I haven't looked forward to a television show as much as I looked forward to Jon Stewart's take on Katrina, which ran last night. And wow, it was perfect.
Show excerpts, courtesy of the Daily Kos
"Now, for you people who are saying "Well, stop pointing fingers at the president...left-wing...the media's being too hard:"No. SHUT...UP! No! This is inarguably - inarguably - a failure of leadership from the top of the federal government.
Remember when Bill Clinton went out with Monica Lewinsky? That was inarguably a failure of judgment at the top. Democrats had to come out and risk losing credibility if they did not condemn Bill Clinton for his behavior. I believe Republicans are in the same position right now. And I will say this: Hurricane Katrina is George Bush's Monica Lewinsky. The only difference is that tens of thousands of people weren't stranded in Monica Lewinsky's vagina."
--Jon StewartEd Helms: While everybody else is busy setting up commissions and finding fault, through the president's leadership he'll end up building a billion dollar dam in Arkansas.
Jon Stewart: Why would he build a dam in Arkansas?
Ed Helms: His plan will be to fight the water there so we don't have to fight it here.Jon Stewart: So no one's going to be held accountable for this at all?
Ed Helms: No. In fact, if history is any indication, they'll be hard-pressed finding enough medals to pin on these guys. My sources tell me the head of FEMA will be dipped in bronze and turned into an award to be given to other officials. "
It was even better than the show's take on Cindy Sheehan when a correspondent said Sheehan was rude to ruin the president's vacation "which he has been looking forward to since his last vacation, which was way back in April!"
Article comments
1 - The Proprietor
It's probably apocryphal, however, there's a rumor going around that today's showcase prize on "The Price Is Right" was a trip to New Orleans, and a motorboat.
2 - 1Potato
Phil Hendrie is light years past this guy. Same old tired crap. Like 5 year-old articles in the Onion.
And what does it matter anyway? A comedian can make a joke of anything. You wait with baited breath to hear John Stewart as if he is there to finally explain the world to you.
Plato (yea, that Plato) wanted to keep artists out of politics for a reason. They are masters at manipulating emotions, often directly in the face of common sense. One can be both funny and dead wrong. They say Hitler had a sense of humor, so what?
Art is great, but it deals mostly with the irrational aspects of our psyche (comedy is more logical than, say music, but this still applies). Liberals love to use comedians, actors, musicians, etc. to get out their message. They love to chant slogans, burn effigies, etc. They are trying to hit an emotional level. If you take away their these things (chants, slogans, smart-ass comments, propaganda type artwork, etc.) and are left with rational debate, liberals usually sink (see talk radio, internet). And back in the arms of John Stewart they go.
P.S. If you must watch Comedy Central, skip to Southpark.
3 - kittygogo
Wasn't Ronald Reagan an "artist" (use that term very loosely) and didn't he utilize a lot of the same ploys that liberals are being accused of doing (albeit only by one self-important blogger)? Jon Stewart rocks and obviously holds a lot of political clout with both parties. That doesn't hold true of anyone on this blog site. Also, I didn't realize that he was in or running for office.
So are we not to have any political humour in our lives because 1 potato or 2 doesn't think it's funny? Lighten up, everyone needs a laugh and if it's at the Pres. expense - all the better.
4 - Scott Butki
Who is Phil Hendrie?
5 - Scott Butki
First, I like how you criticize comedians all through your post and then at the end suggest South Park. Doesn't that invalidate the rest of your post?
Second, if you replace Republican politician each time you say liberal or artist you can get the same results:
A REPUB POLITICIAN can make a joke of anything. You wait with baited breath to hear REPUB POLITICIAN as if he is there to finally explain the world to you.
REPUB POLITICIANS are masters at manipulating emotions, often directly in the face of common sense. One can be both funny and dead wrong. They say Hitler had a sense of humor, so what?
REPUB POLITICS is great, but it deals mostly with the irrational aspects of our psyche (comedy is more logical than, say music, but this still applies).
REPUBS love to use comedians, actors, musicians, etc. to get out their message. They love to chant slogans, burn effigies, etc. They are trying to hit an emotional level. If you take
ETC
6 - 1Potato
KittyGogo:
You don't want political humor in your life in general; you want Bush bashing. No way you'd be laughing or "lightening up" at a half hour of Democrat bashing.
Scott:
Phil Hendrie does a comedy radio show, Larry David calls him a genius. He is on in about 100 cities. He is a Democrat but supports the war in Iraq. He does a fake call in show playing many different parts at once, totally bewildering the callers. Everyone thinks there are like four people doing the skits when they first hear him, buts it's just him.
As for suggesting South Park, their show is generally not political, unlike the daily show. But sometimes it is. So you are right, don't hold them up on a pedestal either. Like Stewart, they are just joke writers. I just think they are more original and creative then Stewart.
Switching "artists" with "repub politicians" completely changes my thesis and is inaccurate. Republicas are much less likely to use art and emotion to push their agenda. Just look at all the artists the left uses to push its side, the list is endless. Repub celebs are usually sports stars, not artists. They are also much less likely to use the other methods I mentioned, like chanting, candle light vigils, slogans ("no blood for oil", etc.), and propanda artwork. How many rock or hip-hop songs criticize the evils of communism or radical Islam? Now how about those that criticize capitalism or Bush? I think you get it.
7 - N. Smith
We also couldn't wait for Jon to get back from vacation and hear his take on the situation with Katrina! Jon is dead-on with his critique of our politcal leaders. By the way, did anyone notice the comment that Barbara Bush made at the end of the show? Outrageous!
8 - Dave Nalle
Scott, Phil Hendrie is the stupidest, most unentertaining attempt at humor ever to be put on the air. He's a radio talk show host who does fake voices all of which sound like an armenian immigrant and calls his own show and makes insane statements which he as host then treats as legitimate. It's kind of like a radio version of Larry King, but where the guests are all the same insane non-famous person. Oh and it's not funny at all.
Dave
9 - Bob A. Booey
He's pathetic! And a Communist!
That is all.
10 - Maurice
I shot my TV years ago so I don't know who Jon Stewart is. The quotes you provided are low brow and are the main reason I decided to not watch TV.
My only regret is that Fox News came along after I decided to never watch TV again. I've heard good things about Fox News.
11 - puddy
Have the wealthy extremist Republicans in this nation ever done one single thing that wasn't self-serving? They seem to have learned much from the Hitler PR machine, and don't hesitate in lying, lying, lying. If they were truly who they say they are (i.e. conservatives and not neo-conservatives) they would start paying attention to the Constitution and start enlisting their children in the wars they create.
12 - Scott Butki
Here's the link to the video clip of the Daily Show
While there, getting that link, I also saw that the guy who cussed out Dick Cheney the other day got
cuffed.
The cusser is now selling the footage on e-bay
Man, truth really is stranger than fiction.
More later.
13 - Scott Butki
I was pleased to see the Daily Show won some Emmy's last night. They are richly deserved.