John Stewart helps to hurt America?

His show has bite right up until he has a guest like Fleischer or O'Reilly on, then all he does is plug their book, crack wise like a school boy and play pattycake with them for 8 minutes. He seems almost meek when he has a guest on he should be at least trying to put some heat on. America needs him to be Dick Cavet or someone and not just someone who rolls under for the machine when it's hawking a bestseller.

Just my two cents. I like Stewart, Lewis Black et al. But geezus what's the point of coddling people like Fleischer, or William Kristol. Stewart reels in and puts away his daggers just like everyone else on TV in these cases. The Daily Show is just another outlet for talking heads to sell books.

Whether it comes from his idolizers or detractors, no one seems able to keep the basic point of his show in mind: COMEDY.

Get over it. He doesn't owe us anything but laughs. He's not on the air to promote your or anyone else's political agenda.

Thats why a lot of people especially the young people like him. He's a comedian and at the same time a social critic. He bashes democrats and republicans. You have to realize that a lot of young republicans idolizes him too not just democrats.

I think he is quite partisan...or maybe not...maybe you are right...since b*shie has made so many egregious fuckups, Stewart just picks on he and his party a lot more.

Or else they wouldn't agree to come on in the first place.

Jon is adding a bit of balance for the sake of appearance in between shows where he and the others skewer RWers. He had TWO shows in one week on Guckert. No other TV show has gone that far. Plus, Fleicher looked like a putz and Jon, at the end of the interview, let him know we all know he was deflecting all the questions - that Ari is OBVIOUSLY full of shit.

Don't sweat it. :)

Let him down off the partisan pedestal for a minute or two once in awhile. He has a show to do and he does a right good job of it. It is, first and foremost, a comedy show. Give the guy a break.

but it is political satire with, yes, a bias bent away from the Bush administration (thankfully). I find nothing 'funny' about William Kristol or Ari Fleischer, and indeed they didn't burn the chair up with hilarity, and so saying the show is predominantly comedy is a copout. Stewart puts his nose in the political do-do for laughs and often serious satire. But he puts his nose in political do-do and as such he owes the audience at least an attempt at taking some of these people to task if he's going to cut them to pieces when theyre not there in person. but when he has them in the chair he proves time and again he doesn't have the gonads to go too far with serious questions. So then what is the point that jackasses like Fleischer and Kristol agree to do his show. As far as I can see it's to get away scott-free on a liberal stage and probably snicker to Bush how toothless the liberal/independant loved Daily show really is, just another soft seat on the book plugging circuit.

Sorry, but we need someone who makes these bastards risk something when they do his show.

risk? What do they gain from risking?

Good grief let the man earn a living with his COMEDY show. He owes us nothing but laughs which is what he provides about 500 times more than most anything else on TV.

I mean if there was ever a group that made the perfect the enemy of the good it was the people around here sometimes. Here we have a show that 8 times out of ten skewers our opposition in a hilarious and appealing way, and we have people skewering it because it isnt full on all the time attack.

I'm waiting for the poster who tells us that Stewart is really just another member of the conservative media or some such other statement.

Good. What is to gain by having them on and making them richer? If just having them on for the sake of having them on with no substantial dialogue so they can hawk books is your entertainment cup of tea, then by all means enjoy

...you are sooo bent out of shape about the "Daily Show"?

Because if its not, your post is still quite entertaining.

...Jon's funny, and of course he has no responsibility for the rest of society, but my concern is that every time he does the "ha ha ha we're helpless to stop these f***ed-up psychos from destroying our lives" bit, the GOP's shenanigans become a little more acceptable to everyone else.

The jester makes fun of the king--but he doesn't overthrow his ass.

Apparently, the joke's on you.

but that excuse only holds water if Fleischer gets a pie in the face or does a monologue, or does a Danny Kaye routine. When people like Fleischer and Kristol are on answering softball questions about their politics, how is it comedy?

its amazing you get this upset over a TV show. Funny stuff, pen.

It passes

Just wish Stewart wasn't another talk show host falling in line and was a little tougher. No one else is going to get tough with these guys

questions about their politics, how is it comedy?"

I think you answered your own question there.

It isn't a hard news show, it's a SATIRE of a "hard news show" which TDS knows is a joke in and of itself.

I agree with you and about 90% of the posters in this thread--it's a comedy show and it's damn entertaining.

after Crossfire. :hi:

Imus says

Are we supposed to abandon him because he isn't ideologically pure? For comedy a show on basic cable, Jon & his associates do quite well.

Are we being warned that we must abandon him, just as we should "distance ourselves" from Michael Moore?

This is the 2nd thread accusing Jon of that crime in one week. Is this the beginning of a movement?

www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=103&topic_id=110061

Perhaps they got tired of telling us that Michael Moore is only in it for the money?

anytime anyone speaks for liberals/democrats or takes the GOP to task, the greek chorus chimes in expecting democrats to "distance" themselves from that person.

:wtf:

Nothing wrong with being civil. Treating enemies the way you'd like to be treated. (Where'd I hear that?) And in the long run letting them have "enough rope."

If they say stupid things, he's there to nail them. Why cut his own throat?

--IMM

He hits the hypocrites (ie Repugs) hard, but surreptitiously. He uses sarcasm (that often flies over the heads of his repug guests), to the delight of his audience.

There's no doubt in my mind where Jon's allegiances lie...:thumbsup:

I also find it extremely frustrating how the same people he hammers for their lies, bs and general nefariousness come on get the genial, and at times apologetic, host treatment, which kind of works to undo the point of Stewart's satire in the first place. The show ceases to be 'fake news' and 'just comedy' the minute someone like William Kristol strides onto the stage. It's just a beef ive developed after watching for a long time. When is anyone on the left or in the center going to stop playing footsie with these slimebag neocons

:eyes:

I guess I'm the dense tree in the forest

:eyes:

RL

It's damn entertaining -- and FUNNY-- watching smiling fascists flog their books and share a couple of harmless yuks as if Rome wasn't burning outside and they were the cause