RELATED: Lawrence O’Donnell Demolishes ‘Lying Vulgarian’ Trump’s Endorsement Of Romney

Realizing Trump was merely endorsing Mitt Romney, Stewart groused “Oh, that’s it? Just an endorsement of the current front-runner and presumed nominee? Never saw Trump as a Romney guy. Always saw Trump as the kind of guy whose ostentatious lifestyle was driven by a slight, a guy like Romney gave him years ago, you know what I mean, like that prick thinks can keep me out of the country club, I’ll build my own and it will have a statue with Perrier coming out of Athena’s nipples in it!”

Suddenly, after playing many of Romney’s choice quotes on capitalism, Stewart realized the two were both meant for each other. “This guy, he likes firing people! He loves corporations, the only thing I’m not crazy about is the whole same wife for 42 years thing, but you know, I can overlook it! (This shows) Americans that if two Ivy League-educated successful business tycoons from wealthy families can find common ground, even when one is a billionaire and the other only a multi, multi, multimillionaire, maybe there’s hope this country isn’t so divided after all!”

Watch Stewart’s segment below via Comedy Central:

RELATED: Neil deGrasse Tyson Sympathizes With Newt Gingrich’s Moon Mission

Stewart lambasted Gingrich for proposing such an idea and at the same time, suggesting that nobody takes Ron Paul seriously.

“You’re right, Mr. Moon Base, they won’t take Ron Paul seriously. And that’s why I’m going to make Ron Paul my first ambassador to Moonlandia! He’s out there! So what exactly are we supposed to do with this moon base?!”

Stewart then played a clip of Gingrich jokingly suggesting he’d make it a state, which flummoxed Stewart, but soon he had it all figured out.

“I see what’s going on here, this isn’t about making new states. Newt Gingrich did that global warming ad with Nancy Pelosi realizing that the Earth is very sick–and now he wants to leave it for a younger planet!”

Watch the segment below via Comedy Central:

RELATED: Gingrich Rips John King/CNN For Opening Debate With ‘Open Marriage’ Question

Stewart then played a clip of ABC News’ Brian Ross‘s visit to The View, where he discussed when Marianne was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, Gingrich asked her for a divorce.

“First wife cancer, second wife multiple sclerosis, can Newt Gingrich be reclassified as a pollutant?” Stewart snarked. “Of course, the guy is like the dioxin of husbands!”

“I think i’m going to be sick…and then Newt will leave me!” he jokingly added.

Watch Stewart tackle Gingrich’s “open marriage” controversy below via Comedy Central:

Part 1:

Part 2:

RELATED: Jon Stewart: GOP Is Trying ‘Every Chocolate In The Box’ Before Settling On Mitt Romney

Stewart noted that Romney slammed President Obama by saying all of his campaign pledges were “lofty promises made by a hopeful candidate.”

“Yeah, what a jerk that Obama was!” Stewart snarked. “Oh, I’m going to do this and I’m going to do that. A**hole! Empty suit standing on a platform in New Hampshire making lofty promises he knew he couldn’t possibly fulfill — I’m sorry, Mitt. I interrupted you. Continue!”

Stewart played various clips of Romney promising the world, with “capping and balancing the federal budget,” “making the federal government simpler, smaller and smarter” and “insisting on a military so powerful no one would ever think of challenging it.”

“See, people, my promises are realistic! A tiny government, a balanced budget and a giant invincible army! Ladies and gentlemen, I give you new Sparta!”

Later in the segment, Stewart criticized Lawrence O’Donnell for saying Ron Paul didn’t matter and Huntsman was “the real 2nd.” “No! You can’t!” Stewart boomed. “You’re not allowed to take Ron Paul out of this! That’s just physics! And you know, if you add two zeros to the end of Huntsman’s totals, he would have been in first by hundreds of thousands of votes, an unprecedented victory! Why is no one talking about this? Because it didn’t happen!”

Stewart moved on to talking about Huntsman which he surmised he had to since it was a limited time offer to do so, and ribbed the former Utah Governor for saying 3rd place was a ticket to ride. “A ticket to ride– home, in coach!”

He then played footage of confetti raining down on Huntsman, which Stewart reacted to in A League Of Their Own-style shock. “There’s no confetti for third place!”

The Daily Show host then told Huntsman to meet him at Camera “You Came In Third”. “I know it’s hard for you, but it’s over.” Later putting it to him in a language he would understand — Mandarin.

Watch Stewart’s analysis of the New Hampshire primary below via Comedy Central:

Kurtz put together a panel featuring Mediaite Editor-at-Large Rachel Sklar and Syracuse University’s Robert Thompson to discuss the power of Stewart’s influence on the political media narrative.

RELATED: Jon Stewart: Demagogue Or The Most Rational Man On Television?

“He is doing real political satire,” Thompson observed. “In the mass media on television, we have not had a lot of that. Before SNL we had Johnny Carson. He told jokes about politics but certainly wasn’t a political satirist. Even Saturday Night Live, Chevy Chase falling down like Gerald Ford. That was hardly real political satire. For the past several years, Jon Stewart has been doing real essays. Most of his show was about politics, he’s got evidence and clips, and he’s got attitude and maybe that’s what journalists are afraid to do is to cop the attitude that he’s got. I think reporters should be doing in the journalistic idiom a lot more of the kind of thing that Jon Stewart does four nights a week in the comic idiom, which is really bringing these sort of essays together and giving us the evidence of what he’s talking about.”

Sklar noted that Stewart wasn’t the only political satire powerhouse on television. “If you stay up the extra half-hour and watch Stephen Colbert, he lands some pretty amazing, deft punches.”

Watch Kurtz’s panel discuss the influence of political comedy below via CNN:

RELATED: Jon Stewart Apologizes To PolitiFact, Reads List Of PolitiFact Fox News Corrections

Emery Jr. took the time to consult Historian of the US Senate Donald Ritchie about Stewart’s citation of “Christmas Unwrapped – The History of Christmas” and found the claim dubious, pointing out that “Congress typically took Christmas Day off.”

By looking through old Senate historical records, Emery Jr. found the History Channel was in fact wrong and declared Stewart to be not just False, but Pants On Fire!:

Jon Stewart, ridiculing Fox News’ coverage of the “War on Christmas,” repeated a claim by the History channel that Congress met nearly every Christmas Day from 1789 to 1856. The ACLU makes the same claim, based on a magazine article.

