# Is Fox and Friends really as dim-witted as Jon Stewart makes it out to be? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 24, 2010, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-fox-and-friends-really-as-dim-witted-as-jon-stewart-makes-it-out-to-be/551286 "2010-08-24T13:43:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![joebuck20](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/74df32/32.png) [@joebuck20](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joebuck20)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2010, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-fox-and-friends-really-as-dim-witted-as-jon-stewart-makes-it-out-to-be/551286/1 "2010-08-24T13:43:07Z")
For those of you who missed it, another brilliant Daily Show takedown of Fox and Friends: > **[The Daily Show with Trevor Noah | Comedy Central](https://www.cc.com/shows/the-daily-show-with-trevor-noah)** > > The Daily Show is an Emmy- and Peabody Award-winning program that looks at the day’s top headlines through a sharp, reality-based lens. Anyway this show is regularly the butt of Jon Stewart’s jokes and from what I’ve seen on the Daily Show, this program look like a right wing, dumbed-down (if that’s even possible) version of every Today Show knockoff on morning TV. Last night Jon featured a clip of them talking about some shady Saudi financier giving money to the Ground Zero mosque. But, what they failed to mention, as Jon pointed out, was said financier’s name, Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal, who owns seven percent of Fox News. Later on he had a bit with John Oliver and Wyatt Cenac arguing whether this was deliberate or just sheer stupidity and they showed clips of one of the hosts saying she had to Google the meaning of the word ignoramus, among other things. Seeing as I how don’t watch TV in the morning, though, I’m curious. Is Fox and Friends really as dumb as the Daily Show makes it out to be. ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2010, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-fox-and-friends-really-as-dim-witted-as-jon-stewart-makes-it-out-to-be/551286/2 "2010-08-24T13:48:40Z")
The easiest and best way is to see for yourself. DVR it or tape it and watch it for a week. ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2010, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-fox-and-friends-really-as-dim-witted-as-jon-stewart-makes-it-out-to-be/551286/3 "2010-08-24T13:55:42Z")
My favorite story about Fox news comes from Baghdad. A friend was chatting with this US Army captain and the captain was complaining that the only TV news he got was the BBC. My friend and I both said that we liked BBC, what’s the problem?" Captain: “I’m tired of hearing how bad things are going, I want to be lied to. I want CNN.” Friend: “If you want to be lied to, you want Fox news.” Captain: “I’m not a moron! I don’t want to be lied to that much, I want to be lied to just a little bit, I want CNN.” ---
**Author:** ![MeanOldLady](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanoldlady/32/10737_2.png) [@MeanOldLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanOldLady)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2010, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-fox-and-friends-really-as-dim-witted-as-jon-stewart-makes-it-out-to-be/551286/4 "2010-08-24T13:56:09Z")
Yes. I discovered it accidentally a few years ago. I’d been up all night, and started flipping through channels, then came upon it. It was like one of those Morning Zoo shows, complete with sound effects, and occasionally Hooters girls doing the weather. My old man and I were watching it together, and if memory serves, both asked “What the hell is this?”\* at the same time. It is easily the stupidest show on television. \*That probably didn’t happen, but we both did question what in blazes was going on. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2010, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-fox-and-friends-really-as-dim-witted-as-jon-stewart-makes-it-out-to-be/551286/5 "2010-08-24T13:57:43Z")
If they’re not that idiotic, they’re very good comedy actors. Other Fox pundits - O’Reilly, Hannity, Beck - may be hypocrites and occasionally outright liars but they’re not total morons. With F&F I’ve never seen such gibbering stupidity in television show hosts this side of reality television. ---
