I love The Daily Show and would gladly bare children for Jon Stewart, but I fear that… the best days are past. The show just doesn’t seem as funny or as fresh or as biting as it used to be and the latest slew of correspondents just isn’t anywhere near the league of Colbert, Rocca, Helms and Cordry the Elder. Mr. and Mrs. Samantha Bee are hit’n’miss (both have some good shows to their credit but much of their stuff is just ‘meh’), the new British commentators (who I assume have a career in the UK) just aren’t that funny, Demetri Martin is a phrase meaning “let’s see what’s on CNN for a few minutes”, Jon Hodgeson wouldn’t be funny if he was wrestling with a monkey and both were wearing tutus, and the others I can’t even remember their names. The Seat of Heat is just silly and needs to be done away with while “This Week in God” needs to come back, and I place Lewis Black to be on the comedy meter somewhere between Andy Rooney and Dennis Hastert.
On the other hand Jon Stewart is still one of the best interviewers on TV and has the most interesting guests. I loved the night that Larry King, who while not exactly a one man Woodward Bernstein does work on what is supposedly a news channel, did his fourth- that’s FOURTH as in this many I I I I - show based around the death of Anna Nicole’s son (a tragedy to be sure but 1- not really newsworthy beyond a mention and occasional update 2- there had been NO development in the case so he was just asking the same questions over and over 3- it’s terribly invasive of the privacy of a woman not known for her excessive mental health in an intensely trying time [I loathe Anna Nicole but would have enough respect for her as a fellow human being to let her grieve in peace] while on the same night Jon Stewart, host of a comedy/entertainment series, had as his guest Pervez Musharraf. He’s also one of the only hosts who not only interviews serious authors of non-fiction BUT actually knows what he’s talking about- sometimes it’s clear that he’s even read the book but at all times he’s at least read a good treatment and he or his staff has prepared good questions.
So what’s your opinion: has TDS jumped the shark, or is it just in transition trying to find its sea legs again after major cast departures, or do you like it better now? Also, if you think it’s broke how would you fix it?
Personally I’d bring Rocca back- since he’s working for pet channel, wrote a “go nowhere fast” book on presidential pets and deadpanning his way through whatever “I LOVE THE ___” show that Michael Ian Black is already deadpanning his way through he’d probably take the job, but since it apparently hasn’t been offered I’m guessing he left on mutually bad terms. I’d even bring back Frank DeCaro for occasional movie reviews or gay themed interviews (DeCaro’s funniest in small doses). I’d stop doing scripted skits like the Borat thing or some of Colbert’s crossovers as they just don’t work and aren’t what the shows about, and I’d also do occasional hour long specials when the news situation warrants it or have extended interviews available online (ITunes would be ideal- he’s had several guests, particularly authors and politicians, that I’d love to see him talk to longer).
I wonder out of curiosity: if Jon Stewart, who is imo the best interviewer since Johnny Carson and an extremely well informed person, were offered a very lucrative contract with a show like 60 Minutes or his own “real” interview show on CNN or HBO, would he take it, or does he still consider himself a comedian only?
I recently read a comment from one of the show’s producers that said, approximately, “There’s not much of a future for you on the Daily Show if your name isn’t Jon Stewart.” That’s their biggest problem, I think - the show is becoming a springboard for other talent. I like Jon Hodgman and Jones and Bee are okay sometimes, but they have more turnover now. After Colbert left, Corddry stepped up for a while, but I feel like there’s nobody even close to that level at this point. What really bugs me is that I keep sensing that none of the correspondents have characters. No matter which one of them is on, you can count on them shouting “WOOOO!!!” at least once a segment.
None of which means I’m writing off the show permanently.
I don’t know about the shark-jumping part, but I agree with a lot of your post. Personally, I miss Beth Littleford! The new crop of correspondents are just adequate, but nothing more. And I always felt Corddry was way too snarky, even for TDS.
