video As we suspected long ago, we can now officially confirm that Glenn Beck isn't just considered a "joke" in some circles, he is now important and influential enough to merit a nearly 15 minute parody by America's "most trusted" news personality, Jon Stewart. The take-down was beyond complete; Daily Show writers and producers revealed that they are meticulous students of Beck's production methods: they didn't miss a trick. (more...)

video This is the reason why Jon Stewart and The Daily Show deserve all the accolades they receive: they take a topic that would be so very banal in the hands of any one else, and make it far more entertaining and informative with their own treatment. In this instance the topic is political sex scandals and the associative and hypocritical rhetoric that follows. (more...)

video Can anyone blame Jon Stewart for not being able to resist Tuesday's epic Eric Massa, Glenn Beck interview? No. And Stewart is in top form here, especially for those who missed either the interview or the lead up to it (as per usual, even Stewart can't quite match the phenomenon of the real thing). Stewart's take in a nutshell: (more...)

video The Daily Show's Jon Stewart set out last night to prove FNC anchor Megyn Kelly was not as "fair and balanced" as she is purported to be, and in fairly convincing 10-minute segment they made the point loud and clear. But the Daily Show was edited to prove that point - so we watched the full two-hour America Live today, and frankly, Stewart has a point. (more...)

video Rick Sanchez wasn't the only sort-of-anchor who had a take on his strange sort-of-anchoring during CNN's tsunami coverage Saturday. Jon Stewart weighed in on The Daily Show tonight as well. (more...)

video Probably you caught at least some of yesterday's health care reform summit as all the cablers ran with it for most of the day -- even Fox which preempted ratings powerhouse Glenn Beck. After day long complaints, highlighted by Jon Stewart (below) of the summit merely being a piece of political theater (Shakespeare, Kabuki, or otherwise!) the proceeding were actually mostly tame. Mostly. Also it's questionable whether anything was accomplished. Says Stewart:

So there we have our opening bids: One side wants to find common ground, the other side wants to start over. Let's start negotiating!

Actually, in the end, Stewart appeared more encouraged than not about yesterday's summit. He even threw around the word "substantive." Now if only he could have moderated the day-long proceedings and provided even more little descriptive nuggets like this: "That is Senator Tom 'killing abortion doctors might not be such a bad idea' Coburn'" and "That's Senator Chuck 'if I was any more Liberal and Jewish I would be Barbara Streisand-Shumer." Who Stewart points out, were actually having a conversation about health care! Video below.

video Wow. So, Glenn Beck's CPAC keynote speech on Friday was apparently so powerful it united Jon Stewart, Rush Limbaugh and Mark Levin...against him. I'm not sure what that says about Beck except that he really has managed to carve out a place all his own in the media landscape these last few months and he maybe is making some people nervous. Well not Jon Stewart per se ('gold mine' might be a better description), but it's certainly interesting to hear Rush Limbaugh (ever so gently) push back at Beck. Sign of things to come? Is Beck on his way to becoming the Frankenstein of the right? The tone of both Levin and Limbaugh suggest they were less than thrilled at Beck's conservative bashing/reality check (videos of all three below). (more...)

I know I used that joke yesterday, but Jon Stewart's observation about the marketing of outrage has a direct bearing here. His guest on last night's Daily Show was baseball legend Willie Mays, and the interview was very illuminating. So much of what we cover here centers around whatever "outrageous" thing is being said by people like Glenn Beck, Rush Limbaugh, or Keith Olbermann, and while sometimes it truly is an outrage, hearing Mays talk about his experience in the segregated baseball world put that all in perspective. (more...)

video Last night, Jon Stewart trained his sights on the blogosphere, mocking the over-the-top headlines that you, dear reader, seem to want to click. I know! What a jerk, right? He totally doesn't get it. (I heard he's not really a dude) Anyway, he showed a Mediaite headline amongst nearly every other blog that covers The Daily Show. Our lawyers will be contacting him shortly because of copyright infringement. (more...)

