Jon Stewart on Crossfire

[MrsSpringsteen]

"I thought that he looked ridiculous," Carlson said in an interview Monday, "and I think the tape makes that clear."

Carlson said Stewart continued lecturing the "Crossfire" crew after the show went off the air. "I wasn't offended as much as I was unimpressed," he said.

Stewart wasn't talking about the confrontation on Monday, a spokesman said. Comedy Central executive Tony Fox said there may be some regret over the vulgarity, but that Stewart has been a longtime critic of cable news networks and their political argument shows.

The comedian hasn't gone out of his way to endorse Kerry. In a public forum last week in New York, he was asked who he would vote for, and he said he'd back the Democrat.

Carlson noted that many of the great comedians kept their political opinions to themselves, not for fear of offending anyone, but because it could hurt their art.

"You're selling out," he said. "If you are a satirist or an acute social observer, and he is, and all of a sudden you suspend disbelief on someone or suck up rather than prod or poke someone, people will look at you and say, `Even if I agree with you, I don't like it,'" he said.

Fox said "The Daily Show" poked fun at people in power, regardless of their party. Most people who watch Stewart are aware that he leans to the left politically.

"I don't think it really impacts the show at all," he said. "The show does what it does regardless of Jon's political persuasion."

 

[diamond]

it's a consesus the Jon Stewart was outta line, flipped out, while Tucker did ok.

 

[nbcrusader]

And to think that a measurable percentage of young people look to the Daily Show as their source of news.....

 

[U2democrat]

And to think that a measurable percentage of young people look to the Daily Show as their source of news.....

yeah its funny and sad at the same time, i'm able to have political discussions with my friends because they are "informed" from the daily show.

 

[Hallelujah Here She Comes]

it's a consesus the Jon Stewart was outta line, flipped out, while Tucker did ok.

It's a consensus among who exactly? Have you read this thread?

 

[diamond]

not a consesus here Mrs SpellCheck, I'm talking nationally.

How you been HHSC?

db9

 

[LoveTown]

Ok i was really looking forward to Jon Stewart on Crossfire. I expected to be rolling, Paul Begala, tucker carlson, and jon stewart really are a group of funny guys. It ended up being, well, WEIRD. Paul and Tucker were trying to keep it funny, crack jokes, and all they got was a very weird lecture from Stewart. I can understand what he was trying to say, but, it just didn't work. Paul and Tucker were obviously frustrated. It was really weird. He rarely said anything remotely funny. I think he was high.......it was very disappointing.

high? you think he was high? I think he was PISSED off and trying to raise a serious point and they were basically trying to make him just be funny ol jon stewart. I think it's sad how they kept trying to shut him up and pigeon-hole him. I personally loved it when he said he wasnt there to be their monkey

 

[nbcrusader]

I just watched the video clip. I think it is hard for Stewart to make his points when, if challenged about his own show, he falls back to the "we're a comedy show". It hurts the credibility of Stewart's message when he is unwilling to play by the same rules himself.

 

[LoveTown]

I just watched the video clip. I think it is hard for Stewart to make his points when, if challenged about his own show, he falls back to the "we're a comedy show". It hurts the credibility of Stewart's message when he is unwilling to play by the same rules himself.

His point is that his show SHOULD not be held to the same standards as a serious news show. It's a comedy it's supposed to be shocking, funny, sometimes dumb.

If you went to the circus and the clowns were all wearing red noses and hitting each other with pies you would laugh, you'd expect that.... but if you went to a hospital and all the doctors were doing that you'd likely beat a hasty retreat out of there would you not?

 

[nbcrusader]

But my point is, can the clown tell the doctor how to do their job?

 

[LoveTown]

But my point is, can the clown tell the doctor how to do their job?

I think the clown can have an opinion, especially if he is an intelligent person and wants to address some serious issues. However it's sad to just dismiss him and say "you're a clown, don't be serious, make us laugh"

 

[deep]

But my point is, can the clown tell the doctor how to do their job?

" It hurts the credibility of Stewart's message when he is unwilling to play by the same rules himself. "

I thought you wanted the clown to practice medicine?

 

[nbcrusader]

I think the clown can have an opinion, especially if he is an intelligent person and wants to address some serious issues. However it's sad to just dismiss him and say "your a clown, don't be serious, make us laugh"

Stewart should decide if he is just a clown, or if wants to bring credibility to his own message. He may be an intelligent clown, but if he plays clown all day long, does taking off his clown hat give him credibility?

Or was all of this simply part of the clown act?

 

[LoveTown]

Stewart should decide if he is just a clown, or if wants to bring credibility to his own message. He may be an intelligent clown, but if he plays clown all day long, does taking off his clown hat give him credibility?

Or was all of this simply part of the clown act?

I dunno, maybe we should look at the case of Bono...I mean, who is a rock star to go about shaking hands with politicians and asking for money for AIDS and debt relief. I mean, he's a singer, he should stop being serious and sing us a song right?

 

[diamond]

NB has clarity and a keen sense of the issues no matter how much dust and smoke is thrown around.

God Bless you NB,

diamondbruno

 

[LoveTown]

NB has clarity and a keen sense of the issues no matter how much dust and smoke is thrown around.