But daily records show the complete opposite, with just one exception each for the House and Senate.

So the assertion that Congress met virtually every Christmas during that period is completely False. The idea that members would do so when there’s a 1 in 7 chance that Dec. 25 would fall on a Sunday makes this idea ridiculous. So gather friends and family around the hearth as we give this Christmas claim by Stewart, the ACLU and the History channel a collective Pants On Fire!

Watch the segment that earned Stewart a “Pants On Fire!” from Politifact below via Comedy Central:

(h/t Politifact)

RELATED: Bill O’Reilly Answers Jon Stewart’s Declaration Of War On Fox News’ ‘War On Christmas’

After calling O’Reilly “one of Santa’s unusually large elves,” Stewart seemed shocked – shocked – that the Fox News personality had so casually condemned him to Hell.

“I know,” he agreed. “But here’s what you and your minions don’t understand, O’Reilly! Your Hell doesn’t scare me. I make my livin’ watching Fox News eight hours a day. I’m already in Hell.”

Have a look, via Comedy Central:

“If there has been a war,” a clip showed Stewart telling his viewers, “then Christmas is the aggressor nation.”

RELATED: Jon Stewart Takes The Fight To Fox News And ‘Officially’ Declares War On Christmas

“Now,” O’Reilly responded, “there is no question that Mr. Stewart is going to Hell. But he does have a couple of valid points.” He gave Stewart props for accurately acknowledging that the early settlers did, in fact, outlaw Christmas for a time, and he agreed that retailers can go overboard with their celebrations and decorating, taking the holiday to an exploitative extreme.

But! Secularists’ attack on Christmas is still very real, he said, despite what occasionally funny comedians have to say about it.

But, in the spirit of the holiday season (Chanukah is also, after all, a religious holiday), O’Reilly is going to give Stewart a gift. All together now, everyone: Awwwww! Come on, Non-Denominational TV Gods! Give these two a Christmas (And A Bit Of Chanukah) Special to co-host.

Have a look, via Fox News:

Geraldo makes the following cogent point:

What they fear is that these majestic proceedings will be reduced not to a sound bite, but to a punch line. When you look at what the comedy shows, the various comedy shows, not just on Comedy Central but late night comics do with Republican debates, how they take a pause or a mistake or a, you know, a brain freeze and make it a punch line that goes on for days, that is what they’re afraid of.

Some have argued that the U.S. Supreme Court belongs to the public domain, and as such, an informed an engaged populace has the right to easily view the proceedings in real time. Imagine, however, an embarrassing public moment captured by theoretical Supreme Court cameras. This would most certainly be mined, not just for comedic material, but presented in a more simplified and out of context manner. This practice could arguably expect higher standards by justices, or it could undermine the the authority of the highest court, which is what Geraldo argues in the clip below, courtesy of Fox News.

Stewart’s mockery of Cain’s mishandling of a fairly straightforward foreign policy question is funny, and given the amount of attention it’s received in the media in the past day, it makes sense that he opened his show with it. But given that the clip came to light late Monday afternoon, watching Stewart’s japery at the expense of Cain’s fumbling seemed sort of late to the game. In fact, the hyperactive nature of opinion media and viral videos has recently made The Daily Show seem late to the game when it comes to this sort of clip.

Of course, the reason is that many sites and cable news outlets have gone to the same well of absurd and holy shit moments that not long ago was TDS’ stock in trade. But the end-of-the-day taping schedule, combined with a growing market of aggressive video curation websites (oh hai!) means that Jon Stewart needs to try a little harder to stand out from the crowd.

Watch the clip below, courtesy of Comedy Central:

Moving on to Rick Perry, however…

Are you not entertained? There is so much meat on that bone and it is all breast meat. It is all white. I don’t even which to pick! There’s the part where Ron Paul’s trying to help him out, he’s going “I think you mean five!” Other people are shouting out, “I think you mean EPA!” But you know they wanted to shout shit out like “CORN DOGS!” just to see if Perry would repeat it, Ron Burgundy-style.

Then there’s the part where, just for a second, Perry looks like he’s going to fake a stroke to get out of the whole thing.

Watch, via Comedy Central:

Part 1:

Part 2:

Stewart also pointed out the account that Cain’s trade organization reached a settlement with women who accused him of sexual harassment, was a fact, not an allegation. “Let me show you what an allegation looks like,” the Daily Show host exclaimed.

He then played footage of Fox News contributor Charles Krauthammer asking the former Godfather Pizza CEO whether he thought being a strong black conservative had any bearing on this new revelation.

“I believe the answer is yes,” Cain replied. “But we do not have any evidence to support it.”

“See, right there!” Stewart boomed. “That’s the difference between a fact and an allegation! The giveaway there is the really the phrase, ‘we do not have any evidence to support it.’ The thing that is being brought up in the news is a fact!”

Watch Stewart’s analysis of Cain’s damage control below via Comedy Central:

There probably aren’t two more respected players in the world of news media than Williams and Stewart, at least in the blue-state world of savvy media consumers. Both are known for a combination of intellectual heft and cunning wit, though in some respects, they are foils for one another. Williams is the respected nightly news anchor who’s hobby is showing his impressive comedic chops, while Stewart is a well-regarded comedy show host who is also respected for his insightful media criticism and political news analysis.

The two seamlessly navigated light conversation about taking kids trick-or-treating, complete with the sort of pedestrian commentary that one might expect on a Monday night set at The Comic Strip. Though it wasn’t a terribly funny back and forth, it was a nice and light discussion that served as a reminder that at the end of the day, these two news media giants go home to their kids and deal with the same family ordeals as anyone else.

But the discussion became far more interesting in the second half of the interview when Williams challenged Stewart about what was deemed as Daily Show mockery of the Occupy Wall Street movement. Stewart denied that he was making fun of the protesters, clarifying that while the dance circles are terrific fodder for fun, he had “great respect for what they are trying to accomplish, or at least the frustration they are expressing.” Williams then asked Stewart if he saw the Occupy movement as representative of a looming “permanent era of protests.” Stewart shot back saying “you’re a news man,” before reminding the NBC News host of the Tea Party movement, and the Iraq War protests as examples.

While Williams gets a pass for looking to extract some funny from Stewart, the more interesting bit came from the serious discussion of the news media. He also showed great judgment in trading in the 19 appearances he’s made on TDS to get Jon Stewart to give up a Halloween night with his kids for his premier show.

