The politically-shrewd and often critical bitcoin seeks independent validation like a jester in the court of monetary sovereigns.

FORBES: Bitcoin's Promise In Argentina

Rigoletto, the Duke's court jester in Piave's libretto, is transformed by Mayer into a hanger-on and comic along the lines of Don Rickles and Joey Bishop.

WSJ: Mayer's 'Rigoletto,' set in Vegas, opens at Met

He sees his role partly as that of court jester, challenging the received wisdom.

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The extreme nationalist, rich, Liberal Democrats, led by Russia's de facto court jester, Vladimir Zhirinovsky, who got 6%, act more as a lightning rod for the authorities than a serious political force.

ECONOMIST: Russia