video Tonight The O'Reilly Factor aired the third of three segments of host Bill O'Reilly interviewing Jon Stewart, host of The Daily Show. A hackneyed bit on O'Reilly's plans to run president with Stewart as his VP served as entree into a variety of political issues of the day, including global warming, the threat of nuclear weapons, terrorism and military tribunals. All in all an interesting, yet unsatisfying experience. Let's see a three-hour unedited debate on Pay-per-view, with proceeds going to some charity. Go! (more...)

video Bill O'Reilly hosts the top rated cable news program right now The O'Reilly Factor. Jon Stewart, who happens to host the critically acclaimed and influential Daily Show, makes a healthy living criticizing O'Reilly, and more to the point, Fox News. So its rather remarkable that Fox News invited one of their biggest critics to come on their channel in hopes of providing entertaining television. Thank you Fox News. (more...)

video Last night The Daily Show's Jon Stewart brought Brian Williams from NBC's Nightly news onto his program for the third time in the last 12 months. It's not surprising that Williams is on so much - he and Stewart have a relaxed rapport, and he's displayed almost savant-like comedic chops in other arenas. What was surprising was something Stewart appeared to say a couple minutes into the interview - something that, if he meant it as it sounded, goes against everything he's ever said about his Daily Show work. (more...)

After Keith Olbermann's post-SOTU j'accuse of a bevy of conservative talking heads, in which he equated their cries of "arrogance" with the racially inflammatory "uppity," many thought Keith was overreaching at best.

Be that as it may, both The Daily Show and The Colbert Report covered a case of the pot calling the kettle "arrogant," as they reported on the unprecedented bit of reverse-place-putting that was the Republicans' Mini-me SOTU. It's not that Obama is "uppity," it's that the Republicans have been too "downity." (more...)

For many TV viewers, the most eagerly anticipated post-State of the Union remarks were neither the GOP response from newly-elected Virginia governor Bob McDonnell, nor reactions from any of the various TV reporters and pundits covering the proceedings - they were jokes from the fake reporter/pundit team of Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert. The two tape their shows in advance, so they couldn't offer their full remarks until last night - and they said largely the same thing (at least about McDonnell's rebuttal), though Colbert had a more inventive way of doing it. (more...)

Who: Jeffrey Toobin, Calvin Trillin, Janeane Garofalo and Jonathan Alter, moderated by Andy Borowitz What: The Andy Borowitz Report: Obama’s First Year Where: 92nd St. Y When: January 27, 2010 Thumbs: Up Host/moderator Andy Borowitz set the tone for the evening with ten minutes of stand-up comedy at the top of the event. It sent the message that this wasn’t going to be the same old discussion evaluating the president’s first year in office. It was a night with more laughs than sharp critique. And that’s just what the crowd was looking for on the night of the president’s State of the Union address. (more...)

Give credit where credit is due: Keith Olbermann's Friday apology, however slight, was a rare thing, indeed, in the world of political punditry. Responding to a scorching Jon Stewart parody of Countdown's Special Comment segment, Keith gently needled the Daily Show host's early work, offered to come on his show, and mildly conceded Stewart's point. While I don't doubt that Keith had a true moment of self-recognition here, I'm also fairly certain that this apology was equal parts reflection and self-preservation. Will it be  enough to stave off the Jon Stewart Wrath-O-Matic? (more...)

video Keith Olbermann's recent transformation from a harsh but reasoned critic of the right, to a hyperbolic caricature of bluster was best exemplified by his recent run-down of Senator-elect Scott Brown. Many media critics noticed it, but most notable was Jon Stewart, who eviscerated his shtick Thursday night. Even Mediaite's Tommy Christopher asked yesterday "Is Olbermann losing it?" So many of us were shocked by his response last night when he agreed with the critique, and even said "sorry." Kudos! (more...)

This is what happens when your late-night show tapes at 5 in the afternoon.

On last night's Daily Show, Jon Stewart took on Keith Olbermann's 3-day Scott-war against the newly-elected Republican Senator from Massachusetts, incinerating the Countdown host's Special Comment segment along the way. In a case of life imitating art, Olbermann parodied the Special Comment hours after Stewart taped his takedown, saying that yesterday's Supreme Court decision legalizing corporate campaign contributions was worse than the Dred Scott decision. (more...)