However, the news segments and interviews are still making up for the other inadequacies the show suffers from (though the ratio is rapidly approaching 50-50; beyond that, the fin may begin to surface soon.
Joe Bob Briggs’ “God Stuff” was probably the best weekly segment of the show; I’d love to see him return.
Lewis Black not funny? Heretic!!!
As far as fixing the show, that’s a tough one. The previous correspondents were so funny and talented; people like Colbert, Littleford and Carell are very hard to replace. I think it would take 1 good breakout talent to get the show’s momentum going again; sadly, Carell was the last one of those, IMHO.
And as far as Stewart taking a lucrative deal to go elsewhere: I’m sure he already has received some offers–if he does decide to move on, I imagine he’d be smart enough to take the right one. “60 Minutes” is way too dry for someone with his comedic talents; I think a talk show would be the way to go. I’ve always felt he would be the only one capable of filling Letterman’s shoes if Dave should decide to retire. Meanwhile, he’s got a fairly lucrative sure thing going now–his decision to stay will probably be based more on that than his considering himself “just a comedian”. His built-in cynicism is his protection against accepting just any deal.
He’s making a good deal of money where he is, although I’m sure Letterman makes way, way more. The Daily Show may be the best fit for Stewart’s talents - he does have to do his thing for the entire show and can rely on other people to be funny in a way I don’t think a talk show host could. I’d wager that he also enjoys the status he has at TDS, but who knows.
“I love The Daily Show and would gladly bare children for Jon Stewart…”
Be careful of bear/bare. In our current society you should not say you will bare children to someone.
Ha ha ha
The weak players will inevitably rotate out and be replaced. Stewart, though, is at the top of his game and has an incredible slate of guests who would have been unthinkable for a show like this as recently as a year ago (John Ashcroft? President Musharref?).
While the show has definitely crossed some kind of threshold, it’s for the better, on balance. I miss Mo Rocca too, but Rob Riggle has his moments.
While I agree that the current crop of correspondents aren’t anywhere near as legendary as Colbert, Carrell, and Corddry, I think they do okay. Rob Riggle is funy in the same way that Patrick Warburton is hilarious; he’s this big, square-chinned guy who looks like he should be in action movies, but instead is happily throwing himself into comedy routines. Then there’s Aasif Mandvi, who’s almost a match for Colbert as a composed, charismatic, and ironic correspondent. It’s a shame they only bring him out for short green-screen segments, as I’d love to see him do more. John Oliver’s a good correspondent, if not great, although his piece about the Civil War reenactments was hilarious.
What’s almost sad, though, is that some days the bridge at the end of the show when Stewart and Colbert do their thing is the funniest part of TDS. It may be scripted, but Colbert almost always comes up with something great.
I premsume this is a joke. But if not, open the Bible and look.Do not post links to christian websites.Or go to a book or site on common grammatical errors
It never left. It’s an infrequent segment hosted by someone else each time- Samantha Bee did it last. As was pointed out in one of the bridges to The Colbert Report, they still use Stephen’s “beep noises” on the God Machine.
John Hodgeman is hit or miss (my favorite was his thing about the what-to-do-in-Iraq essay contest with a winning entry involving parachuting cobras that turn Sunnis into Shi’ites and vice versa). He’s much funnier in the Mac ads and in his book The Areas of My Expertise (especially the parts about the attempt by hoboes to overthrow the U.S. government in the 1930s).
Martin is hit-or-miss as well. I thought the recent look at OSU campus clubs while they were in Ohio was very funny, especially the tournament chart about who will be the ultimate one (“Jewish lesbians versus Pistol Club. I say Pistol Club…they’ve got pistols”). Hopefully, his job as Windows Vista spokesperson will keep him busy.
Comedy is always hit and miss. Thats the danger. Also what you find funny your spouse may not.
You are wrong about Lewis Black.He is great. Bee is more hit than miss. The English guy is growing on me. I have a lot of hope the new cast will work out.
