John Stewart on Crossfire

Posted by Alan McLeod on Friday, October 15, 2004 in Radio and TV - 37 comments

Just watched John Stewart be the guest on CNN's Crossfire. As opposed to the advertised plan he did not "offer his quirky take on the upcoming election" - he was actually kinda grumpy and got right into challenging the two hosts about what the hell they were doing with their show. Asked why he was lecturing the two talking heads, one supposedly from "the left" and one supposedly from "the right", he say he was not going to be their monkey. Asked why he was not taking his opportunity seriously he had to point out that the show before his starred puppets to make the point he was not a journalist. Asked why he was not as funny on this show as his own, he suggested the questioner, conversely, was as big a dick on this show as any where he appeared. Very odd TV. He just kept asking them why they did not do real debate, only theatre, and why they were propping up the politicians.

I suppose in most of Canada, we have less distance between the elected and the governed such that too many layers of protocol and importance do not intervene. Except in semi-democratic outposts or past extreme points in time, we do not treat them too "presidentially" and we expect politicians to know their place and follow the law - which is good. Maybe that helps journalists do their job with fewer obstacles, without risking a late night comedian making them look like fools, taking them task for being patsies for one party or another. Stewart was good.

Comments

portland - October 15, 2004 6:22 PM

reference stewart's interview a few weeks back with terry gross. you'll find it interesting.

Alan - October 15, 2004 6:27 PM

That show is linked here and you can find the audio archive for the John Stewart interview under the 30th September 2004 broadcast.

Wayne - October 15, 2004 6:53 PM

Transcripts of todays Crossfire program will be available <a href="http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/cf.html" target="blank">here</a> probably later tonite or tomorrow.

Alan - October 15, 2004 6:55 PM

Did you know that off hand? If so, does that worry you?

By the way, the Stewart interview on Fresh Air is very good. Novak should be in jail.

Wayne - October 15, 2004 7:55 PM

I like to offer an informed opinion, even if it sometimes falls on deaf ears, and Democrats.(Often one and the same) Novak is still in the hospital, is he not?

Alan - October 15, 2004 8:09 PM

Penal colony I heard. Treason is, after all, the favoured crime of the rightists.

Alan - October 16, 2004 6:01 AM

Thanks to the wonder that is Wayne, here is the transcript of the interview.

Lisa Howard - October 16, 2004 6:16 AM

http://www.multicultural-adventure.blogspot.com

I don't think Canadians should pat ourselves on the back too much. I think we're headed in the same direction.

Alan - October 16, 2004 6:29 AM

I thought - what the hell is someone doing here in the middle of the night and then I realized you are in Hungary. I disagree with your concern. Having moved from PEI (the nicest central asian form of democracy in North America) and realizing that we normal Canadians are conversely not going for the presidential or rotten borough approach, seeing for example that this can be done rather than this, I have for most part confidence that where I live we have a hand up on controlling the governing. Also, the kick in the crotch to the entire Federal Parliament that was the minority vote was a wake-up call for them, too, including that jack-ass Harper and his 29% "majority of Canadians" thing. I have hope.

Alan - October 16, 2004 10:22 AM

Here is NYCO's take on the interview.

Wayne - October 16, 2004 11:39 AM

Interesting story about another nice Central Asian form of Democracy located in the Maritimes that was broadcast earlier in the week by BBC TV. It was concerning the last community in North America that has banned Sunday Shopping(according to Kattie Kaye).If I find the time to offer a link for your enjoyment, I shall post it.

alfons - October 16, 2004 11:40 AM

PEI? Asian democracy in North America? Can someone enlighten me?