Who: Colin Firth interviewed by Janet Maslin What: TimesTalks’ “A Conversation with Colin Firth” Where: The Times Center When: January 20, 2010 Thumbs: Up When you ask Colin Firth to speak about what went into his latest performance, he won’t give you the typical actor-speak. Rather, he’ll tell you more widely how his character fits into the overall scheme of the story. He gives off the expertise of a writer or director who’s brainstormed and structured the work. Not content to be an actor in a role, Firth seeks the complete picture. For instance, while discussing “Easy Virtue," Firth expounded on the themes and vision of the original writer, Noel Coward. He did the same when plugging his latest film, “A Single Man” which is directed by famous fashion designer Tom Ford (slightly NSFW). Firth recognized the “improbable combinations” that the first-time director injected into the film. He fully digests what the films are about (in this case: rage, finality, lust, regret, irony, adoration and sentimentality.) Interviewer Janet Maslin made sure to ask about the controversy surrounding the film, which centers on a gay man but had marketing materials that conveyed a more “heterosexual” message. Firth acknowledged that Ford and the marketing team struggled to find the right way to sell the film, but he’s convinced that the movie will reach all audiences. While Firth is analytical and upbeat, he’s also somewhat complex. Maslin correctly pointed out that Firth is drawn to two vastly different types of roles – the everyman and the royalty. For his “Single Man” role, he turned to the works of Dennis Potter as a source of inspiration to make sure his character’s grappling with death was not synonymous with depression. In order to achieve that difficult balance during filming, Firth had to quickly shift to different emotional states to show the multi-faceted nature to his character and the film overall. When they screened an example of what Firth describes as the “emotional trajectory” required to make that sudden change seem natural and believable, the audience recognized that as one of the talents Firth has certainly mastered. What They Said “One’s work isn’t just dependent on a fresh start or a clean slate. And your experience can be used as an instrument for that character.” - Colin Firth invests some of himself into his films “If you get a guarantee that everyone you take a risk on would deliver, then every film would be a masterpiece.” - Colin Firth, not considering "White Chicks" “People are generally secretive about their sexuality in one way or another in general. Unless they’re Italian.” - Colin Firth is married to an Italian woman “Because I’m English, there’s a perpetual state of embarrassment.” - Colin Firth prescribes character traits to nationality What We Thought We’ve never seen a crowd skew so much in the direction of one gender. Whether it can be explained by the accent or his acting talent, Firth has a firm grip on the 40s and 50s female demographic. Firth said that while they were shooting some of the more intimate gay scenes in the film, Proposition 8 passed in California. He said that it was an unfriendly reminder that America wasn’t as progressive as he’d liked to believe. He did, however, say that Obama getting elected during the same period was reassuring. He said the only late-night show he would agree to do time and again (as he just did) is “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart.” He said that he doesn’t like to be told that he has a few minutes to come up with several funny anecdotes. PANEL RULES! Some audience behavior seems to repeat itself panel after panel. We’ll be updating a running list of “PANEL RULES!” that will help ensure that you are not the dweeb of the Panel Nerds. Panel Nerds don’t like…Fawners If you get the courage to go up to the microphone to ask one of your favorite actors a question you’ve always wished you could ask him... actually ask it! It's unbecoming (yep, we said "unbecoming") to see a 50-something-year-old woman trying to repeatedly regain her composure while fanning herself and taking deep breaths into the mike. You may be a first time questioner. Tom Ford was a first time director. You can succeed your first time.

It has been a year. Has it ever. Likely no one knows that better than President Obama who one imagines is having a pretty crappy day today. Who could have predicted amidst January 20, 2009's euphoria that one year later we would be waking up to news that out of nowhere a former nude Cosmo model, pick-up driving Republican had snagged Ted Kennedy's Senate seat and derailed Obama's agenda. Or that his approval ratings would have plummeted so far. Or that, well a lot of things. But enough of that, at least for a moment. In a nod to nostalgia here's a look back at how the nation covered the day one year ago. The headlines are mind-boggling happy. Plus: after the jump Jon Stewart offers his own retrospective (Obama is "not a magic negro."). (more...)