Watch the segment below, courtesy of NBC News:

After airing clips of Graham and McCain criticizing the White House for “fumbling the ball inside the 10-yard line” and calling the withdrawal a “clear victory for Iran,” Stewart likened their criticism to the captain of the Exxon Valdez standing around Alaska going “You’re scrubbing the oil off those birds all wrong.”

Jokes aside, the fact that the withdrawal date agreement was signed by President Bush was largely ignored by most news reporters and commentators, and only brought to light by a “fake” news program is a pretty harsh indictment of today’s partisan media landscape.

Watch the clip below, courtesy of Comedy Central:

We are often very laudatory of both O’Reilly and Stewart for engaging in spirited, respectful, and almost always entertaining television, especially given the Balkanized world of opiniotainment in which we live. As we cited earlier in the week, Stewart and O’Reilly are both rightfully seen as more reasonable participants in the opinion media racket.

RELATED: Bill O’Reilly And Jon Stewart Argue Class Warfare And Taxes In Unaired TDS Clip

But while O’Reilly is clearly using some hyperbole in his assertion that he is the winner in the most recent tête à tête, his self-satisfied grin (and his Talking Points segment last night) suggest that he truly believes that he came out the “winner” of the recent segment. Yes, O’Reilly made some salient points while appearing on TDS, but so did Stewart. The segment in question was not even close to a real debate, but rather, a simple and reasonable exchange of ideas between the two. To proclaim oneself as “winner” (even in jest) seems to miss the mark.

RELATED: Bill O’Reilly On His Daily Show Appearance: Tried To ‘Talk Some Sense’ Into Jon Stewart

Part of the reason that O’Reilly probably considered himself the winner was how he promoted a story of government waste that centered on a so-called $16 Muffin purchased by the U.S. government. Turns out, that story may not be as on point as was originally thought. One can only dream of a day when Stewart and O’Reilly would sit down for a real debate – may we suggest an uninterrupted hour long program – and truly discuss the many political issues that so divide the country today. If that were to ever happen, that would be the true beginning of a new found harmonic convergence.

Watch the segment below, courtesy of Fox News:

RELATED: Lawrence O’Donnell’s Report On Officer’s Use Of Pepper Spray On Protestors Leads To Investigation

In a segment that proves there is not currently enough Christopher Meloni on TV, the Law & Order: SVU star played the role of his career: Chris Melogna as Anthony Bologna (aka “Tony Baloney”) in The Vigilogna.

You guys. How is I’m Pregnant And… A Nudist on TV and this isn’t?

Take a look at the video (which also includes both a glimpse at a Saudi bachelorette party and the clever use of a bucket), via Comedy Central:

Part 1:

Part 2:

There is no question that O’Reilly and Stewart are each at the top of their game; both are remarkably influential in forming opinions with their (mostly) partisan audiences, and curry the favor of what many see as their ideological foes. So when these two dominant primordial beasts of their own political ecosystems meet, one might expect sparks to fly, but to their respective credit, there is far more respect in their dialog than animus.

Though it may seem hackneyed to point out, it’s important to remember that the current opinion media landscape is populated by television personalities whose stock-in-trade is anger, delivered with a strident and obstinate perspective. Yes, in many ways, Bill O’Reilly is the progenitor of the form, but as I’ve pointed out repeatedly here on Mediaite, his non-doctrinaire avoidance of politically expedient talking points has made him something of a breath of fresh air. And while Jon Stewart’s repeated claims that, as a comedian, he falls under a different set of rules, he too has been unafraid to criticize sacred cows of the left, although he’s seen by many as the opinio-media leader of the progressive movement.

In the first segment which aired on the TeeVee last night, O’Reilly came out of his corner swinging at what he feels is this administration’s incompetence with managing the federal budget, citing Solyndra, as well as reports that the U.S. Government was bilked by some D.C. baker who charged $16 a muffin. Typical populist pablum that still makes a salient point.

The second segment, however, was the far more interesting debate over tax rates (O’Reilly appears to be for raising revenue via a consumption tax), as well as charges from the right that President Obama is playing “class warfare” by asking the super-wealthy to return their tax rates to that which they paid in the ’90s. This was the point made by Stewart, which earned a generous applause from his loyal studio audience, which in turn led to a victory dance.

Watch the segment that aired on television below, courtesy of Comedy Central (followed by the second, Internet-only segment):

Segment Two, featuring a healthy yet spirited debate over cocaine sellers, Bentleys and class warfare:

Stewart asked Paul what it was about his candidacy that made the media so quick to dismiss him and consider him unelectable.

Paul said the media was intimidated by his threat to the establishment, however he pointed out his enthusiastic group of supporters would be a great asset in getting his campaign off the ground. “I think we most likely are on the verge of an explosion of interest in this country,” Paul said.

Stewart thought Paul’s consistency has been a real problem for the media and he could improve his campaign by flip-flopping. “It seems like what gets a lot of attention is saying one thing a few years ago and then changing your position…I feel like when I watch the debates, a great deal of it is each candidate yelling at the other for things they used to say that they no longer believe in and during that whole conversation, they really don’t look at you.”

Stewart suggested that Paul come out in favor of war in Iran to give his campaign some buzz from reporters.

“And where would my supporters be?” Paul exclaimed. “They would be gone!”

Stewart gave Paul additional advice on how to get noticed by the media, proposing he grow a Chris Christie gut and adopt Sarah Palin‘s bus.

Watch the segment below, courtesy of Comedy Central:

This perennial panel, which is part of the annual NY Television Festival, brings together host Jason Sudeikis with some of late-night’s great comedy writers. We attended and greatly enjoyed this event two years ago, but worried that it could be repetitive. After all, the same questions tend to come up time and again with these panelists (“How do I break into comedy?” “What’s your average day like?” and so on). Thankfully, Sudeikis had our best interests in mind and kept things moving in new and interesting directions.

This became most clear when an audience members asked how long it took for the panelists to feel they’d gotten good at the craft of comedy. A the panel began to answer a different question – namely how they got their start – Sudeikis quickly interjected and restated the audience members’ question. Everyone was better off for it.

