# Jon Stewart tackled America's ongoing vaccine debate **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 5, 2015, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jon-stewart-tackled-americas-ongoing-vaccine-debate/711888 "2015-02-05T14:14:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Airk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9de053/32.png) [@Airk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airk)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2015, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jon-stewart-tackled-americas-ongoing-vaccine-debate/711888/21 "2015-02-05T17:58:27Z")
> [@Finagle](#): > > If the interview happened last week, I might have to agree with you. But 2005 was pretty much in the thick of the thimerosal controversy. From looking at the [scholarly citations in the wikipedia article](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thiomersal_controversy), it looks like by 2004 the tide had started to turn towards “no relationship between autism and thimerosal”, but there was some room for debate unless you’re seriously proposing that Jon Stewart curls up at night with his personal subscription to _Pediatrics_ journal. Pretty much this. A LOT happens in ten years. Seriously. 2005? We didn’t even have TWITTER in 2005. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![AZRob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/azrob/32/3003_2.png) [@AZRob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AZRob)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2015, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jon-stewart-tackled-americas-ongoing-vaccine-debate/711888/22 "2015-02-05T20:43:59Z")
Regardless, the measles piece was on point and funny. thanks aceplace57 ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2015, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jon-stewart-tackled-americas-ongoing-vaccine-debate/711888/23 "2015-02-05T21:29:22Z")
> [@Sitnam](#): > > Which is brought up by fans when he makes a mistake, but ignored when he speaks truth to power. > > I’m not sayin, I’m just sayin. What exactly ARE you saying? Because when Stewart speaks “truth to power” the usual reaction I see is “Man, if _The Daily Show_ can friggin’ make these points and ask these questions, why can’t the REAL media manage it?!” Which would pretty much be the essence of acknowledging that Stewart has a comedy fake news program. ---
**Author:** ![doorhinge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@doorhinge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doorhinge)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2015, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jon-stewart-tackled-americas-ongoing-vaccine-debate/711888/24 "2015-02-05T21:38:12Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > And here I was thinking he was a sober, serious investigative reporter, the kind of journalist you can trust, like Brian Williams. I think I speak for all of us in expressing exactly how much appreciate we have for your fight against our ignorance on this topic. I don’t believe you speak for “all of us”. just sayin’ ---
**Author:** ![doorhinge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@doorhinge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doorhinge)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2015, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jon-stewart-tackled-americas-ongoing-vaccine-debate/711888/25 "2015-02-05T21:40:31Z")
> [@Gatopescado](#): > > Jon Stewart is a comedian that hosts a fake news show on a comedy network. Correction - Jon Stewart is a comedian who hosts a fake news show on a comedy network. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2015, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jon-stewart-tackled-americas-ongoing-vaccine-debate/711888/26 "2015-02-05T23:21:44Z")
Sometimes comedy is an effective way to broach a serious topic. Jon reaches a lot of people that might not watch cnn regularly. The measles outbreak is a warning of much worse to come if attitudes don’t change about inoculation. I had childhood measles and chicken pox. I paid the price by getting shingles when I was 45. It got into my left eye and cost me some vision. I still have to take prednisolone drops to keep my eye from flaring up again. Hopefully this new generation will never experience chicken pox or shingles. ---
**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:** [February 6, 2015, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jon-stewart-tackled-americas-ongoing-vaccine-debate/711888/27 "2015-02-06T00:12:12Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > But he wasn’t **perfect**! He may have learned from his mistakes, recanted, and is doing the right thing now, but he was wrong once! How can that be tolerated??? Surely he must burn for that? Jon has mentioned at least once that he must be correct 100% of the time whereas Fox needs to be correct just once. :smack: The Anti-vaxxers seem criminal to me, I guess it is not the same as shouting fire in a theater but it sure seems pretty damn close to me. ---
**Author:** ![Rhiannon8404](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rhiannon8404/32/17929_2.png) [@Rhiannon8404](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhiannon8404)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2015, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jon-stewart-tackled-americas-ongoing-vaccine-debate/711888/28 "2015-02-06T00:27:19Z")
> [@SaharaTea](#): > > My sister-in-law lives in Marin County, and she hates the anti-vaxxers. When she posted this story on Facebook she got some very defensive replies from people displaying the same condescending stupidity as the woman in the interview. A close friend of mine lives there. She hates it, too. > [@My friend's FB post](#): > > Watching last night’s Daily Show in which Jon Stewart completely, powerfully and rightfully slams the county in which I reside for our under-vaccinating ways. Ouch. ---
