The Daily Show

[FourthBase]

Anyone else notice that the Daily Show is a neo-con mouthpiece? Every time I turn it on, the guest is a neo-con, and Jon Stewart is eating the neo-con's shit. He had Gerald Fucking Posner on a few weeks ago, and Posner was (not kidding) posing as an anti-Saudi conspiracy theorist. Stewart just sat there and kissed his ass the whole time.<br><br>And anyone else notice that the effect of its pseudo-news is to make leftists feel helpless? <p></p><i></i>

[Rigorous Intuition]

That's an interesting take. I'm not a regular viewer but I caught the tail end of the Posner interview and thought, there it is: the "Saudis did it" ace in the hole limited hang-out that suckers in so many. I wonder when that will get played? When it does, a lot on the Left will have painted themselves into a tight corner.<br><br>And yes, the humour is often laugh-out-loud funny, but it does seem tinged with a sense of ineffectuality: you gotta laugh, or you're gonna cry, but one way or the other, you're gonna take it. <p></p><i></i>

[Asta]

Sorry but I totally disagree with the original poster's opinion.<br><br>For one thing, the original poster (hereinafter referred to as OP) didn't give any examples, quotes or links, therefore I can not address his opinion. OP has not given any evidence for his view.<br><br>AND after having been a viewer of the Daily Show for two years now, I can only say that Jon Stewart delivers the truth in a satirical fashion, but so did a lot of authors in the 19th century and their writings changed the future. We could start with the tame Charles Dickens and work our way up, could we not? <p></p><i></i>

[Rambuncle]

It is not a neocon mouthpiece. Yes he does have people on who are "diasgreeable", and he does treat them lightly, but that is because it is an entertainment show. It also contains "reporting" bits that are empty of news value and sometimes sophmoric. You have to remember, Jon Stewart always emphasizes it is a fake news show (though often it is more real than cable/network news). He is not carrying a standard for anything. Just some funny entertainment. <br><br>We're always one of Us. It's Them that do the bad things." - Terry Pratchett <p></p><i></i>

[thrulookingglass]

I think the Daily Show's psuedo-news objective is to try and not play sides. Bob Dole has often been on the show and used for commentary when "indecision 'xx" election specials are held. Newt Gingrich was also a recent guest. Michael Moore and Howard Zinn have also been on the show. It is was of the few shows that lends any air-time to current political novelists. Yeah, I'm a fan and have been watching the show since the Craig Kilborn was the host. I don't think the writers/directors of the show care who's eye gets the finger, as long as they hit an eye. All television is meant to pacify and no program is without bias. <p></p><i></i>

[thrulookingglass]

Spellcheck, yes. Grammar check, no. Replace the word 'was' with 'one'. Sorry. <p></p><i></i>

[heath7]

Just last night Stewart gave another little pep rally for war with Iran when he had, as his guest, Kenneth Timmerman, author of <!--EZCODE BOLD START--><strong>Countdown to Crisis: the Coming Nuclear Showdown with Iran</strong><!--EZCODE BOLD END-->. Stewart called Timmerman's book the most "persuasive and frightening" he'd read, and the interview kept going downhill from there. Stewart came off as very supportive of Timmerman's cause.<br><br>Just a bit of background on Timmerman; he believes that Iran is sheltering Bin Laden, and he believes that Islam is at war with America (as opposed to the other way around). There's more on Google for those who are interested. Timmerman is the typical neocon who supported war with Iraq, hating the French, and he found Saddam's missing WMDs in Syria (much to the surprise of everybody, turned out to be a lie)<br><br>Stewart's show is usually very entertaining, and I admire their ability to make hilarious the unfunny, but they definitely have an agenda, which makes their claim to be a worthless fake-news show misleading.<br><br>...For anyone that thinks Iran is such a huge threat, I point to the 15 Saudi hijackers of 9-11, and conversely how Saudi Arabia is viewed as so unthreatening that they <!--EZCODE BOLD START--><strong>have</strong><!--EZCODE BOLD END--> nuclear technology, and the IAEA just gave them an indefinite free pass on any kind of inspections. I make this point not because I think any Islamic nation will drop a nuke on us, but because there is a very obvious double standard occurring here, one that Jon Stewart is careful to avoid. <p></p><i>Edited by: <A HREF=http://p097.ezboard.com/brigorousintuition.showUserPublicProfile?gid=heath7>heath7</A> at: 6/17/05 3:48 pm<br></i>