**Author:** ![cosmosdan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a6a055/32.png) [@cosmosdan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cosmosdan)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2010, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-fox-and-friends-really-as-dim-witted-as-jon-stewart-makes-it-out-to-be/551286/6 "2010-08-24T13:58:48Z")
> [@joebuck20](#): > > For those of you who missed it, another brilliant Daily Show takedown of Fox and Friends: > [Comedy Central The Daily Show Fan Page](http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/mon-august-23-2010/the-parent-company-trap) > > Anyway this show is regularly the butt of Jon Stewart’s jokes and from what I’ve seen on the Daily Show, this program look like a right wing, dumbed-down (if that’s even possible) version of every Today Show knockoff on morning TV. > Last night Jon featured a clip of them talking about some shady Saudi financier giving money to the Ground Zero mosque. But, what they failed to mention, as Jon pointed out, was said financier’s name, Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal, who owns seven percent of Fox News. Later on he had a bit with John Oliver and Wyatt Cenac arguing whether this was deliberate or just sheer stupidity and they showed clips of one of the hosts saying she had to Google the meaning of the word ignoramus, among other things. > Seeing as I how don’t watch TV in the morning, though, I’m curious. Is Fox and Friends really as dumb as the Daily Show makes it out to be. It’s deliberate. They are opinions and ignorance for hire. I have to wonder what long term effect that has on a person. ---
**Author:** ![cosmosdan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a6a055/32.png) [@cosmosdan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cosmosdan)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2010, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-fox-and-friends-really-as-dim-witted-as-jon-stewart-makes-it-out-to-be/551286/7 "2010-08-24T15:07:06Z")
> [@joebuck20](#): > > For those of you who missed it, another brilliant Daily Show takedown of Fox and Friends: > [Comedy Central The Daily Show Fan Page](http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/mon-august-23-2010/the-parent-company-trap) > > Anyway this show is regularly the butt of Jon Stewart’s jokes and from what I’ve seen on the Daily Show, this program look like a right wing, dumbed-down (if that’s even possible) version of every Today Show knockoff on morning TV. > Last night Jon featured a clip of them talking about some shady Saudi financier giving money to the Ground Zero mosque. But, what they failed to mention, as Jon pointed out, was said financier’s name, Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal, who owns seven percent of Fox News. Later on he had a bit with John Oliver and Wyatt Cenac arguing whether this was deliberate or just sheer stupidity and they showed clips of one of the hosts saying she had to Google the meaning of the word ignoramus, among other things. > Seeing as I how don’t watch TV in the morning, though, I’m curious. Is Fox and Friends really as dumb as the Daily Show makes it out to be. okay, first time I commented without watching the new clip. After watching it I have to say that is such an incrredible insult to any loyal Fox viewer. It took me two clicks on Google, Kingdon foundation , which immediately lists the name of the terror funder and then his name connects to NewsCorp. It’s as if they’re saying to thier loyal viewers “We truly do think you are all such idiots we can even do this” Holy fuck. I feel compelled to share this with my sister who is a loyal viewer as well as other conservative friends. ---
**Author:** ![joebuck20](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/74df32/32.png) [@joebuck20](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joebuck20)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2010, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-fox-and-friends-really-as-dim-witted-as-jon-stewart-makes-it-out-to-be/551286/8 "2010-08-24T15:31:21Z")
> [@cosmosdan](#): > > > [@joebuck20](#): > > > > For those of you who missed it, another brilliant Daily Show takedown of Fox and Friends: > > [Comedy Central The Daily Show Fan Page](http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/mon-august-23-2010/the-parent-company-trap) > > > > Anyway this show is regularly the butt of Jon Stewart’s jokes and from what I’ve seen on the Daily Show, this program look like a right wing, dumbed-down (if that’s even possible) version of every Today Show knockoff on morning TV. > > Last night Jon featured a clip of them talking about some shady Saudi financier giving money to the Ground Zero mosque. But, what they failed to mention, as Jon pointed out, was said financier’s name, Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal, who owns seven percent of Fox News. Later on he had a bit with John Oliver and Wyatt Cenac arguing whether this was deliberate or just sheer stupidity and they showed