The Daily Show and The West Wing - Thank God

[Brian Rucker]

Is there better political commentary out there? It's scarey, really, that entertainment actually has more insight and content than a Sunday afternoon of talking heads. Even being a weekday news junky leaves me with a 'do they really believe this shit' attitude about most of the stories and editorials I see. It's all about process and very little good analysis (though it's nice to see the Post's normally reserved Broder is coming out of his shell, kicking) or investigation - aside from regurgitating battling press releases.

Is it a testament to the quality of The Daily Show and The West Wing that they're so insightful or a horrible indictment of journalism as it is today? Is it both?

[Tyjenks]

Does anyone even do investigative journalism anymore? It seems to me that the media is more of a tool for the monetarily and poltically powerful in this country rather than providing the service of informing the populace as it used to be. We see and hear what we are allowed to more today than we ever have. I certainly am not a conspiracy theorist. I simply believe we are shown what the powers that be think will be palatable as well as sensational for the uninformed masses.

The Daily Show, as has been said before, is just about the best place around to get intelligent daily news, albeit with a slight liberal slant.

[Anonymous]

The media anymore seems to just say exactly what the government wants it to say. Ever press release is treated as gospel and reported without questioning the validity of the statement. For example, check out today's CNN top story:

US: Iraq-al Qaeda chem weapons ties

Condoleezza Rice, President Bush's national security adviser, says Saddam Hussein has sheltered al Qaeda terrorists in Baghdad and helped train some in chemical weapons development.

Holy crap, he's training al Qaeda in chemical weapons development? Of course we should invade Iraq! Oh, wait, after reading the story, they mention in passing that this information comes from a couple of detainees, one of which may be a high ranking al Qaeda member.

There is an old saying in law: you can not convict based on eye witness testimony alone. And yet the press seems to be backing an Iraq invasion based on heresay from prisoners willing to say anything to get an extra 20 minutes in the yard.

[Chris Floyd]

The Daily Show, as has been said before, is just about the best place around to get intelligent daily news, albeit with a slight liberal slant.

Um. Don't get me wrong. I *worship* the Daily Show. It's great and everything. But... "the best place around to get intelligent daily news"?? I think all that laughing is releasing "integrity recognition" endorphins in your brain and neurochemically keeping you from realizing that EVERY SINGLE HEADLINE IS A JOKE. Yeah, I know they play off real headlines (for about half the show). Yeah, I know you can sometimes extrapolate what the actual story is from what they say. But thinking you've just gotten the full skinny on the subject or topic in the news is absurd. Jon Stewart would probably be the first guy to slap you in the face if you called his show "the best place around to get intelligent daily news."

Me, I get all my news from the Onion. It's America's Finest News Source.

[Tyjenks]

Yeah, I probably did not word that right. I meant comparatively speaking. The Daily Show has about as much real, informative news as the networks do.

[Met_K]

The Onion is America's Finest News Source!

This (http://www.theonion.com/onion3835/sept_11_anniversary.html) article proves it.

[Anonymous]

By the way, does anyone else think that it is insanely ridiculous that SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE beat THE DAILY SHOW for the "Outstanding Writing" comedy Emmy?

OUTSTANDING WRITING on SNL? Where? When? Since the '80s?

[Met_K]

By the way, does anyone else think that it is insanely ridiculous that SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE beat THE DAILY SHOW for the "Outstanding Writing" comedy Emmy?

OUTSTANDING WRITING on SNL? Where? When? Since the '80s?

Does anyone actually bother pretending that awards shows are fair and nonbiased anymore?

[Anonymous]

By the way, does anyone else think that it is insanely ridiculous that SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE beat THE DAILY SHOW for the "Outstanding Writing" comedy Emmy?

OUTSTANDING WRITING on SNL? Where? When? Since the '80s?

Maybe they have really good penmenship.

[Mike Cathcart]

By the way, does anyone else think that it is insanely ridiculous that SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE beat THE DAILY SHOW for the "Outstanding Writing" comedy Emmy?

OUTSTANDING WRITING on SNL? Where? When? Since the '80s?

A) The Emmys are a joke
B) The Daily Show still should have won
C) SNL was pretty funny last season, though, especially Will Ferrell's Bush stuff. But he's gone now :(

You really need Tivo to fully appreciate SNL. The biggest problem with that show is that there are ALWAYS a few skits that make you want to throw your TV out of a window, and you can tell what they are after about ten seconds. Now that I can skip through and just watch the twenty or thirty minutes that are worth seeing, it's better than it's been in years.

[Bub, Andrew]

If the Emmy was influenced by Tina Fey on Weekend Update, it was deserved.

[Mike Cathcart]

If the Emmy was influenced by Tina Fey on Weekend Update, it was deserved.

Yup.

[Brad Grenz]

Yeah, but what she does once a week, with the summer off, the Daily Show does 4 days a week year round, with a week or two off here and there.

Tina Fey is really funny and does a great job, but I have to give the edge to the non-stop, consistant, biting humor of the Daily Show.

[Met_K]

Tina Fey is funny?!!?!??!?!1/!?!?!

Holy fucking shit.

[Anonymous]

If Tina Fey is now considered funny, then the terrorists have won.

[Anonymous]

The SNL award probably doesn't have so much to do with last season as for its longevity and a brief spell in which it burned comparatively brightly.

The Daily Show started out well, but I think the joke has run out of steam (much as The Onion seems to have done). I keep feeling I've seen each show before and, of course, I have. It's the same bit over and over. Rathr like SNL. And the one segment that could inject some variety doesn't. Stewart's guests rarely get a word in edgewise; he's not interested in them for what they have to say so much as foils for himself.

I watch The West Wing now and then simply because I like some of the performers--John Spencer in particular--but it's uses to death that horrible walk-and-talk motif Sorkin carried over from Sports Night (and presumably picked up from watching ER) and I find lately that I can't stand more than 10 minutes of these self-important, ever-so-smart people and their ever-so-smart dialogue.

Peter

[Anonymous]

" it's uses to death that horrible walk-and-talk motif Sorkin carried over from Sports Night"

Mad TV did a funny parody of this device in their West Wing spoof, which took place entirely in one long maze of hallways as the president converses with his entire staff as they march in unison down the hall.

Mad TV seems to be losing some steam lately, but it's been a lot funnier than SNL during most of its run.

[wumpus]

If Tina Fey is now considered funny, then the terrorists have won.
I dunno, she's pretty good, man. Considering the CRAP people they've put in Weekend Update recently-- Colin Quinn, anyone? Painful.

Kevin Nealon was decent but had no personality. It wasn't a good fit.

Norm MacDonald.. OK, Norm was great in that role. Kind of a freaky guy, but it worked.

I was never a fan of Dennis "self-important sarcasm" Miller, either. His delivery was solid, I just never liked his whole schtick.