For those who did want to hear about the basics behind these shows, the panel acquiesced. Interesting tidbits included: Fallon’s show brings in NBC touring groups to test the show’s material each afternoon; Colbert writers work in pairs, and everyone has a stint working on everything and with everyone else; SNL actually has those crazy hours you hear about, but partly because of tradition at this point. When Sudeikis answered questions – whether the audience, the panel, or he himself posed – other members of the panel moderated the discussion, asking followup questions. They all seemed to be genuinely interested in what Sudeikis had to say about his show and his field.

What was most interesting was to compare what bonded these different guys, despite having different networks, approaches, aims, and audiences. A.D. Miles separately said that you can’t focus on ratings and you have to just move on once a sketch crashes and burns. In both cases, the rest of the panel nodded accordingly. On the other hand, though, they all gave remarkably different answers about what drove them into comedy – for some it was a bad TV show, others it was a great one.

For most of them, it took a while from the time they were hired until they felt they really had a handle on how to do their jobs well. With the exception of Miles who was hired to be head writer, the rest of them all had to work their way up the ladder to get to the top. Now, they say, they’ve grown from those experiences and continue to hustle to gain the approval of their higher-ups.

What They Said
“We just Google what the trends are and start writing jokes.”
- A.D. Miles jokes that his writing team’s process for finding inspiration (although we suspect it’s at least half-true)

“We know it’s good when we hear the sound operators in the back laughing.”
- Justin Stangel wants to get real laughs from outsiders, not just pats on the back from fellow writers

“[We try to] get the arguments just right as well as the jokes just right.”
- Steve Bodow has a lot to think about when writing a segment

“Ultimately the idea and the piece are what dominates over personality.”
– Jason Sudeikis outlines what makes for a great sketch

“It was like a magic trick; I didn’t know how they were doing it.”
– Barry Julien describes his first exposure to The Onion

What We Thought

• We liked how casual this panel was, and how obvious it was that these guys actually liked each other. They all work in the same industry and must see each other as competition, but they do all seem to value what the others do for a living. They’re clearly all humbled that they get to do this for a living day in and out.
• Discussion several times turned to digital media. Miles mentioned he considers what could go viral, the Letterman writers check Twitter to see who’s being funny, and Sudeikis encouraged people to get online and make their own stuff if they wish to pursue a career in comedy. The Internet has clearly helped shape the future for the industry.

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…Inspirational Seekers
Whenever we cover comedy events, we encounter the same questions over and over: Who inspired you to go into comedy? In reality, the true answer to this open-ended question is more than likely the comedian’s childhood cracking people up. And he chose to stick with it long enough to make a career out of it. But he’s obliged instead to name others who came before him. We’ve heard the same names mentioned a lot over time – Richard Pryor, George Carlin, David Letterman, Eddie Murphy – and rarely does this question ever lead anywhere other than just lists of famous comics who broke barriers and boundaries. This panel quickly glossed over it in favor of talking about which late-night hosts let the first guests stick around on the couch for the show’s second act.

Stewart comes back from the “commercial break” to ask Suskind about the curious role of Obama’s economic team — in particular Larry Summers (who Stewart claimed is unanimously considered an a**hole) and especially Geithner — who had been asked by the president to draft an economic plan, but when asked for it by Obama, had bupkus. The rather stunning fact that Geithner is still in office led to the following comment made by Stewart:

“We keep hearing that the Wall Street guys hate Obama, and my sense is ‘why?’ They’ve had it as good as anyone in this country over the past two and a half years, probably better. What’s their beef?” Suskind claimed that in a private conversation with a “senior Wall Street guy” about this very issue, the unnamed individual admitted that “of course (Obama) isn’t anti-business, but that when we say he’s anti-business, he just ends up doing more for us.”

This is a diametrically different narrative that is more commonly promoted on leading cable channels and right-of-center Internet outlets, that somehow Obama is promoting a socialist or radical agenda. Wall Street understands that, as Suskind claims, Obama has basically opened up the purse to the financial community, and yet he is being vilified by many as anti-business.

Watch the clip below, courtesy of Comedy Central:

Anyway, last night, Jon Stewart, who famously got into an epic fight with Fox News after defending Common, had the rapper/actor/author on last night to promote his new autobiography. Unsurprisingly, half of the conversation was about the non-scandal.

Right from the beginning, Stewart joked that it was “dangerous” for him to have Common on be “associating with” him. Soon they were pointing out just how threatening the supposed “cop-killer rapper” looked in his terrifying sweater and tie ensemble. At one point, Stewart asked Common just what it felt like when the whole fire-storm started.

“At first it was humorous. I was like, ‘Really? They think I’m the person with negative energy and a negative rap artist?’ Then I realized they just didn’t know me because, if they had, they wouldn’t come out and say that I rap about killing cops. And anybody that knows me knows that I put out music about love, I put out music about social consciousness, community, God, having fun.”

Come on, Common. That’s totally unfair. Fox News definitely knew you. After all, they clearly had every single intern on staff going through every lyric you ever wrote hoping to find something offensive.

Anyway, Common continued to discuss how it felt to find out, while on the set of his new show (nice sneak plug there, sir), that Sarah Palin was trashing him. All in all, he seemed rather good natured about the whole thing and, as the interview wore down, thanked Stewart sincerely for defending him, jokingly asking him to be his new manager.

Watch the clip from Comedy Central below:

Artist Jennifer Dalton discovered this considerable disparity after casually wondering when the last time a female guest had been on The Daily Show.

“I thought it was me, that I was just looking for that,” Dalton said in an interview with writer Caroline Miranda. “Then I went into the archives and I was like, ‘No f*cking way.’”

“[Colbert and Stewart] are heroes of mine and I think they’re doing really important work, but I just end up confused. It’s like are you with me or against me? I think of you as on my team, but maybe you don’t think of me as on your team? I would just love for these producers to be like, ‘Here’s a pile of women we rejected. Did we reject them too quickly?’”

This conundrum makes up the heart of Dalton’s “Cool Guys Like You” exhibition, which opened in Chelsea last Friday, and is showing until October 15. Dalton screencapped dozens of Daily Show guests, organized them by their subject areas, and placed the men in gold frame, the women in silver ones. The difference is stark, as frames in gold vastly outnumber the ones in silver.

Dalton is not alone in her criticism of the show’s gender disparity. Last year, Jezebel writer Irin Carmon drew the ire of Daily Show staffers when she criticized the hiring of Olivia Munn and characterized the show as a “boy’s club”. The women of The Daily Show responded with an open letter saying the show wasn’t “a boy’s club or a girl’s club, it’s a family.”