clips of one of the hosts saying she had to Google the meaning of the word ignoramus, among other things. > > Seeing as I how don’t watch TV in the morning, though, I’m curious. Is Fox and Friends really as dumb as the Daily Show makes it out to be. > > okay, first time I commented without watching the new clip. After watching it I have to say that is such an incrredible insult to any loyal Fox viewer. It took me two clicks on Google, Kingdon foundation , which immediately lists the name of the terror funder and then his name connects to NewsCorp. > > It’s as if they’re saying to thier loyal viewers “We truly do think you are all such idiots we can even do this” Holy fuck. I feel compelled to share this with my sister who is a loyal viewer as well as other conservative friends. I have to say, though, I love the irony of Fox advertising dollars potentially going to this mosque. ---
**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 24, 2010, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-fox-and-friends-really-as-dim-witted-as-jon-stewart-makes-it-out-to-be/551286/9 "2010-08-24T15:34:30Z")
I can’t stomach he show for more than a few minutes at a time, but from what I’ve seen, they really are that stupid. That Gretchen Carlson (the one who had to Google “ignoramus” and still got it wrong) is quite possibly the single dumbest person in all of cable news. Almost unbelievably vacuous at times, and incredibly self-righteous and smug at the same time. A living example of Poe’s Law. Doocey is kind of a dumbass too, though not to Carlson’s level. The other guy, Kilmeade, I think is of normal intelligence, but no genius and he offers no insight. He’s just kind of a chair filler and guy to introduce segments and shoot them to breaks. ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2010, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-fox-and-friends-really-as-dim-witted-as-jon-stewart-makes-it-out-to-be/551286/10 "2010-08-24T16:45:00Z")
I’m pretty conservative but I can’t stand to watch 5 minutes of Fox and Friends. Or Fox News in general. ---
**Author:** ![cosmosdan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a6a055/32.png) [@cosmosdan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cosmosdan)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2010, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-fox-and-friends-really-as-dim-witted-as-jon-stewart-makes-it-out-to-be/551286/11 "2010-08-24T16:47:42Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > I can’t stomach he show for more than a few minutes at a time, but from what I’ve seen, they really are that stupid. That Gretchen Carlson (the one who had to Google “ignoramus” and still got it wrong) is quite possibly the single dumbest person in all of cable news. Almost unbelievably vacuous at times, and incredibly self-righteous and smug at the same time. A living example of Poe’s Law. > > Doocey is kind of a dumbass too, though not to Carlson’s level. The other guy, Kilmeade, I think is of normal intelligence, but no genius and he offers no insight. He’s just kind of a chair filler and guy to introduce segments and shoot them to breaks. I really can’t tell if they are that freaking stupid or just such complete sellouts that they just don’t care how they appear as long as they get on TV and make money. ---
**Author:** ![cosmosdan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a6a055/32.png) [@cosmosdan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cosmosdan)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2010, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-fox-and-friends-really-as-dim-witted-as-jon-stewart-makes-it-out-to-be/551286/12 "2010-08-24T16:51:51Z")
> [@control-z](#): > > I’m pretty conservative but I can’t stand to watch 5 minutes of Fox and Friends. Or Fox News in general. very glad to hear it. I hope yopu get to occasionally tell your fellow conservatives to stop being taken in by those greedy lying scumbags. ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2010, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-fox-and-friends-really-as-dim-witted-as-jon-stewart-makes-it-out-to-be/551286/13 "2010-08-24T16:53:21Z")
> [@cosmosdan](#): > > > [@control-z](#): > > > > I’m pretty conservative but I can’t stand to watch 5 minutes of Fox and Friends. Or Fox News in general. > > very glad to hear it. I hope yopu get to occasionally tell your fellow conservatives to stop being taken in by those greedy lying scumbags. It’s hard; people on either side are eager to look for things to get outraged about. But when you know the facts things usually aren’t as they initially are reported. ---
