Neocon Blues

“You know, I wish someone would just come out and say ‘Jon Stewart is a pompous jerk’”. - Tucker Carlson.

Jon Stewart is a pompous jerk.

But more to the point, Jon Stewart is a coward. He is a coward because he relishes in asking tough questions and sanctimoniously lecturing his guests, but when they dare disagree with him he hides behind humor and brushes away their points. It’s the old routine, “You suck, but don’t you dare make a legitimate counter-argument because I’m just a comedian and this is just a show for laughs.”

He is also a hypocrite. In Stewart’s eyes, the media is supposed to provide this Habermasian forum of enlightened, emotionally disinterested discussion. It is supposed to be absent of talking points and spin and bull and out of context bushwhacking. But that is exactly what Stewart does. He attacks politicians by taking verbatim out of context - in effect, he spins the news. Yes, he is a comedian, and it his job as court jester to point out how ridiculous our leaders may sound. But given his audience is so young, I fear Stewart may be breeding a generation of individuals who think they are smarter and better than politics. I feel he will create an apathy of arrogance among the more intellectual viewing public. And that’s not a good thing.

At the end of the day, I prefer Colbert. Yes, his entire routine is a satire of conservatives, but at least he is consistent in what he does. Stewart, on the other hand, pretends to be purely comedic but can’t keep it in his pants long enough without copping a feel or two.