In 2011 so far, only 15% of Daily Show guests have been women.

(H/T C-Monster)

In the week’s leading up to this memorial, nearly every single media outlet unleashed its very own advertiser-friendly tribute filled with haunting images and maudlin music. Some brave commentators pointed out how the cottage industry of 9/11 nostalgia seemed creepy, while others drew fire for calling it an “Occasion of Shame.”

Stewart’s deftly criticized the coverage of the emotional chapter in American history by editing together a series of the most absurd examples of both vitriolic rhetoric and inappropriate commercialization of 9/11, intercut with Daily Show contributors offering their own personal insights/jokes. Its hard not to watch the video and not think that the recent dust-up over Paul Krugman‘s blog post pales in comparison to the 9/11 branded Chardonnay and Merlot, that once earned promotion on Fox and Friends .

Watch the clip below, courtesy of Comedy Central:

In his speech, the (self-described) pro-business former Governor of Massachusetts focused on his iPhone – seeing a “smartphone economy,” while proclaiming that Obama is living in a pay-phone economy. (see what he did there?) While Romney supporters likely saw this as an apt metaphor, Stewart went from showing image of the president to another individual also troubled by the disappearance of payphones — in particular the booths they come in — Superman. Judging by the audience reaction, the comparison of Obama to the Man of Steel was not lost.

Perhaps the biggest profundity put forth by Romney was his oversimplified explanation of how to fix a stagnant economy, revealing that his vision for his country: “America should be a job machine, jobs being created all the time. We should have a job-creating machine in America.” After running this comment, an ironically befuddled Stewart gasped “Of course! A job machine. It’s so easy!” And then people laughed.

Watch the segment below, courtesy of Comedy Central:

Long time viewers of The Daily Show has seen this segment before…in fact, many, many times before. Somehow though, that doesn’t lessen the impact of the segment, particularly his ridiculing of the White House press corps for focusing questions on the speech conflict and less on the problems the speech intends to address:

“There were 23 questions about the scheduling of the speech. Nine about its content. So i’m happy to announce that at approximately 11:00 p.m. eastern standard time we’re ready to call it the incumbent style thumps substance 72% to 28%. Walter Mondale laughed at how poorly substance did. I’m sure substance will concede at some point, but who gives a (bleep)?”

Style over substance has long been a hallmark of all broadcast news, so there isn’t necessarily anything unique about Stewart’s commentary. But that doesn’t make it any less biting.

Watch the clip below, courtesy of Comedy Central:

Oliver answered the question of whether this system is healthy: Short answer? “No.” Longer answer? “No, it isn’t. It isn’t healthy at all.”

Bee explained that, in a two-party system, it’s less about voting for the candidate you’re in love with and more about voting for the one you’re “less in hate with.”

Take a look at the clip, from Comedy Central, and see how your annoying, but wealthy, grandpa eventually ends up ruining everything for everyone by trying to make fetch happen every election year:

Movie marketing isn’t exactly an area we cover a lot here on the site but readers coming here mostly for politics should be interested in the one big crossover, talking points. Just like politicians (“kicking the can,” “taking the nation hostage”), anyone who follows the soul-sucking world of press junkets and talk show appearances can see actors repeating the same tired, studio-approved messages over and over again. In the case of this movie, the message just seems weird. To paraphrase, someone appears to have instructed Bateman and Reynolds to let the world know, “Yeah, this movie is just as dumb as it looks but it’s also really, really gross!”

I first noticed it during Bateman’s recent appearance on The Daily Show in which he informed Jon Stewart that, sure, body switch movies are old and boring, but this one was R-rated so that was different. It seemed, in Bateman’s skilled hands, to genuinely be an actor going off script to promote a slightly silly trifle. Bateman really is so charming that his admissions were refreshing.

Then, however, the studio released this viral video, and it became clear that this “off-script” conversation was as scripted as anything in the movie:

Now, for all I know, the movie really does transcend its plot (and, hell, I’ve always kind of enjoyed body switch movies), but that video really puts me off. Watching the two gifted actors having to pretend to “rebel” while clearly saying exactly what the studio wrote down for them is just painful. It’s “faux edginess with a clear agenda” reminds me of the immortal “No Adults Allowed” sketch from Mr. Show.

Still, while the marketing puts me off, I do find it pretty fascinating. Can anyone think of another movie that’s attempted to diss itself to sell it?

The clip shows a press conference on December 7th following negotiations to extend the Bush tax cuts. Ambinder’s question now seems altogether eerie.

“How do these negotiations affect negotiations or talks to Republicans about raising the debt limit because it would seem that they have significant amount of leverage over the White House now going in?”

At the time, Obama seemed confused what Ambinder meant by “leverage” and, when Ambinder predicted that the Republicans would refuse to raise the limit unless the White House made extensive cuts they weren’t prepared for, the President promised that no Congressman or woman from either side would be foolhardy enough to risk a financial collapse. “Ha ha, it’s funny because it happened,” said Stewart last night, comparing Ambinder to Harry Potter and joking that he must be psychic.

The National Journal has gotten in on the fun, posting the clip today under the headline “Predicting the Future?”

Ambinder, meanwhile, has remained humble, suggesting on Twitter that he’s more like Ron Weasley and denying any psychic abilities.

Still, it’s a great clip and, psychic or not, Ambinder has to feel good.

Watch the moment from Comedy Central below:

Reddit users (“Redditors,” in their parlance) subsequently sought an audience with Lemon, who, this morning, logged in to the site to answer their questions. Some of the more interesting exchanges are below.

Question from MandMandMvac:
Is that your real name?

Yes. But my first news director asked me to change my name and I said no way, Don Lemon is easy to remember.

Question from jimmy_mc:
Hi Don, How does it feel to push one side of the news and include yourself in the heaps of political posturing, asinine controversy and other news reporters who clearly have no passion for the job? Do you feel as though your dying breed will survive? And what do you need to do to bring integrity to CNN?

I don’t want to give you the standard, ‘well we always have to remain objective blah, blah, blah.” Obviously I try to remain objective. But i’m also a human being. And I think it’s important to think and ask questions like a regular person and not a ‘journalist’. I don’t think i’m a dying breed. But i do have to say i think the bulk of passionate journalists are coming from alternative places today like social media and internet radio etc. They have a freedom of thought and transparency that many of us don’t in traditional media. I don’t think i need to bring integrity back to CNN. CNN never lost integrity. I just think CNN can be better at reaching people like Redditors. And that’s one reason i’m here. i’m ‘that guy’.

