Highlights from Friday’s Crossfire (thanks Kevan for the heads up):
TUCKER CARLSON: You have a chance to interview the Democratic nominee. You asked him questions such as “How are you holding up? Is it hard not to take the attacks personally?” … Why not ask him a real question, instead of just suck up to him?
JON STEWART: Yes. “How are you holding up?” is a real suck-up. And I?m actually giving him a hot stone massage as we were doing it. You know, it’s interesting to hear you talk about my responsibility … that the news organizations look to Comedy Central for their cues on integrity. If your idea of confronting me is that I don’t ask hard-hitting enough news questions, we’re in bad shape, fellows.
PAUL BEGALA: Let me get this straight. If the indictment is — if the indictment is — and I have seen you say this — that Crossfire reduces everything, as I said in the intro, to left, right, black, white.
STEWART: Yes.
BEGALA: Well, it’s because, see, we’re a debate show.
STEWART: No, no, no, no, that would be great. I would love to see a debate show.
CARLSON: Jon, Jon, Jon, I’m sorry. I think you’re a good comedian. I think your lectures are boring.
STEWART: Now, this is theater. It’s obvious. How old are you?
CARLSON: Thirty-five.
STEWART: And you wear a bow tie.
CARLSON: Yes, I do. I do.
STEWART: So this is theater.
CARLSON: Now, let me just…
STEWART: Now, listen, I’m not suggesting that you’re not a smart guy, because those are not easy to tie. … But the thing is that this — you’re doing theater, when you should be doing debate, which would be great.
BEGALA: We do, do…
STEWART: It’s not honest. What you do is not honest. What you do is partisan hackery. And I will tell you why I know it.
CARLSON: You had John Kerry on your show and you sniff his throne and you’re accusing us of partisan hackery?
STEWART: Absolutely.
CARLSON: You’ve got to be kidding me. He comes on and you…
STEWART: You’re on CNN. The show that leads into me is puppets making crank phone calls. … What is wrong with you?
CARLSON: Well, I’m just saying, there’s no reason for you — when you have this marvelous opportunity not to be the guy’s butt boy, to go ahead and be his butt boy. Come on. It’s embarrassing.
STEWART: You have a responsibility to the public discourse, and you fail miserably.
CARLSON: You need to get a job at a journalism school, I think.
STEWART: You need to go to one. The thing that I want to say is, when you have people on for just knee-jerk, reactionary talk…
CARLSON: Wait. I thought you were going to be funny. Come on. Be funny.
STEWART: No. No. I’m not going to be your monkey … I watch your show every day. And it kills me.
CARLSON: I can tell you love it.
STEWART: It’s so painful to watch.
CARLSON: Is this really Jon Stewart? What is this, anyway?
STEWART: Yes, it’s someone who watches your show and cannot take it anymore. I just can’t.
CARLSON: I do think you’re more fun on your show. Just my opinion.
STEWART: You know what’s interesting, though? You’re as big a dick on your show as you are on any show.
Those are excerpts from the show. For a fair and balanced look at the entire debacle, check out the .
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i can’t believe i missed this! links to video, anyone? anyone?
Got the video here: http://www.ifilm.com/filmdetail?ifilmid=2652831
You’re welcome!
jon stewart is a god. glorious.
for the ifilm haters
http://www.contemporaryinsanity.org/video/index.html
It’s all over bittorrent, too. I think boingboing (www.boingboing.net) has the links.
Newmediablog has a few links to different formats (WMV, QT, MPG): http://www.newmediamusings.com/blog/2004/10/jon_stewart_to_.html
OH.
MY.
GOD.
If I didn’t already love Jon Stewart, this would be the piece that won me over. And if I didn’t have my sanity in place, I’d become his number one, rabid stalker fan. I would write “Mrs. Jon Stewart” all over my notebooks. I would want to eat his biceps so he would become a part of me. I would cook his child’s pet to convince him that I’m the one he should love.
This man is my hero.
P.S. To any and all readers who do NOT have their sanity in place, these are not suggestions on how to win Jon’s love. They are jokes.
