Before we jump right into things, let's take a moment to think about just how amazing these past two weeks of Daily Show have been. The program has always been pretty solid, but both the Democratic National Convention and the Republican National Convention have provided beautiful fodder for both Jon and the correspondents, who seem to have finally hit their stride. This particular group of correspondents works best when they're all teamed up, and it really showed during convention coverage. From Jason Jones and Samantha Bee sucking face in front of hapless interviewees to Rob Riggle and Wyatt Cenac grillin' up some arugula in an elitist parking lot. TDS is taking another break next week and, boy, do they deserve it.Posts with tag john oliver
The Daily Show: September 5, 2008 - VIDEOS
Before we jump right into things, let's take a moment to think about just how amazing these past two weeks of Daily Show have been. The program has always been pretty solid, but both the Democratic National Convention and the Republican National Convention have provided beautiful fodder for both Jon and the correspondents, who seem to have finally hit their stride. This particular group of correspondents works best when they're all teamed up, and it really showed during convention coverage. From Jason Jones and Samantha Bee sucking face in front of hapless interviewees to Rob Riggle and Wyatt Cenac grillin' up some arugula in an elitist parking lot. TDS is taking another break next week and, boy, do they deserve it.Continue reading The Daily Show: September 5, 2008 - VIDEOS
The Daily Show: September 3, 2008 - VIDEOS
Some correspondents reported on the real reason why Republicans have gathered in Minnesota, and as it turns out, it's just to check out Larry Craig's old Minnesota airport stall. I think most audience members missed John Oliver's sneaky tweaking of the word "clockwork", unfortunately. However, the audience didn't miss any of Jason Jones' stall activities, which were especially disturbing, whereas Aasif Mandvi's handicap stall antics were just fabulous. I wonder if those dancers were just hapless interns roped into a scene. Also, the dancing reminded me of a beautiful moment from one of Stephen Colbert's old Daily Show reports, forever immortalized in this hypnotizing GIF. In other news, The Daily Show must be the only reason why Jimmy Dean Chocolate Chip Pancakes & Sausage on a Stick is still in existence.Continue reading The Daily Show: September 3, 2008 - VIDEOS
The Daily Show: September 2, 2008 - VIDEOS
The Daily Show team must be exhausted. Last week was Tuesday through Friday on-location coverage of the Democratic National Convention in Colorado, and this week is the same from the Republican National Convention in Minnesota. I can't even imagine how new mommy-again Samantha Bee has been handling this, returning at the busiest time in months.
Continue reading The Daily Show: September 2, 2008 - VIDEOS
The Daily Show: August 29, 2008 - VIDEOS
"The Heart of Hopeness": Barack Obama delivered his acceptance speech the other night, to a stadium full of insanely excited Democrats. John Oliver filed a report live from the site of Obama's speech. Man, John has really been putting himself on the line this week, being incredibly annoying in front of so many overexcited people. I mean, chanting "Osama!" at a massive crowd of Obama lovers is almost a sure to bring about a beating, but he totally lucked out with some relatively mild verbal confrontation. Other great moments included dancing to Jeremiah Wright's "white friends" song and making his move on hot strangers. As we would see later in the episode, it seems like the Democratic National Convention brought out the friskiness in the correspondents.
Continue reading The Daily Show: August 29, 2008 - VIDEOS
The Daily Show: August 27, 2008 - VIDEOS
"Guess Who's Coming to Denver?": Man, I wish it were the Democratic National Convention all day, every day because it seems like it's providing endless, wondrous material for the show. Not only did they make me spend a good three minutes just laughing at Jon's crazy eyes while reacting to Governor Mark Warner's terrible speech (watch his eyes almost fall off his face when Jon says, "His speech suuucks"), but they've once again reminded me that Dennis Kucinich can do absolutely no jumping around without looking like an over-excited leprechaun. And he has a super-hot wife to make him feel better about any stupid, mean thing that I may say, so it's okay.Speaking of spouses, that uncomfortably long footage of Bill Clinton looking slack-jawed and slightly baffled also sent me into a spin of uncontrollable laughter. Mouth-breathers are never not funny. In other, more eloquent words: This episode brought the lulz.
