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.

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?

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.

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…

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.

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.

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.