Sunday, August 9, 2015

Jon Stewart. (photo: Brad Barket/Getty)
Jon Stewart. (photo: Brad Barket/Getty)

Stewart Rips 'Bullshitocracy' in Finale

By Lloyd Grove, The Daily Beast
08 August 15
 
His nemeses joshed him, his family was there, but Jon Stewart’s cheery signoff from The Daily Show also included a resounding condemnation of ‘Bullshitocracy.’

on Stewart ended his 16½–year reign on The Daily Show Thursday night with laughter and dancing—and, yes, a fire-and-brimstone sermon against something he called “The Bullshitocracy,” a roundup of the usual suspects and celebrity guests, a couple of dick jokes (because what would The Daily Show be without a couple of dick jokes?), and even a performance by Stewart’s idol, the New Jersey-born Bruce Springsteen.
Stewart’s generally lighthearted mood—pretty dry-eyed considering the gravity of the moment, with only a tiny threat of loss of composure when he thanked his wife, Tracey, and his kids Nate and Maggie “for teaching me what joy looks like”—gave the lie to Fox News Chairman Roger Ailes’s description of the Comedy Central star as a man who “has a bitter view of the world.”
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Ailes—whose right-leaning cable channel has been one of Stewart’s fatter and juicier targets all these years—conceded that the retiring fake newsman is “a brilliant comedian,” “a very nice guy,” and “a good father.”
But while protesting that the political satirist and razor-sharp media critic never drew Fox blood, and that Stewart failed in his treasured quest to “get rid of Roger Ailes”—something I doubt crossed Stewart’s mind, given that Ailes has been great for business—the Fox News founder claimed that he could tell Stewart is bitter because “you see it embodied in how he’s reacting to Fox News, equating it with death.”
Yet Ailes and his cable channel went all but on unmentioned on Stewart’s valedictory program, although the top of the show featured shtick on that other momentous television event occurring Thursday night—the Fox News-orchestrated inaugural Republican presidential candidate debate.
Because Stewart’s final show aired well after the debate at 11 p.m. but was taped well before the overhyped battle between Donald Trump and nine other GOP White House wannabes—and media reporters watched a live feed of The Daily Show with an invited audience at The Nightly Show studio, a couple of blocks away on Manhattan’s West Side—Stewart and correspondents Jessica Williams, Hasan Minhaj, and Jordan Klepper had to make it up as they went along.
Just like the real pundits, presumably.
“The first Republican presidential debate wrapped up—it was incredible—and so articulate,” Stewart declared to audience laughter. “I feel something of a responsibility, nay, an obligation, to devote the entirety of our last show to our standard post-debate full-team coverage.”
“Jeb did well,” Jessica Williams pronounced, standing in front of a green screen backdrop of the Cleveland debate venue.
Scott Walker was “solid,” Minhaj enthused.
“I can’t believe Trump took out his penis so late in the debate,” Klepper analyzed—dick joke No. 1.
There followed an appearance by nearly every performer who ever was part of The Daily Show cast—literally dozens—including a prosperous-looking and full-bearded Steve Carell, Stewart’s predecessor as host Craig Kilborn (also, bearded and filled-out, and wearing what looked like an ascot and smoking jacket and adopting the creepy mien of Christopher Walken’s “The Continental”), Stephen Colbert, John Oliver, and even South African comic Trevor Noah.
The 31-year-old Noah, who debuts as the 52-year-old Stewart’s successor on September 28, came onstage for a bit of business in which he interrupted the retiring host to wield a tape measure to calculate the size of various items such as the anchor desk, the flat screen behind it—and Stewart’s crotch.
Dick joke No. 2.
The Daily Show’s former senior black correspondent, Larry Wilmore—whose Nightly Show was preempted by Thursday night’s extended farewell—showed up at the desk to complain to Stewart about being bumped.
“I have nothing else to do tonight,” he kvetched. “Black shows matter, Jon,” he added.
Even former cast member Wyatt Cenac, bearded and big-haired and looking a little like Cornel West, got a cameo appearance, in which he affected boredom and chilly apathy over Stewart’s repeated invitations to the wrap party.
Apparently all is forgiven for Cenac’s very off-message interview with podcast interrogator Marc Maron, in which he revealed that he and the Comedy Central star had some unpleasant encounters over Stewart’s alleged racial insensitivity.
Indeed, when all the former cast members were shown in a group-hug onstage, Stewart made a point of throwing his arms around Cenac and giving him a heartwarming squeeze.
And, of course, there was video featuring a cavalcade of Daily Show targets ushering Stewart to the door:
*Paul Brown, the chief executive of Arby’s restaurant chain: “Jon Stewart—it’s like a TV threw up on your face.”
*Chris Christie: “I’ll never forget you, Jon. But I will be trying.”
*Charlie Rangel: “Good riddance, smartass!”
*Hillary Clinton: “And just when I’m running for president. What a bummer.”
*Mika Brzezinski: “See ya, pipsqueak!”
*Rahm Emanuel: “What has nine and a half fingers, and won’t miss you at all. This guy.”
*John Kerry: “You know, there are a lot of things happening around the world that keep me up at night—which is why I’ve relied on you to put me to sleep.”
*John McCain (manipulating a Jon Stewart hand-puppet): “I’m Jon Stewart. I’m dumb. I’m stupid. Nyah nyah nyah. So long, jackass!”
After all that insult comedy, however, it was left to former Daily Show correspondent Colbert—over the aw-shucks protests of his host—to slather Stewart with heartfelt praise.
“We owe you, and not just for what you did for our career, by employing us to come on this tremendous show you made,” Colbert insisted. “We owe you because we learned from you. We learned from you by example how to do a show with intention, how to work with clarity, how to treat people with respect. You are infuriatingly good at your job!”
And so on and so forth.
Stewart delivered an impassioned attack on “The Bullshitocracy”—that is, government and corporate obfuscation and lying that it was his mission to expose—gave a last piece of advice to his audience: “If you sniff something, say something.”
Meanwhile, he reflected on what the show has meant to him.
“I’ve been in show business a long time. I’ve worked in a lot of different atmospheres at varying levels of toxicity,” he said. “And this is the most beautiful place I’ve ever been. And I’ll never have that again. And I’ve had to come to terms with that before leaving.”
 

