Does anybody watch this show (on Comedy Central)? If you don't, you may want to check it out because it's fucking hilarious, IMHO. Here's a description in another forum of what I just saw (sry, couldn't find video). But the anti-drug commercial spoof... well, let's just say I'm glad I wasn't drinking anything.

I swear, I saw a serious news show on the comcast network yesterday that was EXACTLY like the crossballs episode on animal rights. And given the timeline, it would have been very possible that they had ripped crossballs off on that idea.

Quote:Original post by Oluseyi
I saw a bit of one episode. It was tedious. It was essentially an extension of Jon Stewart's Crossfire rant into a show, obviously mixing Crossfire with Hardball. Jon (and Comedy Central) are using up their credibility capital because of their refusal to ever accept responsibility for their positions: if you're going to critique flaws in the system, then at some point you have to actively help rectify them.

First step on the road to irrelevance.

I believe Stewart outlined the situation concisely: his show follows a show about muppets that make crank calls. Lets be serious: even if the most insightful newsmagazine programme in the universe was on Comedy Central, would anyone notice? I've watched Stewart's show, and it brings a lot more insight to the table than other left-leaning television. It just does it with humour at the same time, which is sensible given the context.

Crossballs has been around quite a while and has nothing to do with John Stewart's Crossfire appearance.

I personally think it's hilarious. I missed the religious one, but I did catch the one where the opposing guy to the (real) animal rights activist said that dogs would kill us all if they could, and that we should hunt animals because they're all out to get us. There was only one show where the "real" person seemed to "get it", and it was hilarious whenever the camera panned to him and he just had his face in his hands and his shoulders shaking very hard with laughter as his "teammate" expounded. *grin* Also... ARE YOU GONNA EAT THE JERKY?!

-fel

I saw it for the first time yesterday. It was hilarious. They were discussing the legalization of Marjuana...Oh man, good stuff.

Quote:Original post by Oluseyi
I concur with your assessment, but that doesn't exculpate The Daily Show or Jon Stewart of responsibility once they decide to move beyond parody and into the realm of "serious debate." If he wants to be a political commentator (and I think he'd make an excellent one), he also, to some extent, has to realize that he becomes a political participant, and has a responsibility to contribute positively and intelligently, and not just by making fun of the establishment.

As for the chronology of Crossballs and Stewart's Crossfire appearance, that wasn't my point. I never claimed causation or dependency; I said it was an extension of the argument - i.e., the same philosophy was at work. I didn't happen to find the portion I watched particularly entertaining, though I might need to watch a few episodes to form an informed opinion.

I think you're taking it too seriously. Like any comedian, Stewart's responsibility is to make people laugh. Once he stops making people laugh, he should get out of the way and make space for the up and comers.

Setting that aside, who says that political and social commentators - which I think is more applicable to Stewart (and the Daily Show et al) - can't interject humor, frivolity and flippancy into the debate? Lenny Bruce did it way back, "Laugh In" did it back in the 1960's, Richard Pryor did it in the 1970's, George Carlin is still doing it, Chris Rock does it, Bill Mahr does it and Dennis Miller tries to do it too.

From the other end of the spectrum - that is, from politics towards comedy - don't forget Abbie Hoffman and the Yippies. And from the other end of the political spectrum, Rush Limbaugh has made his millions wrapping his politics in the guise of entertainment. The point is that free speech is free speech. If Stewart wants to make fun of the establishment, more power to him. He'll stop when it's no longer funny, which would probably happen to him rather quickly if he attempted to switch over to "serious" commentary. Besides, I don't think the US needs another unfunny political blowhard.

The word is, however, that Stewart is slated to take over from Conan O'Brien once Conan takes over from Leno. Someday, you may get a more serious Stewart.

As for Crossballs, iirc, it went on air back in July. I remember watching it during the DNC. It's funny because of it's audacity, but it does get tiring after a while.

Blast, I thought this was going to be an announcement about a movie parodizing Spaceballs and Crossroads.

WHY HAS THAT MOVIE STILL NOT BEEN MADE?