# Was this the best Daily Show ever (12/16/2010)?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-this-the-best-daily-show-ever-12-16-2010/564483>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [December 17, 2010, 6:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-this-the-best-daily-show-ever-12-16-2010/564483 "2010-12-17T06:01:41Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 20\
**Page:** 3

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**Author:** ![Shark\_Sandwich](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f04885/32.png) [@Shark\_Sandwich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shark_Sandwich)\
**Post date:** [December 18, 2010, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-this-the-best-daily-show-ever-12-16-2010/564483/41 "2010-12-18T16:27:54Z")

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When Huckabee was introduced I was thinking, “Now how is Stewart going to segue from 9/11 first responders, to talking to Huckabee about a children’s book about Christmas?” That answer was, he didn’t. It seemed Huckabee was ambused. Stewart held up the book at the begining of the segment and again at the end, but they didn’t even discuss it. I didn’t watch the online interview, so not sure if they discussed it there, but I felt bad for Huck (who is my favorite Republican ever since his SNL skit).

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**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:** [December 18, 2010, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-this-the-best-daily-show-ever-12-16-2010/564483/42 "2010-12-18T16:56:02Z")

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Well, it was enough for me to call the office of Senator Kirk and leave a message asking WTF his problem is that he’s supporting this disgusting filibuster. So I guess the show got more out of me than any previous episodes.

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**Author:** ![singular1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ba9def/32.png) [@singular1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/singular1)\
**Post date:** [December 18, 2010, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-this-the-best-daily-show-ever-12-16-2010/564483/43 "2010-12-18T17:04:55Z")

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Huckabee can plug his book plenty of places-he’s got time. This bill doesn’t, and Jon was right to ignore it and use Huckabbe to point out the selfish hypocracy of the Republicans and the media. Thanks for the link above - I’m sending it to all my friends and insisting they watch this. It is that important, and my Jon love is throbbing wildly!

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**Author:** ![marshmallow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@marshmallow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/marshmallow)\
**Post date:** [December 18, 2010, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-this-the-best-daily-show-ever-12-16-2010/564483/44 "2010-12-18T17:54:28Z")

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If every episode was like that I’d just stop watching. Only the opening bit was tolerable. Leave the red faced patriotism to the pros.

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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:** [December 18, 2010, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-this-the-best-daily-show-ever-12-16-2010/564483/45 "2010-12-18T18:28:37Z")

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Far from the best episode but it was good to see Jon choose to champion this issue. I hope it gets passed. Where’s Rudy trying to shame his party into passing the law? How can the Republicans who wrap themselves in 9/11 pull this crap?

The Huckabee Interview I thought was great. Mike Huckabee overall was pretty good about it too.

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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:** [December 18, 2010, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-this-the-best-daily-show-ever-12-16-2010/564483/46 "2010-12-18T19:17:28Z")

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> [@Shark\_Sandwich](#):
>
> When Huckabee was introduced I was thinking, “Now how is Stewart going to segue from 9/11 first responders, to talking to Huckabee about a children’s book about Christmas?” That answer was, he didn’t. It seemed Huckabee was ambused. Stewart held up the book at the begining of the segment and again at the end, but they didn’t even discuss it. I didn’t watch the online interview, so not sure if they discussed it there, but I felt bad for Huck (who is my favorite Republican ever since his SNL skit).

It’s not the first time he’s had an author on the show and talked about something other than the book. Huckabee is a former (and maybe future) presidential candidate and he’s someone who could be expected to comment on the issue. He wasn’t up to date on the particulars of the law, but it’s not an ambush and Stewart didn’t hold him personally responsible for what’s happening.

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**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\
**Post date:** [December 18, 2010, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-this-the-best-daily-show-ever-12-16-2010/564483/47 "2010-12-18T19:19:24Z")

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> [@Marley23](#):
>
> It’s not the first time he’s had an author on the show and talked about something other than the book. Huckabee is a former (and maybe future) presidential candidate and he’s someone who could be expected to comment on the issue. He wasn’t up to date on the particulars of the law, but it’s not an ambush and Stewart didn’t hold him personally responsible for what’s happening.

Yeah, generally unless the guest is just an author (and not say also a politician or an actor), he usually doesn’t spend much time on the book itself.

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**Author:** ![The\_Second\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@The\_Second\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Second_Stone)\
**Post date:** [December 19, 2010, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-this-the-best-daily-show-ever-12-16-2010/564483/48 "2010-12-19T01:41:48Z")

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> [@What\_Exit](#):
>
> Where’s Rudy trying to shame his party into passing the law? How can the Republicans who wrap themselves in 9/11 pull this crap?

Republicans have no shame at all. When the Democrats had a Charlie Rangle problem, they censured him. When the Republicans had a Newt Gingrinch problem they put him on the pundit circuit and treat him as presidential material.

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**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\
**Post date:** [December 20, 2010, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-this-the-best-daily-show-ever-12-16-2010/564483/49 "2010-12-20T15:51:30Z")

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It was an excellent skewering of all the TV news channels, and particularly of Fox, who are the biggest hypocrites among them. Huckabee is just a charlatan with a smooth manner like all snakeoil salesmen. And he should lay off the cheeseburgers: fucker’s gotten big as a hippo.