Comments   

We are concerned about a recent drift towards vitriol in the RSN Reader comments section. There is a fine line between moderation and censorship. No one likes a harsh or confrontational forum atmosphere. At the same time everyone wants to be able to express themselves freely. We'll start by encouraging good judgment. If that doesn't work we'll have to ramp up the moderation.
General guidelines: Avoid personal attacks on other forum members; Avoid remarks that are ethnically derogatory; Do not advocate violence, or any illegal activity.
Remember that making the world better begins with responsible action.
- The RSN Team
 
+66 # Phillybuster 2015-08-08 15:17
Imagine how bleak our world would have been without Jon Stewart, Steven Colbert, David Letterman, Johnny Carson and all of the many others, who have brought and will hopefully continue to bring, a spark of sanity into our insane world.
 
 
+27 # Pancho 2015-08-09 05:05
And Tom and Dick Smothers, and Dick Cavett, who led the way.

"Good night and good luck."
 
 
+4 # Douglas Jack 2015-08-09 09:02
Bloodthirsty war & resource-destru ction vampires (Clinton, Kerry, McCain, Emmanuel, Christie, Brzezinski etc.) showing their all-too-human cynicism (humour?) as part of Hollywood's war 'entertainment' (?), showing the world that; 'we're just normal people', while millions are dying in: USA, Canada, NATO, Israel & Saudi monger devastation. For balance, the people who should have been featured are the now starving of once abundant Iraq, Libya & a hundred countries worldwide which we have destabilized for 'fun' & profit.