Continue reading The Daily Show: August 27, 2008 - VIDEOS
The Daily Show: August 26, 2008 - VIDEOS
"Guess Who's Coming to Denver?": The Daily Show is back! They'll be in Denver for the whole Democratic National Convention, workin' their shiny new set. It's pretty much just Jon's "j" desk and a whole lot of big screens hanging in the back. The gang was in full form, and I believe this was the most I've laughed at the show in a while. Perhaps it only feels that way because the show has been gone for a week and a Monday. Thank goodness they returned, because I was starting to get the shakes.Continue reading The Daily Show: August 26, 2008 - VIDEOS
The Daily Show: August 12, 2008 - VIDEOS
"Anti-Olympic Update": Instead of using sports as a metaphor for war, Russia has been juggling the Olympics and attacks on neighbor Georgia. I can never get enough of The Daily Show's graphics department. Just check out that hardcore anti-Olympic intro with the rings of doom. Jon Stewart got a lot of applause for that "Oh, war... It's just God's way of teaching Americans geography." Does it count as stealing if the joke is super, super old and reasonably well-known already?Continue reading The Daily Show: August 12, 2008 - VIDEOS
The Daily Show: August 7, 2008 - VIDEOS
Last month, the show talked about Iraq's Prime Minister literally giving money away on the streets. As it turns out, they can afford to do this because the country has a multi-billion dollar budget surplus. Senior Financial Expert John Oliver stopped by to talk about what the Iraqis could do with their money, apart from rolling around in it, Scrooge McDuck style. I believe he made this joke a million times better with that jaunty little bounce. John and Jon proceeded to try and push their products, Alpacas and commemorative First Lady plates, respectively. These guys really need to fight more often.Continue reading The Daily Show: August 7, 2008 - VIDEOS
Larry Wilmore: The TV Squad Interview
Almost as soon as I arrived in Beverly Hills for the press tour on July 13, I had an assignment: find a power brick for my laptop, which I had left behind in New Jersey. One frantic and sweaty trip to Radio Shack later, I was ready for my next assignment: a brief interview with The Daily Show's Senior Black Correspondent, Larry Wilmore.Wilmore was on hand to promote Make 'Em Laugh, a wide-ranging PBS documentary series on the history of modern comedy that's set to air in 2009 (it was announced that day that Billy Crystal is hosting the series). Right after the interview, Wilmore was on a panel with two other documentary participants: original SNL writer Anne Beatts (whom I also interviewed) and comedian Richard Lewis.
I only had a few minutes with Wilmore, so I quickly moved on from the special to ask him about how he got the Daily Show gig after a career spent behind the scenes as a writer and producer (The PJs, The Bernie Mac Show). I also asked him what it's like to work on a show that's so influential on the political and news scene. The interview is after the jump.
Continue reading Larry Wilmore: The TV Squad Interview
The Daily Show: July 31, 2008 - VIDEOS
"Dick Move of the Week": John McCain has been making more news with one of his new attack ads against Barack Obama, in which he calls Obama out for being an attention-seeking celebrity, just like Britney Spears and Paris Hilton. That's not the bad part though. That honor goes to the fact that Paris' parents support McCain and have sent thousands of dollars for his campaign. Smooth move, my man. Smooth move.Continue reading The Daily Show: July 31, 2008 - VIDEOS
The Daily Show: July 29, 2008 - VIDEOS
Quick news: Alaska's Senator Ted Stevens has been indicted for corruption charges. I knew The Daily Show would use any opportunity to bring out that clip of Stevens screaming, "NO!" I've missed that anger in my life.Barack Obama recently returned form his trip the Middle East. In the meantime, John McCain has been struggling in the States, dealing with the likes of Schmidt's Sausage Haus and the Dalai Lama. I thought we were done talking about straight guy awkwardness the previous night. McCain looked terribly uncomfortable while the Dalai Lama held his hand. Just look at his other hand, fiddling with his suit pocket. He was probably all sweaty palms and clenched teeth that afternoon.
Continue reading The Daily Show: July 29, 2008 - VIDEOS
The Daily Show: July 28, 2008 - VIDEOS
"Easy, Pal... for the US Army": Sometimes I forget that there are still people that are scared of homosexuals, especially in the military. Thanks, Daily Show, for reminding of the existence of Elaine "Passive-Agressive Behavior" Donnelly and company. Congress recently had a hearing about gays in the military and the ever-popular "don't ask, don't tell" policy. This was almost as hilarious as whenever I see groups of straight guy-friends go to the movies together and sit with empty seats between each other so they won't be tempted to hold hands or something. Yeah, super-gay hand-holding is definitely worse than alcoholics and convicted felons. Icky.Continue reading The Daily Show: July 28, 2008 - VIDEOS
The Daily Show: July 21, 2008 - VIDEOS
"Obama Quest: The Legend Begins": I guess the political comedy world has decided that the go-to digs on Barack Obama will be about the pressures of his golden boy image. Unfortunately, I can't say my middle school days were spent quite the same way, dealing with people making fun of how awesome I am. There are definitely worse ways to be mocked, is what I'm saying. Anyway, Mr. Obama has made his way to the Middle East for the first time, providing the Daily Show graphics department with the opportunity to make the most freakin' epic clip to accompany the report. Awesome. This trip also gave the media a chance to eagerly await a major cross-cultural faux pas. As it turns out, Obama has fangirls and fanboys all over the world.Continue reading The Daily Show: July 21, 2008 - VIDEOS
The Daily Show: July 15, 2008 - VIDEOS
America's terrorist watch list just hit the 1,000,000 mark. Yay! Sort of. Not really. Jon pointed out that Nelson Mandela was only recently removed from the watch list. He said it in a way like Mandela had no business being on the watch list on the first place, which I thought was a bit unfair. Sure, striking Mandela from the list was a move that probably should have happened over twenty years ago and his motivation was anti-apartheid, but once a guy has been the leader of a sabotage against his own government and military, that kind of makes the big boys of other countries nervous about having him around too. I'm just saying.Continue reading The Daily Show: July 15, 2008 - VIDEOS
The Daily Show: July 14, 2008 - VIDEOS
Has it really been two weeks? I hope you all have been coping better than I have. There were a lot of night terrors and failed McCain jokes along the way, as I coped with my withdrawal. Well, Jon Stewart (and Stephen Colbert) are back and, while they didn't talk about everything I expected them to cover (FISA? The weird reactions to the latest New Yorker cover?), there are only so many minutes in each episode.
Five other TV shows where Sarah Palin should appear
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Giveaway Monday: How I Met Your Mother season three DVD
