Matt Tobey
Remember yesterday when I told you the UK's Telegraph had named Stephen Colbert the 11th most influential US political pundit? And then remember when I said this?
With no mention of Jon Stewart on the list yet, I can only assume he'll
be somewhere in the top-10, which will be unveiled tomorrow.
Well, look for my name near the top of The Telegraph's upcoming Most Skillful List-Results Assumption Makers list, because the top-10 is out today and Jon Stewart is in it:
8. JON STEWART
The liberal host of the Daily Show on Comedy Central mixes comedy and
political satire, but it is his serious moments that have carried him into
the realm of punditry. A frequent of critic of George W Bush, he also
embarrassed his friend John McCain for speaking at Jerry Falwell’s Liberty
University, having previously denounced the preacher and his ilk as “agents
of intolerance”. McCain was forced to concede that he was descending into
the “crazy base world” of politics.His show gets more serious as it endures, with guests such as Howard Dean and
Harry Reid in the space of a week. A relentless critic of combative pundits,
he is widely judged to have humiliated Tucker Carlson, formerly of CNN and
MSNBC, and Chris Matthews during on-air jousts.
Speaking of Howard Dean, his Daily Show appearance from last night is after the jump.
PS Karl Rove is #1 on the list.
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It's Jon's honest tone that appeals to the previously apathetic "stoned slackers."
Parker's observation is absolutely correct in America's degradation of its news media. This country is a zombie under the influence of advertising and money. 99% of all media is worthless. There's no more apt environment for the expression "Garbadge In, Garbadge out" than American news journalism. Stewart's expose is so refreshing, even to the point of redemption, that makes handling the lack of authenticity in this country spiritually manageable. Hell, the irony is that now I can watch Fox news with Stewart's background in my memory and laugh my ass off. And Fox News probably knows this.
It is a real shame that the "nearly news" and "pundit-reality" shows in America have degraded our sources of information to a heavy dose of "overt-spin". I get dizzy flicking the channels between the cable news networks and trying to get some kind of truth for what is going on out there. Fortunately John Stewart easily cuts to the chase and just throws the news out there, with a dash of humor to make it a little less sour, and a little more palitable. He has the serious tone of a journalist and the smarts to ask hard questions, but pokes fun at every side equally and softens the blow so they'll come back again. It's just a shame I can't turn to him 24/7 and get my fix anytime I need it. Maybe we need to get him his very own channel, running re-runs on a loop indefinitely.
Even though we watch the show on an almost 24 hour delay in the UK, my wife and I almost never miss the show…a perfect antidote the rubbish that passes for news and comment on both sides of the Atlantic these days.
Saddly it is a Comedy show that is enlightening the electorate. Thank you!