# Jon Stewart August 04, 2005

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jon-stewart-august-04-2005/315669>\
**Category:** Great Debates\
**Created:** [August 5, 2005, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jon-stewart-august-04-2005/315669 "2005-08-05T03:09:16Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 20\
**Page:** 4

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**Author:** ![ISiddiqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/97f17d/32.png) [@ISiddiqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ISiddiqui)\
**Post date:** [August 6, 2005, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jon-stewart-august-04-2005/315669/61 "2005-08-06T04:08:08Z")

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> [@tracer](#):
>
> Hmmm … liberal on the noneconomic side, nonliberal on the economic side …
> 
> Doesn’t that kinda sound like the Libertarian party platform?

Are you talking about classic/European liberal or modern American liberal? 😉

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**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\
**Post date:** [August 6, 2005, 11:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jon-stewart-august-04-2005/315669/62 "2005-08-06T11:28:26Z")

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> [@DoctorJ](#):
>
> Stewart’s Daily Show material is not anti-right-wing so much as it is anti-idiot and anti-bullshit.
> 
> Why the bulk of his targets appear to be right-wingers is an exercise left for the reader.

[Nice one](http://www.artareas.com/ArtAreas/home.nsf/4247a371d13148d385256a4400070222/a00824c2cfbb0bf985256a47005ea2b1/%24FILE/peacock.jpg).

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**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\
**Post date:** [August 6, 2005, 11:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jon-stewart-august-04-2005/315669/63 "2005-08-06T11:39:13Z")

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\> TWEEEEEET!!! \< ::: Moderator bloweth a whistle :::

OK, look, this forum is for art and entertainment and leisure activities, NOT for politics. I’ve let discussions of the Daily Show go on, because it’s “entertainment” (that is, the basis premise of the show is humor and it’s on Comedy Central channel.) We’ve had some borderline discussions in the past, and that’s been OK because the show is political humor.

However, this discussion now seems to be wholly political (not to say involving personal insults.)

**Liberal** – if you want a discussion of a comedian’s political stance, do it in Great Debates or in the Pit. Not here. This is for art and entertainment. If the show doesn’t entertain you or amuse you, that’s fair comment here. But the politics go elsewhere.

I’m scolding **Liberal** on this one, but the comment is a general one. I’ve been fretting about the Daily Show threads for some time now, but they’ve usually been primarily focused on the amusement and entertainment, with an occasional political comment. This one has now been focused on the politics, with an occasional comment on entertainment. Hence, wrong forum. Hence, closed.

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**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\
**Post date:** [August 6, 2005, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jon-stewart-august-04-2005/315669/64 "2005-08-06T20:56:56Z")

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Alright, by popular demand, I’ll reopen and move to Great Debates.

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**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\
**Post date:** [August 6, 2005, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jon-stewart-august-04-2005/315669/65 "2005-08-06T20:58:12Z")

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**Dex** , you’re the awesomest!

For future reference, should all Daily Show threads start in Great Debates, or is it appropriate for the OP to start one in Cafe Society and expect that a political debate should not erupt?

Daniel

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**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\
**Post date:** [August 6, 2005, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jon-stewart-august-04-2005/315669/66 "2005-08-06T21:37:15Z")

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If you are expecting more comment on the humor, then put it in **CS**. If you expect the commentary to focus on the political associations of the gored oxen, then _::: sigh :::_ post it here.

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**Author:** ![SlyFrog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a3d4f5/32.png) [@SlyFrog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlyFrog)\
**Post date:** [August 6, 2005, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jon-stewart-august-04-2005/315669/67 "2005-08-06T21:51:07Z")

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> [@tomndebb](#):
>
> If you are expecting more comment on the humor, then put it in **CS**. If you expect the commentary to focus on the political associations of the gored oxen, then _::: sigh :::_ post it here.

I debate whether this thread should have been reopened. 🙂

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**Author:** ![treis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bc79bd/32.png) [@treis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/treis)\
**Post date:** [August 6, 2005, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jon-stewart-august-04-2005/315669/68 "2005-08-06T22:05:41Z")

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> [@Left Hand of Dorkness](#):
>
> **Dex** , you’re the awesomest!
> 
> For future reference, should all Daily Show threads start in Great Debates, or is it appropriate for the OP to start one in Cafe Society and expect that a political debate should not erupt?
> 
> Daniel

Y’know, we’ve had Daily Show threads in both Cafe Society and Great Debates. Its really not that hard to figure out which forum they should go in. If its about the jokes or a guest as this thread was it goes into Cafe Society. If its about the politics or “debunking” as the recent Vaccine thread it goes in Great Debates. The only problem we have had thus far with this system is one poster that apparently couldn’t make his points in the appropiate forum.

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**Author:** ![SmackFu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/53a042/32.png) [@SmackFu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmackFu)\
**Post date:** [August 7, 2005, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jon-stewart-august-04-2005/315669/69 "2005-08-07T01:11:42Z")

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Moving this to Great Debates is saying Liberal was right. And he wasn’t.

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**Author:** ![Baldwin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baldwin/32/7264_2.png) [@Baldwin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baldwin)\
**Post date:** [August 7, 2005, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jon-stewart-august-04-2005/315669/70 "2005-08-07T01:49:30Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> Stewart’s Daily Show material is not anti-right-wing so much as it is anti-idiot and anti-bullshit.
> 
> Why the bulk of his targets appear to be right-wingers is an exercise left for the reader.

