waaah.

[khedron]

Readers over 30 might scoff at Stewart's inclusion -- assuming they know who he is. For many under 30, the host of Comedy Central's "The Daily Show" is, improbably, an important news source.

A poll released earlier this year by the Pew Research Center for the People and the Press found that 21 percent of people aged 18 to 29 cited "The Daily Show" and "Saturday Night Live" as a place where they regularly learned presidential campaign news.

Hey! I watch the Daily Show too! *sigh* They're going to succeed in stuffing me into this pre-defined bin, aren't they.

CNN story on Daily Show

Comments

[keyne.livejournal.com]

Hm. I never heard of Jon Stewart till a couple of weeks ago, and never saw the Daily Show till we sat down to watch TV for a few minutes last night (it does happen, every few months :-)) and stopped on Comedy Central. Flipped away from it when he started earnestly interviewing an actress we didn't know, though. Is most of the show funny?

[sconstant.livejournal.com]

(quotes stolen from some website, but I remember each of these from the show)

"If the events of September 11, 2001, have proven anything, it's that the terrorists can attack us, but they can't take away what makes us American - our freedom, our liberty, our civil rights. No, only Attorney General John Ashcroft can do that."

"Yesterday, the president met with a group he calls the coalition of the willing. Or, as the rest of the world calls them, Britain and Spain."

"Many of our soldiers are stationed at Camp Coyote just south of the Iraqi border. This is how you know we have a strong army, when you can actually tell your enemy exactly where your camp is and what its name is."

The first 10 minutes of the show are must-watch for us (if we're awake; when we have Tivo, it will be on the "always record" list). It's like the Onion, but instead of having to make up fake news stories, they use real ones. The SNL newscast, but less of a setup/punchline/setup/punchline pattern. Somewhat lib perspective, but not relentless or progpogandizing. Smart and insightful.

Then there are the occasionally amusing segments. Interview subjects include politicians, wonks, and commentators as well as stars-pushing-their-latest-projects. Normally better, IMHO, when it's not a star.

S.

[desdenova.livejournal.com]

I love the Daily Show. It is totally funny, and they do a brilliant job of skewering both politicians and the mainstream media. The interview guests are about 50% entertainment people and 50% political people. It's best when they have political guests. Stewart is actually a really good interviewer, and his status as a comedian, rather than as a "real news" guy, makes him able to ask--and get answers to!--questions that mainstream journalists can't, out of fear of losing access, or political/patriotic correctness, or whatever.

You've got to watch the Bush vs. Bush segment from a while back; it's genius. Go to: here and scroll down to the clip.

[khedron.livejournal.com]

What they said. =)

I don't have time to do this justice right now (after all, I should be working, or, barring that, reading about water on Mars). But the Daily Show is the only thing I watch on TV these days, and my schedule revolves around it, as Josh and Sue can attest.

The first ten minutes or so are topical news; then, there's a random segment which is usually of less interest, and then there's the interview. The percentage of political interview guests has increased over time, and runs the gamut: Newt Gingrich, Hillary Clinton, Madeline Albright, Bob Dole, Tom Brokaw, the CNN White House reporter guy, Ann "liberals, extremists, call them what you will" Coulter, and many more.

Jon Stewart is liberal, as others have said, but I've seen him be harder on the liberal guests than the conservatives at times, because he's upset that they're not doing a better job of getting things done.

John Edwards was on twice; the first time was a couple years ago, when he said that he'd announce his candidany on the Daily Show if he were going to run, and the second time to actually do so. (Stewart's response: "You realize that we're a fake news show, right? You're going to have to do this again tomorrow.")

One more quote:

"Republicans more than prevailed in yesterday's midterm elections across the country. Voters turned out strongly to express support for huge tax cuts for the rich, reduced corporate oversight, relaxed environmental standards, geostrategic unilateralism, and an ideologically hardline conservative judiciary.

Oh, what did you think you were voting for?"