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How Jon Stewart Went Bad
A serious man needs a serious mission, however, and this is suddenly a problem. With Bush gone and the Republican Party in chaos, most of Stewart’s targets have disappeared. Yet rather than pivot with the times and challenge those now in power, Stewart continues to attack the same old enemies, at this point mostly straw men and pipsqueaks. A couple of weeks ago, he spent an entire seven minutes mocking the crowd at a CPAC conference.
His studio audience loved it, though that isn’t saying much. Stewart’s audience would erupt if he read the phone book, or did his monologue in German, a response that over time is a threat to any man’s soul. During many segments, Stewart’s audience doesn’t laugh so much as cheer, a distinction that would bother most comedians. Stewart keeps them around anyway. Uncritical praise corrupts absolutely.
As Stewart becomes more self-righteous, he inevitably becomes less funny. Sanctimony is the death of humor, and also of innovation. Where a show like South Park challenges its audience’s every conceivable assumption, The Daily Show has become safer than Jay Leno, pandering night after night to the converted. Can you remember the last time Stewart said anything his viewers might disagree with?
Like most sermons, Stewart’s showdown with Jim Cramer ended with a neat moral lesson. Once journalists who cover business regain their sense of responsibility and “start getting back to fundamentals on the reporting,” Stewart said gravely, “I can get back to making fart noises and funny faces.”
But it’s too late. The great comedian is gone, maybe forever. Jon Stewart is stuck in lecture mode.
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This comment has been removed by The Daily Beast's editors.
RODERICK098
IS IT POSSIBLE THIS OOOOO SOOOOO HARD WORKING JOURNALIST HAS BEEN CANNED FROM THIS SITE. WHAT WONDERFUL WORLD IT WOULD BE IF THAT WERE TRUE-NOTHING FROM HIM THE ENTIRE MONTH OF APRIL
Ottoheinz
The big problem with this article is that John Stewart is a really good joking reporter and Tucker is a really bad joke of a reporter. You're about 5 years late on this article, bucko. You should've taken your revenge back in '04. The other thing you should realize, Tucker, is that John Stewart didn't make a fool out of you....YOU MADE A FOOL OUT OF YOU. Why you still have a career is a mystery to me...
christoph
AS PER TUCKERS "BOW TIE" AS I UNDERSTAND IT THERE IS SOME CONFUSION FOR THE NECESSITY OF IT .
FROM A FASHION SENSE ... A TIE WOULD NOT COMPLIMENT THE LINE OR SILLUETTE OF TUCKER CARLSON... BECAUSE IT WOULD LOOK AS IF... SO ANYWAY I USED TO LISTEN TO DON IMUS LIKE CAN WE DISCUSS THIS FURTHER
Chris Nisco
How can you accuse Jon Stewart as being pompous have you watched any clips you are in? You sound like the biggest pompous ass I have ever listened to and the daily show is on Comedy Central the channel that is bringing the world Larry the Cable guy's new stand-up act. To hold the Daily Show up on a some high pedestal to ask hard hitting questions to politicians isn't his job that is your job.
scott1607
Tucker Carlson making observations on someone else being a prig? Delicious!
EdinNJ
Was there anything more predictable than Tucker Carlson, still stinging from being call a d*ck all those years ago by Stewart, rushing to Cramer's rescue?
Wow, once a d*ck, always a d*ck
Doomba
Stewart isn't a comedian anymore. He's a media critic, and a good one.
Television journalism has been terrible for an extremely long time which is sad because it doesn't have to be that way. Video can be so compelling and convey just as much information as a newspaper article if done right.
It always disgusts me when a TV personality tries to stick up for their shoddy work, but I guess you can't blame them. What else are they going to do?
Holywriter
"Cramer hadn't mentioned derivates or securitized loans or credit default swaps, or any of the other exotic financial instruments that caused the fall of AIG and the current recession. There's no evidence that Jim Cramer had anything to do with any of that, and Stewart didn't offer any."
That's because Stewart was making a point, likening the behavior. He wasn't directly saying Cramer caused the current crisis.
And I'll make the same point to you that Stewart made to you five years ago: He hosts a comedy show, not a news show. Interesting you work for MSNBC and you're defending CNBC. Also interesting that you're writing this slam piece against the person who is most responsible for Crossfire finally being canceled.
AndreainNY
Jon Stewart is just another political mouthpiece who doesn't have the guts to run for office. Instead he uses his talk show as his bully pulpit.
Just another Rush Limbaugh -- except Rush knows that he's just a talk show host.
This comment has been removed by The Daily Beast's editors.
lastcookie
Get with the program Tucker, the same old carping doesn't get it with viewers. Stewart got to the point and spoke for a boatload of people, asking the questions they wanted asked. You wish you had a point.
Cramer deserves to be the object of these inquiries. Common to both of you is an overabundance of self-importance.
emeflag
Jon Stewart plays the role of court jester for America's political leaders. As often happened in the kings' courts in Europe, it was only the court jester that could expose the delusional beliefs held by the king through use of humor and satire. Any others would have their heads cut off for daring to expose the king. I find the Daily Show throughly entertaining and one of the most relevant programs on television. Where else can you find a program that exposes so much hypocrisy by our so-called leaders and laugh about it. Go get'm Jon.
politico83
Stewart has taken shots at democrats as well as republicans (see the coot off with Senator Byrd or his criticism just this week of the plan to put vets on private insurance that came from the white house) though, yes, republicans get it more. To be fair though, especially through the Bush years, republicans really had it coming. They still do, given that they only have "the power of no" with no real functional alternatives.
Just sitting in the cheap seats and shouting "you're doing it wrong" seems rather silly given how badly they ruined the economy between 2000 and 2006 when they ran the show entirely. I'm pretty sure it wasn't democrats who gave away 3 trillion in tax cuts primarily to the rich in 2001 or hundreds of billions year after year to insurance companies with the medicare add ons. If you're going to complain about balance, it might be a good idea to tell the party on the right to stop being self satire. Between Sarah Palin, Republicans in congress post election and Michael Steel/Rush Limbaugh it's like an all you can mock buffet.
Also Jon Stewart made none of the exact claims you are pointing to. He did not say that "fomenting" and other shenanigans are linked to AIG, but they are part of the larger picture of what is currently plaguing our economy. He also goes into depth on the 30 to 1 leverage which CNBC knew about but did not report on extensively. You're also wrong about CNBC and journalism, they are not there to report news, they are there to keep financial viewers. Long exposes on the evils of credit default swaps are less likely to interest stock traders and executives then stock picks and superficial market news, they were acting in their own interest putting the truth under the rug and they almost certainly knew it.
Johnnorth
Tucker Carlson is very brave to dare to fault Jon Stewart who once upon a time made us laugh a lot in the Bush years and is now that deadliest of things - a comic who takes himself seriously and doesn't know enough to make his questions interesting or revealing.
ajsuarez
While I'm a Stewart fan, I have noticed the trends Tucker brings up, and they are unsettling. If you are going to turn your show into a platform, "being a comedy show" does not exempt you from criticism.
Jon, I really love your work, and I think it matters. But my respect for you would be even higher if you applied your critical eye to the left as well as the right. Challenge us!!
Wittgenstein
Pathetic. Cramer's smarter than you. At least he realized what Stewart was talking about. I bet he won't be still trying to defend himself years later.
mjayers
Tucker has about as much credibility as my left shoe. In writing this article, he's essentially broadcasting his long-held bitterness for Stewart. Way to go, buddy!
ohcrap-notagain
The only thing that's changed since Tucker lost a battle of wits with Jon Stewart are the lead-in shows.
Thank you.
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