**Author:** ![doorhinge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@doorhinge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doorhinge)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2015, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jon-stewart-tackled-americas-ongoing-vaccine-debate/711888/29 "2015-02-06T00:37:18Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > Jon has mentioned at least once that he must be correct 100% of the time whereas Fox needs to be correct just once. :smack: > > The Anti-vaxxers seem criminal to me, I guess it is not the same as shouting fire in a theater but it sure seems pretty damn close to me. Even Stewart says that his show is comedy and satire. It’s Stewart’s fans who believe that The Daily Show is a news program. _Stewart has gained acclaim as an acerbic, satirical critic of personality-driven media shows, in particular those of the U.S. media networks such as CNN, Fox News Channel, and MSNBC.[7] Critics say Stewart benefits from a double standard: he critiques other news shows from the safe, removed position of his “fake news” desk.[8][9] **Stewart agrees, saying that neither his show nor his channel purports to be anything other than satire and comedy**. In spite of its self-professed entertainment mandate, The Daily Show has been nominated for news and journalism awards._ > **[Jon Stewart](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jon_Stewart)** > > Jon Stewart (born Jonathan Stuart Leibowitz; November 28, 1962) is an American comedian, writer, producer, director, political commentator, actor, and television host. The long-running host of The Daily Show on Comedy Central from 1999 to 2015, Stewart returned to the satirical news program in 2024. He hosted The Problem with Jon Stewart on Apple TV+ from 2021 to 2023. Stewart has received numerous accolades, including 23 Primetime Emmy Awards, two Grammy Awards, and five Peabody Awards. He wa ---
**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:** [February 6, 2015, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jon-stewart-tackled-americas-ongoing-vaccine-debate/711888/30 "2015-02-06T00:52:44Z")
> [@Rhiannon8404](#): > > A close friend of mine lives there. She hates it, too. I live in Marin, and it’s a perfectly lovely place. Except for the people. ---
**Author:** ![Rhiannon8404](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rhiannon8404/32/17929_2.png) [@Rhiannon8404](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhiannon8404)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2015, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jon-stewart-tackled-americas-ongoing-vaccine-debate/711888/31 "2015-02-06T01:16:29Z")
> [@Rhiannon8404](#): > > A close friend of mine lives there. She hates it, too. > [@Miller](#): > > I live in Marin, and it’s a perfectly lovely place. > > Except for the people. I hope that didn’t read that she hates Marin County. She does not. She hates the whole anti-vaccinating thing that seems pervasive. I like Marin County and love visiting her. Her town, San Anselmo, is very nice. ---
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2015, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jon-stewart-tackled-americas-ongoing-vaccine-debate/711888/32 "2015-02-06T01:45:19Z")
> [@doorhinge](#): > > Even Stewart says that his show is comedy and satire. It’s Stewart’s fans who believe that The Daily Show is a news program. No they don’t. ---
**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:** [February 6, 2015, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jon-stewart-tackled-americas-ongoing-vaccine-debate/711888/33 "2015-02-06T01:51:29Z")
> [@Snarky\_Kong](#): > > No they don’t. Yeah, it’s pretty much only Fox News who can’t figure that out. ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2015, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jon-stewart-tackled-americas-ongoing-vaccine-debate/711888/34 "2015-02-06T02:27:39Z")
> [@doorhinge](#): > > Even Stewart says that his show is comedy and satire. It’s Stewart’s fans who believe that The Daily Show is a news program. > > _Stewart has gained acclaim as an acerbic, satirical critic of personality-driven media shows, in particular those of the U.S. media networks such as CNN, Fox News Channel, and MSNBC.[7] Critics say Stewart benefits from a double standard: he critiques other news shows from the safe, removed position of his “fake news” desk.[8][9] **Stewart agrees, saying that neither his show nor his channel purports to be anything other than satire and comedy**. In spite of its self-professed entertainment mandate, The Daily Show has been nominated for news and journalism awards._ > > [Jon Stewart - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jon_Stewart) Jesus. So fucking what? It’s not a network news program but news is the object of their comedy and satire. Why is it hard to differentiate here? But of course, it’s not actually remotely hard to differentiate. You think you are scoring some debate points. Trust me, you are swaying no one. ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2015, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jon-stewart-tackled-americas-ongoing-vaccine-debate/711888/35 "2015-02-06T04:17:56Z")