Alan - October 16, 2004 12:02 PM

Don't get me wrong. The people are lovely, the scenery is a delight after the mud roads dry out until the hurricanes start, and the moonshine alone is worth the visit. While I am not allowed to keep to a limit, speaking as I am strictly on public goverance, the tiny province of PEI has some unique habits that often finds it losing in court in breach of the national Charter of Rights or justifying illegality and immorality such as illegal alcohol makers and vendors, tax avoiders, resource poachers and, most recently, massive extension of gambling all while presenting itself fairly hypocrytically as a model of moral and conserative society. It also has a sort of Chicago style political boss system that is somewhat oppressive - which could be expected in a small jurisdiction of 140,000 or so except when you see smaller jurisdictions like the Isle of Man criminalizing conflict of interest to stamp it down. Party minders called poll captains are present when you cast your vote and your name is called out. One recent murderer (who killed someone I knew so I do not make light of it) even appealed his first degree sentence with the ground that no one in PEI gets first degree murder - which was in fact the case. The press does not report drunk driving unless the offender is non-resident. All that is reported is the mystery single car accident at 1 am.Wayne will disagree and defend and he is quite right that other Canadian provinces have weird governance as well, some of which is worse than the above like the fleecing of Nova Scotia's coffers by the former Conservative government in the 70s and 80s or the separatist moves of Quebec or (effectively) Alberta. All of this is a result of our odd division of powers in Canada giving each province absolute jurisdiction in many areas of day to day life. Having worked, however, in aspects of the the national government, municipal government and having worked with and against the PEI system, its joys are a comprehensive and unique wonder to behold.One further note: portland suggested that there is something about a discussion like this that smacks someone from PEI like you are saying their sister is a whore so expect unhappiness. It is, actually, rude to even describe it as it is. Think of it as a community suffering from Stockholm syndrome and you will have a sense of it.

Wayne - October 16, 2004 12:02 PM

Alfons, you must be new around here?

Alan - October 16, 2004 12:06 PM

Alfons is in Holland, Wayne. Brother of the correspondent Arthur who has emigrated and is in Truro, NS. If you coax them they may go equally ballistic over the governance of the Netherlands. I am inclusive and global in my interest in bizzare governance habits.

SayNay? - October 16, 2004 2:31 PM

Andrew Coyne described PEI as a "Federal government funded theme park".

SayNay? - October 16, 2004 2:37 PM

BTW, Stewart's been sh*ting all over "political" shows on CNN esp. "Crossfire" for years. They knew what they were gonna get when they invited him on, and he accepted the invitation to do the sh*ting upon in person.

Wayne - October 16, 2004 2:41 PM

Who the **** is he? As the words of a good old song go, may the bird of Paradise fly up both yer noses!

SayNay? - October 16, 2004 2:47 PM

I guess Coyne's comment hits a little too close to the bone?

Wayne - October 16, 2004 2:50 PM

BTY..."I am inclusive and global in my interest in bizzare governance habits." should have read...
"I am bizzare in my interest in inclusive and global governance habits".

Wayne - October 16, 2004 2:52 PM

What is BTY? It should be BTW. What is wrong with this site, anyway?

Alan - October 16, 2004 3:57 PM

It'll be ok, Wayne.

Lisa Howard - October 17, 2004 8:01 AM

http://www.multicultural-adventure.blogspot.com

I think good journalism (not blogging) should be our front line of defence against fatuousness (along with a reasonable educational system). But I think the same trends are present in Canada as in the US. Less coverage of international issues. Dumbed down underfunded public journalism. Lots of advocacy instead of objectivity (especially on the right) but on both sides of the political spectrum. Lots of personality based journalism and infotainment instead of real coverage of detail even on CBC TV. Lots of subjective instead objective journalism. The audience's intelligence is constantly underestimated instead of overestimated (If it were overestimated somebody might actually learn something). It's a lot like wrestling. Most interviews aren't logical informative or rigorous in any real sense. Rigour on TV is essentially made up of rhetoric coupled with incredulous stares. On CBC radio you get tons of filler shows and rehashes instead of old fashioned stuff like documentaries e.g. remember Sunday Morning which called itself "a week in the life of the world?" Where is the equivalent of that show? The Walrus? Maybe, but has the New Yorker rescued the US from fatuousness? What's the evidence for thinking that we're clear of the pseudoreality that the US inhabits? Why are we so sure that we're not headed there if not now then sometime soon? The existence of one or two smart people notwithstanding, aren't we just a branch plant of the US? I know. I'm a dullard.

Wayne - October 17, 2004 3:00 PM

Jon would argue there is not enough farting and laugh tracks in mainstream media. Young voters would agree. They want more M. Moore and his, admittingly entertaining, money making Documentaries. Trouble is, it is nothing but garbage.(Read the 9-11 Report) Ask young voters and they would probably say, So What? I disagree there is any underestimating...the majority of targeted viewers are getting exactly what they want...garbage or not.

And I am glad this thread has moved away from what can be described as, nothing but more of the same old verbal violence against PEI!