On last night's edition of The Rachel Maddow Show, the host focused on Haiti again, but took a moment for a bit of media navel-gazing, which is conveniently right up our alley. "Jon Stewart, on The Daily Show last night, dinged me," Maddow said, referring to her previous show's focus on the role of USAID and the State Department in Haitian relief efforts. Maddow took a mini-shot back: "I know that's politics, but...no apologies for reporting." (more...)

video Jon Stewart gave his take on the Sarah Palin/Glenn Beck hour-long interview-like discussion, and in the process, found a new person to compare Beck to - Dr. Hannibal Lecter. Focusing on the setting and the overly friendly nature of the exchange, Stewart broke it down on last night's Daily Show. (more...)

video The tragedy and devastation unfolding in Haiti has brought everyone together. The constant bickering and finger-pointing of opinion journalism seems both irrelevant and inappropriate in the face the unfolding disaster. Except, as Jon Stewart points out, not everyone has risen above the partisan fray. Last night, Stewart called out some of his favorite targets: Rush Limbaugh, Pat Robertson, and of course, Rachel Maddow. Whaaaaa? (more...)

video Earlier this week Jon Stewart mocked the media coverage of domestic terror attacks that criticized and politicized comparative anti-terrorism efforts of Presidents Bush and Obama. Stewart used a clip of Bill O'Reilly asking then guest Laura Ingraham what will happen if there is another attack under Obama "with dead bodies." Stewart mocked the question -- O'Reilly took exception to the bit, and shot back tonight at The Daily Show host, calling him a tireless defender of Obama against media critics. (more...)

video Lost amidst all the uproar over NBC late night line-up, and Letterman's unmitigated joy at being given the opportunity to go after both Jay "big jaw" Leno and the network that spurned him 17 years ago, was Jon Stewart's (by his own admission) none-to-impressive interview with former deputy assistant attorney general John Yoo, otherwise known as the author of the Bush torture memos. (more...)

Apparently, Iranians don't do satire very well, no doubt one of the nasty side effects of not having a functional free press. Earlier this year Newsweek journalist Maziar Bahari suffered the brunt of Iran's confusion over a Daily Show interview he had participated in. Bahari was jailed during June's protests and then interrogated over video footage of the interview showing him being interviewed by "an American journalist pretending to be a spy." In reality this "spy" was Jason Jones. (more...)

video Thanks to the 'Underwear Bomber' and his Yemeni-based al Qaeda connections the country of Yemen is getting a lot of attention in the press these days. A lot. Depending on where you get your news Yemen is either filling the role in the Axis of Evil left vacant by Iraq says Stephen Colbert (video below), or beautiful but troubled according to NBC's Richard Engel, who also says the media may be blowing the threat out of proportion (along with Canadian airlines!). Or, alternately, our most fragile ally. (more...)

video Fox News' Senior Political Correspondent Brit Hume reiterated his belief last night that Tiger Woods should turn to Christianity to seek forgiveness. Meanwhile, simultaneously (but airing later), Jon Stewart and The Daily Show team of correspondents were basing an entire segment on Hume's original comment. (more...)

video Confused about what exactly is going on in Copenhagen this week? Uncertain who's there to discuss what? Jon Stewart boils it down to its most essential parts: it's the World of Warmcraft. Our ability to live (on land) is what's at stake! Unless you are a critic, in which case this may be the biggest hoax perpetrated on mankind (after the myth of the female orgasm). Behold: they are importing limos to the climate summit to handle the attendees, large icebergs are floating towards Australia, and not only is it snowing in Houston they elected a lesbian mayor ("I guess Hell really did freeze over!"). Blame those fat cat environmental scientists: "it gets cold in winter, and scientists are getting paid." Eeegads. Video below.

video Fox News Host Glenn Beck talks nightly about the looming collapse of the American economic structure. He also talks about the wisdom of investing money in gold, a commodity that typically increases of value during times of economic stress. Oh by the way, Beck is a paid spokesman for Goldline, a company who offers a full range of precious metals (like gold) to investors. Politico and Jeff Bercovici have reported this cozy relationship; but now enters Jon Stewart. (more...)

