Well that was interesting to watch

[godix]

Tonight I watched the unedited Stewart/Cramer interview. Surprisingly it was well done. Stewart had well presented facts and opinions, and of course those clips that absolutely nailed Cramer to the wall. I say surprisingly because because I had quit watching the Daily Show last summer after their convention coverage. If you'll recall that was about

Comments

[dwchang]

Do you remember that one time I argued with some dumbass on the org about the Daily Show being biased and how Jon Stewart was a bad interviewer? Reading this made me feel good :P.

Although I still watch the Daily Show (for comedic purposes), I too was a bit put off by just how biased he was during the election. I won't say it offended me or anything, but it does irk me when people don't think the Daily Show (or most media) is left-leaning. Are people that blind or biased to their own viewpoint? I'm not saying he can't have an opinion or have a favorite, but he didn't even try to hide it. Given most of his audience already sucks his dick and agrees with anything he says, but like you said...that's basically the same mentality as the people he's making fun of (i.e. Rush Limbaugh, etc.).

In short, it worries me that so many people watch it and think "I'm hip...I'm informed" and yet, they're just mindless sheep too. Ironically making fun of other mindless sheep and laughing -_-;;.

Damnit, why did you have to *make me* rant here? >:O

[flint_the_dwarf]

I don't know anyone who thinks TDS is not biased, and I don't see the show proclaiming that it isn't.

[godix]

I suppose I should mention I didn't get offended he was so biased during election. I quit watching because, to me, he went from being a funny guy with some political leaning to an unfunny guy with a lot of political leanings. In he zeal to elect Obama he lost his sense of humor. I mean in the rich field of comedy potential with the election he had a long running segment of Rob Wiggle beating up other news reporters. It was like watching a bad SNL episode.

Not to read to much into it, but I think that's why the lefties don't have anyone as famous or popular as Limbaugh. Rush has a fine balance between his political hackery and humor. Not enough humor for me to regularly listen to him but enough I'm entertained the times I do catch him. You put Al Frankin or Stewart on the media and somehow the hackery makes the humor just disappear.

[doki]

But... I'm hip and informed... ;_;

[flint_the_dwarf]

I don't really think Stewart and staff could do the reporting that you're talking about. One of his main points is that Cramer and his colleagues have the knowledge and information at hand, but they're misusing it. Stewart's area of expertise is obviously not the same. And, while he has the bigger audience now, if he tried to do that kind of reporting, he'd lose it.

I would like to see him try to be a little less biased, however.

[godix]

One of my points is while Cramer and others have the knowledge it's Stewart that has the resources. You're telling me with a budget big enough to have 16 writers then don't have the money to hire a 17th with Cramer like knowledge?

As for the audience, Comedy Central says the Cramer episode had 2.3 million viewers which was 40% higher than the typical audience for that day of the week. If you look up the various blogs that covered it almost all of the comments were very pro-Stewart. The last time I can recall Stewart doing something like this was a year and a half ago with someone who was knowledgeable about Iraq (although I forget who that actually was). Both times I've seen Stewart do this his audience was interested and weren't disappointed in the results. Now I'm not suggesting he turn his show into a humorless debate show, but clearly there's interest in him doing this sort of debate more than he does.

[kalium]

Yes, there is market interest. But does Stewart want to do it? That's just as big a question, nevermind that Comedy Central probably doesn't want to get into general news.

[kalium]

As Stewart would point out, he is not a journalist. His job is not to do journalism. He occasionally slips into the role of defending the public trust, but he's still by no means a journalist. He doesn't pretend to be anything other than a comedian.

He certainly doesn't set himself up as the Glorious Leader of a major political party.

And you know what else? Those disclaimers investment shows are required to carry? They, like disclaimers on drug commercials, are invariably minimized. Minimized to the point where you have to both know it's there and be looking for it to notice. So you can repeat "personal responsibility" as much as you want, but that doesn't change the fact that the public trust was used, abused, and anally raped in a way that would do #AMV proud.

[godix]

If someone has the means to do something and chooses not to they really don't have that much validity when they bitch that others choose not to as well. Again, Stewart bitching about irresponsible media would be like me bitching about org assholes. It might be correct, but it's also something that the person bitching is at least as responsible for as who he's bitching at. If he wants to be a comedian then he should bring out the funny. Instead he turned his show into a shill for Obama and a bully pulpit which means the 'I'm just a comedian' excuse doesn't carry much water with me. He certainly acts like he's more than a comedian