REPRESENTASI MENS REA PANDJI PRAGIWAKSONO DALAM KOMUNIKASI PUBLIK: TINJAUAN TEORI KOMUNIKATIF DAN KOMUNIKASI MASSA

Abstract

Penelitian ini dilatarbelakangi oleh kontroversi tayangan stand-up comedy special Mens Rea karya Pandji Pragiwaksono di Netflix sejak Desember 2025 yang memicu perdebatan luas di ruang publik digital Indonesia. Kontroversi tersebut menunjukkan adanya polarisasi pandangan masyarakat terhadap batas antara kritik sosial, satire, kebebasan berekspresi, dan dugaan penghinaan. Fenomena ini menjadi penting untuk dikaji karena mencerminkan dinamika komunikasi di era digital yang dipengaruhi oleh media massa, media sosial, serta interpretasi publik terhadap suatu pesan. Penelitian ini bertujuan mengidentifikasi mens rea komunikatif yang mendasari penyampaian pesan oleh Pandji Pragiwaksono, menganalisis makna pesan yang disampaikan dalam tayangan Mens Rea, mengidentifikasi faktor-faktor yang memicu munculnya kontroversi, serta menjelaskan implikasinya terhadap diskursus publik di Indonesia. Penelitian menggunakan pendekatan kualitatif dengan metode studi kasus. Data dikumpulkan melalui analisis tayangan Mens Rea, podcast YouTube yang berkaitan dengan proses kreatif dan penjelasan Pandji Pragiwaksono, pemberitaan media digital, serta analisis klaim validitas Habermas dan Dimensi McQuail 2010. Data tersebut dianalisis untuk memahami konstruksi pesan, respons publik, serta dinamika penyebaran isu di ruang digital. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa mens rea komunikatif Pandji Pragiwaksono lebih mencerminkan kritik sosial-politik yang disampaikan melalui pendekatan satire daripada bentuk penghinaan terhadap pihak tertentu. Kontroversi yang muncul tidak hanya dipengaruhi oleh isi materi pertunjukan, tetapi juga oleh polarisasi audiens dalam menafsirkan pesan serta proses reframing media yang menggeser isu dari konteks hiburan menjadi isu hukum dan politik. Perbedaan interpretasi tersebut memperkuat fragmentasi ruang publik digital dan memunculkan perdebatan yang melibatkan berbagai kelompok masyarakat. Penelitian ini menyimpulkan bahwa kontroversi Mens Rea tidak hanya merefleksikan perbedaan persepsi terhadap satire sebagai bentuk komunikasi, tetapi juga menunjukkan kompleksitas hubungan antara kebebasan berekspresi, etika komunikasi, peran media, dan dinamika opini publik di era digital. Temuan penelitian diharapkan dapat menjadi kontribusi bagi pengembangan kajian komunikasi, khususnya mengenai komunikasi publik, media digital, dan komunikasi risiko reputasi, serta menjadi bahan pertimbangan dalam memahami pengelolaan diskursus publik di tengah masyarakat yang semakin terpolarisasi.

This study examines the controversy surrounding Mens Rea, the Netflix stand-up comedy special by Pandji Pragiwaksono, which has generated widespread debate in Indonesia's digital public sphere since its release in December 2025. The controversy reflects the polarization of public opinion over the boundaries between social criticism, satire, freedom of expression, and perceived insults. This phenomenon warrants scholarly attention because it illustrates the complexities of communication in the digital era, where public discourse is shaped by the interplay of mass media, social media, and diverse audience interpretations of messages. The objectives of this study are to identify the communicative mens rea underlying Pandji Pragiwaksono's message delivery, analyze the meanings conveyed in Mens Rea, identify the factors that triggered the controversy, and examine its implications for public discourse in Indonesia. This research employs a qualitative approach using a case study method. Data were collected through an analysis of the Mens Rea performance, YouTube podcasts discussing Pandji Pragiwaksono's creative process and explanations, digital news coverage, and accompanied by an analysis of Habermas's validity claims and McQuail's (2010) dimensions. These data were analyzed to understand message construction, public responses, and the dynamics of issue dissemination in the digital sphere. The findings indicate that Pandji Pragiwaksono's communicative mens rea primarily reflects socio-political criticism delivered through satire rather than an intention to insult any particular individual or group. The controversy was influenced not only by the content of the performance but also by audience polarization in interpreting the messages and by media reframing, which shifted the issue from an entertainment context to legal and political debates. These differing interpretations further reinforced the fragmentation of the digital public sphere and generated extensive public discussion involving various segments of society. This study concludes that the Mens Rea controversy reflects not only differing perceptions of satire as a form of communication but also the complex relationship among freedom of expression, communication ethics, the role of the media, and the dynamics of public opinion in the digital era. The findings are expected to contribute to the advancement of communication studies, particularly in the fields of public communication, digital media, and reputational risk communication, while also providing insights into the management of public discourse within an increasingly polarized society