He’s quick-witted, but did he go on the show just to insult them? I don’t get it. If someone did that on “The Daily Show”, people would be talking about how much of a prick he was.
Great source of Daily Show, debate, and other video clips:
http://onegoodmove.org/1gm/
My school newspaper did an article about the show (b/c Crossfire is filmed on our campus in DC) and CNN and Carlson were unavailable for comment. However, Carlson told some of the audience after the show that it had been the “most uncomfortable 30 minutes in television history.”
take that Mr. Bow Tie.
I don’t get the impression that he went on their show just to insult them. I could be wrong about that, but it seemed to me that the insults were started by Mr. Bow Tie and Jon was just responding in kind. Look how long it took for Jon to really let loose, and even then he was trying to be nice about it. He was trying to make his point WITHOUT being an asshole.
One of the things I love about the way he hosts the Daily Show is that he’s always respectful of his guests, even if it’s painfully obvious that he disagrees with their politics. He didn’t seem to be acting much differently here, until he was attacked.
“Fuck Tucker. Tucker sucks.”
-George Carlin
You have offended me, you have offended my family, and you have offended a Shaolin temple.
(commence with the kung-fu ass-kicking)
That was sooooooooooooo uncomfortable too watch, it really was. Stewart was visibly nervous (or shaking with rage…they can look similiar on television), and the little rat Begala sat there, pulled a frenchie, and surrendered his show to Tucker and Jon(but that is to be expected of Begala). I DO think he went on the show to insult them, that is obvious. And I agree that Stewart has been reading too many of his press clippings. Stick to what you know Jon…let them eat hack!
bravo jon!! keep it coming, we need an honest voice out there!
I think this was kind of Jon’s reaction to being treated like crap on O’Reilly’s show. He’s just not gonna take being belittled any more. He’s a comedian who has political insight. But these conservatives treat him like he’s a huge force they must compete with. Silly heads.
Jon is fab. To me, that’s not uncomfortable television. It’s Tucker getting his shit shoved back in his face.
I’m glad Jon finally got mad. Really mad, because he is just as eloquent mad as he is when he is juts being funny.
I think a lot of people don’t get what Stewart was doing. He’s been labeled as the man most likely to influence this election. Studies are showing that his viewers are among the most educated in current political events. He’s one of the most trusted men on TV and he hosts a COMEDY SHOW, for chrissakes!
I’m sure Jon is flattered with all the praise, but over-riding that is him being pissed that people trust him more than the “legitimate” media. He was trying to subtley tell Carlson and Begala just why he’s more trusted, but in a way that he didn’t have to come out and say “hey, people trust my opinion.” He was trying to tell them that these shows of a host from each rabid end of the spectrum shouting talking points from daily RNC & DNC memos is NOT debate.
Sadly, the media is so caught up in being angry at Stewart for being more trusted than they are, they don’t have the time to figure out WHY he’s more trusted.
Just one man’s opinion.
I have got to agree with what Krissi about the conservatives acting as if Jon is this big force that they must compete with. I love Jon Stewart and I’m glad that he ripped that little weasel Tucker Carlson a new one!
So I already had a great dislike for Tucker after seeing him on Real Time with Bill Maher. Does anyone remember what insane comment he made on that show that even had Bill gasping?
And its true, after the debates I turned to the Daily Show. I am one of those people.
What Jon Stewart fails to realize is that because of the increased importance/viewership/influence of his show, whether or not its on Comedy Central, he has the same responsibility as Carlson and Begala to ask those hard-hitting questions. I love Stewart, I believe he has a point, but I can’t stand to see him hide behind his network and the lead in of “Crank Yankers” and use the as excuses to not be as journalistically responsible as the people at CNN.
jon stewart hosts a comedy show. just because people have given him undue influence doesn’t mean he now has a responsibility to be hard-hitting. he needs only to be funny, whether he’s talking to gwyneth paltrow or howard dean.
“…when you have this marvelous opportunity not to be the guy’s butt boy, to go ahead and be his butt boy. Come on. It’s embarrassing.”
