over free speech and political expression are heating up. The synopsis continues:

“With support from The Onion, his case is appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court, just as debates around free speech and political expression are reaching a boiling point in America.

“Anthony’s case helps raise two questions that continue to grow more urgent: how do you hold the government accountable when they violate your rights, and what responsibility does law enforcement have to its citizens?

“But Crime & Parody pushes those questions even further by following a second story about a man named Omar Arrington-Bey who grew up 15 miles from Anthony. Omar’s story ultimately highlights just how much is at stake when constitutional protections break down.”

The film is directed by Will Thwaites, who actually hails from Parma himself. Thwaites has spent over a decade working in documentary, producing projects like My Next Guest with David Letterman for Netflix and It’s In The Game for Amazon. But this one hits close to home.

In his director’s statement, Thwaites explains: “I’ve worked in the documentary industry for the past twelve years, primarily as a producer on projects like My Next Guest with David Letterman (Netflix) and It’s In The Game (Amazon).

“My long-term goal has always been to find a documentary I could direct, one where I had an organic connection to the story. When I discovered this high-stakes narrative unfolding just two miles from my childhood home, I knew I had found that project, and I dove in headfirst.

“Over the past three years, I’ve traveled from the steps of the U.S. Supreme Court to the offices of The Onion, exploring ideas about democracy, free expression, and government accountability. This journey has resulted in my debut documentary feature, Crime & Parody.”

Thwaites directed, wrote, produced, and even shot the film himself. He edited it alongside Geoff O’Brien.

At a time when comedians, late-night hosts, and everyday social media users are constantly pushing the line between parody and politics, Crime & Parody feels relevant.