[FourthBase]

Where can I find a list of the Daily Show's political guests?<br>Because I <!--EZCODE BOLD START--><strong>know</strong><!--EZCODE BOLD END--> that The Daily Show has had on a litany of neo-con authors that even Fox News hasn't had. Stewart claims he's a "moderate", but his interests in the Middle East seem to veer right. <p></p><i></i>

[Jen]

While I can't get on board with the OP's opinion, I haven't been able to watch TDS since December 2004. From what I've seen, JS has been really phoning it in since that time. I mean, I'm willing to give him a pass with regard to not making jokes about the election fraud in the U.S. or the Downing Street memo because he has to take his cues about what to rip on from the popular media and there just hasn't been enough in MSM for him to rip. In many ways, TDS was as much about critiquing the shitty media as it was about ripping shitty government. It's not the lack of coverage about scandalous Bush deeds that turned me off, it was a couple of really inappropriate jokes--like, way out there inappropriate, (bad taste)--that were told on the show in the first few weeks after the election. No, I don't feel like listing them, because I still can't believe that shit popped up on TDS and don't want to relive the trauma. But damn, those were offensive sketches. I don't question why or how that crap made it to air--I think it was just sub-par writing, laziness on the part of the staff--I don't get a mean, evil, fascist vibe off the incidents, but it was disappointing and subsequently, I'm no longer a viewer. After those bits of "humor," the magic was gone. <p></p><i></i>

[DBtv]

He is, after all, Jewish, so this is not unexpected. <p></p><i></i>

[wolf pauli]

<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--><em>"He is, after all, Jewish, so this is not unexpected."</em><!--EZCODE ITALIC END--><br><br>American Arabs and Jews agree on path to peace <br>By James J. Zogby <br><!--EZCODE AUTOLINK START--><a href="http://www.aljazeerah.info/Opinion%20editorials/2003%20Opinion%20Editorials/August/4o/American%20Arabs%20and%20Jews%20agree%20on%20path%20to%20peace,%20James%20J%20Zogby.htm">www.aljazeerah.info/Opini...0Zogby.htm</a><!--EZCODE AUTOLINK END--><br><br>"... As in our earlier poll of October 2002 we found that both communities [Arab Americans and Jewish Americans] shared somewhat similar views and would both support a two state solution based on the formula that was being negotiated before the election of Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon in January 2001.<br><br>"These results should not be viewed as surprising given the characteristics of the two communities. ..."<br><br>This Much is True: We Remember<br>Jews Like Us<br>by Brice Jackson<br><!--EZCODE AUTOLINK START--><a href="http://www.counterpunch.org/jackson04182003.html">www.counterpunch.org/jack...82003.html</a><!--EZCODE AUTOLINK END--><br><br>"... All reliable studies and surveys show that the great majority of American Jews, whatever the level of their support for Israel itself, oppose unilateralism, think the United Nations an important forum, favor a Palestinian state, are opposed to the settlements in the Occupied Territories, oppose Sharon's militancy, are sickened and appalled by the images of Israeli tanks destroying homes, villages and vineyards, and are desperate for the killing and dying on both sides to stop now. Not after every potentially suicidal Palestinian is wiped out. Not after the world is made perfect. Now. ..."<br><br> <p></p><i></i>

[Seventhsonjr]

Look - viacom OWNS comedy central<br><br>Jon works for them and has to accept the guests they book.<br><br>Let's look at viacom and see who owns it.<br><br>For my money Jon is the best thing we've got in the MSM.<br><br>so we have to look at who cuts his paycheck...<br><br>Peace all<br><br>Bill (seventhson) <p></p><i></i>

[robertdreed]

<br>Has anyone hereabouts read Timmerman's book? <br><br><br> <p></p><i>Edited by: <A HREF=http://p097.ezboard.com/brigorousintuition.showUserPublicProfile?gid=robertdreed>robertdreed</A> at: 6/18/05 6:09 am<br></i>

[human]

the "right" is a bunch of liars...<br><br>and the "left" is a joke.<br><br>Stewart plays his role well. <p></p><i></i>

[heath7]

Timmerman is a straight-up neocon, and Stewart found his book a 'most persuasive and frightening' read. If Stewart was just doing his job, then he should be named kiss-ass employee of the month.<br> <p></p><i></i>