WTF?! Tucker Carlson and his bow tie can go ef themselves. From the transcripts, it was Carlson who was antagonistic. And that’s the whole point of “Crossfire” — it’s not a debate show, it’s basically a half an hour of people yelling and insulting each other. Kudos to Jon Stewart for calling them out on their shit.
Jon Stewart is the voice representative for many of us out here who ARE concerned about politics and this a very important election, but many or most of us feel that we don’t get heard. Jon Stewart has attained a visible amount of deserved respect in the media and I think that he felt like he had to do something. What is unfortunate is that those assholes on Crossfire are stubborn and aren’t
interested in what others have to say. I mean, it’s unbelievable that they wouldn’t even understand or care about the significance of his message.
The cool thing that is even if they didn’t understand, TONS of viewers out there got to see that exchange. Hopefully it did something. I know I feel satisfied.
You go, Jon!
Did you actually read the transcript? They ask Jon Stewart about whether Kerry was the best choice as the Democratic nominee, and then HE segues into:
“In many ways, it’s funny. And I made a special effort to come on the show today, because I have privately, amongst my friends and also in occasional newspapers and television shows, mentioned this show as being bad.”
I’m a conservative and Stewart made some great points. Especially about spin alley… But i think that the appearnce on this show was a little inappropriate. He came off as a jerk and he could’ve been a little less bitter and made the same point. That said, it was entertaining, although i think a bit more tact and professionalism was in order. I love the daily show but ever since it’s gone completely partisan its less about making fun of everybody and more about stewarts political views. It’s a shame that the one great comedy news outlet couldn’t remain neutral.
Yes, but Carlson asks him: “Why not ask him a real question, instead of just suck up to him?” That’s not the least bit off putting? Well that and calling someone a “butt boy”. And this dude works for CNN.
I dunno if you’ve ever seen Crossfire but the hosts of that show (Tucker Carlson included) say everything in a very patronizing manner. Of course that would put someone on the defensive. And that’s the whole premise of the show. Good for Jon and standing up for himself.
RE “butt boy”:
WTF, indeed.
Why the glaring homophobia, Tucker?
Why aren’t you chiding Jon Stewart for putting Tucker Carlson “on the defensive” by saying his show is bad?
stewart is standing up for each of us who are young, interested in politics, but turned off by the rampant dishonesty by those who profess to serve us. bravo john for having the courage to find a way to cut the spin with a verbal knife.
Because his show IS bad…? Crossfire is about having people argue with each other and spew rhetoric. Under the premise that it is a debate show where some sort of intelligent discourse can be had. And the hosts beat up on their guests.
Jon Stewart gave them exactly what they wanted and in a funny, lacerating way. So Tucker Carlson gets all worked up, boo-hoo. Take some of your own medicine son.
the daily show is not partisan. jon stewart is obviously a liberal but he doesn’t hammer conservative guests at the most he plays devil’s advocate for comedic effect. if the show were partisan he wouldn’t have karen hughes on or any other republican, or if he did have them on he wouldn’t be polite and let them have their say.
Justin says: “Did you actually read the transcript?”
Indeed I did, and I also watched the clip from one of the links above. I found that the transcript isn’t even close to complete. The interview was over 13 minutes long. There is much more to it than Scott was able to post here.
Give a listen. It might change your thoughts on this.
To the folks who don’t think Jon asks hard questions, do you watch the show every day? I’d say he does when they come up, but he is kind about it.
I reiterate–I do not think he went on their show to insult them. It seems to me that he went on their show to ask for them to basically grow up and join the human race, instead of just playing games with a toy whose power they don’t appreciate or understand.
“Because his show IS bad…? ”
OK, so now you’ve established that it’s OK to insult someone, and that such an insult does not constitute putting someone “on the defensive”, if YOU happen to agree with the content of the insult.
Dude I think everyone can agree that Crossfire is an awfully shitty show.
Justin, I can only assume you’re speaking to me because I just posted in response to you, so I’m going to answer you.