video Maziar Bahari is free, finally, after 118 days in an Iranian prison, on trumped-up charges of being a spy for the Mossad, CIA, MI6, and Newsweek — charges that were leveled at him, he says, specifically to fit him into the false narrative being spun by Iran's leadership to its people following the post-election uprising last June. Bahari recounted the experience in minute, fascinating detail in Newsweek last week, and has subsequently appeared on 60 Minutes, Charlie Rose and, last night, the Daily Show. Only one of those shows were to blame for his incarceration. (more...)

video It is a very small world. You may recall back in June The Daily Show sent correspondent Jason Jones to Iran just ahead of the elections to film a series of "funny" spots about how the country was dealing with the election. Of course, neither the Daily Show nor the rest of the world could have anticipated the sweeping and violent protests that followed the elections. Yet instead of shelving the spots for a more appropriate time, the show opted to air the segments anyway; it was a decision that struck as amazingly tone deaf (I actually thought it bordered on offensive), particularly for a show that prides itself on being one step savvier than the rest. (more...)

video Vice President Joe Biden appeared for the first time in his new role on The Daily Show last night, in a two-part interview focused mostly on policy. Although Jon Stewart joked about needing to "watch the entire interview on the web, if you know what I mean," it appears the exchange was unedited, and featured just a couple minor gaffes that Biden is known for. (more...)

video Let no one accuse Glenn Beck of not having a sense of humor. As predicted, Beck took some time last night to highlight his sort of starring turn on South Park last week (Cartmen discovers a socialist regime at South Park elementary): "You haven't lived until South Park has done an entire episode on you...Last week Eric Cartman played a much thinner version of me." But he didn't stop there! Jon Stewart's Beck impression warranted a hat's off: "Congratulations Jon, very funny stuff." The New Yorker, SNL, and Playboy -- where you will find him "between the cheeks and the nipples" -- also received honorable mentions. Video below:

video Jon Stewart said his goodbye to Lou Dobbs last night on The Daily Show, but he won't have to wait too long to see him back on cable news. Dobbs will be on The O'Reilly Factor Monday night. (more...)

video Regular viewers of Glenn Beck already know that the popular Fox News anchor is out of commission this week due to a case of appendicitis. Last night on The Daily Show Jon Stewart saw fit to step in and fill in the void...sort of. If Glenn Beck's nightly performance is considered high art by some, than I'm not sure what how you'd describe Jon Stewart's rendition of a Beck monologue last night (complete with chalkboard and almost tears) except to say it's very Beckian. (more...)

video It looks like maybe a lot of people were more displeased with their lack of kitchen tables than was previously let on! Perhaps the biggest shocker to come out of last night's elections was just how tiny the margin Bloomberg's margin of victory was! (more...)

video Just as the White House vs. Fox News feud is winding down (actually, not at all), Jon Stewart and The Daily Show are weighing in. In what was his final show of October, he addressed the ongoing feud that began heating up as the month started - and he hit both sides for different reasons. (more...)

video Thank God for Olympia Snowe, right? If you were watching the coverage of the voting on the Baucus Bill on Tuesday you know that the star of the show was the "bipartisan curious" Republican Senator from Maine who voted for the bill and against party lines. The media went nuts over here (cue punny Snowe headline) and even the President went out of his way to thank her "political courage." Says Stewart: "Oh my God, it's like if Joan of Arc and Rosa Parks had a baby, and then that baby won the super bowl." And then points out all she did was turn a 13-10 vote for a "pussy" bill into a 14-9 vote. Apparently all it takes to become the new American hero in the eyes of the media is to vote against party lines in a bill that would've passed anyway. (more...)

video Last night on The Daily Show Jon Stewart noted the different manner in which Fox News opted to cover the 9/12 tea bagger marches in September versus the similarly attended (numbers-wise) Gay Rights march this past Sunday. Short version: they didn't. Stewart speculates this round of marchers may have had a different response to the question 'Do you have anything to say to Glenn Beck?' Like, say: "Who cuts your hair and why are they so angry at you?" But with maybe a few expletives thrown in. (more...)