**Author:** ![MissTake](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/misstake/32/3189_2.png) [@MissTake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MissTake)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2010, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-fox-and-friends-really-as-dim-witted-as-jon-stewart-makes-it-out-to-be/551286/14 "2010-08-24T17:19:54Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > I can’t stomach he show for more than a few minutes at a time, but from what I’ve seen, they really are that stupid. That Gretchen Carlson (the one who had to Google “ignoramus” and still got it wrong) is quite possibly the single dumbest person in all of cable news. Almost unbelievably vacuous at times, and incredibly self-righteous and smug at the same time. A living example of Poe’s Law. I went to school a few years behind Gretchen Carlson. A guy I dated was in her year, hung out in her circle. He claims she was an idiot then, coasted by on her looks. I remember there used to be a billboard on Highway 10 with her mug on it - the “We’re so proud of our Miss America!” Sadly, it was defaced. ---
**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 24, 2010, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-fox-and-friends-really-as-dim-witted-as-jon-stewart-makes-it-out-to-be/551286/15 "2010-08-24T17:26:47Z")
I think maybe we shouldn’t let it get around too much that she’s from here. ---
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2010, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-fox-and-friends-really-as-dim-witted-as-jon-stewart-makes-it-out-to-be/551286/16 "2010-08-24T17:33:53Z")
> [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](#): > > The easiest and best way is to see for yourself. DVR it or tape it and watch it for a week. Oh, you’re mean! ---
**Author:** ![mozchron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c2a13f/32.png) [@mozchron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mozchron)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2010, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-fox-and-friends-really-as-dim-witted-as-jon-stewart-makes-it-out-to-be/551286/17 "2010-08-24T17:45:38Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > If they’re not that idiotic, they’re very good comedy actors. > > Other Fox pundits - O’Reilly, Hannity, Beck - may be hypocrites and occasionally outright liars but they’re not total morons. With F&F I’ve never seen such gibbering stupidity in television show hosts this side of reality television. Agreed. they are not dimwitted in the slightest. its just that while they style themselves as providing news, they are nothing of the sort. Fox is a finely-tuned revenue-generating machine. If Rupert Murdoch decided on Monday that he could make more money if Fox was a network of tree-hugging, Obama-loving commie-pinko liberals, that’s what we would wake up to on Tuesday morning. Whores and hypocrites, but not stupid. ---
**Author:** ![MeanOldLady](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanoldlady/32/10737_2.png) [@MeanOldLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanOldLady)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2010, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-fox-and-friends-really-as-dim-witted-as-jon-stewart-makes-it-out-to-be/551286/18 "2010-08-24T17:48:09Z")
> [@MissTake](#): > > I went to school a few years behind Gretchen Carlson. A guy I dated was in her year, hung out in her circle. He claims she was an idiot then, coasted by on her looks. Really? I always assumed she was lying about the whole Stanford thing. ---
**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 24, 2010, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-fox-and-friends-really-as-dim-witted-as-jon-stewart-makes-it-out-to-be/551286/19 "2010-08-24T17:52:29Z")
Lying on her back, maybe. ---
**Author:** ![MeanOldLady](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanoldlady/32/10737_2.png) [@MeanOldLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanOldLady)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2010, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-fox-and-friends-really-as-dim-witted-as-jon-stewart-makes-it-out-to-be/551286/20 "2010-08-24T17:56:19Z")
Everything about her fucks my mind. The dumbest woman on television, and one of the least attractive (bottom half percentile, easily, and absolute least attractive at Fox News aside from Greta VonWhatever) is a Stanford graduate and a [beauty queen](http://misstwincities.com/images/Gretchen%20Carlson.jpg). At least Sarah Palin flunked out of Ohio State, or wherever she went. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-fox-and-friends-really-as-dim-witted-as-jon-stewart-makes-it-out-to-be/551286.md?page=2)