| The Daily Show With Jon Stewart | Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c | |||
| Rippy Awards - Celebrity Crypts | ||||
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the daily show-related stories
Jon Stewart investigates the Karl Malden/Brian Williams connection
I don't know if the word "obitutainment" has been used before, but it's here now. Jon Stewart mentioned it last night in this installment of the Rippy Awards (I just now realized it refers to R.I.P., ha). And this isn't about Michael Jackson! It's about Karl Malden and his connection to an NBC anchor Brian Williams. I think I'm as connected to Malden as Williams is.
TV Squad previews NBC's new shows (part 1)
NBC isn't exactly engendering a lot of goodwill among people, with their cancellations of shows like Life and Medium, and My Name is Earl. The fact that they're replacing these shows with not one but two medical shows, isn't exactly a confidence booster. NBC hasn't sent screeners of all their pilots yet, hence the "Part 1" in the title. But I have gotten a taste of both their comedy and drama offerings with Community, a comedy starring The Soup's Joel McHale, and Trauma, one of the aforementioned medical dramas.Going into this, I didn't have high hopes for Trauma, and while I wanted to like Community, I had a bad feeling that it wasn't going to be the vehicle that would change Joel McHale from cute host of a basic cable show to primetime star. Now, after seeing both of them, I will say that I was pleasantly surprised by one.
Continue reading TV Squad previews NBC's new shows (part 1)
What You Missed Last Night: the worst moments in the Michael Jackson coverage
There's been so much coverage of Michael Jackson's death that there's bound to be great stuff and ... well, not so great stuff. In fact, lots of not so great stuff. Last night The Daily Show gave awards to the worst moments. This is really funny. Did Geraldo really use a whiteboard like that, and did CNN actually have an animation of his heart? Amazing.
| The Daily Show With Jon Stewart | Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c | |||
| The Rippy Awards for Outstanding Achievement in Obitutainment | ||||
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Lewis Black talks about news crawls and Jesus pancakes
I've never found Lewis Black particularly funny. I mean, he's OK, but I haven't found the greatness that a lot of people have. I like it better when he's being interviewed than when he's on The Daily Show or doing standup, like this appearance on G4's Attack of the Show. He talks about how we don't need news crawls on the news networks (I agree), religion, and his new book. (Video also here.)
White House officially afraid of The Daily Show
All of you right-wingers who thought that The Daily Show was going to become just another tool in a liberal executive branch's belt should take note of the following story.
And if having to read a newspaper other than The Washington Times, The New York Post or The Daily American Patriot Commie Basher makes your eyes bleed, grab your Visine and suck it up. You need to read this.
An attorney for the state said the Obama administration did not want to release detail of an interview with former VP Dick Cheney regarding the Valerie Plame leak because of fears that "it's going to end up on The Daily Show."
Continue reading White House officially afraid of The Daily Show
Why hasn't John Hodgman scored his own show?
Uber-humorist John Hodgman has a wit that hasn't been seen since the likes of Robert Benchley. His uncanny ability to turn his know-it-all prowess and droll delivery into brilliant comedy deserves scientific study. I'm not saying he needs a complete autopsy. Maybe just a little exploratory brain surgery that doesn't do any permanent damage to the neurons and synapses that allow him to conjure long lists of hobo names and an incredibly detailed history of the American lobster. Trust me, there is a hilarious global warming cure in that noggin somewhere.
So after watching his brilliant and funny performance at the White House Radio and Television Correspondence Dinner (Speaking of which, didn't we just have one? How many of these damn dinners do they need? Are television reporters experiencing a major shortage of grilled chicken?), a lingering but obvious thought occurred. Why does this man not have his own television show?
Continue reading Why hasn't John Hodgman scored his own show?
PC guy John Hodgman wows them at the Radio and TV Correspondents Dinner
You know John Hodgman as the PC guy in all of those Mac commercials (or perhaps from The Daily Show). I don't know if he really uses a PC in real life (he could very well be a Mac guy), but I do know that he's a very funny man. Last night he spoke at the Radio and TV Correspondents Dinner, and gave a very clever speech about President Obama, nerds, geeks, jocks, and Star Trek. You can tell Obama genuinely enjoyed the speech.
