NYCF: Daily Show Writers Panel

As part of The New York Comedy Festival, the Daily Show writers got

together at the Paley Center for a panel discussion last night. The event was

moderated by David Remnick, editor of The New Yorker, who did a stunning job of

keeping the mood light and the boys in line.

• As each of the panelists introduced themselves, only the correspondents

  (Wyatt Cenac & John Oliver) got applause, a fact that the other writers

  promptly chided the audience for.

• David Remnick remarked on his time as a guest on the show, during which he

  was told, "Don't try to be funny. That's Jon's job." The writers in response:

  "We get that, too."

• The question they're all sick of hearing: How will the show be affected by

  Obama being chosen as president? Wasn't Bush a better target? When Remnick

  described Obama as "not hilarious," John Oliver quipped, "Is that the official

  New Yorker position?"

• Wyatt Cenac thinks Obama's big weakness is improvising, but he can do

  pretty much anything else including "drain 3 pointers." Writer Rory Albanese

  called Cenac out for being racist, to which Cenac replied, "That's not racist.

  Trust me. That's just a skill that all black people have."

• Producer Adam Lowitt's job is mainly sifting through tons of footage every

  morning at 7 am to find clips for the show. This is particularly hard because

  "free breakfast isn't until 9."

• John Oliver on attending the Democratic rally for a field piece: "It was

  strange being at a moment of genuine history with the sole purpose of

  undermining it."

• A particularly pushy audience member asked if Jon Stewart is planning on

  taking over for Letterman, to which one of the writers responded that he's

  actually got his eyes on Rachael Ray.

• One audience member asked John Oliver if he was the voice of the Geico

  gecko, to which he responded "We all sound the same to you, don't we?"

• Another audience question: What advice do you have for aspiring comedy

  writers? Executive producer DJ Javerbaum's answer: "Law is a bright and shining

  profession."