John Stewart: softball interviewer

Politics and religion
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Well, then those people are stupid. I have jokingly said that the Daily Show is a better source of news than the news networks, but that’s not a testiment to the newsworthiness of the Daily Show so much as it is a condemnation of network news. Nonetheless, the Daily Show isn’t a news program, and they don’t claim to be a news program. If anyone still wants wants to view it as a news program in spite of that, then that’s their problem. If I said that Ted at the water cooler is a better source of news than the networks, does that suddenly make Ted beholden to adhere to standards of jounalistic integrity? Of course not. Because I know that Ted is not a trained journalist, and if I want to use him as a source of news, then that’s my problem, not his.

He’s using comedy as a COVER. As an excuse. As a hiding place. Bye bye sheet over Stewart’s head. Its spotlight time.

I’m not entirely clear on your metaphor, here. Are you implying that Jon Stewart is in the Klan?

What kind of comedian, a simple comedian according to him, goes on a SERIOUS news show and berates the hosts for doing political theater? That’s right… comedians don’t do that. Politicians do.

So now I’m lost–is he a politician or a journalist? Your implication–that comedians are not allowed to have their own political opinions, or express anything other than comedic wit in a public forum–is silly. And hey, a lot of the politicians who come on the Daily Show crack jokes and make with the funny. Does that mean that they are really comedians?

I’ve been holding Stewart to a HIGHER standard than I hold any other big media source to, since he’s the first big media place I look to for news. That’s perfectly reasonable in these quite unreasonable times.

No, it isn’t.

When are you going to realize its not how they BILL IT that matters, but what it is that matters?

That’s the most assinine thing I’ve ever heard. If a bunch of viewers decide that Crank Yankers is really a news show, are the puppets beholden to behave as the serious journalists they have inadvertently become?

42

I think Brian implied bedsheets, as in hiding under them, cowering in fear.

He plays his insecurity up during the show, but I doubt it’s real.

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I agree that historically speaking the Daily Show is not a legendary, or even a great, news show. But its the best we’ve got in the big media, and therefore that’s its primary identity.

If something was better ice cream than any other current ice cream and was still pretty good ice cream compared to older ice cream, why should we call it a banana instead of ice cream just because there might be chunks of banana inside? Humor does NOT trump news. If it was crappy ice cream and great banana you’d just extract the banana and eat that and call it a rather cold banana! Meanwhile someone would berate you by saying that the manufacturer MEANT to be producing ice cream. You would wisely note that you are in fact eating the banana regardless of what the manufacturer was trying to do.

Trained journalist? Oh… you must mean the people who have sold out to big business or big politicians. That’s what the training is for, right… to be sold to the highest bidder so to speak?

Whatever qualifications the people working for Stewart have, the results show they are pretty impressive. I could care less whether Stewart himself is a journalist… after all, I am calling him a Politician anyway.

Are you implying that you’re a troll?

You know that thing called a bedsheet you might be using around 7 hours of the day every day, or most days?

No… that’s your machination or misinterpretation, not my implication.

I said that comedians DON’T go on Crossfire and make political commentary. Jon Stewart was invited onto Crossfire and in fact newspeople WATCH the Daily Show for its news value, not its comedic value.

Comedians aren’t invited onto Crossfire, unless you count the hosts. They aren’t traditional comedians like Stewart. They are political buffoons.

Jon Stewart is a Politician and Comedian who anchors a news show with added comedic value.

I don’t know… does that mean Jon Stewart is really a comedian and not just a politician because he does the same thing?

A single joke does not make someone a comedian. Jon Stewart is both a comedian and a politician because those are his two major identity elements (that’s what he’s successful at and the reason he’s watched), at least with respect to the public and his show.

You should get out more if that’s the most assinine thing you’ve ever heard.

If Crank Yankers made insightful political commentary and went indepth into the news in a way noone else did, essentially doing news BETTER than anyone else, the puppets WOULD BE beholden to behave as the serious journalists they have inadvertently become, yes.

You don’t deal too well with change, do you?

If Jon Stewart can’t stand the heat, maybe he shouldn’t have started the fire.

Jon Stewart could win nomination to the House of Representatives right now if he had a residency in many spots in America (especially liberal or libertarian ones, of course). Maybe even the Senate. He’s a Politician… its time for him to start dealing with that.

Stewart: “But I’m… a comedian? Stop Hurting America!”

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He was invited to promote his new Book: America, a guide to democracy. Which in all its intentions is a comedic look on politics in america. (It has Naked Judges.)

I would have thought that satisfied the political requirement to get on crossfire. And the comedian role Jon plays.

Again, until either daily show gets syndicated on a major news network or Stewart starts working for BBC, neither of them are beholden to being good journalist. That they are, is entirely to our benefit.

The chinese have a phrase for this. De2 chun4 jin1 ze3.

Roughly translated, don’t ask for a mile when they’ve already given you an inch.

Though truthfully, while I would love to see Stewart in any sort of political role, I doubt he has the skillset required. He’s a comedian, his mind works differently than politicians.

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Its more like part of Stewart wants to go into politics and part of him wants to remain a comedian. I don’t see why he can’t have both, but he apparently hasn’t worked out such a positive solution. Its probably illegal for him to continue to host the Daily Show in such a case, which can’t be high on his happiness list.

Humor would be extremely valuable in the heart of Washington! One look at Cheney should tell you that. When Rove is the only guy who makes you laugh and that laugh is sickly cynical you know you’re in trouble.

Aides, advisors, handlers. It certainly helps to be a “natural politician”, but its not necessary. Incoming political clout is much more important than inherent ability.

I doubt Stewart will go into politics any time soon because he’s setting his persona up as being the outsider… the critic. I don’t think he wants to abandon his cash cow.

What he could do is to establish a second show that is a serious news show, which would either replace the Daily Show or run along with it. Thus we could have Jon Stewart the comedian/doesn’t-have-to-be-a-journalist on the Daily Show and Jon Stewart the commentator/has-to-be-a-journalist on the News Show.

Jon Stewart is becoming growingly active in American politics. He obviously is able to take on a large role. He has no problem aggressively attacking the political arena, which is what any serious politician does. Apparently, at least according to he himself, the comedic aspect of his show is an obstacle to legitimacy. Problem Easily Solved: Drop the comedic necessity. Take on the responsibility of a full news show.

I still think he’s merely hiding behind comedy, that he ALREADY is running a full news show. But fine. Remove the hangup, remove the curtain, the veil, whatever, and Stewart will be ready for the light of day.