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Sunday, Nov 8, 2009
I'm really not surprised it turned out the way it did. Stewart is a creature with a defective artifice chip -- there is just no way he can be forced on air against his will as he has and be able to keep things light and funny. My prediction is that there will be a moment of honest television from him -- maybe not tonight, tomorrow, but soon, when Jon just snaps in front of the camera -- that Viacom will hate and probably prevent from airing, and we'll see it on YouTube from a phone videocam. It will be so real that it hurts.
Not sure what will happen with Colbert. His on air persona is able to work around this, and Stephen's a consummate improvisor of Second City stock. He may snap on air too, but it will probably be in character and be one of those unforgettable moments of television that get compiled on VH1 every couple of years.
It is fascinating, but absolutely heartbreaking. These talented men are in a terrible fix. As fascinating as it could be, I am deeply wishing for an end to the strike to see the pain end for these guys.
as funny or not without a full team of writers, we need Stewart and Colbert this winter.
They are national treasures.
And to be kind, TDS was in endless repeats and reruns before the strike. Stewart ran with his runaway success 2 years ago and the TDS show seemed to be on hiatus from one legal holiday to the next. Sorry, but you're imagining TDS of 8 years ago.
I agree 100% with your take on it! Colbert was really astoundingly good.
(What's with the Cole-BURT -- hard T -- though? Is he going to be Cole-BURT until the strike is over do you suppose?)
Nulla must be watching a different show, or maybe on a different channel that I do. These shows do go on vaca but they were certainly on the air prior to the strike, & not endless reruns as he suggests. Unless he's referring to the multiple times per day that Comedy Central reairs the shows.
I thought it was wise for both Stewart & Colbert to change the titles of their shows for the duration. Stewart pointed it out, while Colbert did it without making it obvious. The Daily Show will be "A" Daily Show, while Colbert is now with a hard T.
Is the show the same? No, it's defintely weaker.
And although I don't know them personally, I feel that they definately share a peice of their public life with the audience. Wether it's Jon Stewart thrashing crossfire, or Stephen Colbert crying over lost emmy's, or Jon Stewart's humbling post 9/11 speech, I feel like they share more than jokes.... they share outrage at a world that doesn't make a lick of sense anymore.
So I don't mind sitting through bad jokes (they've been through slumps before). Sharing their outrage (or uncomrtability) about the writer's strike seems to help quell the loss a little bit. Besides, without them, I seem to have lost my desire to keep wathing politics. (Although maybe, with things as they are, that was inevitable anyway).
Good piece, Heather; smart and pithy. Keep it coming.
I call bullshit on this.
Both these guys should be standing with the unions. By crossing the line they are scabs.
Just my opinion.
He obviously was not happy about being there. As I understand it, he is a union supporter and member (it's hard to get clear information through the rumors, but he is supposedly a member of the writer's guild). The writer's guild was picketing his show. I'm guessing that he was forced back, but he didn't want to be there. He intelligently chose to focus on the strike, at least in part to deflect some of the pressure I'm sure he was feeling from union members and friends. Colbert is in a better position. His character is by definition not a strike supporter, so he had a wealth of anti-strike material to draw from while still obliquely supporting the striker's. I don't envy either of them. They have to deal with both personal ethical issues and the reality that they will probably suffer professionally as a result of working during a strike.
I really wish that the participants of this strike would make more of an effort to get together. I don't particularly care if television shows are being held up, but there are a lot of people suffering over what amounts to a "how much money can I keep" issue. This isn't the glory days of striking, when they were trying to get decent work hours and safe working conditions.
Stewart's and Colbert's best days are behind them.
The fascist Bush presidency, with its malevolent buffoons like Cheney, Rummy and Gonzales were the meat on which Stewart and Colbert built their fortunes.
The fuel source is running out.
Yeah yeah, there's Chuck Norris, Texas Ranger, standing behind Gomer Pyle, presidential wannabee. Big laugh. Not.
Satire requires larger and more evil targets, preferably ones that could have you rendered to Egypt for a "tune up."
What ever happened to Saturday Night Live? What ever happened to Laugh In? All current events based comedy waxes and wanes with the times. Yes, SNL hangs on. They ought to pull the plug on that patient. Do not resuscitate!
The times, they are a'changin'.
So thank Stewart and Colbert for helping us through the darkest times of Bush's reign of terror, but it's 2008 and he's a mere shadow of himself, weak and silly. While it's still fun to mock Bush, he's no longer on the come. Turn the page.
I think the writer's strike has mortally wounded both of these shows, but they were reaching their sell-by date anyway.
I heard on an NPR show last week that well over 80% of the viewing audience does not even know there is a strike. I think that TV watching is such a habit that folks will tune in regardless of the quality of the program. They are just fine with game shows and reality programming. This does not bode well for the future of scripted or quality programming in the future.
For me the apex of Mr Colbert was the press dinner speech. Nothing he has done or will do will match that. John Stewart's problems are his increasing recognition of his own importance and his inability not to be the "nice polite guy" when facing someone truly reprehensible.
Much of the initial coverage about Fort Hood turned out to be wrong. Is there anything wrong with that?
The accountability imposed by another country for the CIA's kidnapping and torture reveals much about our own.
Fox News' morning show plays to type, talking about whether Muslims in the Army should face "special debriefings"
The survivor and author is upset about comparisons some on the right are making to genocide
Once seen as a lunatic fringe, reactionary anti-women groups are courting respectability
Salon headlines in your mailbox