I don’t believe that what Jon was saying was intended to be an insult. I believe that he was trying to create change in the way things are done. It’s unfortunate that it came out sounding like an insult, but how else can you tell someone that you don’t like what they’re doing without saying something they don’t want to hear?
I took more into account than Jon’s words. I took his demeanor into account as well. He was sincere. He wasn’t just going for yuks. I’ve seen his show often enough to know that he doesn’t play the asshole game. He was visibly distraught when they tried to laugh off what he was saying. He really wanted to have a conversation, not just a bitchfest.
Okay, Justin. Duh. You weren’t talking to me. I just figured that out. I must be a stoned slacker.
But I still mean what I said above. :-D
Fair and balanced?? Denis Miller trys to have the same kind of
show on the Right and no one calls him out! Fuck, some would say there is a whole”news network” dedicated to the Right. They use to call the libs big whiners, but now if a guy pokes fun at the pres.[and theres alot there] all shit breaks loose and its proof of some liberal conspiracy! Its pretty bleak out there in T.V land can’t we have one guy on a COMEDY show who’s saying what were all thinking?
P.S If jon did’t have the ratings would this be an issue?
sorry miller.
i went to the “university” where crossfire is filmed, and crossfire is s crappy crappy excuse for a television show.
my friends and i used to drunk dial call tucker carlson, having obtained the # from oh-so-necessary internship positions.
ooh how i hate those bow ties.
As a fiscal conservative and social liberal (which means I’m lost somewhere in the middle) I have to say I love Stewart for his honesty, which is completely lacking in most other new outlets, regardless of partisenship.
I think Jon was being disingenuous. While his points about Assfire are all true, he was just as snippy and petty as those two bozos. And he did truly blew it on the Kerry interview. Usually he does a good job of getting real info out of people who come on his show, but for whatever reason he fucked up with Kerry. It was an aberation for him, but he shouldn’t try to defend it.
Look, I’m not trying to defend “Crossfire” or Tucker Carlson. I’m sure the show is terrible (I think the last time I saw it, Tucker Carlson wasn’t even on it). But I still think that Jon Stewart showed up intending to insult the hosts and rip “Crossfire”. And I think that’s lame.
Just imagine Tucker showing up on “The Daily Show” to promote a book of some sort, and then apropos of nothing start criticising Stewart for his interview of Kerry, and then start ripping on The Daily Show in general. You’d all think he was a dick, and that what he did was inappropriate, just because you like Jon Stewart, and you don’t like Tucker Carlson.
what part of “please please can we just talk about this” sounds like an insult? idiots.
Most of you fail to realize that over the past few weeks, Stewart has been ragging on the news media for falling down on the job and for letting the politicians have a free pass. He called them out on Charlie Rose. He took Ted Koppel to task to his face and he called CNN shameless last Thursday for continuing to have Robert Novack on TV after the Valerie Plame affair at a media breakfast where he was interviewed by Ken Auletta, the New Yorker’s media reporter. Crossfire knew where he was coming from when they put him on and they wanted to get at him. Stewart didn’t want to pretend otherwise and jumped right into it and said he wanted to let them answer his charges in person, the charges he had been leveling elsewhere. It’s a debate show. They had him on to debate, only Tucker thought he was smarter and would put Jon on the defensive. Silly, silly bowtie-boy. Never go head to head with a person who is paid millions for the direct purpose of making hilarious put downs at a second’s notice. Never expect to get the best of a comedian worth his salt. They might not be smart enough to be doctors and lawyers, but they are professionals because they think on their feet and usually hit their targets square on. Poor, silly bowtie-boy. Jon was right on when he said I’m not here to be your monkey, now respond to me honestly. But, Tucker, who usually is in control, couldn’t handle the fact he had lost control. And now everyone who pays attention to this stuff will be able to call him a dick as well. Well done, Mr. Stewart. Well done, sir.
Jon Stewart rocks!!! I can’t believe I missed that, I mean a comment about throne sniffing? Gosh. Jon totally backlashed on that whole suck up remark. It was great though to see that Tucker guy getting burned.