> [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > That’s all true, but I’m starting to think that this attitude is a little disingenuous - sort of like saying that Oprah Winfrey was just a talk show host. I love the show. It’s both funny as hell and I pretty much always agree with the views presented. But I agree with you. Actually I disagree: I don’t think it’s a little disingenous, I think the way Jon pulls out this “we’re just a comedy show” thing is monumentally disingenuous. The show presents facts and makes very clear which facts are a joke and which are intended to have veracity. It presents opinions which are clearly intended to make sense. I don’t believe for one second that those behind the show don’t intend what it presents to be influential: it’s quite clearly intended to both (a) tell you things which it wants you to believe are true and (b) express opinions that certain things are good or bad (or somewhere between). It’s: not mere zanyness ala Monty Python. The mere fact that the show presents facts and opinions in a way that is funny is no reason whatsoever for it to be held to a standard any lower than other shows that do the same without making jokes. Jon should just drop the pretense, in my view. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2015, 5:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jon-stewart-tackled-americas-ongoing-vaccine-debate/711888/36 "2015-02-06T05:40:31Z")
> [@doorhinge](#): > > Even Stewart says that his show is comedy and satire. It’s Stewart’s fans who believe that The Daily Show is a news program. > > _Stewart has gained acclaim as an acerbic, satirical critic of personality-driven media shows, in particular those of the U.S. media networks such as CNN, Fox News Channel, and MSNBC.[7] Critics say Stewart benefits from a double standard: he critiques other news shows from the safe, removed position of his “fake news” desk.[8][9] **Stewart agrees, saying that neither his show nor his channel purports to be anything other than satire and comedy**. In spite of its self-professed entertainment mandate, The Daily Show has been nominated for news and journalism awards._ > > [Jon Stewart - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jon_Stewart) As he has implied many times, he wouldn’t have to do this if the real news shows did their job. Who did a better job about educating us on campaign finance laws? The news programs, left or right? Or Colbert, who showed how absurd the laws are by starting a SuperPAC. Legally and with expert advice. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2015, 6:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jon-stewart-tackled-americas-ongoing-vaccine-debate/711888/37 "2015-02-06T06:26:56Z")
> [@Princhester](#): > > \ > The mere fact that the show presents facts and opinions in a way that is funny is no reason whatsoever for it to be held to a standard any lower than other shows that do the same without making jokes. Jon should just drop the pretense, in my view. What Jon Stewart and The Daily Show are doing is having all of the influence with none of the responsibility. ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2015, 10:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jon-stewart-tackled-americas-ongoing-vaccine-debate/711888/38 "2015-02-06T10:37:12Z")
I don’t think it’s really an issue of substantive responsibility. None of the “serious” commercial news channels take any real responsibility either. They just say and do whatever the hell will get them ratings and/or suits the politics of their owners. The Daily Show actually has no more or less responsibility. It just irritates me that someone who is as much an honest straight shooter as Jon Stewart is keeps using such a bullshit line. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2015, 10:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jon-stewart-tackled-americas-ongoing-vaccine-debate/711888/39 "2015-02-06T10:56:36Z")
There’s so much sarcasm in this thread I can’t tell who is on which side. ---
**Author:** ![bienville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4bbf92/32.png) [@bienville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bienville)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2015, 11:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jon-stewart-tackled-americas-ongoing-vaccine-debate/711888/40 "2015-02-06T11:06:31Z")
> [@Princhester](#): > > The show presents facts and makes very clear which facts are a joke and which are intended to have veracity. It presents opinions which are clearly intended to make sense. > > I don’t believe for one second that those behind the show don’t intend what it presents to be influential I absolutely believe that those behind the show do intend what they present to be influential. I also believe they intend to achieve this influence through satire …y’know, just like _every_ satirist has ever intended in the history of satire. The whole intent to influence is pretty much the entire point of satire, the property of satire that distinguishes it from other forms of comedy. How is the influential effect of the material proof that it is disingenuous to call it satire? The influential effect of the material is proof that it _is_ satire. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jon-stewart-tackled-americas-ongoing-vaccine-debate/711888.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jon-stewart-tackled-americas-ongoing-vaccine-debate/711888.md?page=3)