Anyone see the Daily Show for the last two nights? Jon is usually on his game, but these two pieces were exceptionally brutal.
The first night was about CNN and how they never challenge anything pundits say, acting as “neutral” moderators instead of actual journalists when someone spouts verifiably false information. The “We’ll leave it there” montage was particularly brilliant, and showed that nobody on that network is immune to the laziness that passes for “impartiality.”
The piece on Fox the next night wasn’t quite as good, but largely because it was more predictably a slamdunk. Needless to say, when all the Tea Parties were in full force, Fox couldn’t get enough of it, talking about how covering these incredibly well-attended movements fighting for people’s “rights” was essential to their journalism charter.
Of course, where was Fox when an equally well-attended march for Gay Rights happened in our nation’s capitol this past weekend? MIA (though they still managed to cover a Tea Party non-event during the same time period). Like shooting fish in a barrel, it was still deftly handled by Stewart in bringing down Fox’s faux populist hypocrisy (since passionate movements don’t matter if they don’t fall into their rightie demo).
Agreed on the CNN stuff - you have to wonder how the CNN’ers discuss this stuff behind closed doors…and watching John Oliver call CNN “goat f**kers” in his sendup of an extreme pundit who gets no push back was the funniest…
The Fox thing was on target but nothing unusual. The CNN piece was excellent, frustrating, very funny, and a perfect summary of why people get so frustrated with TV news.
I was surprised that he didn’t mention the Nobel Peace Prize at all on Monday’s show, although he did on Tuesday. It was unfortunate timing that the announcement was made on Friday, and they air Monday-Thursdays.
But yes, the CNN segment was funny and true. And based on the Crossfire incident, his show is very influential. (The president of CNN specifically mentioned Jon Stewart’s remarks as one of the reasons he cancelled the show.)
Fox (or CNN) not showing was a slam dunk, but showing the footage of the reporter talking about an empty parking lot which was supposedly the site of a protest was beautiful. As was the “panel of experts.”
And the great thing is that Stewart was one of the first interviewers who was well read enough to push back on idiocies of a guest, stuff that usually got a pass before. So he walks the walk.
Well, it was a short bit, but it was still priceless to see him show last night how many of the Republicans who got in such a tizzy about Acorn taking taxpayers’ money still managed to defend their opposition to Al Franken’s amendment that would sever government contracts to companies that refuse to protect rape victims within their own company. Ouch.
That piece was brilliant and showed the 30 Republicans in a really bad light. Protecting the rights of Government Contractors to have prevent workers from suing for gang rape is not a moment I want to see in elected officials.
I would hope someone would take Jon’s queue and followup on this disgrace.
The ripping of the cable news is what he did best. His exposing the bad reporting on the financial networks earlier in the year was also devastating.