If Jon Stewart specifically called out “Crossfire” and its hosts before the appearance, and that was essentially the pretext for the appearance, then it seems much more acceptable to me.
It does seem a little strange, though, for him to be so sanctimonious and then revert back to his “it’s a comedy show” defense any time someone hits back at him and his work.
i think his point was that no one should be comparing the daily show to crossfire in the first place. The daily show is fuelled by politics but it doesn’t detract from the fact that it IS a comedy show – regardless of how much influence it has over people.
and besides, he makes his point later, that there is something seriously wrong with the system if people trust a comedy show MORE than they do the general media and shows like crossfire, that purport to generate debate and discussion but ends up as theater and the products of spin.
i am oh so thankful for the internet (and stereogum!) keeping me up to date on what i miss out on not having cable tv.
did you see jon’s face and response in reaction to bowtie’s question about the “o’reilly vibrator story”? this man is a genius and my personal savior. good god. it is completely appalling how this so-called “story” is being treated as a joke and discredited before it even goes to court. all interested parties should check out the documents on smokinggun.
—pinko marxist liberal slowly being pushed into radical feminism—
THE BOTTOM LINE IS THAT THE YOUTH TRUSTS JOHN STEWART B/C HIS SHOW IS NOT RUN BY THE INFLUENCE OF THE “WHITE HOUSE”.. THE REAL MEDIA DOESN’T HAVE THE BALLS TO STAND UP AND VOICE AN OPNION OF THIER OWN. NOT ONE FUCKING REPORTER IN THE U.S. HAS HAD THE BALLS TO QUESTION MR. BUSH. (I REFUSE TO CALL HIM THE PRESIDENT B/C HE MAKES ME SICK). SO GOOD FOR JOHN STEWART AND MICHAEL MOORE OR HAVE THE BALLS TO STAND UP AND SAY FUCK EVERYONE!!! THEY DELIVER IT TO YOU AND LET YOU DECIDE.
the o’reilly comment was made to lighten a situation that jon stewart kept trying to make argumentative and bitter. you can understand why the crossfire hosts were perplexed, as jon himself kept announcing how he was a comedian from a comedy show, there supposedly to push his new book. they expected some light banter, a little back and forth maybe, but jon was clearly there on an agenda. from the transcript, it looks like carlson might have tried to instigate things but from actually listening to the thing you can see jon just trying to go on their show and berate them. and the transcript is carefully edited to make it appear jon came out on top. i admit, from reading the transcript i was like “way to go jon” but after listening to it i think he’s got some issues he needs to deal with. i think that the way someone says something adds meaning to what is said and it’s clear from listening to it carlson was trying to be friendly while jokingly needling him, and jon was just being a dick. i say this even though i am a liberal and usually vote democrat. but i think part of being liberal is not being a close-minded partisan who can’t see things objectively.
I can’t believe how big this story has blown up. Anyway, for those who didn’t see TDS last night…
Jon Stewart opened w/ a comment about how he spent his Friday night: “Called someone a dick on national television…”
He doesn’t regret it.
In response to Jessies comment, I think Jon behaved appropriately since he was asked to be on a “serious” debate show. He wasnt asked to come onto a CNN comedy show and to be a funny man. It was a debate show and didnt waste his opportunity to engage in a debate. Had he invited Tucker onto his show and then behaved that way, it wouldve been questionable as TDS is a comedy show. Crossfire is not and that was his point.
And I would hardly call Stewart a close-minded partisan. He is just a man with a definite opinion. To be liberal you dont have to be open-minded about everything.
As a side note: In modern times you need to look no farther than Kerry to see what happens to a guy who attempts to be “open-minded.” Unfortunately that is now seen as a weakness. But I digress. And naturally, thats just my opinion.
Jon Stewart totally schooled Tucker Carlson. ‘Nuff said.
I thought this was pretty cool. Jon’s right–he is a comedian. They can’t insult him for not living up to journalistic standards. If he insults them, I don’t see a problem with it. I read in the paper that after the show they sat around discussing the media for another hour. I wish I could hear all of that!
