Jon Stewart doesn’t hold back

June 6, 2006

Anyone who watches “[tag]The Daily Show[/tag]” realizes that [tag]Jon Stewart[/tag] is not terribly fond of the Bush administration, but I think it’s safe to say his disappointment has officially turned to disgust.

That was Comedy Central’s Jon Stewart cutting up while emceeing yesterday’s Peabody Awards for broadcasting excellence at the Waldorf-Astoria. “This afternoon’s program is sponsored by your Internet and phone records,” Stewart told the star-studded crowd. “Isn’t that interesting — your Internet and phone records, because ‘blah blah blah, 9-11.'”

In case anyone missed his point, Stewart also quipped: “Thomas Jefferson once said: ‘Of course the people don’t want war. But the people can be brought to the bidding of their leader. All you have to do is tell them they’re being attacked and denounce the pacifists for somehow a lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same in any country.’ I think that was [tag]Jefferson[/tag]. Oh wait. That was [tag]Hermann Goering[/tag]. Shoot.”

First, damn. When Stewart doesn’t hold back, he really isn’t holding back.

Second, in case there was any doubt, the quote is largely accurate, and came from [tag]Goering[/tag] at the [tag]Nuremberg[/tag] trials in 1946.

Joh Stewart: The one, and only, reason I wish I still had cable.

Well, okay … there’s also Colbert and the NFL draft. And the Discovery channel is pretty cool.

But Stewart is number one.

  • I think the ballsy Colbert flabbergasted Jon with that speech right in Bush’s face and now he’s going right for it. Bravo!

  • what’s the rule (Godwin’s Law?) about any conversation is ended when one disputant compares the other’s position to the Nazis? shouldn’t there be a corollary in case the other’s position really is comparable to the Nazis–and you can marshall quotes and facts to support the comparison?

  • angry young man- there is no real comparison. Hitler and his compadres were, by any definition, intelligent and well-informed.

  • Castor said, there is no real comparison. Hitler and his compadres were, by any definition, intelligent and well-informed.

    Also, they were able to shoot straight (with apologies to DeadEye Dick).

  • Comparing the Terri Schiavo situation to the euthanizing program of the Nazis is an example of Godwin’s Law, I think.

    I thnk Jon Stewart was simply using an example from history to show the dangers of blind nationalism and militarism in a democracy

  • 2Manchu- this is a textbook example of Godwin’s Law, as proposed. The only problem with Godwin’s Law is that it was proposed at a time when Hitleresct-type acts were thought relegated to history, not contemporary existence. In practice, many of Hitler’s greatest exploits (insofar as controlling his internal population, not the more infamous acts) are clearly manifested within the current Republican control of America.

  • For all the people citing Godwin’s Law, please see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humor

    Jon isn’t trying to hold a debate or discourse, so the context for the rule isn’t there. This is not a textbook case. If, say, Jon were holding a discussion on Crossfire (subtle reference to another one of Jon’s greatest hits) and attempting to argue a case against an opponent arguing against his case, then he would be guilty of destorying the discourse with the Nazi reference. However, actual debate is rarely Jon’s platform, as he is a COMEDIAN. His job and his manner is to poke and prod with humor. And he does a fantastic, bang-up job of it in this case.

    So please, lay-off Stewart and apply some ointment to those bruised knees you’re all giving yourselves, guys.

  • Iwonder what sort of waste-of-film the Peabody Awards were awarding when all the Kens and Barbies got through mutually masturbating each other at their “show.”

    For an example of how deep the bucket of shit American Journalism has managed put itself into, go read this:

    http://www.tpmmuckraker.com/archives/000832.php

    What’s amazing is that the stories that lost were all “real journalism” as opposed to Solomon’s bullshit.

    • Comments are closed.