Monday, October 18, 2004

Oh John, Where Forth Art Thou?

I do not receive broadcast or cable TV, and have not for many years (trust me, I don’t miss anything). That means that I have only seen The Daily Show a dozen times or so (though every time I have, I loved it), and I have not seen Crossfire in a decade (Wow, they have a bigger set, and audience and the hosts are younger).

I am sure by now you have heard about John Stewart’s appearance on Crossfire, and what many are calling the “take down”. You can see it
here.

This seems to be being spun as the Stewart champion story, but does he not seem like a pompous ass who needs to come off his high horse? I think he’s been living in a bubble too long where he has not had to deal with people who opposing opinions to his own, and imagines that somehow, if he did, he would do it in a way superior to those who have the grand debate every day.

Well I say, fine, if you can do it better, hire some Republicans, Libertarians, whatever, John. We would love to see how you would change our political world.

UPDATE: Apparently I'm not crazy. Here's a quote form Jim Treacher...

"Stewart's been bugging me... I've been getting more and more annoyed with him trying to have it both ways, being an increasingly self-righteous advocate and yet deflecting criticism with 'It's just a comedy show!' Which is pretty much perfectly encapsulated in his 15-odd minutes on Crossfire . I remember when he was a lot more convincing about being a moderate, not that long ago . And I think his interview with Kerry is certainly fair game for criticism. But then again, calling Tucker Carlson a dick? Right to his face? That is a Golden TV Moment..."

"It was maddening when he lectured those guys and they wanted to talk to him about it, and he kept going, 'Wait, I'm just a comedian!' Clown nose off, clown nose on, clown nose off, clown nose on... It's just as much of a defense mechanism as his tie-straightening and that schmendrick voice he goes into (Art Fern?), and it's every bit as annoying.

.. Sounds like there's been a transformation going on over at The Daily Show, and I've just missed it because I haven't seen it in a year and a half.

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