6 Responses to Jon Stewart Destroys the Birthers and Rep. Campbell

1. bobschacht July 23rd, 2009 at 1:25 pm «

   A recent poll apparently shows that Stewart is the most trusted newsman(?) since Walter Cronkite. This surprised me, as I have never watched Stewart, and was not even aware of what channel his show was on, or at what time. So I went hunting, and found it at last, on the ”Comedy Channel”, which is channel 545 here in Honolulu (how’s that for mainstream media?)

   So I watched his next show, which is only half an hour long. First 7? minutes was a stupid comedy schtick. Middle 10 minutes was a decent interview with Steven Chu, Obama’s energy guy. Rest of the show seemed a waste.

   Is this all we have left of Cronkite’s legacy? The National News in a 10 minute segment of a comedy show? OH, please.

   IMHO, Cronkite’s banner is now being carried by Amy Goodman, but alas, most people have no idea who she is. I blame this in part on the American public, who are being milked like contented cows, and on the modern TV companies, who see the ”news” as being a form of entertainment: If not comedy, a la Stewart and Colbert, at least infotainment, which is about all MSNBC allows Olbermann and Maddow, who have to flavor their news hours with entertainment features like ”Worst person in the World” and ”Cocktail moment.”

   Christy this morning was bemoaning the inattention of the American public to fundamental issues, compared with previous generations (http://christyhardinsmith.firedoglake.com/2009/07/23/absence-of-clear-guidance-and-action-is-a-policy-choice-too/)– see especially her comment @ 4.

   Depressing.

   Bob in HI
• freepatriot July 23rd, 2009 at 4:27 pm «

  you missed the episode of “crossfire” where Jon Steward euthanized that pathetic yellfest (it was epic)

  and you missed jim cramer’s craven apology-performance art after Jon Stewart spend a week highlighting cramers inadequacies as a stock prognosticator (cramer soon disavowed his apology, and stated peddling the same bad stock tips)

  I can’t remember why he won the Peabody Award, but Stewart’s genius is his tenacity on a topic. a single night doesn’t accurately represent how he tackles an issue. The audience is almost as knowledgeable as the brainiacs around here, and Stewart features truthful reporting played as a joke, for a few days, or even weeks

  the “special Reports” by Smantha Bee, Jonesy, et al are also filled with thinly disguised biting satire (Jonesy at the Beijing Olympics was the best)

  and you should have seen Stewart and brian williams verbal and arm wrestling match (it was a draw, williams said that Cronkite was his childhood idol, like carrot top was to Jon Stewart, and then JS asked BW how it felt to fall so short of his dream)

  The Daily Show thrives on critiquing the media

  Steven Colbert thrives by outright spoofing faux gnus

  we’re returning to the age of the Jester

  and these two guys are in the center ring
• Leen July 23rd, 2009 at 7:27 pm «

  Sorry to say I don’t know if Uncle Walter was as good as Amy
2. Cujo359 July 23rd, 2009 at 2:07 pm «

   Sadly, yes. This, and Stephen Colbert, are the closest things to honest journalism you see on TV these days. By being clowns, they ask more profound questions than TV news allows itself to nowadays.

   Check out this exchange between Stewart and Brian Williams, NBC’s ”teleprompter monkey” (scroll down):

   http://www.huffingtonpost.com/…..41887.html

   His calling out of the old Crossfire crew is legendary:

   http://vodpod.com/watch/5552-j…..-crossfire

   It’s sad that this is true, but the people who should be checking what politicians say against reality don’t do it. They’re leaving it to comedians, and to us – although some might imply that we’re comedians, too.
3. reader July 23rd, 2009 at 3:11 pm «

   Bob: that was not a good show that you saw … but yeah, it is a comedy/entertainment show so they have to get the stupid stuff in. Stewart does nail the crap to the wall and he tells the truth. It can be very cathartic. And for sure, no one else is doing it. I can’t watch Colbert for some reason … probably just too warped.

   The stuff on the birthers was brilliant!

   There’d be no birthers if racism was not still completely out of control. It makes me sick. It means the U.S. education system is in worse shape than imagined. Among other things.
4. dosido July 23rd, 2009 at 4:14 pm «

   Hey Bob, I had that reaction too when I first watched. But give it a chance and you’ll “get” how he sneaks in the real truth of a matter and calls BS on MSM each and every show. Sometimes it gets a little coarse, but sometimes it’s incredibly brilliant, too. And Colbert is esp. clever mocking the o’reilly types. great satire.