What we have learned is that; the Finance-Media-E ducation-Milita ry-Industrial-L egislative-Comp lex lie to us continually so that; we will steal, rape, murder & lie against those who have anything we want. The Entertainment-C omplex should be added to this list. They will laugh all the way to their cottages, gymnasiums, Guantanamo psychologists & resort centres. "I have met the enemy and he is us!" Pogo by Walt Kelly.

This isn't funny in the sense of dissing everything of human love & value, as trolls are want to do, but entirely tragic. Such humour, should inspire each of us to living-simply so others-can-simp ly-live & using all our faculties for making sure all present & future generations can contribute their talents & receive on this plentiful earth. https://sites.google.com/site/indigenecommunity/home/2-mutual-aid
 
 
+70 # Jayceecool 2015-08-08 22:03
Thank you, Jon Stewart, for peeling back the layers of bullshit that cover so much of this country now. We will miss you desperately...
 
 
+51 # jazzman633 2015-08-08 22:33
Years ago, George Carlin noted that "America, from sea to shining sea, is full of SHIT." The BS level has only gotten higher.

As previous generations could not imagine life without Johnny Carson, I cannot imagine news without Stewert. I'd watch him in rerun, even if all the material weren't current.

My hope and prediction: with this election shaping up as the craziest in a long time, Stewart will temporarily return to the air three months before and help us laugh all the way home.

(On the plus side, I really don't need him in order to find Trump laughable.)
 
 
+38 # EmilyCragg 2015-08-08 23:05
We are the ones who have to bring sanity to our world.

We are the ones who have to confront the FACTS, that we have been lied to about everything, ever since were were kids.

We are the ones who have to confront our leaders, take them out of power and start over because they failed to hold to the truth.

We can't put it on John Stuart anymore. Now, it's our job, collectively.

ENOUGH BULLSHIT!
 
 
+31 # DaveM 2015-08-08 23:31
If the political and social scene of the 21st Century were to be related by an average person one generation ago, that person would be heavily medicated and institutionaliz ed as hopelessly paranoid and delusional.
 
 
+22 # elkingo 2015-08-09 02:04
Bullshitocracy indeed. The entire commercial sphere is based on "salesmanship" = bullshit.
Political discourse is bullshit by definition, utterances geared to getting elected/realizi ng money. Works this way: I say what I presume will make the second and or third party act or believe this way or that, not what I think the truth is. E.g. Q. "Senator do you think Country A will invade Country B?" A. "Well I certainly hope not." Not an answer to the question, but a rhetorical statement for ulterior effect, or Bullshit Capitalism depends on bullshit. It infects our brains and very language.
 
 
+16 # Pancho 2015-08-09 05:10
Too bad that the last Jon Stewart show was taped before the "debate."

It wasn't a debate at all. It was Fox playing the Grand Inquisitor for the Trump "campaign." I'm not aware that anyone noticed except Thom Hartman, a day later.
 
 
+13 # kalpal 2015-08-09 06:01
Have not seen that many entire shows but the bits I saw made me happy that somebody in this nation is able and willing to be the court jester who tells as many truths as possible and calls out as many of the millions of lies we are inundated with a on an almost daily basis. Hope that the new host can do a good job.
 
 
+9 # Trish42 2015-08-09 06:48
I know life will continue without Jon on four nights a week, but it will never be the same. Some people are irreplaceable --- and Stewart is one. No one, no one could capture the insanity and absurdity of current politics the way he could; no one could make me ROTFLOL like he could. We can only hope that he won't be entirely gone from TV.
 
 
+3 # Capn Canard 2015-08-09 09:11
Jon Stewart is gone, but on Sept 8 Stephen Colbert will return...

However, I fear that his new show will not be as political as the old Colbert Report
 
 
0 # reiverpacific 2015-08-09 11:25
Stewart really is irreplaceable.
I hardly watch any TV but have enjoyed many YouTube bits on his hilarious, beautifully timed and hard-hitting take downs of so many poltico-thugs. His facial expressions and hand gestures are those of an accomplished stand-up comedian.
I watched a live performance by his South African replacement Trevor Noah yesterday and wasn't very impressed -but these are hard, if not impossible- shoes to fill.
 


No comments: