Stephen Colbert and Jon Stewart Are gods
June 7th, 2007
Who would have ever thought that some of the best news reporting of the day would come from society’s comedians? Folks like Stephen Colbert and Jon Stewart, who address controversial issues through their sarcasm and humor, rather than the major news organizations?
Check out this short Jon Stewart on Crossfire video where he pummels bow-tied Tucker Carlson. It is priceless and speaks volumes about where we are as a society. This tit for tat in American politics can make it very challenging to work with countries like China and India from a geopolitical standpoint.
And also check out the following short video from Stephen Colbert titled, Heated Debate: College Students Should be Unformed Lumps of Clay Fired in the Kiln of Unchallenged Thought. After you click on this link and get to this Comedy Central site, type “college students” into the search line in the upper right hand corner of the page, then click on the search icon, then look for the “Heated Debate …” description heading, and watch and enjoy away. [Carr 12-17-07 update -- be sure to read my Comment No. 6 or 7 below, in case this link is not working where you can read the interview and get the crux of it]
To the extent global warming and China are linked, this video is relevant. It is also relevant from the standpoint that I have found that on trips like this sometimes a student or two may refuse to accept data of new information that does not jibe with their preconceived ideas of placed like China or India. Aside from all of this, it’s a hoot to watch and was just too darn good to not put up a post that links to it.
Yep, Colbert and Stewart are gods. (For any literalist readers, note that I used the small “g” on the word “God”.)
Professor Carr Addendum: See also this related POST I just made on Jon Stewart on China and the Olympics.
Entry Filed under: Pre-Departure, China
17 Comments Add your own
1. Jeremiah | June 7th, 2007 at 3:15 pm
Thanks Chris. Relevant or not, the Colbert video pretty much made my morning. I’m glad the student did “well” in the class.
2. Chris Carr | June 7th, 2007 at 3:42 pm
Thanks, Jeremiah.
Your Granite Studio blog is awesome.
You put all of us blog geeks through quite a chase a while back trying to figure out which UC school you were at! Well played.
3. Chris | June 8th, 2007 at 12:55 am
Brilliant. Just what I needed in the middle of grading final projects. (And thanks to Jeremiah for embedding it.)
4. Chris Carr | June 8th, 2007 at 8:13 am
Thanks, Chris.
I wish I had 1/10 of the creativity of guys like Colbert and Stewart (and their staffs).
5. Stacey Westenberger | June 9th, 2007 at 6:27 pm
Although there might not be a direct tie to China in these videos, I think there is a connection with our motivation for going to China. In the Colbert video he makes fun of college students not wanting to be introduced to new ideas outside of their comfort level. However, our class is not taking this approach, but rather learning about business in China first hand, rather than talking about it in a classroom. We will be able to not only learn about principles affecting the businesses we visit, but also witness the culture and be immersed in a new, unfamiliar environment. This experience will definitely be a change to what many of us are used to in California, and be a beneficial way of learning.
As for the Jon Stewart video, which was very entertaining, he again reminds us to be critical about what we are told in the media. This theme is coming up again and again in the books I have been reading for this trip. Each time, I am reminded to not just accept what I am told, but use my existing knowledge to analyze what is being portrayed and form my own opinions. I think this is a very important lesson as we are about to graduate from the MBA program and join the business world.
6. Chris Carr | December 17th, 2007 at 7:41 pm
Apparently Comedy Central yanks its videos after a period of time.
Below is the interview from Neil Cavaluto’s show, that gave rise to the Colbert spoof. And below that is the transcript of the Colbert spoof. Give it a read. Even if text form, Colbert makes you laugh and you can see why he retains supremacy as a comedy god. I trust you all see the relevance of this sarcasm to our China trip?
A Student’s Mandatory Truth.
Stephen: This savage attack on young minds brings us to tonight’s Word: Heated Debate. Folks, you know it, I know it, the left has a stranglehold on our universities. Professors are forcing our kids to submit to their pro-glacier agenda. But heroes like Barry aren’t taking it lying down.
[Video: Barry Lucier: This was forced upon me to watch something that I didn’t believe it.]
Stephen: Folks, at a “college” Barry was forced to think about something he didn’t already think. When you confront young people with information that doesn’t jibe with what they already believe they can get confused, or even worse, bitter.
[Video: Neil Cavuto: Are you bitter?
Barry Lucier: Uh, a little.]
Stephen: Of course he’s bitter! He’s enrolled in a class where the professor thinks he knows more about the subject than the students! Last time I checked that is the definition of elitism. Hey, I’m no scientist but I thought there were supposed to be two sides to every story. (Mine & wrong) Sure there’s a vast consensus on global warming science, but doesn’t the opposing five percent deserve 50% of the time. In this core science class he probably got a syllabus full of “convention wisdom.” For instance they probably also told him the Earth revolves around the sun. (Actually revolves around Stephen) This is a relatively new and untested theory that’s only been around for 500 years. (Barely longer than Law & Order) But of course the Copernicus crowd doesn’t even mention Ptolemy’s view that the Earth is the center of the universe even though that theory has been around for 1900 years. It is 1400 years truer! But these days college is all about silencing the dissenters, it’s no longer a place to raise your hand, offer your minority viewpoint and have healthy and informed debate. (That’s Hannity and Colmes) The Barry Luciers of the world are entering a minefield of knowledge. Who knows what destructive information they’ll be confronted with next. (Student loan bill) That’s why all colleges should be forced to advertise every element of their curriculum so students are guaranteed that when the leave college they’ll be exactly the same as when they went in. (Give or take $160,000) That folks, is what I believe college is for. You take these unformed lumps of clay, leave them unformed lumps, then fire them in the kiln of unchallenged thought so they become rigid and never move again. That’s how you get well educated like Barry.
[Video: Neil Cavuto: What was your grade?
Barry Lucier: My grade was well.]
Stephen: See? His grade was well. Now he make double plus think despite unwell school. Let’s just hope our future generations can do the same.
And that’s the Word … from Stephen Colbert.
7. Angie Q. Dip | December 23rd, 2007 at 2:13 am
I don’t watch Stewart and Colbert often, but from watching Stewart on Crossfire and reading the transcript from Colbert tells me they are quite smart and funny, and I love their sarcastic opinions. I enjoyed the video with Stewart. I felt bad for the two hosts, but the guy with the bow tie was not being very nice to be insulting his guest. These two hosts must hate Stewart if his appearance was really the reason for the show to be removed from CNN. The Stewart video is probably related to China in that we should not believe everything that we hear about China - be it negative or positive - we should see and find out for ourselves what is true and what is not.
8. Mark Polydoris | November 9th, 2008 at 9:39 pm
I think this beautiful episode of Crossfire was what really legitimized guys like Stewart and Colbert over half of the other news shows on TV. Not only did Stewart bash Begala and Carlson’s credibility, but he also proved that some people are born funny and others simply aren’t. Carlson’s little side comments throughout the episode make him look like a jerk.
You can even argue that Stewart and Colbert have more credibility than the pundits because they fairly and evenly bash EVERYONE. They’re also way more entertaining. As traditional new shows have become more sensationalized, The Daily Show and Colbert Report have become more legitimate, and they’re having an enormous impact on our generation. In the past year or so, I’ve seen Jon Stewart interview Valerie Plame, Vincente Fox, Madeline Albright, Dick Cheney’s wife, and the president of Bolivia. They’re getting real guests on their shows and they’re conducting real, informative interviews. And every major presidential candidate was on their shows too.
While these videos don’t directly relate to China, I think it shows that being an informed young person is FINALLY cool again. It’s okay to be entertained and educated at the same time.
9. Jessica Harris | November 15th, 2008 at 9:20 pm
Haha! I am still laughing from how horrible that kid made all college students look. I don’t think that as students we have to agree with everything that our professors teach us, but students should also be open minded enough to consider the option of it being true. As far as the Crossfire segment with Jon Stewert, I wish more people could share his opinion. Why isn’t there more debate with EDUCATED ARGUMENTS rather than fighting? Just like how many licks it takes to get to the center of a tootsie roll pop…the world may never know.
10. Morgan O'Hara | December 16th, 2008 at 8:40 pm
Having worked as a news producer, extremely rare was the journalist who actually put much thought into his or her pieces. More often things were rushed, material recycled, same steps covered. Many Italian journalists stationed in the US relied on the major networks –CNN, CBS, etc. – took their stories, and added a little spin. Viola, the news. Not much critical thinking involved, or any exploration of the very real undercurrents behind what happens. It was more of a gimmick than journalism. That being said, there were some great things about my job, as well as the people I worked with, and worked for. And of course, it is a lot easier to criticize the media for its shortfalls than to craft top-notch pieces. One could argue, is there even a mainstream audience for serious reporting? Or do people prefer the cookie-cutter pieces that inundate our television waves? And of course, slipshod work and corner-cutting abounds – not just in the field of journalism, but also in the business world (or so I presume).
I was staggered by the Colbert Report clip. Reflecting on this last quarter, one of things that struck me is how I’ve become a better ‘interacter.’ I’m a better listener and speaker, and a more tolerant person. The ability to come to grips with and engage different worldviews is a talent. In OB we learned of the perils of defensive reasoning – stubbornness is pronounced when it comes to sensitive issues, be it self-reflection or politics. With regards to blue and red, most of us are set in our ways, and any inkling of divergence is seen as an attack and rebuffed. This leads to extreme partisanship, incoherent arguments, bad news channels, and yes, ‘well-graded’ college students who refuse to acknowledge differing perspectives, much less digest them. Kudos to Colbert.
In Washington and on Main Street, both sides are filled with people who refuse to reach across the isle. Hopefully in these demanding times more of us will have the mettle to rise above petty bickering and tackle the pressing issues that face our world, our nation and our communities. Likewise, here at Cal Poly, we, as students, have the responsibility to engage in constructive discourse and grow as people – not shirk from the ideas that don’t mesh with our outlooks.
11. David McKinnon | January 14th, 2009 at 3:24 pm
Funny stuff. I am not a big fan of either Jon Stewart or Colbert, but Colbert makes a good point. I take the stance of if you have a certain perspective, then you should examine it from all points and turn it inside out to make sure you really believe it. If it passes the thorough wringing then your belief in that perspective is that much stronger.
12. Jimmy Spann | January 26th, 2009 at 4:06 pm
I think that these interviews were quite funny… I think that the best part of the first interview (Jon Stewart on Crossfire) was that Jon Stewart knew the exact reason he went on the show, and had a huge smirk on his face the whole time. And it even played right into his hands when Tucker compares Crossfire to The Daily Show. One is to be watched for factual purposes and the other clearly to be watched for comedic purposes.
The second interview with the student who is forced to watch Al Gore’s Movie was pretty good. I don’t know how many things that I have been forced to do in my life, that I have been better off after I have done them. There is a lot of learning especially when you are forced to research a topic that you think you disagree with. You might change your stance after the further research or you might even strengthen your own argument, but either case is a win-win situation to me.
I also think that these posts do have a correlation to China. We would not see any types of shows like these in China. Shows that make fun of the governing body would most likely be censored and not happen at all. It is one great privilege that we have here in America that is not given to the rest of the world. I am also interested to ask Chinese, or foreigners in general, “How these types of shows make us look as Americans?” First we elect them (politicians), and then make fun of them the whole time they are in office? If that was the case then why did we elect them in the first place? Or is it one of those situations that there will always be some comedy in political decisions and speeches?
Just some questions to think about and play a little bit of devil’s advocate. I do really like these comedy shows and don’t want them to change or go anywhere.
13. Scotty Hayes | January 26th, 2009 at 5:29 pm
I love it!
