• givesomefucks@lemmy.world
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    2 months ago

    I honestly think Stewart’s refusal to pretend Biden was still ok was instrumental in getting him to step down

    All the “serious” news closed ranks for him, and even cable late shows like Colbert cracked a few jokes but still backed him.

    Stewart was one of the few with the balls to say the bus was headed off a cliff and we needed to slam the brakes now instead of hoping we could land the jump.

    • MeatsOfRage@lemmy.world
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      2 months ago

      I’m so glad he’s back right now. I never got into the Trevor Noah version of the show, it was just a different show.

      • ThePowerOfGeek@lemmy.world
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        2 months ago

        I liked the Trevor Noah iteration of the show, and I feel he was maligned unfairly. And most of that came from the fact that neither he nor anybody else (except, in hindsight, maybe John Oliver) could have filled the gargantuan shoes Jon Stewart left.

        But all that said, Stewart just has a different knock. I respect the guy tremendously. He’s got integrity, razor-sharp intelligence, and a true gift for comedy and comedic timing.

        ETA: missed a word.

        • OpenStars
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          2 months ago

          And his humility went a long way. He was a true journalist, even as and especially after journalism itself died, giving way to an exclusive focus on the profit-seeking motive.

          Speaking more of his integrity, he wasn’t afraid to take potentially unpopular stances. Calling for Biden to step down was not the first, and I hope not the last. His stance on cops being bad apples was breathtakingly beautiful imho: not “all cops are bad everywhere all the time”, but rather “we support the true cops who protect & serve, and reject those who pervert that mantra”.

          He calls for peace rather than war, staying firm in the principle that the only thing we must not tolerate is intolerance, bc then we’ll lose everything we have built up in civilization to date and revert instead to anarchy. And through that to totalitarianism by people who were just waiting for the organized defenses to be discarded (by idiots not even realizing that is what they are accomplishing by their actions) to move in and take it all for themselves.

          Every army knows that you have to have accurate intelligence in order to accomplish anything at all - too bad popular journalism has died and the populace no longer has any clue what’s going on anymore, a prerequisite to being able to vote on matters of substance. But anyway, as for Jon, he did all that he could to warn us as it was happening, so it’s not his fault that nobody would do anything about it. He at least is basically a freaking hero.

        • MimicJar@lemmy.world
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          2 months ago

          +1 to Trevor Noah. I think he, like many late night shows (maybe just Sett Meyers) really had a reset during COVID and built some of their best shows. Working from home gave him a much more relaxed and personal feel. It likely is what ultimately caused Trevor to leave the Daily Show. I think once he returned to the traditional studio setting he realized he wanted the ability to do more. You can do a lot with the Daily Show, but you’re still stuck in a particular frame. Hell Stewart had similar issues which ultimately caused him to leave as well.

          I hope Stewart sticks around after the election. He doesn’t need to be on once a week, just give him an open invitation. Same with Trevor, give him a few slots to come back. I like the rotating host thing they’re doing at the moment. (I wish Roy Wood Jr stuck around.) So I hope they keep things rotating.

        • JaggedRobotPubes@lemmy.world
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          2 months ago

          Being compared to Jon Stewart is just unfair, it’s true, but Noah was an anti-comedian. Instead of taking something that may or may not be funny and making it funny with how he said it, he took often times pretty good writing and managed to make it not land.

        • thejoker954@lemmy.world
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          2 months ago

          I think Trevor wasn’t bad, but I feel he shined the most when he was interacting with the audience.

          When Stewart monologues, you feel like he’s actually talking to you, Trevor just felt a bit stiff to me and like he was talking at the camera during his monologues.

      • givesomefucks@lemmy.world
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        2 months ago

        I mean, Jordan or Desi could easily carry the show.

        Ronnie still needs some time, and if you haven’t been watching Josh Johnson on standup you need to start.

        He uploads a couple half hour sets a week, and it’s all current topics. Dude could have his own show tomorrow and pull it off.

        I started watching his stuff at some point during Covid, and when he made correspondent I knew he was going to be huge.

        So it’s great having Stewart come back occasionally, but they don’t really need him, they’ve got the talent to do a second show like Colbert had back in the day even.

          • Psychodelic@lemmy.world
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            2 months ago

            They made one and it got canceled - I assume due to low number of viewers

            I’ve always liked the daily show, regardless of host, but I don’t really enjoy watching Jordan talk to morons anymore. Shit’s too sad and scary now. the whole point is to just make fun of them and laugh and it’s just really not as funny anymore

            Anyone seen that crackhead Barney on insta? Now that shit is nuts. That’s definitely something I’ll admit I’ve found funny. lol

            Example clip

        • TheSambassador@lemmy.world
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          2 months ago

          John Stewart communicates a sincerity that the rest of the correspondents and hosts haven’t really managed. They mix in a bit too much smugness or something. I find them all fine in small doses, but only John Oliver has really matched those moments where John Stewart looks at the camera and seems to be pleading with ALL of the American people. He had a way of criticizing without being elitist.

          • givesomefucks@lemmy.world
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            2 months ago

            Stewart has been doing this for decades, he literally invented it

            Everyone else is playing a character, he just goes up there and talks.

            Like, obviously they’re not the same. They have less experience than Stewart if you added them all up together

      • feedum_sneedson@lemmy.world
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        2 months ago

        Yeah, he’s not funny and has a massive chip on his shoulder. In fact I think that’s why he’s not funny.

        • OpenStars
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          2 months ago

          His standups are funny, and reportedly after the show his Q&A sessions talking with the audience were razor-sharp. But yeah, behind the desk, he really just wasn’t a good “fit”. I would give some other show with him a solid chance though.

    • niktemadur@lemmy.world
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      2 months ago

      You have to also give credit where it’s due to Biden and his team, for having the intelligence and decency to step aside, to acknowledge that the president is vulnerable this election cycle, to play to their party’s strengths and present an ace up their sleeve, and for having picked Kamala as VP four years ago in the first place!

      President Joe Biden has proven himself to be a true patriot - country first, ego taking a step or three back. He deserves our applause.

      • billwashere@lemmy.world
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        2 months ago

        Yeah he absolutely does. That took real sacrifice and courage.

        Although a little piece of him had to be happy he doesn’t have to deal with that shit anymore. It’s gotta suck.

        • kameecoding@lemmy.world
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          2 months ago

          It is, though I think it was just a perfect shitstorm of Stewarts way of eviscerating trump was missing, disillusionment in the obama era (mainly die to republican obstructionism), disillusionment in Hillary as a candidate, some people wanting revenge for Bernie and ofc, reddit+facebook+twitter disinformation campaigns being new and highly effective at manipulating voters

    • billwashere@lemmy.world
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      2 months ago

      Yeah I’m not sure Jon realizes how instrumental he may have been in saving this country if Kamala does get elected.