Jon Stewart on CNN's Crossfire

Hoblit · Post by **Hoblit** » Thu Oct 21, 2004 1:51 pm

Jim of Seattle wrote:(Pardon the double post)

I think it's sad that when I think of the national "heroes" of the liberals, the three people that immediately come to mind are Michael Moore, Al Franken and Jon Stewart. All comedians, who can be so easily brushed off by their conservative foes with a "he's not funny" or "he's just trying to be funny"

Do all heroes of the liberal culture have to be entertainers? Why can't we have any unfunny, unentertaining, liberal heroes?

I'd say Clinton...I really would... but in the end... people snicker when they hear his name. I hear he has a wife ..something about the Senate...not nearly as funny.

john m · Post by **john m** » Thu Oct 21, 2004 1:51 pm

Jim of Seattle wrote:Why can't we have any unfunny, unentertaining, liberal heroes?

I don't think it's possible, and I'm not complaining. The right is comprised, mostly, of a bunch of stuck-up pricks, with no sense of humor when one is needed. I think it suits the left that its most visible figures have a sense of humor and have the ability not only to provide clear rationale and concise argument/rebuttal to claims from the right, but also to laugh about what really is stupid, even though others are too self-aware to realize it.

Jim of Seattle · Post by **Jim of Seattle** » Thu Oct 21, 2004 3:06 pm

Hmm, yeah, but it also cripples their cause a little because humor can be so easily dismissed. I'd love to see Michael Moore make a movie he doesn't appear in at all, and doesn't even narrate. He's such a smart guy, and so convincing, that I'd love to see people who disagree with him not be able to write him off as a big fat buffoon.

john m · Post by **john m** » Thu Oct 21, 2004 3:53 pm

Jim of Seattle wrote:Hmm, yeah, but it also cripples their cause a little because humor can be so easily dismissed.

Yes and no. I mean, I completely see your point, and to some extent, I believe it to be true. However, at the same time, if the observer is really paying attention to the conservative as they rebuke Stewart's/Franken's/Moore's argument by pointing out that he is a comedian, the observer will realize that no actual counterpoint has been made. I find it to be the case all too often that one of those three will make some kind of clear point, and a conservative adversary will only insult what the liberal does for a living, instead of providing a similarly clear argument (or any real argument whatsoever) in return. That these men are comedians does not mean they are not discussing real issues.

Jim of Seattle · Post by **Jim of Seattle** » Thu Oct 21, 2004 5:04 pm

Oh absolutey true! I'm more concerned with the millions who are almost unswervable in their misguided conservative beliefs who feel they don't even have to listen to those well-informed arguments because the come from the mouths of "comedians". Those people probably believe "they don't make me laugh, so they don't even deserve to be listened to".

The problem with people like Clinton as a serious liberal hero is not so much the Monica crap, as it is his firm decision to Stay The Hell Out Of It. Probably a good thing, given the Monica crap. Liberals need a big-talking, straight-edge, serious as hell, outspoken, liberal spokeperson who can't be dismissed on any irrelevant grounds, such as being a comedian or a philanderer or whatever.

mkilly · Post by **mkilly** » Thu Oct 21, 2004 8:10 pm

Jim of Seattle wrote:Do all heroes of the liberal culture have to be entertainers? Why can't we have any unfunny, unentertaining, liberal heroes?

Clinton? FDR? Kennedy? (counters to Bush, Teddy, and Reagan?) Uhmm... Noam Chomsky? Errol Morris? ... Karl Marx?

Denyer · Post by **Denyer** » Sat Oct 23, 2004 1:36 am

The Daily Show is on CNN here.

mico saudad · Post by **mico saudad** » Thu Oct 28, 2004 1:41 pm

I think if you asked Jon Stewart he wouldn't want to be seen as a liberal hero. I think if Democrats get power and start taking advantage of it he would be all over them.

I bet he would be much happier to be seen as someone who loves revealing the absurdities presented by both the media and our political system.

The fact that they proudly proclaim themselves 'fake news' gives them this strange moral high ground over every other news source proclaiming themselves 'fair and balanced' or 'news you can trust' or whatever. It is the very fact that they are comedians that puts them simultaneously into and above the fray.

Watching one of the correspondents writhe on the floor of the last debate's spin-alley yelling, "They're all lying! It's all fake!" at the top of his lungs is priceless. And then he is there interrupting Hardball - falling all over the desk still crying, "It's all fake!" Brilliant.

It is the definition of irony that the Daily Show (the source more American's turn to for fake news than any other) has a monopoly on one of the largest *real* stories out there - how the media is failing America (maybe because the 'real' news organizations don't really want to talk about it?).

Eric Y. · Post by **Eric Y.** » Thu Oct 28, 2004 10:48 pm

i haven't watched the daily show much at all since jon stewart took over -- sorry to everyone who is in love with him but i personally find him to be obnoxious, and there is a reason i never watched the jon stewart show on mtv back when it existed -- but i remember one of their taglines back in the craig kilborn era cracked me up, "the daily show: where more americans get their news... than probably should"

j$ · Post by j$ » Fri Oct 29, 2004 5:49 am

re: liberal heroes

I was sickened to hear Bush include himself in the same breath as FDR & JFK in order to try and win some democrat voteage.

Perhaps he could compare himself to Jesus to ensure the fundamentalist vote?

Leaf · Post by **Leaf** » Wed Nov 03, 2004 2:26 pm

As American Thanksgiving quickly approaches... I'd like to say thanks America for giving Jon Stewart four more years of awesome material.... I know he recently said he was worried he'd have nothing to draw upon.. but I bet tonight's show will rip!!

Leaf · Post by **Leaf** » Thu Nov 04, 2004 10:06 am

so did you catch the show last night?

The best part:

(clip of Bush, paraphrased): I wanna speak to those who voted for my opponent... I'm gonna need your support, and I'll work hard to earn your trust....

(Jon, paraphrased): Yeah baby...c'mon, you know I love you...you know I only hit you cause I love you... give me one more chance baby...

THAT WAS AWESOME. Unfortunately, just when I convinced myself it was all gonna be ok, Jon reminds me of reality.....

fodroy · Post by **fodroy** » Thu Nov 04, 2004 10:10 am

last night's show was great. i particularly enjoyed steven colbert's piece.

"so we in the blue states thank you in the red states for saving us from ourselves"

erik · Post by **erik** » Wed Jan 05, 2005 7:55 pm

CNN said goodbye to pundit Tucker Carlson on Wednesday, and with him likely the "Crossfire" program that has been the granddaddy of high-volume political debate shows on cable television...

"I guess I come down more firmly in the Jon Stewart camp," Klein (chief executive of CNN's U.S. network) told The Associated Press.

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&c ... &printer=1