# How does the Daily Show do it? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 10, 2005, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-the-daily-show-do-it/316399 "2005-08-10T03:51:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Reyemile](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/46a35a/32.png) [@Reyemile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reyemile)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2005, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-the-daily-show-do-it/316399/1 "2005-08-10T03:51:14Z")
At this point, thanks to politics, it seems like everyone has heard of, if not seen, the Daily Show. Yet in every episode, Rob Courdrey, Stephen Colbert, or Samantha Bee has an gag interview with a poor putz who seems totally clueless about the nature of the show. Even major organizations like the NAACP, who you would expect to be on the ball, seem to get caught off guard. How do they do it every episode? Are they actively keeping people in the dark, or do they just call as many people as they can until a sucker says ‘sure’? ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2005, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-the-daily-show-do-it/316399/2 "2005-08-10T03:58:24Z")
I think some people are privy to the show it’s just that most of them (the whack jops) are so desperate to get their agenda accross; they agree to the interview anyway. There are some thogh that are completely clueless. Those are always the best imo. There’s also all kinds of tricks they can do with editing that pretty much enables them to put whatever spin on it they want. Also, I think you may be giving the show way too much credit. I don’t think it’s as popular as you might think. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2005, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-the-daily-show-do-it/316399/3 "2005-08-10T04:43:24Z")
Is it possible these people are just playing along? ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2005, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-the-daily-show-do-it/316399/4 "2005-08-10T04:54:40Z")
Sometimes it seems like they are. Last week they interviewed some goth looking college guy with facial piercings who was protesting military recruitment on campuses. I think it was Colbert who was doing the interview. He was talking about the military trying to appeal to kids by using hip hop and did a little pro-recritment rap (“Tikrit, Tikrit, Tikrit is on fire…”). The kid was pretty much smirkking and laughing during the whole thing and then said something like, “the sad thing is that might actually work.” It seemed like the kid knew who he was talking to and wasn’t taking it seriously. It was probably a blast for him to be on TDS. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2005, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-the-daily-show-do-it/316399/5 "2005-08-10T05:25:19Z")
This one is looking for opinions. As such, let’s move it to IMHO. **samclem** GQ moderator ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2005, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-the-daily-show-do-it/316399/6 "2005-08-10T05:30:13Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > Is it possible these people are just playing along? Yeah, some of them are. If you saw tonight’s episode, the “Corn Cob Bob” guy went along with everything. That was kind of weird. I forget which correspondent it was, but I read an interview with someone on the show recently, and he said that these days, virtually everyone they interview knows what the Daily Show is and what they do. ---
**Author:** ![WonJohnSoup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f17d59/32.png) [@WonJohnSoup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WonJohnSoup)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2005, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-the-daily-show-do-it/316399/7 "2005-08-10T05:32:09Z")
My WAG: It looks to me like some of the parts where the camera is focused on the interviewer with the back of the interviewee’s head partially on-screen, the ‘interviewee’ is actually a stand-in. Like they got the interview, then went back to the studio, made a quick and cheap mock up of the setting, and had a guy stand there with his head to the back of the camera while the interviewer did some “reaction” scenes. That, and I imagine a lot of them are good sports and play along. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2005, 5:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-the-daily-show-do-it/316399/8 "2005-08-10T05:34:26Z")
I’ll tell you what… I’m interviewing Stephen Colbert next week. If we have some time, I’ll ask him about that. The way Colbert caught the NAACP guy flat-footed with the > [@](#): > > “It used to be fun to lynch black people in this country.” > “Well, that’s where you and I disagree.” exchange was pretty remarkable. ---
**Author:** ![Reyemile](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/46a35a/32.png) [@Reyemile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reyemile)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2005, 5:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-the-daily-show-do-it/316399/9 "2005-08-10T05:50:39Z")
> [@samclem](#): > > This one is looking for opinions. As such, let’s move it to IMHO. > > **samclem** GQ moderator Huh? I’m looking for a factual answer; what methods does the Daily show use, if any. THere must be a real answer out there, and I’m hoping people in the business can tell me; I’m not looking for guesswork. ---
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2005, 6:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-the-daily-show-do-it/316399/10 "2005-08-10T06:05:05Z")
Penn & Teller’s **Bullshit!** has a similar effect; there are always some folks willing to go before the camera and pitch their position even when they know what show they’re going to be on and that they’ll be the target for the day. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2005, 6:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-the-daily-show-do-it/316399/11 "2005-08-10T06:09:34Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > I’ll tell you what… I’m interviewing Stephen Colbert next week. If we have some time, I’ll ask him about that. > > The way Colbert caught the NAACP guy flat-footed with the > > exchange was pretty remarkable. Although the NAACP guy was barely suppressing a smile over the Jessica Simpson bit- he knew it was a joke show. Colbert just made a killer improv. ---
