Last week the editorial focused on Brian Williams and his problematic, evolving recollections of time in an Iraqi helicopter during the war. In the midst of the controversy surrounding his suspension from NBC, his good friend Jon Stewart announced he’d be retiring from The Daily Show by year’s end. Only moments separated the two events. For those of us who liked the guys, it was a 1-2 punch.
Jon Stewart has been hosting the show since 1998. Steve Carell, renowned comedic actor-turned-Oscar-nominated-more-serious-one, launched his career on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart – and obviously there’s no denying that this has been a news program that ostensibly presented the news in a funny way. It has been the quintessential purveyor of the “fake news,” and the network that hosts it is called Comedy Central. Yet it’s interesting that people these past few days are suggesting, not altogether lightly, that Williams and Stewart might switch jobs. Recently, Stewart was even approached by Meet the Press about the potential of “mixing it up” and having him host their show. It’s a crazy idea, at least according to Stewart himself – who said he’d be too “reactionary” in the role, and that he’d be inclined to yell, “What’s wrong with you?” at people he would be interviewing.
But maybe that’s what some talking heads and perhaps even the modern news consumer needs: a good talking to. Maybe it’s time that merely showing a video of a politician’s hypocritical rhetoric, then making a face, is done more…even at 5 or 6 pm on a channel that isn’t called Comedy Central. Howard Kurtz of Fox News said that pundits and politicians on both sides of the aisle have loved being derided by Stewart, possibly because it made them seem “cooler” to young people, especially when they got to have a pre-written banter and stand firm or look tough against Stewart’s barbs.
Variety’s Brian Steinberg says, “The need for traditional news is fading, while the desire for analysis, perspective and context is fast on the rise.” Obviously, when it came to Brian Williams’ perspective, a lot of people didn’t want to hear it – though a poll this week shows that 52% of viewers thinks he should come back.
The decision to suspend Williams may hurt NBC, as it is undeniable the effect that Jon Stewart’s style of embellishment has had on delivering real news. In fact, when asked by New York magazine about whether or not Americans had had their fill of fake news, given the number of satirical programs available to viewers, Jon Stewart said, “I don’t know that what we’re doing is fake. It’s jokes about the news.” The great thing about delivering the real news on a fake news platform is that you get to highlight the hyperbole and the inconsistencies and then say, “I was just trying to be funny,” if people get mad at you.
The fact is, millions of people have relied on Stewart to deliver the real news in his funny way. In 2008, a Pew research poll ranked Stewart as fourth most admired journalist. Not bad for a faker.
