# What did Kurt Vonnegut mean on The Daily Show on Tuesday? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 14, 2005, 5:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-kurt-vonnegut-mean-on-the-daily-show-on-tuesday/321563 "2005-09-14T05:45:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![SpartanDC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b2d939/32.png) [@SpartanDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpartanDC)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2005, 5:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-kurt-vonnegut-mean-on-the-daily-show-on-tuesday/321563/1 "2005-09-14T05:45:28Z")
When he came out last night to do his interview, he acted like he believed in intelligent design, only to say at the end, “that’s why we’ve got giraffes and hippopotomi in the clap” (or something like that). Jon Stewart and the audience seemed to think that what he said was hilarious, but I didn’t get it. When I hear “the clap” I usually think of an STD, but that didn’t make any sense to me in this context. Anyone got an explanation? ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2005, 5:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-kurt-vonnegut-mean-on-the-daily-show-on-tuesday/321563/2 "2005-09-14T05:50:20Z")
The clap is gonorrhea. You might be overthinking this. It’s funny because “the clap” is not something you usually find on a list of nature’s wonders. ---
**Author:** ![Fern\_Forest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/71c47a/32.png) [@Fern\_Forest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fern_Forest)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2005, 6:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-kurt-vonnegut-mean-on-the-daily-show-on-tuesday/321563/3 "2005-09-14T06:20:00Z")
> [@SNenc](#): > > …hippopotomi in the clap… **and** the clap. ---
**Author:** ![NicePete](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ee7513/32.png) [@NicePete](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NicePete)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2005, 6:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-kurt-vonnegut-mean-on-the-daily-show-on-tuesday/321563/4 "2005-09-14T06:26:42Z")
I didn’t see the show, but I take the quote to mean something like “Intelligent design must be correct because we have weirdly shaped animals like giraffes and hippos and because we have life forms with no apparent benefit to the rest of creation like the gonorrhea virus (or bacteria).” He was being sarcastic. Kind of like saying “George W. Bush is a wonderful president. Look how well he’s handled \_\_(insert latest debacle here)\_\_\_\_.” ---
**Author:** ![Hung\_Mung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a88e4f/32.png) [@Hung\_Mung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hung_Mung)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2005, 6:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-kurt-vonnegut-mean-on-the-daily-show-on-tuesday/321563/5 "2005-09-14T06:49:30Z")
I really wish they’d let him read his list of liberal crap he doesn’t want to hear anymore. They’d better post it soon. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2005, 6:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-kurt-vonnegut-mean-on-the-daily-show-on-tuesday/321563/6 "2005-09-14T06:59:17Z")
Yeah, I went to [comedycentral.com](http://comedycentral.com) while the “moment of zen” was still running, and was pissed off to be kept waitiing. I’m glad that Jon showed Vonnegut the respect due to him. Seriously, my mind boggles when I try to imagine the person I’d be if I didn’t read his novels as a teenager – and I got the sense that Jon Stewart is in the same boat. I wish that there was a wide shot during Vonnegut’s deadpan “endorsement” of intelligent design, though. I would have _loved_ to have seen Jon Stewart’s play of expressions. I imagine that it very quickly ran the gamut: Interest :)–\> Apprehension :dubious:–\> Disbelief 😕–\> Horror :eek:–\> Relief :o–\> Mirth 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2005, 11:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-kurt-vonnegut-mean-on-the-daily-show-on-tuesday/321563/7 "2005-09-14T11:25:14Z")
> [@Larry Mudd](#): > > \ > I’m glad that Jon showed Vonnegut the respect due to him. Seriously, my mind boggles when I try to imagine the person I’d be if I didn’t read his novels as a teenager – and I got the sense that Jon Stewart is in the same boat. > \ One of the things I admire about Jon is that he \*generally \*seems to give respect to all of his guests, even those he doesn’t agree with. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2005, 12:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-kurt-vonnegut-mean-on-the-daily-show-on-tuesday/321563/8 "2005-09-14T12:10:58Z")
Oh, yeah – but there’s that general respectfulness, and then there’s being careful not to be seated until the guest takes his seat. (I don’t think that was _entirely_ because he was worried he might fall. Presence of greatness and all that.) ---
**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:** [September 14, 2005, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-kurt-vonnegut-mean-on-the-daily-show-on-tuesday/321563/9 "2005-09-14T12:44:25Z")
I was kind of surprised that no one mentioned that in Vonnegut’s universe, humankind is descended from the feces left behind by an intersteller-race of travellers (giant cockroaches.) Of course, in another book, humankind is the result of deliberate manipulation of evolution so that people can be brought to the point that they can build a spare part for a spaceship of a stranded traveler on Saturn’s moon Titan. So, I guess Vonnegut is on both sides of evolution vs creative design, eh? ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2005, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-kurt-vonnegut-mean-on-the-daily-show-on-tuesday/321563/10 "2005-09-14T13:55:07Z")
Is Mr. V trying to look like Mark Twian? ---
**Author:** ![Homebrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@Homebrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Homebrew)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2005, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-kurt-vonnegut-mean-on-the-daily-show-on-tuesday/321563/11 "2005-09-14T14:19:54Z")
> [@Larry Mudd](#): > > I imagine that it very quickly ran the gamut: > > Interest :)–\> Apprehension :dubious:–\> Disbelief 😕–\> Horror :eek:–\> Relief :o–\> Mirth 😃 That was pretty much my reaction. ---