Question from prwlr:
It’s a twofer: Is it hard to separate personal political convictions from the objective persona most anchors put on? Is there a congressperson that is particularly intimidating when it comes to interviews? Thanks!

It’s not hard for me to separate it. I’m probably one of the most objective people you’ll meet. Also, I don’t associate with any political party so that makes it even easier. Politicians are politicians and politics are politics. That’s the story on that. To answer the 2nd part of your question, I’m not intimidated by anyone. The only person who came close to intimidating me was Stephen Colbert. I knew his character from tv, but when we started to really have a conversation I realized that he’s not the character and it kinda caught me off guard. I said to my self, I know the character but I really don’t know the man. So I had to readjust quickly.

Question from devils0508:
Do you feel that the media is too interested in presenting both sides of the story, and not enough in actually discerning the facts (perhaps due to fear of seeming unbiased)? For example, in the debt ceiling debate, one side was much more extremist/irrational/dangerous than the other, but I didn’t really see this highlighted in the mainstream media.

To the first part of your question- Yes. Though it may grab your attention like a car wreck, I don’t think people yelling at each other on tv is productive. Keeping people on target and to the facts encourages the viewer to do his or her own critical analysis. Arguing usually serves to promote or reinforce ideology or opinion. And that applies to the debt ceiling story currently in the headlines.

Question from phoenixfenix:
How much input do the anchors have in what news is presented? Could you write your own piece? Could you refuse to cover a story (for religious, political, or other reasons)? How far in advance do you know what you are presenting for the day?

The anchor input depends on the anchor and the show. I have a ton of input. I insist on it. Some producers don’t really like it but that’s too bad. At the end of the day it’s my face and reputation. I do write my own pieces. I can refuse to cover a story but that comes with the possibility of getting disciplined by the company I work for. I did question and refuse to cover a story when I worked in Chicago. I got a lot of flack for it. But it’s ok. It taught me a lesson, made me stronger and more savvy about how to refuse a story without management even knowing it. Sometimes I have days even weeks to research a story. Sometimes, like this weekend with the debt ceiling, you just go in the air and follow the breaking news, no teleprompter, no scripts, just a laptop and my producer in my ear.

When asked to elaborate on the story he responded:

Remember, local news reporters cover a different story every night, sometimes several. So, I don’t really remember the exact details of the story. And it’s not that I refused the story. There’s a long back story. But, there had been some discussion in the newsroom and community about unfair coverage in minority neighborhoods. Why the news outlets chose to cover crime stories in one neighborhood and not another. This was one of those stories. I brought up the issue with producers and rather than answer my questions they told me they were sending another reporter. I said ok and that was the end of that.

Question from dE3L:
when did you first feel like “hey i have a knack for this news reporting stuff”?

I’ve known since I was a kid, but I didn’t really know what to call it. My mom says I asked A LOT of questions to anyone who would listen. I’d even go over to other people’s tables at restaurants. Guess I was ‘born this way’ or at least born to be a journalist.

In response to another question:

I’ve always wanted to be a reporter. But it didn’t play out like I thought. I’ve been pleasantly surprised by my success but I thought I’d end up working for NBC for the rest of my life. When I was younger my goal was to anchor the today show. But as I matured that changed a bit and I ended up in a better place, at CNN. Honestly, I’m not sure if I can say there’s a best story I ever covered. There are some very memorable ones like 9-11, Obama inauguration, Michael Jackson’s death, Hurricane Katrina, the tornadoes in Alabama and on and on. I’m just lucky I get to work at a place where those stories come often. It keeps me passionate.

Question from Fillup231:
What do you think is the biggest news story out there that the mainstream media isn’t covering sufficiently?

Hmmm… That’s a tough one. But I have a few. The Rochester Police story with Emily Good, the women arrested in her front yard for videotaping police. The Canton, Ohio story where the cop is caught on tape berating and threatening a number of citizens. I’ve covered both on my newscasts. And quite frankly I think the story of the fire firefighter, Shannon Stone who fell to his death at the Texas Rangers baseball stadium. The tragedy has been well reported but not the follow up. Just about everyone I know has had a close call at a stadium. Most people drink at stadiums and have to ascend or descend steep steps or walk next to low rails. I think it’s time we take another look at how safe these venues really are. It’s an ‘it can happen to anyone’ story.

Question from shanezy:
I’m in J-School now (Ernie Pyle SOJ), what advice do you have for a current Journalism student?

Honestly, work hard.. be passionate.. trust your gut. All of those clichés are true. But don’t get into it because you think it’s glamorous. It’s not. It’s a lot of hard work and rejection. But if you believe in yourself it will no doubt pay off. Also remember this, my mom told it to me. If someone else did it, you can. And if no one’s done it you can be the first.

Question from All_Your_Base:
Not a troll, I really am curious: What is your opinion on Fox News? It gets bashed a lot, but I’d really to hear what an insider thinks about their “fair and balanced.” Also, what do you think about Al Jezeera English?

Obviously I prefer CNN. But there are some really great journalists at fox, and you have to admit that their hosts do great TV. No comment on the fair and balanced part.

Honestly, I really don’t know enough about al-jazeera to comment. They did contact me to work for them when they started their English network. But I was and am happy at CNN so it didn’t go any further. I think CNN does cover actual news. You have to remember CNN is compartmentalized. You probably watch a lot of CNN here in the states which we call CNN domestic. But there is CNN international, CNN En Espanol, CNN Turk, CNN Radio, CNN.com and on and on and on. We’re one of the biggest news organizations in the world and all we do is cover the news.

In response to a follow-up about the “fair and balanced” tagline:

I would hope that if you are going to say something that you actually believe it. And I’m sure the people who watch believe it too.

Asked if he might go to Al-Jazeera:

I never say never, but I don’t think I’ll be joining him anytime soon. I’m happy at CNN.

Question from authorial:
What would say to someone who says FoxNews and CNN essentially do the same thing?

I’d have to say you’re mistaken. CNN doesn’t carry a narrative. We report the news. We’re not perfect. No one is, and I tell you in complete honesty, we don’t lean one way or the other. We strive for true objectivity.

Question from Sum1t:
I understand that you guys are trying to reach out to audience across different age groups, but is it really that important to CNN what people on Twitter and Facebook are posting? Is it not more important what credible sources are saying?

