It's been interesting to watch the public response to the Jon Stewart led incarnation of The Daily Show ... as Stewart et al rack up Emmy awards he has increasingly been viewed as one of the primary news sources, particularly for young people, in North America - a fact that has politicians clamoring for guest spots and Stewart himself voicing concern. After all, what does it say about a culture when a satirist is considered more credible than supposed 'hard news' outlets?
Well, here's why. Stewart recently put in a guest stint on CNN's Crossfire - a frequent target of his jokes - and the good people at IFilm have made the entire visit available online. It's shocking how easily Stewart is able to put the hosts off their game by simply refusing to play "the funny man" for them and a little alarming how quickly the tone swings through condesension and outright hostility when Stewart challenges their methods. It's compelling stuff. Keep doing what you're doing, Jon. We need you.
Via Opus.