Jon Stewart Interviews Brian Williams, Briefly Refers To Self As Journalist?

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by Glenn Davis | 5:05 pm, February 3rd, 2010

» 5 comments

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.

Stewart and Williams had an entertaining conversation – again, the two have good chemistry. Of course, one of the main areas of questioning involved Williams’ recent trip to Haiti, before the two mostly goofed off for the last two minutes. Which is fine – it’s a comedy show, after all, which Stewart has never been shy about. That’s what made it all the more jarring, when about 1:50 in, he said this:

Here’s what I’m curious about, honestly, as a journalist. You’re a journalist, I’m not a journalist. You’re a journalist.

If he really called himself a journalist, even briefly, it shows that even for the fake reporter, fake reporting can feel like the real thing. Watch below and decide what you think Stewart meant.

Brian Williams, Haiti, Jon Stewart, NBC Nightly News, Real journalism vs. fake journalism, The Daily Show

http://www.facebook.com/people/John-Boyer/602168764 John Boyer

I think his meaning was “Here’s what I’m curious about, honestly, as a journalist [what you would say about this issue].”
sarainitaly

I agree with John Boyer.
http://www.sailrabbits.com Magister

…and though I also heard it when I watched the show, I thought he over-corrected to avoid misinterpretation.
http://lauriebethsgrotto.wordpress.com Laurie Beth

I’m with Mr. Boyer, too.
Glenn Davis

John, Sara, Laurie Beth – It could well have been, but there was something in that tone, how he was trailing off as he said “as a journalist,” like that was going to be the end of the sentence, and then, as Magister says, the immediate over-correction that still had me wondering, even after watching it about ten more times. I’m still waffling.