Here's another one for the "Just Shut Up and Entertain Me" department.
I'm pretty capable of listening to a comedian rant a rave about something I totally disagree with, as long as the comedian believes he's a comedian, and not trying to get into your head.
This is the case with The Daily Show. I've been known to watch it and laugh now and then (I liked it better when Craig Kilborn hosted it). Now though, it's pretty clear that the show has gone from short comedy skits disguised as news and turned into long editorializing diatribes disguised as comedy.
I wouldn't like that kind of thing even if I agreed with the content: when I want comedy, I want it without the politics. When Ron White talks about putting in an express lane on death row in Texas, it's okay, but it's funnier when he talks about hiding M&M's in Sluggo's jowls.
PJ Media has had a couple pieces on Jon Stewart in the last few weeks; one a written piece by Adam Graham, and another a video editorial by Bill Whittle. I've been following Whittle for several years, and I can tell he gets into this one, probably because it hits a little close to home.
Graham talks about the recent interview with Jim Cramer, the slightly insane stock guy on CNBC. Jon Stewart skewered Cramer, and Cramer did a hugely disappointing job defending himself and worse, of defending free market investing. But it turns out that's only what you see on television.
In truth, Stewart uses comedy to shield himself from criticism...Stewart uses the comedy defense as if to say, “What? Are you going to hit a clown?”
That to me is the perfect call for Stewart: he's trying to get by as the clown but in reality he's trying to be the Ivory Tower. This displeases me.
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