I appreciate your comment. And I think there’s some truth to it.. but I think it’s also good to hear from everyday people. I’m not a big fan of talking heads and pundits. But I’m also not a fan of random tweets and emails. You’ve probably noticed I’ve cut back on using them. Twitter and facebook were like the new toy at Christmas at first and we had to figure out how to best utilize them. And I think we’re pretty quickly getting to that point.

Question from atypicalmale:
Are you 100% satisfied with how you handled Rand Paul recently? Do you feel that he wouldn’t have addressed the questions if he kept speaking?

I addressed that in my ‘no talking points’ #notalkingpoints segment. I think it’s important for people who are fortunate to have a national platform to speak directly to the American people to stick to ANSWER THE QUESTION and not give talking points or skirt the issue. If you don’t want to answer the question then say so. On that same day I asked a number of other politicians to not give talking points. Both democrats and republicans. I even asked the head of the tea party express the same thing. Amy Kremer and I had a great conversation. With the exception of Rand Paul, everyone stopped the partisan points and answered my questions directly. It’s in my nature to fight back, so I get it. But you have to pick your battles. And I think Rand Paul was battling someone (me) who’s not necessarily against him. I just wanted straight answers like the guy sitting at home in front of the tv who may be out of work and wondering if Washington gets where he’s coming from.

Question from Bham-Fox:
Don, I work at your old station in Birmingham. Don’t forget to show us some luv. :) What differences (Besides the deeper pockets) do you find behind the scenes at CNN compared to working under the shadow of Vulcan. :)

haha.. I had a lot of fun in Birmingham. Still remember the promo: ‘Don Lemon, part of Alabama’s 24 hour news team,’ ha!!!! To answer your question, it’s more than just deeper pockets, it’s a bigger venue and bigger thinkers. At CNN I literally get to see the world everyday. As I walk from my car to the newsroom to my office, I come in contact with people from just about every region of the world. My team’s pod (as we call it) in the newsroom is not far from the international desk. so, if I need to know what’s going on in Iran, Egypt, Tunisia, Mexico, London, Paris, Australia, ANYWHERE, I can just walk over and they know. And guess what, there’s someone there who speaks the language. It really is a world on to itself. It would be really tough to go back to local news or even another network after working in the CNN environment. Say hi to everyone atop red mountain in b’ham.

Question from richardoftheyear:
On a scale of 1 to 10 (10 being lamest) How Lame is Anderson Cooper’s ‘The Ridiculist’?

I have to be honest, I haven’t really seen the segment. I watch the show but I haven’t caught the segment. Sometimes his show is on in the background when I’m getting ready for bed etc. So I don’t get a chance to watch it from start to finish.

Question from fr0ng:
Why is MSM news so crappy? Do you wish you could do anything about it? Do you think the media is partially responsible for the dumbification of Americans today?

I wouldn’t use the word crappy myself. I think we all can improve. I think we (all news outlets) want to do good journalism at the end of the day. But many times we try to sell a product instead of work from our gut. I hope I’m doing something about that by remaining true to myself and the viewer. I have to be honest; I don’t think we do enough to make Americans even smarter. But we’re trying. I know I am, and CNN is as well, otherwise I wouldn’t work there, and I wouldn’t be answering your questions on this site.

Question from youdisturbme:
Do you consider yourself a news man or an entertainer?

Come on.. A news man. But sometimes as a news man you have to entertain. SOMETIMES. I pick my moments.

Question from WinterInJapan:
Is there an anchor or news correspondent that you’ve always admired?

Yes. Max Robinson, Peter Jennings, Bernie Shaw. I’m also a big Wolf Blitzer fan. Does the man ever sleep?

Question from Amuzed:
Is Wolf Blitzer a real person or does CNN have to charge his batteries overnight?

I’m wondering that too. I’ll have to discretely pat him on the back and see if there’s a battery pack in there. But I do know this, he’s a great guy and is one of my mentors here at CNN .

Question from zxcvb94105:
Do you agree with Lora Logan that American news is inferior to many international outlets, and, if so, what do you think could be done to change it?

I respect Lora. I’m not sure she said that.. But I think sometimes Americans think an accent makes a news presenter smarter or more aware. That’s not so. Also, we have the luxury here in the states to focus on many things at once. So just because entertainment may creep into the news cycle sometimes, it doesn’t mean that our news organizations are inferior. And again, with respect to Ms. Logan, she works for an American news organization.

Question from Pigs101:
I took a tour of CNN’s headquarters last year. Being in such close proximity to you guys while on air was really cool. Whats the most awkward thing a tourist has gestured to you through the glass?

Yikes.. a lot of fun things happen.. I usually start the wave with the tour groups. One woman saw me and started jumping up and down and obviously she wasn’t wearing any support up top. And just last week this woman freaked out and started kissing the glass so I went over and kissed back. I love the tour groups.

Question from OutaTowner:
What did you think about Jon Stewarts segment on you? That was pretty amazing. Go you for actually caring about the news instead of the stupid gimicks.

I was totally stunned by the Jon Stewart segment. I was watching the show with a friend and was tweeting about the prior segments. Then mine came on and we both said in unison, “uh oh.” Then I tweet ‘OMG’ and walked out of the room.. My friend said come back, watch it. I didn’t for about an hour and after I had 2 beers. Then once I watched I thought it was funny and complimentary. I just didn’t want to make my co-workers look like the brunt of the joke. But they understood and sent me nice emails. the truth is I love real news and my team knows it. We pride ourselves on gimmick-free news. In fact we ask ourselves when pitching ideas, ‘is this too gimmicky?’ And if the answer is yes, we drop it. I think the viewer may watch a gimmick for a while but then they catch on and tune out. It really is ok to be smart and present a smart newscast.

In response to another question asking how he ended up on Stewart and Colbert, Lemon wrote:

You’ll have to ask the folks over at comedy central. I have no connection to them. Colbert’s producers contacted me a few months back about the vampire segment. Stephen even called me personally to ask me to do it. It took some time to work it out with them and CNN but we did it. And the Stewart thing was just a coincidence. Funny story, after the Stewart thing aired, the next day Colbert’s producer sent me an email asking me if I was ready for this cause his segment was going to air the next night. I was floored. how cool was that?

Question from cc_1988:
Was Jon Stewart correct when he said you were bored doing inane news stories for CNN? Did you see that daily show episode several days ago?

