As has been reported, Jon Stewart is friends with Anthony Weiner. So there was a lot of speculation and anticipation about how he would cover the story. Some folks are apparently displeased but I think he did ok. Expecting Stewart to cover stories — particularly ones he’s conflicted over — the way you’d want him to is a fool’s game for conservatives. Meanwhile, the fact that he covered it at all is bad news for Weiner. Might be NSFW for some folks out there:
Wasn't Jon roommates with Wiener in college? I had heard that, but wasn't sure.
He might be in a place to confirm the picture is in the erhm...ballpark
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseZakn: watch the video.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI don't think Stewart should be expected to mock a personal friend, but his line of business is not a particularly lenient one, so he is admittedly in a difficult position.
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abuseno on the roommate thing. Jon Leibowitz went to William & Mary and Weiner went to SUNY@Plattsburg. but Weiner is the only pol that Leibowitz has donated money to so there's that. this just highlights the fact that however much the left wants to take this guy seriously he is still just a clown who w/o his writers falls flat on his face. jonah proved that a few years back.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseWhat's up with the Liebowitz thing? He goes by his mom's name because his parents were divorced when he was young, and he doesn't have contact with Pa Liebowitz.
I sympathize with his viewpoints more than you, but I think that in his non-comic appearances (say his recent appearance on O'Reilly) he comes across as very thoughtful and reasonable.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseIf you watch the video piece, it speaks to the "roommate" thing and also, comically, whether Weiner, um, "measures up" to the offending photo.
It was a fair spot by Jon...especially with the shots he took at the inept MSM.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI thought he did a great job with the story considering the personal connection. Re: the roommates aspect--I took from the piece that they were roommates at the Delaware shore during summers while they were in college.
He really took it to the MSM for their failure to do real journalism. I know Stewart is a lib, but I usually respect him because, while I don't expect him to hawk the conservative line, he does seem fair from time to time.
And the closing line was priceless.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseYeah, I give him thumb up on this one. Quite funny.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseThis all reminds me of the Spinal Tap airport cucumber scene
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Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseSure, Stewart is a funny guy, but I'll offer a dissenting opinion here and say that I don't think this is very good nor do I think that it's particularly on point.
In almost seven minutes, Stewart doesn't offer a single joke, comment or clip from Weiner's two disastrous press conferences from earlier in the day. Isn't this what Stewart does most effectively; Offers burning criticism when people self-inflict their own wounds? And yet, Stewart can't think of a funny thing to say when Weiner literally calls a reporter at a press-conference a "j*ck*ss" just because the reporter dares to ask Weiner to answer a very simply answered question - "Is that you in the picture and did you send it?". Imagine if Michelle Bachmann or Rick Santorum had done the same thing.
For me this is just more of Stewart's typical fare - nothing but an in-kind contribution to the DNC.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseMy security words to comment for this were, 'labour of love'. Which is what this kind of scandal is for the Goldberg family.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI searched for postings from you indicating that Rep. King shouldn't resign...from back when that nonsense went down.
Much like your parents, I came up empty.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseIt was a funny and fair piece. When he took a whack at the reporting of it I was pleasantly surprised to see him call out CNN for their absolute laziness in reporting. I just assumed he'd replay how FOX was reporting it and then make fun of their reporting. Thus changing the topic. He didn't and Weiner looks like a shlub. A not too bright shlub.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseYeah...when Breitbart popped up on the insert, I figured - here we go, he's going to paint him badly. But, NO!...Stewart actually called out CNN for not having the answers or any apparent intention of finding them.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI agree with Scott Wilson; I think that Stewart let Weiner off the hook. It'll be interesting to see what he does in the coming days as the facts hopefully come out. But this was the biggest political story of the day (from a comedian's standpoint) and Stewart dropped the ball.
His partner in crime, Stephen Colbert, didn't even mention the story at all.
What did Stewart spend the first third of the show talking about? Sarah Palin.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseThe girther movement is born.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseStewart could have noted the same reporter asking basic questions (journalism 101) and getting obvious runaround answers. It can only lead to journalists prying more into that guy's private life, which should not be a matter of public opinion.
I can't believe he needs to be reminded that ticking off journalists and calling them offensive names for trying to do their job is not a way to get beyond a scandal.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseOh, and so far as personal conflict?
Recuse yourself and let your staff and fake reporters take a whack at the guy.
I like Stewart, but this really is a story with comedy gold. He decries the pugnacious/demagogue nature of politics and wants better discussions. He let a big fish who practices those tactics all the time off the hook.
Fail.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseCloaked in grey cotton, and digitally enhanced.
Tweeted from yfrog, to capture her glance.
Caution forgotten, like those vows that he swore.
Just what the truth is, he can't say anymore.
'Cause he loves us, yes he loves us, oh how he loves us.
Answering reporters, microphones in their hands,
Just what he's going through, they can't understand.
He's a kid of the 60's, answerable to no one.
He's free and he's easy, he just wanted to have fun.
And, he loves us, yes he loves us,
Oh, how he loves us, oh how he loves us.
Cloaked in grey cotton, and digitally enhanced.
Tweeted from yfrog, to capture her glance.
Caution forgotten, like those vows that he swore.
Just what the truth is, he doesn't care anymore.
'Cause he loves us, yes he loves us.
Oh how he loves us, oh how he loves us.
'Cause he loves us, yes he loves us.
Oh how he loves us, oh how he loves us.
The arrival of seriousness,
The gathering gloom,
Watching the lights fade,
From the DC Romper Room.
Old-fashioned moralists
Wait in the wings,
Say a debt limit's a debt limit.
Say the fat lady sings.
Recently married,
He still lives like he'll choose,
Raising the question
Was the marriage a ruse?
New Democrat picks up
And worships each check.
While seniors are frightened,
That their Medicare's a wreck.
He's a self-loving liar,
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseHe's empowered to spend,
To use funds to buy loyalty
While the safety net ends.
Promises broken,
Obligations sky-high,
And, still some do trust him,
The question is why?
He hopes -
To sustain the illusion.
2 words ...
Fisheye Lens ...
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