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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:** [December 20, 2010, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-this-the-best-daily-show-ever-12-16-2010/564483/50 "2010-12-20T17:09:47Z")

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It appears Stewart may well have done good. The bill is moving forward and now has a fair chance of being passed. NPR at least was crediting him for championing it. I also saw the Fox anchors came out and said it should be passed and the one said it was the Daily Show that made him aware of the issue.

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**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\
**Post date:** [December 20, 2010, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-this-the-best-daily-show-ever-12-16-2010/564483/51 "2010-12-20T17:14:03Z")

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> [@What\_Exit](#):
>
> I also saw the Fox anchors came out and said it should be passed and the one said it was the Daily Show that made him aware of the issue.

Sigh.

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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:** [December 20, 2010, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-this-the-best-daily-show-ever-12-16-2010/564483/52 "2010-12-20T17:21:59Z")

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> [@Bosstone](#):
>
> Sigh.

Why the sigh?

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**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\
**Post date:** [December 20, 2010, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-this-the-best-daily-show-ever-12-16-2010/564483/53 "2010-12-20T17:23:02Z")

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> [@What\_Exit](#):
>
> Why the sigh?

Because if Fox was actually doing their fershlugginer jobs they’d not have needed TDS to make them aware of the issue.

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**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\
**Post date:** [December 20, 2010, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-this-the-best-daily-show-ever-12-16-2010/564483/54 "2010-12-20T17:29:16Z")

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> [@What\_Exit](#):
>
> Why the sigh?

Probably the notion of a “news” network learning about a bill of importance from a show preceded by Futurama reruns.

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**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\
**Post date:** [December 20, 2010, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-this-the-best-daily-show-ever-12-16-2010/564483/55 "2010-12-20T17:32:56Z")

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> [@Sampiro](#):
>
> Probably the notion of a “news” network learning about a bill of importance from a show preceded by Futurama reruns.

That too. I can only imagine the Fox anchor saying that just made Stewart more frustrated.

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**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\
**Post date:** [December 20, 2010, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-this-the-best-daily-show-ever-12-16-2010/564483/56 "2010-12-20T17:40:41Z")

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> [@Quimby](#):
>
> You are right. He crossed that line on this issue because clearly it is important to him plus it is the epitome of the political BS that is going on in Washington. By the way, the Democratic Congress has been introducing this bill for a long while now and it has been blocked by the GOP everytime. It isn’t new.

The BS of the politicians and, I think even more near and dear to his self-perceived mission, the absolute failure of the “real” journalists to do their job and hold the politicians toes to the fire over their hypocrisy. He’s put it like [this](http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Jon_Stewart) before in multiple venues:

> [@](#):
>
> If I was to really get at the burr in my saddle, it’s not politics — and this is, I think, probably a horrible analogy — but I look at politicians as, they are doing what inherently they need to do to retain power. Their job is to consolidate power. When you go to the zoo and you see a monkey throwing poop, you go, “that’s what monkeys do, what are you gonna do?” But what I wish the media would do more frequently is say “bad monkey.”

I don’t think he’s ever claimed not to be an advocate; he’s claimed that he is not _a journalist_, and not a partisan hack. He instead positions himself as someone who watches the watchers, who calls them out for their constant fucking it up, and he does a fine job of it.

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**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:** [December 20, 2010, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-this-the-best-daily-show-ever-12-16-2010/564483/57 "2010-12-20T17:41:12Z")

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> [@Marley23](#):
>
> It’s not the first time he’s had an author on the show and talked about something other than the book. Huckabee is a former (and maybe future) presidential candidate and he’s someone who could be expected to comment on the issue. He wasn’t up to date on the particulars of the law, but it’s not an ambush and Stewart didn’t hold him personally responsible for what’s happening.

Not for the fate of the bill, but Stewart did hold him responsible for not using his pulpit on Fox News to bring the issue up. Huckabee isn’t part of the political problem now, but he is part of the media problem. He also has pretty good morals, for a conservative at least.

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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:** [December 20, 2010, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-this-the-best-daily-show-ever-12-16-2010/564483/58 "2010-12-20T18:18:02Z")

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> [@Bosstone](#):
>
> Because if Fox was actually doing their fershlugginer jobs they’d not have needed TDS to make them aware of the issue.

That makes sense though I have pretty low expectations from the News these days. Fox and MSNBC both are terrible and CNN is not great.

On the other side, this Bill was mostly a big deal to NY & NJ as far as I know. In a way it is not a national impact bill just one that was absolutely correct to pass. I am glad Jon Stewart championed it and that it might well pass now but I could see the talking heads not being aware of it.

Where is Fox News broadcast from? I don’t even know. If you say NYC, I take back my excuse for them.

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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:** [December 20, 2010, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-this-the-best-daily-show-ever-12-16-2010/564483/59 "2010-12-20T18:27:19Z")

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> [@What\_Exit](#):
>
> Where is Fox News broadcast from? I don’t even know. If you say NYC, I take back my excuse for them.

Their headquarters is in midtown Manhattan.

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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:** [December 20, 2010, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-this-the-best-daily-show-ever-12-16-2010/564483/60 "2010-12-20T18:32:00Z")

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> [@Marley23](#):
>
> Their headquarters is in midtown Manhattan.

Well that is just freaking sad, isn’t it. ☹

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