Yes.. I do get bored with some of the inane stories but not just on CNN, and it’s my personality to say it. CNN allows me the freedom to do that. I did see the daily show episode. My bosses are well aware of my presence on Reddit. I only get bored when I’m not actually working on a story. No time to get bored in my workplace. Have you seen what’s happening in the world lately?

Question from galenblade:
I’m curious as to your general theory on news, given the recent Daily Show bit. Do you believe there’s a place for lighter stuff like the Hogwarts piece, or should places like CNN be solely devoted to commentary and breaking news?

My philosophy of news is to inform. The daily show bit was funny.. satire.. But as they say, the truth is often spoken in jest. So, of course there’s time for lighter stories. We all need a break and a laugh. But we have to pick our moments without being too cutesy. Funny and light is one thing. Cutesy and gimmicky are another.

Question from Appo123:
I am just entering my late 20s and still struggling with my sexuality. I’m still closeted and find it really hard to related to gays in my community. Do you have any advice for me?

(Lemon went public with his sexuality earlier this year.)

That’s a really good personal question. Know that you’re not alone. Come out of the closet when you feel comfortable and safe. But know that it’s never an easy thing to do at first. Then when you do it you’ll wonder why you hadn’t sooner. Here’s the thing, you don’t have to relate or like anyone just because they’re gay. You should relate to or like them because they’re a good person or you have something in common. You don’t have to hang out or befriend gay people just because you’re gay. I have a bunch of straight friends and some really gay ones too. It’s all good. Don’t be so hard on yourself. It all works itself out. Good luck.

Question from justice7:
Don, how do you feel about being one of the most prominent black male news anchors, and not only that; a gay male news anchor on cable news? How has this affected your career, and do you feel it has helped or hindered you to get where you are today?

Am I all those things you mentioned? I honestly have never thought of that. I don’t think of myself that way. My ego is not that big. I must admit that I am a non-conformist and sometimes a rebel. It’s just in my nature. But I don’t think of my ranking or standing in my profession etc. I am however respectful and grateful of the platform I’ve achieved that hopefully brings truth and knowledge to people who watch.

Question from asmallquietvoice:
How jaded and cynical have you become (if at all) working in the business? Or, were you aware to a degree what you would encounter?

I don’t think I’m jaded. I am a cynic. Always have been, the business is conducive to cynicism. I got into this business with my eyes open. I was almost 30 when I got my first full-time reporting job. So, i was old enough to know what I was getting into.

Question from universearight:
Can reporters actually wear more comfortable pants when behind the desk? Do you just have to look well-dressed from the waist up?

I used to wear shorts and a suit jacket all the time in local because I didn’t have to stand up and walk a lot. The most casual I get now is jeans. CNN anchors are often shown in full-body shots. No more shorts for me unless enough people demand it.

Question from Optimash_Prime:
What are your hobbies outside of work?

I’m a simple guy. I like to work in my yard. I like to swim, and I like to travel. But when I travel for pleasure I don’t want to sit on a plane for a long time cause I have to do it a ton for work. So I usually go some place that requires a short flight. Or I just vacation in my city.. NYC. Running clears my head every time. But most of all I LOVE to sleep!

Question from tjn225:
Don Lemon has the potential of becoming a great name for an alcoholic beverage. Answer me this, Don Lemon, what would you put in a “Don Lemon”?

Wow. That’s an awesome question. A lil vodka, some lemonade, a splash of sparkling water for bubbles and I’d stir it with one of my fingers. Aaahhh refreshing!

Question from pinstriped:
In the span of your career in the news biz, what was the one piece you’ve covered that had the most emotional, long lasting impact on you? Just one.

Africa. I went there on my own. With my own money. Shot it myself with a Columbia college student from Chicago. Then turned it into a special on the news when I returned. It was life altering. I write about it in my book.. and that’s not a shameless book plug.. I’m not even writing the title here.

Question from thechickabides:
One of the most amazing things I’ve ever seen on television happened during your interview of supporters of disgraced pastor Eddie Long. Did you know you were going to bring up your own history of abuse, or did it just happen? In a world that is so scripted and fake, it felt very genuine and authentic. Your honesty was heartbreaking and refreshing. I have worked with victims of child abuse and molestation, and I know that little boys have much less support than little girls. I know that little boys who have been victimized the world over looked at you in that moment and felt comforted by the fact that they could overcome their abuse, and they didn’t have to be ashamed. Kudos to you sir.

First of all thanks. It was completely organic. I had no idea I would say it. I think I said it because I had been writing about my own experience with abuse for my book. So it had been on my mind and it just came out. I ‘m glad you were comforted I have a fun book stack of responses from that moment. Thousands of people wrote me with similar comments to yours. I hope it made a difference.

Question from Unable2Stop:
Any real hope for our country?

Of course.. we’re America darn it!!!

And then there was this.

From FBC:
I don’t have a question, but I wanted to take this opportunity to thank you for a story you did when you were in Philadelphia. It was Thanksgiving night, 2000. A group of families were returning from China with their newly adopted daughters, and you were there to cover the event. You interviewed our family, and we ended up making onto the 11:00 news. We were lucky enough to have some family members watching who recorded it for us, and to this day my family still watches that story every Thanksgiving. Thank you for doing such a fabulous job with the story, and for giving us a lifelong memory and tradition. Keep up the good work.

As Lemon continues his responses, we will update this thread.

The number is significant because it marks the first time in a decade that The Tonight Show did not place first in the 18-49 demo in any quarter. So naturally, NBC has gone on the defensive, pointing out the differences between the two channels:

• According to an NBC spokesperson, Comedy Central only counts ratings numbers for new episodes, but not for reruns, which NBC argues would give them the edge.
• Because Leno’s show runs twice as long as Stewart’s, for a fairer comparison they should compare the Daily Show numbers to the numbers Leno gets in only the first half-hour of his show.

In response, a spokesperson for Comedy Central issued the following statement:

Broadcast traditionally has always included original plays and encores but like a lot of things they do, we believe that to be an archaic way of measuring performance. To each their own.

Whatever the case may be, there is no question that Stewart’s program has been attracting a lot more viewers over the last few years, scoring impressive numbers for a basic-cable show. And his recent Fox News feud has certainly garnered him a lot of mainstream media attention and publicity. Meanwhile, Leno hasn’t been in the headlines since last year’s late night kerfuffle.

h/t EW