TV Review: The Daily Show – 3/30/06

The best parts of the March 30 show dealt with personalities Lou Dobbs and Sharon Stone.

I won’t get into the details here of the immigration reforms debate, as it has been better explained elsewhere at Blogcritics.

Show host Jon Stewart summed up the proposal this way: the proposal “would let illegal aliens take steps toward citizenship. Those steps toward citizenship: Learn English, pay taxes, and start resenting future immigrants.”

He went on to target a media personality who has been annoying me lately: Lou Dobbs, anchor of Lou Dobbs Tonight. As reporters have pointed out, Dobbs has left the concept of objectivity and neutrality behind and is a vocal opponent of the proposed reforms.

Stewart showed a clip of Dobbs, during Dobbs’ show Monday, debating a supporter of the reforms. The speaker asked if Dobbs would also oppose St. Patrick’s Day because the Irish wave Irish flags.

“I don’t think that we should have any flag flying in this country except the flag of the United States. I don’t think there should be a St. Patrick’s Day. I don’t care who you are,” Dobbs said on the air.

Stewart: “Are you f–ing nuts? Did I hear that right?”

He then said he had to call Dobbs.

On the phone Dobbs repeats his mantra that he does not support “ethnocentric” holidays that indicate people’s differences rather than what they have in common.

Stewart interrupts him to ask: “Lou, do you understand New York is a parade-based economy. Do you know what this would do the parade-based economy in New York?”
Dobbs: “We could get federal aid.”
Stewart asked: “Wouldn’t you put International House of Pancakes out of business?”
Dobbs: “Jon, I think once again you have revealed an important truth about the American economy and our society. And we are going to follow that up.”

The interview segment was with actress Sharon Stone, who was there to promote her new movie Basic Instinct 2.

The interview was hilarious and one of the best parts of the show. Often on The Daily Show and on The Colbert Report the guests have a hard time being as funny, interesting, or entertaining as the show hosts.

But this show was the exception as Stone’s remarks, jokes, and, well, hotness clearly put Stewart on the defensive. When Stewart mentioned that he had made fun of Stone on past shows she responded that she makes fun of Stewart too.

When he made a mistake, she said, “These are the kind of jokes we make about Jon.”

Stewart: “The only moment you could destroy me. That is what I like about this.”

Stone: “That is why I am here… Just to remind you.”

Stewart: “Settle down, Sharon.”

Later he had trouble phrasing a question and she interrupted him with “Spit it out, sweetie.”

This prompted this exchange:

Stewart: “You are not going to end up going to the prom with me, are you?”
Stone: “I have already married two Jews.”
Stewart: “Can I say this, though: If you marry three, (you get a) free sandwich.”

As Stewart signed off, he said Monday’s guest will be actor-writer Ricky Gervais “and you will see the same kind of sexual tension you saw tonight.”