**Author:** ![eleanorigby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@eleanorigby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eleanorigby)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2005, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-kurt-vonnegut-mean-on-the-daily-show-on-tuesday/321563/12 "2005-09-14T14:32:48Z")
Ya know, I never liked him–I read a series of interviews of him awhile back (the interviews were from the late '70’s) and he was such a sexist pig (to use the nomenclature of that era). Turned me right off and I never read him as a novelist. Now, after seeing his intelligence, his repartee and his slyness, I need to give Mr. Vonnegut another chance. So, thanks Jon Stewart for opening my horizons (yet again). I loved V’s riff on democracy…in 100 years, free your slaves, in 150 years, let your women vote. Loved it. Good to see Colbert again. ---
**Author:** ![cbawlmer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/71e660/32.png) [@cbawlmer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cbawlmer)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2005, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-kurt-vonnegut-mean-on-the-daily-show-on-tuesday/321563/13 "2005-09-14T15:01:33Z")
They still haven’t posted that list as far as I can tell. I really wish they had a better website; they could have so much more content. ---
**Author:** ![flight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/bbce88/32.png) [@flight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flight)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2005, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-kurt-vonnegut-mean-on-the-daily-show-on-tuesday/321563/14 "2005-09-14T15:11:25Z")
Vonnegut is definitely showing his age, but his difficulty in speaking does not reduce his wit. Still waiting for his list and getting a little annoyed. Considering how much respect Stewart showed him I would have thought he would let the segment go long, or at the very least have already posted the list on his website by airtime. ---
**Author:** ![Silentgoldfish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@Silentgoldfish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silentgoldfish)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2005, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-kurt-vonnegut-mean-on-the-daily-show-on-tuesday/321563/15 "2005-09-14T15:12:24Z")
> [@flight](#): > > Vonnegut is definitely showing his age, but his difficulty in speaking does not reduce his wit. Still waiting for his list and getting a little annoyed. Considering how much respect Stewart showed him I would have thought he would let the segment go long, or at the very least have already posted the list on his website by airtime. It was the last segment so I don’t think they had a choice; the show wrapped up in like 30 seconds after the interview. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2005, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-kurt-vonnegut-mean-on-the-daily-show-on-tuesday/321563/16 "2005-09-14T15:32:36Z")
I never really perceived Vonnegut as sexist. I’d be interested to read that interview. (Of course I have met Vonnegut’s wife, Jill Krementz [at a book signing in Alabama for a book of photography- Kurt wasn’t with her and most of those present, like me, came solely in hopes he would be], and she’d probably be enough to make anybody misogynistic.) He is usually hooked up to oxygen these days (65 years of heavy smoking and all) but evidently removed it prior to walking onto the set, which was part of his frailty. (John Irving has told [the story](http://www.contactmusic.com/new/xmlfeed.nsf/mndwebpages/irving%20straddled%20choking%20vonnegut) of how he “rescued” Vonnegut on several interviews recently, including last week on the Daily Show.) Vonnegut was also on Bill Maher last week. I’m very pleased to say that he didn’t give the same “It’s an honor to be here” to that slimy narcissist Maher that he gave to Stewart. I don’t know that he tries to look like Twain but he is aware of the similarity and has mentioned it a couple of times. He doesn’t consider himself anywhere near the equivalent of Twain. Some years ago he was given the Mark Twain Award for comedy writing and, at the reception held in Twain’s [house](http://www.marktwainhouse.org/), was allowed the opportunity to break a rack of balls on Twain’s beloved pool table. He declined, not feeling worthy. (Of course he also said he’d have preferred to have written _Cheers_ to anything he ever wrote; one of his children was a writer on the show for a while.) ---
**Author:** ![middleman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9a140/32.png) [@middleman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/middleman)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2005, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-kurt-vonnegut-mean-on-the-daily-show-on-tuesday/321563/17 "2005-09-14T15:39:45Z")
I always found it odd that Vonnegut was a fraternity guy at Cornell. It just seems out of character for the guy. He seems so unconventional and counterculture. ---
**Author:** ![Cliffy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/59ef9b/32.png) [@Cliffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cliffy)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2005, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-kurt-vonnegut-mean-on-the-daily-show-on-tuesday/321563/18 "2005-09-14T16:14:15Z")
He regretted it. I went to Cornell, and I remember someone sending around a booklet of things that famous Cornell alumni said about how to integrate. Vonnegut was quoted as saying he would have rather stayed with the independents. –Cliffy ---
**Author:** ![middleman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9a140/32.png) [@middleman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/middleman)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2005, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-kurt-vonnegut-mean-on-the-daily-show-on-tuesday/321563/19 "2005-09-14T16:25:37Z")
> [@Cliffy](#): > > He regretted it. I went to Cornell, and I remember someone sending around a booklet of things that famous Cornell alumni said about how to integrate. Vonnegut was quoted as saying he would have rather stayed with the independents. > –Cliffy It must be something in the water. It surprises me that YOU were in a fraternity as well! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2005, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-kurt-vonnegut-mean-on-the-daily-show-on-tuesday/321563/20 "2005-09-14T17:05:51Z")
> [@Zebra](#): > > Is Mr. V trying to look like Mark Twian? That’s exactly what I was thinking. At least we have a replacement if Hal Holbrook dies. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-kurt-vonnegut-mean-on-the-daily-show-on-tuesday/321563.md?page=2)