God Bless you NB,

diamondbruno

nbc does had a keen sense of the issues and yes, he is very intelligent. I love discussing the issues with him even though our opinions differ greatly. Other's who don't agree with him all of the time have a keen sense of the issues and great minds too

 

[dandy]

my two cents' worth: jon stewart crossed the line when he called tucker a dick, no doubt. he's obviously an intelligent, articulate man, and he didn't need to resort to childish name-calling no matter how frustrated he was.

other than that, i like what he was trying to say. i loathe cnn--i find it to be info-tainment, 'theatre' as jon called it. it may be the biggest in america, but it is far from the best. cnn has the resources, but fails to analyze the headlines in a thoughtful, intelligent manner. it's more about shock and schlock.

to add to the current debate: i wouldn't call jon stewart a clown. his show may be classified as comedy, but it wouldn't be so funny if he didn't have such an acute understanding of the political scene. the fact that many of us get the news from his show instead of cnn attests to his credibility as a political commentator. the doofuses on crossfire refused to listen to his opinion or respond to his (valid) criticisms--they just kept interrupting him and telling him to be funny, as if that's all he's capable of. in my opinion, they proved jon stewart's point.

 

[LoveTown]

my two cents' worth: jon stewart crossed the line when he called tucker a dick, no doubt. he's obviously an intelligent, articulate man, and he didn't need to resort to childish name-calling no matter how frustrated he was.

I do agree with this. It was a low-point in his argument and THIS is what took away from his credibility, not the fact that he is a comedian.

 

[ImOuttaControl]

After watching the video....

I see the point that Stewart was trying to make. I wish that the news networks would really grill Bush and Kerry on the real issues! I want to see questions to Bush about making health care affordable and how we can make Iraq stable. I want the news outlets to actually look into Kerry's Senate record because I have no idea what this guy is about(I know what he wants to tell us, but c'mon, he's a politician and saying what people want to hear).

BUT, Stewart seems like a guy that can talk the talk but not walk the walk. As others have mentioned he will not hold himself to the same standards as others, falling back on "It's a comedy show." The fact is that many many younger people watch his show nightly and it is a source of news for them--and you know quite well Stewart's doing the best he can to try to get Kerry some votes on a nightly basis with his "news show." So if cable news is too light on politicians, can we just say that "The Daily Show" is propaganda? Sounds fair to me.

Basically, IMO, Stewart came across as arrogant and as the "dick" he described Tucker as.

 

[BVS]

Jon Stewart was brilliant!

 

[joyfulgirl]

my two cents' worth: jon stewart crossed the line when he called tucker a dick, no doubt. he's obviously an intelligent, articulate man, and he didn't need to resort to childish name-calling no matter how frustrated he was.

other than that, i like what he was trying to say. i loathe cnn--i find it to be info-tainment, 'theatre' as jon called it. it may be the biggest in america, but it is far from the best. cnn has the resources, but fails to analyze the headlines in a thoughtful, intelligent manner. it's more about shock and schlock.

to add to the current debate: i wouldn't call jon stewart a clown. his show may be classified as comedy, but it wouldn't be so funny if he didn't have such an acute understanding of the political scene. the fact that many of us get the news from his show instead of cnn attests to his credibility as a political commentator. the doofuses on crossfire refused to listen to his opinion or respond to his (valid) criticisms--they just kept interrupting him and telling him to be funny, as if that's all he's capable of. in my opinion, they proved jon stewart's point.

I basically agree with this, although I may be quite naive in that I am surprised to learn from this thread that people actually watch the Daily Show to get news. Everyone I know watches it for pure entertainment and to get his humorous take on the news, but I guess I hang with a pretty well-informed crowd.

 

[joyfulgirl]

And in no way did he seem high!

 

[Hallelujah Here She Comes]

not a consesus here Mrs SpellCheck, I'm talking nationally.

How you been HHSC?

db9

Fine, thanks.

So where have you gotten your info on this? Just curious, as a lot of people I've talked to thought Stewart made some good points.

 

[nbcrusader]

I dunno, maybe we should look at the case of Bono...I mean, who is a rock star to go about shaking hands with politicians and asking for money for AIDS and debt relief. I mean, he's a singer, he should stop being serious and sing us a song right?

I could easily dismiss Bono's statements if he had not spent his time (1) in Africa (and doing so as an individual, not as part of a press junket) (2) studying the details behind the issues, and (3) worked across party lines to focus attention on the issues.

 

[diamond]

Fine, thanks.

So where have you gotten your info on this? Just curious, as a lot of people I've talked to thought Stewart made some good points.

i think we navigate and co-mingle in different circles

db9

 

[LoveTown]

I could easily dismiss Bono's statements if he had not spent his time (1) in Africa (and doing so as an individual, not as part of a press junket) (2) studying the details behind the issues, and (3) worked across party lines to focus attention on the issues.

yes, you are right. I was being too simplistic when I cited Bono as an example. Bono talks the talk AND walks the walk when it comes to the causes he supports. To compare the Jon Stewart situation to anything Bono has done does Bono an injustice.

 

[ILuvLarryMullen]

I'm sorry, but his appearance was utterly brilliant.

Yes, he's a comedian, and yes he's brilliant when he's funny, but for God's sake, what he was talking about is no laughing matter, and I think the problem is that those two clowns tried to laugh along, and that was Stewart's point - stop making a mockery of all of this.

Somebody needs to call out the mainstream media on their bullshit, and I'm glad he did it. He totally handed it to the both of them.

Plus, he called Tucker a dick.

I jon stewart!

 

[U2democrat]

I Jon Stewart AND I Tucker Carlson! I can see the argument on both sides here.

 

[joyfulgirl]

Ok, Stewart is way too funny tonight.

I think for me Stewart is playing a character on The Daily Show. I wouldn't expect him to be that guy on Crossfire, or the Letterman Show, or whatever.

 

[AvsGirl41]

Thanks for the link, sharky.

I didn't find it weird or out of character for Stewart at all. I thought he was right on.

I didn't either. He was trying to do it in a lighter manner, but they kept poking him and he snapped.

Stewart hit a nerve. That's all there is to it.

I didn't realize how hot Tucker Carlson was.