This study investigated how the stylistic characteristics of Nigerian satirical skits on social media influence audience engagement, utilizing the Satire as Humorous Discourse theory. A quantitative content analysis was conducted on 106 skits and 10,600 comments from four prominent comedians (Mr. Macaroni, Zady Soko, MC Tagwaye, and Kelvinblak). A multiple regression analysis was used to examine the predictive power of aggressiveness, critique focus, and creator style on various engagement metrics. Findings reveal that aggressiveness exhibits a dual effect: it is a significant negative predictor of direct interactions but a strong positive predictor of emotional reactions, suggesting a trade-off in audience response. Furthermore, a focus on specific policy was found to be a more effective catalyst for emotional engagement than targeting a politician’s character, highlighting the audience’s preference for substantive critique. The study also confirms that a comedian’s unique style can be a significant factor in a skit’s success, as exemplified by one comedian’s superior performance (Kelvinblak) in generating emotional reactions. The results collectively indicate that the form and content of online satire are crucial filters for audience engagement, with different stylistic choices leading to distinct types of audience response. This research’s primary contribution is the empirical quantification of satire’s civic impact on digital platforms. Our findings introduce the “Paradox of Laughter” into the Satire as Humorous Discourse theory, demonstrating that while aggressive content suppresses conversational engagement, it significantly amplifies emotional response, thus clarifying the conditions under which stylistic choices either encourage or suppress measurable engagement with political accountability.