As a bleeding-heart, tax-and-spend liberal, I like to think it’s because there’s just more bullshit on the right-wing side. Realistically, though, it’s because the best satire is aimed at whoever is in power. Right now, at least two branches of the U.S. government are dominated by Republicans. When that changes over the next few years, I hope “The Daily Show” will be taking its shots at stupid Democrats (which they certainly haven’t hesitated to do, many times).

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**Author:** ![eleanorigby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@eleanorigby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eleanorigby)\
**Post date:** [August 7, 2005, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jon-stewart-august-04-2005/315669/71 "2005-08-07T01:57:11Z")

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I dont’ see why the show wouldn’t skewer Dems when they regain power–Stewart does poke fun at them regularly now. Arrogance and sanctimony are better targets-and we have that in spades at present.

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**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\
**Post date:** [August 7, 2005, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jon-stewart-august-04-2005/315669/72 "2005-08-07T02:41:31Z")

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> [@SmackFu](#):
>
> Moving this to Great Debates is saying Liberal was right. And he wasn’t.

Yes, Liberal won. That sucks. But it was time to move it. Maybe next time he could be nice and ignore it. He never did apologize for several false statements that seemed aimed at me. Sniff Sniff ☹

Oh well.

I have a question: Does anyone know what determines the frequencies of the Back in Black segments? They are my favorite parts. They seem very rare.

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**Author:** ![Elysian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c77e96/32.png) [@Elysian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elysian)\
**Post date:** [August 7, 2005, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jon-stewart-august-04-2005/315669/73 "2005-08-07T03:04:59Z")

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I’m wondering what determines the This Week in God segments. Oh, and I really hope the How Much You Don’t Know (or whatever it was) segment is something that will return, because it was great.

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**Author:** ![minty\_green](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f6c823/32.png) [@minty\_green](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minty_green)\
**Post date:** [August 7, 2005, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jon-stewart-august-04-2005/315669/74 "2005-08-07T04:24:54Z")

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> [@SmackFu](#):
>
> Moving this to Great Debates is saying Liberal was right. And he wasn’t.

Damn straight.

What the hell are we supposed to “debate” in this thread, apart from **Liberal** ’s wholly unjustified hijack?

Resolved: Frat boys are funny when they’re drunk?

Resolved: Bill O’Reilly has less moral authority on torture than John McCain?

Resolved: The General Grant kicks Cooter’s ass?  
Great show, good thread, unjustified hijack, inexplicable relocation.

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**Author:** ![Binarydrone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3da27b/32.png) [@Binarydrone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Binarydrone)\
**Post date:** [August 7, 2005, 5:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jon-stewart-august-04-2005/315669/75 "2005-08-07T05:11:09Z")

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I suppose that if we must have what amounts to an unmoderated poster that things could be a lot worse.

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**Author:** ![Binarydrone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3da27b/32.png) [@Binarydrone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Binarydrone)\
**Post date:** [August 7, 2005, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jon-stewart-august-04-2005/315669/76 "2005-08-07T05:13:50Z")

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Shit. I thought that this was the Pit thread. Sorry about that folks.

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**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\
**Post date:** [August 7, 2005, 6:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jon-stewart-august-04-2005/315669/77 "2005-08-07T06:14:41Z")

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> [@jrfranchi](#):
>
> I have a question: Does anyone know what determines the frequencies of the Back in Black segments? They are my favorite parts. They seem very rare.

Probably just Lewis Black’s availability. I think he used to be on the show more often, but it made him a star and he’s likely touring more.

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**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\
**Post date:** [August 7, 2005, 8:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jon-stewart-august-04-2005/315669/78 "2005-08-07T08:51:54Z")

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> [@minty green](#):
>
> What the hell are we supposed to “debate” in this thread, apart from **Liberal** ’s wholly unjustified hijack?

It seems to me that the first political comment — setting aside the bashing of conservative pundits that began with the OP — was in post #14, with a mention of the “right-wing”, was it not?

> [@](#):
>
> Carville said that Novak was just putting on a tough face to impress the right-wing crowd.

I didn’t post until #21. And it was a couple of _questions_ about the political tone of that thread and of the Jon Stewart threads in general.

Is there some good reason that you selected the 21st post, rather than the 14th post, as making the first political comment?

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**Author:** ![Askia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/96bed5/32.png) [@Askia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askia)\
**Post date:** [August 7, 2005, 12:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jon-stewart-august-04-2005/315669/79 "2005-08-07T12:00:57Z")

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> [@Liberal](#):
>
> Is there some good reason that you selected the 21st post, rather than the 14th post, as making the first political comment?

The term “right-wing” in #14 was was a paraphrase of something Carville said to Novak reinterating what happened on the show. Your “questions” were snarky laments disguised as speculations, which you then answered yourself anyway.\*\* Liberal\*\*, if you’re going to expertly derail a thread and send it to another forum, at least recognize and acknowledge your own calculated machinations. I hate to think you’re this manipulaive without a clue.

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**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\
**Post date:** [August 7, 2005, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jon-stewart-august-04-2005/315669/80 "2005-08-07T13:56:41Z")

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> [@tomndebb](#):
>
> If you are expecting more comment on the humor, then put it in **CS**. If you expect the commentary to focus on the political associations of the gored oxen, then _::: sigh :::_ post it here.

I don’t want to further this hijack, so I’ll respond in the [related Pit thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=328986&page=2), with the caveat that I’m no **don jaime** , but just a schmuck seeking knowledge.

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