I have always respected Stewart and Colbert. Even if I do not completely agree with their views, I know they formed their opinion with an open mind. That is the problem today. Politicians on the left will always be on the left and politicians on the right will always be on the right. Instead of debating, politicians spend their time digging up dirt on their opponent. We need good ideas and leaders for the future, regardless of political affiliation.
Why are Stewart and Colbert so offensive to some people? Sometimes the truth hurts…
14. James McMillan | February 15th, 2009 at 5:51 pm
I feel bad for that kid. He’s just too young and immature to really understand his comments and why he’s wrong about claiming about having to watch “an Inconvenient Truth.” I’m so glad Colbert decided to do a stint on him. I don’t see how that kid could have not felt stupid after watching himself. I wonder if the commentator on Fox News expressed any points of agreement with him.
As far as crossfire goes, is that show even still on? The name sounds familiar but maybe I just don’t get home early enough to catch it. I wonder what its rating did after Jon Stewart’s appearance. The audience certainly appeared to side with Jon by laughing at all the comments that called Tucker out. I’m glad he made his appearance and spoke his mind. There are too many “news” programs that are so obviously one sided but pretend to be “fair and balanced” when in fact their programs are filled with political hacks. And by the way, dude totally needs to lose the bow tie.
I do see the connection here to China though. Lesson learned, even if you don’t agree with something, be open-minded, consider all points of views, and be appreciative that you are getting insight from a different perspective.
15. Amy Cook | March 5th, 2009 at 3:48 pm
I watched both of these clips when we did the initial Jon Stewart blog. I think I actually ended up on the Colbert website for quite awhile watching several other clips. I like that both comedians are able to make jokes about the state of our country and comment on how ridiculous some of our media and politics can be. What I really like is that when it comes down to it, they are really intelligent guys who really care about the state of our media and country and who aren’t afraid to offend someone who is being an ignorant jerk. I once saw Jon Stewart interview a kid (about 19) who had made a ton of money online selling videos of homeless people he had paid to beat each other up in front of his cameras. Stewart pretty much just had him on the show to give him a stern talking-to about social responsibility. It was the first time I saw him get really serious and angry during an interview. It gave me a stronger respect for what Jon Stewart does. He jokes, but he cares too.
16. David Caldwell | March 16th, 2009 at 9:28 pm
Finding unbiased, reliable, spin-free is getting harder and harder with the rise of “infotainment.” One of my professors from the Aero program told us about how he had subscribed to Al Jezeera, and watched it side-by-side to get the whole story during the invasion of Iraq. It’s like there are flickers of truth scattered about, and we basically have to stare at digg, reddit, cnn, wsj, nyt, etc etc just to get a basic understanding of what’s going on around us.
Watching that interview with Barry Lucifer (great last name, btw) reminded me of the sense of entitlement with young people that I hear complained about so much; I might actually agree with Barry’s stance on the environment (I need to go see Inconvenient Truth and Doomsday Called Off now), but I’m not about to go onto a national news show to complain about how I thought that a professor treated me unfairly - that’s what roommates are for. How slow of a news day must it have been for the producers of that show to let him on?
17. Scotty Hayes | March 19th, 2009 at 2:06 pm
I am kicking myself in the ass right now for not doing more of these posts on the cold and rainy days we had this winter. I am having troubles responding to the Jon Stewart is still a God post, so I am doing it on this post. I don’t know why Stewart doesn’t take the next step and run for office. He obviously knows what he is talking about and has a passion for it. Why not? We have governors who are wrestlers and even terminators. One of our best presidents was an actor. Stewart would definitely have my vote.
While on the Comedy Central site I watched the Jon Stewart interview with Jim Cramer of Mad Money - March 12th. It is the soberest I have ever seen Stewart. I really recommend it. It is mainly about the news’ role in the financial meltdown. My favorite line to Cramer was that you can make “finance entertaining, but it’s not a fuc&ing joke.” Cramer as well as many in the industry knew of what was going to happen. He is really stressing the importance of bringing fundamentals back to reporting. Again, worth your time.
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