**Author:** ![Atticus\_Finch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ec9cab/32.png) [@Atticus\_Finch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atticus_Finch)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2005, 6:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-the-daily-show-do-it/316399/12 "2005-08-10T06:16:40Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > I’ll tell you what… I’m interviewing Stephen Colbert next week. If we have some time, I’ll ask him about that. Why not start a thread where people suggest interesting questions to ask etc? ---
**Author:** ![thirdname](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d07c76/32.png) [@thirdname](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thirdname)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2005, 6:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-the-daily-show-do-it/316399/13 "2005-08-10T06:24:53Z")
> [@WonJohnSoup](#): > > My WAG: It looks to me like some of the parts where the camera is focused on the interviewer with the back of the interviewee’s head partially on-screen, the ‘interviewee’ is actually a stand-in. Like they got the interview, then went back to the studio, made a quick and cheap mock up of the setting, and had a guy stand there with his head to the back of the camera while the interviewer did some “reaction” scenes. Yes, I think this is correct, and that cheapens the whole thing. ---
**Author:** ![Fern\_Forest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/71c47a/32.png) [@Fern\_Forest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fern_Forest)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2005, 8:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-the-daily-show-do-it/316399/14 "2005-08-10T08:01:38Z")
In the pizza delivery episode the Democrat guy they were talking to definately was in on it. If I recall correctly our own **Esperix** was interviewed for the show about 4 or 5 years ago. This question was asked about that long ago and made a post Maybe he’ll come in here and refresh our memories. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2005, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-the-daily-show-do-it/316399/15 "2005-08-10T15:04:01Z")
> [@WonJohnSoup](#): > > My WAG: It looks to me like some of the parts where the camera is focused on the interviewer with the back of the interviewee’s head partially on-screen, the ‘interviewee’ is actually a stand-in. Like they got the interview, then went back to the studio, made a quick and cheap mock up of the setting, and had a guy stand there with his head to the back of the camera while the interviewer did some “reaction” scenes. I’ve always noticed this, both with the Daily Show and sometimes even with major interviews like Barbara Walters. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2005, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-the-daily-show-do-it/316399/16 "2005-08-10T15:26:54Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > I’ve always noticed this, both with the Daily Show and sometimes even with major interviews like Barbara Walters. It’s SOP for all TV news interviews. You only need one cameraman; they can shoot all the pointless reaction shots later (there really isn’t any need – other than ego – to show the reporter nodding intently to the interviewee’s voiceover). One major plot point in **Broadcast Newsp** assumed that the people working on a network newscast thought one of these inserts was done live. :rolleyes: In real life, they would have assumed it wasn’t. ---
**Author:** ![Athena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/35a633/32.png) [@Athena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Athena)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2005, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-the-daily-show-do-it/316399/17 "2005-08-10T15:37:41Z")
I’ve never seen the Daily Show, and have only a vague idea of what it is. I guess I better plan on being interviewed in a humerous-yet-clueless fashion in the next week or so, huh? ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2005, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-the-daily-show-do-it/316399/18 "2005-08-10T19:50:23Z")
> [@WonJohnSoup](#): > > My WAG: It looks to me like some of the parts where the camera is focused on the interviewer with the back of the interviewee’s head partially on-screen, the ‘interviewee’ is actually a stand-in. Like they got the interview, then went back to the studio, made a quick and cheap mock up of the setting, and had a guy stand there with his head to the back of the camera while the interviewer did some “reaction” scenes. That, and I imagine a lot of them are good sports and play along. They’ve copped to doing just this a couple times on the show. One that stands out to me was Colbert interviewing some guy a little bit out on the fringe of the American right, and the guy flat out says, “I know you’re going to take this back to your studio and re-edit it so I look like an idiot.” Cut to Colbert, who looks shocked and appalled and denies doing anything like that, and how dare he, and at long last has he no shame… then the camera pulls back showing he really is in the studio, with no guest. Colbert high-fives a production assistant and whoops, “We just _nailed_ that guy!” ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2005, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-the-daily-show-do-it/316399/19 "2005-08-10T20:10:16Z")
Also, sometimes it seems like the interviewees know about the show, but are a little boggled when the interviewer says really out-there things. You can see their brains churning trying to figure out an appropriate response to a question like “So, would you bounce that ass?” ---
**Author:** ![El\_Zagna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d2c977/32.png) [@El\_Zagna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Zagna)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2005, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-the-daily-show-do-it/316399/20 "2005-08-10T23:14:29Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > I’ll tell you what… I’m interviewing Stephen Colbert next week. If we have some time, I’ll ask him about that. No kidding! May I ask for what publication, and where we might read it? Is there a particular focus for the interview? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-the-daily-show-do-it/316399.md?page=2)