Stewart and Colbert investigate Obama's fly-swatting
You've probably seen the video of President Obama killing a fly during an interview with CNBC (yes, PETA is mad). Last night both The Daily Show and The Colbert Report handled the incident in very different ways. First, Jon Stewart runs around with his shirt off, and after the jump, Stephen Colbert tries to interview the widow.
Continue reading Stewart and Colbert investigate Obama's fly-swatting
Daily Show's Jason Jones brings more fake news to the Middle East
Stephen Colbert may have made big news recently when he took his show on the road for a second time and performed for the troops in Iraq, but don't forget the other guy bringing fake news to the Middle East! Daily Show has been airing correspondent Jason Jones's reports from Iran, which were taped over the past month or so. Check out how many pockets are on that vest. He clearly means journalistic business.
Continue reading Daily Show's Jason Jones brings more fake news to the Middle East
Jon Stewart on CNN's "you report AND decide" format
While I think that Twitter and Facebook can be invaluable for news (including what's going on overseas) and just plain fun, Jon Stewart does have a point about how all of the cable news networks (especially CNN) rely way, way too much on Twitter messages and web site posts and opinions from viewers (local news does it too). Seems like they're trying to fill up space and get viewers "involved" instead of, you know, showing some editorial judgment. Honestly, I really don't care what "funnyballs69" thinks about North Korea. Last night Stewart and The Daily Show talked about this a bit. (Video also here.)
We get it Jon: only old people watch network news
Katie Couric was the guest last night on The Daily Show, only it was less an interview than a "let's see if Jon can think of some more ideas for The CBS Evening News." OK, it was funny, but at some points it seems like he doesn't really care what she's saying he just thought of another joke and wants to get it in. "News Bingo" is a funny idea though.
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What You Missed Last Night: The Daily Show visits The New York Times
I hope that print journalism survives forever, but this Daily Show visit to the offices of The New York Times is hysterical, from the newsreel voice that Jason Jones uses to narrate the piece to his asking "tell me what's in the paper that happened today." (And if you're wondering why Jon Stewart is surrounded by coffee-related items, it's part of his response to Morning Joe).
| The Daily Show With Jon Stewart | Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c | |||
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Joe Scarborough calls Jon Stewart "the angriest person I've ever met"
Another feud is boiling, this one involving Jon Stewart and MSNBC's Joe Scarborough. There have been things said lately (including The Daily Show taking on Starbucks' sponsorship of Morning Joe), and it continued this morning.
On behalf of short guys everywhere Joe, I take exception to your Napoleon remark.
On behalf of short guys everywhere Joe, I take exception to your Napoleon remark.
[via TV Newser]
Josh Gad: In the Limelight
Time to meet the newest member of the Daily Show team, Mr. Josh Gad. That picture to the right is him, furiously staring into your soul and preparing to pump you full of lead/laughter. He debuted back in early May and filed his first report just this week. Both of his appearances involved guns, so I guess if TDS's team were a traditional mid-90s boy band, he'd be the trigger-happy one of the group.Those of you who watched the short-lived Back To You may recognize Gad as Ryan Church, the news director. A few episodes are on Hulu, American readers, with the first episode embedded after the jump for your Internet-laziness/convenience.
Continue reading Josh Gad: In the Limelight
Stephen Colbert to guest edit Newsweek
The New York Observer is reporting that Stephen Colbert will guest edit the June 8 edition of Newsweek. According to the Observer, the idea came from a lunch between Newsweek editor Jon Meacham (who has been a guest on The Colbert Report) and Colbert, in which Meacham was impressed by Colbert's knowledge of current events. The stories themselves will be treated seriously, as they would in any other issue, but Colbert gets to play in the margins, editing contributor bios, writing an essay, and annotating different stories. Which should make next week's issue look something like the magazine version of The Daily Show's faux text book America.
The Observer quotes Colbert as saying, "I'm confident we'll have mixed results! I want to be apart [sic] of that proud tradition!" and cites a few other guest editor ventures gone wrong. I wonder about the timing of it. Newsweek launched a complete redesign three issues ago, trying to re-conceptualize the newsweekly's place in the age of instant news.
Seven greatest hand cannons in TV history
TV Squad previews NBC's new shows (part 1)
TV 101: How ESPN controls the world and what the other networks can learn from it