Round 2!
On CROSSFIRE just now Paul Begala called Jon Stewart a uvula. Yes, uvula.
Are you serious? Those guys really can’t handle being told off.
I really enjoyed Jon Stewarts appearance on crossfire. This was probably the best publicity that he could do for his book. These days it seems that if you don’t create controversy no one cares about your book or movie or new hit record. So Jon went on crossfire. Crossfire is one of those places that the book and it’s esthetic quality rails against. And he beat them at their own game. He came at them hard, and clear. He hit them over and over with his impression of their work and browbeat them. Tucker’s unsettled chuckle rattled over and over again and they were offended. Why? Because they know he’s right. He pegged them to the wall and he sold the idea of his book at the same time. Marketing at its finest. Now the rest of the crossfire gang is trying to distract from the fact that they got beat by calling into question Jon Stewart’s behavior on their show. HA! This is behavior they’ve encouraged in their hosts. Jon was just better at it than they were, and he caught them off guard. Good for him.
John’s appearance was brilliant and focused. It’s odd and disheartening that it was reported as a “freakout” or an “angry clash”. As if signs of emotion were equal to complete loss of rationality. While Stewart definitely seemed to care strongly about what he was discussing he didn’t really fly off the handle in my opinion. Stewart’s actions on the show were more of an academic dissection/plea than, a hotheaded diatribe.
Alot of people have invoke this concept of inappropriate behavior in their criticisms of Stewart. This is ridiculous. First of all Crossfire is not a civil show. Guests get harrangued, yelled at, and cut off. Just cause Tucker & Begala are the hosts does not provide them with a blanket exemption from criticism.
Just because they invited him to be on their television slot does not require him to adjust his viewpoint as to not offend Tucker & Begala. It’s a show built upon the guests opinions, should the opinions halt once they pertain to the hosts themselves?
This sudden notion of propriety seems absurd when viewed in light of the current media landscape. In the time of Desperate Housewives, Swan,& and The Biggest Loser, how does arguing with someone over their role in public discourse become impropper. Criticism of Stewart in this vein often note that John should be grateful that T&B are allowing him to use their broadcast time.But what Stewart did was to confront them on their use of their on air time.
Stewart who has constantly shat upon crossfire, gets invited by them to come on, and when they tried to play chummy he cut through the ruse and said he didn’t like their show directly to them. And then proceeded to explain why. And ripped on them while doing so.
Tucker and others have tried to say Stewart has let his recent acclaim as a psuedo anchorman go to his head, and that he gave a journalism school lecture that wasn’t funny.
He was hysterical, and just cause he mentioned how crossfire and shows like it confuse the vital issues involved in our political decisions didn’t change that. He ripped the crossfire crew a new asshole and at everychance possible they tried to get him off the topic of them. They tried to get him to talk about his book, when that didn’t work they hung out the juicy worm of Bill O’Reilly’s sex harrasment case for him. Stewart hasn’t gone partisan. The O Reilly case would be heavy ammunition for a biased idealogue, but Stewart just wanted to discuss how Crossfire functioned within the public sphere and they didn’t want to even touch the topic.
And Stewart called Tucker a dick. Big deal. Are the impressionable children of america going to join gangs and start smoking crack now?
They brought him on the show to browbeat him over why he “was such a throne sniffer” and “butt boy” with Kerry and because suddenly he has this newfound clout(i.e. and to quote them “John Kerry won’t come on this show, but he will on yours”). They intended on skewering him because he didn’t take the opportunity and live up to his journalistic responsibilities. He flipped the accusations back at them a made them look foolish in the process. With out plugging his book repeatedly, he acted out the overall concept of the book and gained more exposure for the book than if he had simply shown up and played monkey.
Congrats to John Stewart for doing the right thing in an entertaining manner.
Sometimes instead a calling someone “a self serving media parasite who values his personal career over his civic responsibility” an sounding nerdy as fuck, it’s better to go the minimalist route and call someone a dick.
Of all of you, Justin makes the only two valid points:
(1) Look, I’m not trying to defend “Crossfire” or Tucker Carlson. I’m sure the show is terrible (I think the last time I saw it, Tucker Carlson wasn’t even on it). But I still think that Jon Stewart showed up intending to insult the hosts and rip “Crossfire”. And I think that’s lame.
Just imagine Tucker showing up on “The Daily Show” to promote a book of some sort, and then apropos of nothing start criticising Stewart for his interview of Kerry, and then start ripping on The Daily Show in general. You’d all think he was a dick, and that what he did was inappropriate, just because you like Jon Stewart, and you don’t like Tucker Carlson.
and
(2) If Jon Stewart specifically called out “Crossfire” and its hosts before the appearance, and that was essentially the pretext for the appearance, then it seems much more acceptable to me.
It does seem a little strange, though, for him to be so sanctimonious and then revert back to his “it’s a comedy show” defense any time someone hits back at him and his work.
——-
Read these two comments over and over until you understand that every time you write “I love JS” or “JS wonderfully gave it to those asses on CrossFire,” you subscribe to the same single-minded, “backing my guy with my eyes closed to reason” ideology that JS (claims he) wanted to smack down.
JS counted on that. He counted on better ratings for his show after he did Crossfire. He counted on his name in every major newspaper, and he counted on the blogosphere–created and populated by the same hip 20-somethings which adore him–to rise up and applaud him.
I’ve seen a sickening number of intelligent 20-somethings who will swallow whole anything JS does, says, or supports. It reeks of the same stupid, partisan mentality they claim they rally against.
I believe JS is very funny, I watch his show often. I think CrossFire very much sucks. I think, on the merits, every single thing JS said on the show was dead accurate.
But he had no place doing what he did, especially not how he did it. It was dishonest; he tricked them into brining him on, and he did not inform them so they could prepare some thoughts on the matter. It was commonplace; such criticisms of media are as old as media itself. And, worst of all (wake up people), it was self-serving; his name is buzzing like none-other on both the comedy front, the book-sales front, and the political front.
I received no satisfaction from his appearance on Crossfire.
It was absolutely necessary, MDD. The partisan hackery of the mainstream media needed to be exposed, and Jon did it. If it was totally accurate, then how can you criticize it? Why should Jon, like all other people around, let it continue to happen because of social convention?
It might have been self-serving, but it was also serving us. It was a damn wake-up call.
There are only a few open-minded independents around these days, and hardly any of them are in the TV media. It’s fucking sad.
Watching Jon Stewart on Crossfire was incredibly uncomfortable. Having said that, on a couple of relistens, Stewart had a point to make, he was right, and it escalated only as Tucker became more and more shrill and insulting. Stewart’s tone was even, his points on target.
Tucker Carlson can dish it out, but he can’t take it. And he needed to listen.
Jon’s gonna be on 60 Minutes tomorrow. I pray that all this media attention will not cause him to jump the shark. Let us bow our heads together, shall we?
BC,
I don’t understand what you wrote. At all.
There are tons of ways to present a “totally accurate” point of view in an inappropriate, self-serving manner which ultmately undermines the point offered.
(1) If you say 2+2=5, and I sucker my way onto your TV show
(a) under an intentionally misleading guise of book-promotion,
(b) and treat you with juvenile disrespect and aggressive hounding,
(c) to set forth a critcism which is neither original nor unique (not to mention one of which it might be said I am also in part guilty),
and
(d) do it all in what may easily be seen as a ploy that sells my book, consolidates viewership of my OWN program, and puts my name in every blog and political conversation for the next three weeks…
…then you can be sure I am not the “defender of all that is true and good” I hold myself to be.
(2) To whom do you think JS so “necessarily exposed the partisan hackery of mainstream media”? Not bright 20-somethings; we already know of and hate partisanship in the news–it’s why so many of us love JS oh-so-much in the first place. Not the standard viewers of CrossFire; they watch that show BECAUSE they ENJOY the (stupid) partisanship that informs it. Not my stuffy father; he dismisses JS as a potty-mouthed ass with, at best, an outdated criticism. (I certainly don’t agree with my father; again, I think the position is right.)
(3) “Also serving us”? “A damn wake up call”? You cannot be serious. Who among us derived any new thought or take on the issue from JS’ little rant? We have been entertained, our pre-existing ideas confirmed, nothing more. Again, I repeat my original thought: YES, JS point is correct. NO, he cannot be held up as the new Jesus for doing what he did.
(3) “Let it continue to happen because of social convention?” I don’t understand this at all. How did his appearance discontinue the trend of partisanship in the media? It was 10 minutes of silly name-calling, then everything forevermore went back to normal on CrossFire. In fact, his own show goes nowhere near discontinuing the trend; it’s a comedy show that pokes fun at modern politics, nothing more. JS IS AN ENTERTAINER (I certainly don’t fault him for it). He effects little CHANGE.
What does the supportive view think JS REALLY did? The only thing he did, in fact, is put his name in the news by bludgeoning a pair of idiots with unoriginal, COMMONPLACE criticism of partisanship in the media. He’s on 60 Minutes today, is he? That should come as little surprise to anybody who pairs it with the ideas that JS has a book out, has his own TV show, and one day (as has been oft rumored) hopes to make the jump to Leno/Letterman status.
I agree with the argument that modern media is diseased with partisan sheep. And I have no problem with self-interested entertainers. I have a BIG problem with people who label them saviors because the manner in which they promote themselves happens to square with the popular political criticism of the day.
BOTTOM LINE:
If JS had a valid problem with CrossFire, and was interested in honsest debate on the show, he wouldn’t have made such a dramatic, rude production of the thing. Instead, viewers were treated to JS showing off in an effort to serve himself, nothing more.
kudos to jon for his awesome display although I agree with the others he could off explained it better. This is the problem with the american media no relevent questions on issues are asked. when have I ever heard an American politician ask why they allow their election campaigns to be financed by corporations and special interest groups. Why are drug companies allowed to advertise drugs like their selling a car. How come the richest country in the world can’t clean up it’s ghettoes and feed it’s poor. what about the collapse of the U.N now that the U.S has decided they can atack any country. what would they do if say putin decides to attack saudi arabia saying it preemptive action against terrorism. remember people this is how ww2 started. what about the massive conflicts of interest (dick cheney, halliberton) In canada or britain people would be demanding his resignation but the bush administration is so brazen they don’t even try to hid it. onto the Iraq war why are the americans having a tough time simple the americans abandoned the shite in Iraq in the first gulf war after instructing them to rise up instead they left them to be brutally repressed by sadam
woudn’t you think americans were a bunch of bullshit lyers and wan’t to hurt them if they did this to you. But you won’t ever her about it the american media. Facing the real scrutiny of a real media this administration would be revealed as the bunch of arrogent idiots they are. By the
way i feel the democrats are corupt too I just feel this administration is so dangerous and corrupt I feel they could bring grevious hurt to canada and for that matter the west in general even the world. This is his point
I can see your point MDD, but I think you assume too much of JS.
You assume that he holds himself as “a new Jesus” or “thedefender of all that is right.” I would not go so far as to say he thinks that much of himself.
Also, you assume that it was under his provocation that things got so out of hand. I disagree. After watching the video, it is obvious that he came to the show with a bone to pick. But so what? Like many others have pointed out, this is a debate show. He did not start off rude, he actually started off in a tone that suggested he was joking.
Then things got out of hand, and he responded like a (quick witted) human.
I also think that it is a little far fetched to interpret this as entirely self serving. Yes it did turn out that way, but there was no way to know things were to go to the extent they did. He would have had no way to know that this was going to be any more self serving then appearing on any other show.
In short: I would agree with you if I were
a.) Convinced JS intentionally and single handedly stirred things up into the end result, thereby rendering what he did innappropraite
b.) Ready to presume that JS calculated exactly the outcome of his appearance
I however am neither.
But that’s just me.