Posted on 10/22/2004 12:52:52 PM PDT by drew
The Daily Dodge
Comedy Central's Jon Stewart offers satire without substance.
BY JAMES BOWMAN Friday, October 22, 2004 12:01 a.m. EDT
Ah, satire! Or perhaps "satire." Either way--with a single dose of irony or a double--it's back. What the show "That Was the Week That Was" was to the Sixties, "The Daily Show" on Comedy Central is to the Aughties.
But there is a difference. The consumers of TV satire 40 years ago were assumed by the satirists to be pretty well-informed people already. Now there are indications that a lot of people, especially young people, are skipping the regular news and going straight to the satire.
According to a survey by the Pew Research Center for the People and the Press earlier this year, 21% of people aged 18-29 "regularly" got news about the election campaign from "The Daily Show" or the monologues of late-night comedians--about the same number as watched network news shows or got news from the Internet.
If this is true, it could explain a lot about the way that Jon Stewart, "The Daily Show's" mock anchorman, chooses to handle his subject. He offers a combination of real stories from the "wacky" end of the news spectrum--like the one about the Iraqi tourism minister whose job is to prevent tourists from coming to Iraq--and mockery of mainstream news sources, especially the pomposity of the network anchors and correspondents. And of course it isn't just the media that are mocked: It is also conservatives, Republicans, the Religious Right and, most of all, President Bush and his administration.
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I agree with your assesment. Stewart isn't funny. The daily show WAS funny, but that was with craig kilborn. With stewart, it's just pathetic.
Of course he shouldn't be taken seriously! He's a comedian.
He has his moments, but it's not as if he's a roaring bag of hilarity.
The only funny people are the coorespondants.
Who takes him seriously?
Good god he's on the comedy channel.
Whenever I watch Stewart's show I'm always left with the impression that he and his cohorts might as well just get done on their knees and scream into the camera, "PLEASE, for the love of God and all that's decent in the universe, PLEASE, don't vote for Bush!!!" It really has become that transparent...
Stewert was cool back when he was in Chicage. He's sold out ever since his feet touched soil in Hollywood.
"down" on their knees (shouldn't have skipped lunch)
The guy is in reality a dweeb.
If you think those in power should be laughed at and ridiculed, he's kind of funny. But then again, I giggle when someone says titmouse.
Jon Stewrant IS taken seriously by many MTVers.
Can't help but think many said Clinton's appearance on MTV and Rock the Vote shouldn't be taken seriously.
Beware those who say "don't take me seriously, I'm just having some fun...."
They have more power than WE want to believe, but THEY believe it.
I don't know. There was one segment that was an out loud laugh... to me...
A year or so ago, N. Dakota was considering changing its name to try to encourage tourism. Jon showed a graphic of N. and S. Dakota and explained, "Not to be outdone, S. Dakota plans to follow suit...". The graphic showed S. Dakota with the name and pointing finger "We're with Stupid."
They trot him out during every election and convention (they being the news media) along with Bill Maher, as if they have anything worthwhile to say. And, unlike PJ, they don't say they have a particular bias and then make funny comments, but actually try to make serious commentary. It's ridiculous.
The only thing funny on this show is when their intrepid reporters go on the road and do an "interview."
They ask absurd questions and just let the interviewee flop around after they've been blindsided. They do it with a straight face and it is funny.
The one where the guy goes to the DEM convention was absolutely hilarious.
If you never watched him back when he had his own show in Chicago you wouldn't see what a narrow minded dim-witted left wing shill he's become.
Stewart is not that funny- as usual he is only getting such publicity because he is following the party line and spouting liberal slanted drivel.
Just like michael moore- if he was a CONSERVATIVE fatass blowhard he would not be allowed to make a movie.
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