Jon Stewart on Bill Moyers - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

Kadath · 04-30-2007, 06:14 PM

http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/04272007/watch.html

The key for me is in this section: click to show

He discusses quite aptly how the media totally fails to address the actual important issues in favor of masturbatory stories. It's great to see Stewart talk honestly without having to play for the punchline (though he does put a few jokes in), like he did when he went after Crossfire.

Willravel · 04-30-2007, 07:37 PM

While I have always loved Jon on the Daily Show, his real time to shine comes when his smile fades, his voice lowers, and he makes hard eye contact. I'm reminded again of when he spoke after the 9/11 attacks. This is a smart man that has a good handle on the world. I wonder if maybe there should be another side of the Daily Show coin where Jon spends a half an hour shooting spitballs at the back of the classrooms and the next half just sitting on a couch and talks at the screen about his feelings about these things. I realize that his humility would probably prevent that, but I'd watch it religiously just the same.

And it takes a lot to make an atheist do anything religiously.

SecretMethod70 · 05-01-2007, 04:11 AM

Funny, I watched this the other day as well. Excellent interview.

On one hand, I agree with willravel, but on the other hand I think part of Jon Stewart's influence lies in the fact he doesn't try very hard to exert it. It's sort of a "talks least, says most" kind of deal.

Is it wrong that the first thing I thought of when you threw out the idea of Stewart talking seriously for a bit after the jokes on the Daily Show was Jerry Springer and his "final thought" at the end of each episode?

Obviously, Jon Stewart is miles above Jerry Springer, but the image popped into my head just the same.

samcol · 05-01-2007, 04:53 AM

I love watching Jon Stewart and agree his best work is when he gets real stern and asks the hard questions. Whereas an O'reilly or Hannity actually admit they aren't going to do that because it disrespects the 'office'.

It is kinda sad though that the only way you can say damning things about politicians and ask real questions is when you do it in a satirical or sarcastic way. I guess that gives other 'real news' shows a way to try and discredit him and Colbert.

04-30-2007, 06:14 PM	#1 (permalink)
Kadath Muffled Location: Camazotz	Jon Stewart on Bill Moyers http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/04272007/watch.html The key for me is in this section: click to show JON STEWART: You know, one of the things that I do think government counts on is that people are busy. And it's very difficult to mobilize a busy and relatively affluent country, unless it's over really crucial-- you know, foundational issues. That come sort of sort of a tipping point. BILL MOYERS: War? War? JON STEWART: But war that hasn't affected us here, in the way that you would imagine a five-year war would affect a country. I think that's why they're so really — here's the disconnect. It's sort of this odd and I've always had this problem with the rationality of it. That the President says, "We are in the fight for a way of life. This is the greatest battle of our generation, and of the generations to come. "And, so what I'm going to do is you know, Iraq has to be won, or our way of life ends, and our children and our children's children all suffer. So, what I'm gonna do is send 10,000 more troops to Baghdad." So, there's a disconnect there between — you're telling me this is fight of our generation, and you're going to increase troops by 10 percent. And that's gonna do it. I'm sure what he would like to do is send 400,000 more troops there, but he can't, because he doesn't have them. And the way to get that would be to institute a draft. And the minute you do that, suddenly the country's not so damn busy anymore. And then they really fight back, and then the whole thing falls apart. So, they have a really delicate balance to walk between keeping us relatively fearful, but not so fearful that we stop what we're doing and really examine how it is that they've been waging this. He discusses quite aptly how the media totally fails to address the actual important issues in favor of masturbatory stories. It's great to see Stewart talk honestly without having to play for the punchline (though he does put a few jokes in), like he did when he went after Crossfire. __________________ it's quiet in here

05-01-2007, 04:11 AM	#3 (permalink)
SecretMethod70 Human Administrator Location: Chicago	Funny, I watched this the other day as well. Excellent interview. On one hand, I agree with willravel, but on the other hand I think part of Jon Stewart's influence lies in the fact he doesn't try very hard to exert it. It's sort of a "talks least, says most" kind of deal. Is it wrong that the first thing I thought of when you threw out the idea of Stewart talking seriously for a bit after the jokes on the Daily Show was Jerry Springer and his "final thought" at the end of each episode? Obviously, Jon Stewart is miles above Jerry Springer, but the image popped into my head just the same. __________________ Le temps détruit tout "Musicians are the carriers and communicators of spirit in the most immediate sense." - Kurt Elling

05-01-2007, 04:53 AM	#4 (permalink)
samcol Junkie Location: Indiana	I love watching Jon Stewart and agree his best work is when he gets real stern and asks the hard questions. Whereas an O'reilly or Hannity actually admit they aren't going to do that because it disrespects the 'office'. It is kinda sad though that the only way you can say damning things about politicians and ask real questions is when you do it in a satirical or sarcastic way. I guess that gives other 'real news' shows a way to try and discredit him and Colbert. __________________ It's time for the president to hand over his nobel peace prize. Last edited by samcol; 05-01-2007 at 04:57 AM..

04-30-2007, 07:37 PM	#2 (permalink)
Willravel ... a sort of licensed troubleshooter.	While I have always loved Jon on the Daily Show, his real time to shine comes when his smile fades, his voice lowers, and he makes hard eye contact. I'm reminded again of when he spoke after the 9/11 attacks. This is a smart man that has a good handle on the world. I wonder if maybe there should be another side of the Daily Show coin where Jon spends a half an hour shooting spitballs at the back of the classrooms and the next half just sitting on a couch and talks at the screen about his feelings about these things. I realize that his humility would probably prevent that, but I'd watch it religiously just the same. And it takes a lot to make an atheist do anything religiously.