The Life of Jon

by Brian McKim & Traci Skene on August 29th, 2008

There is a tremendous article in USA Today which describes the difficulties faced by the producers, writers, correspondents and host of The Daily Show doing their show on the road from Denver.

Problem is, all that love is interfering with their task at hand: catching unguarded delegates in funny outfits acting foolish. This is the show’s sixth road trip, having covered the 2000 and 2004 conventions (including one in the show’s home base of New York City) and having gone to Washington and Columbus, Ohio, for midterm elections in 2002 and 2006.

But as the show has grown more popular– averaging 1.8 million viewers this year, up 13 per cent from last– things have changed. Among a certain crowd of news media, politicians and educated young viewers courted by them, it’s a sacred institution.

And, as it becomes more holy, Stewart becomes more uncomfortable and just a bit cranky. But Stewart can’t help himself. He courts his sacred status by doing things like having breakfast with a couple dozen political reporters from across the country and berating them. He takes the news orgs to task and bemoans “that false sense of urgency they create, the sense that everything is breaking news… The 24-hour networks are now driving the narratives and everyone else is playing catch-up.” Professor Stewart must be amused by just how much abuse the media will take from him. (And he must get a tingle when dishing it out.)

Not all are amused. The SF Chronicle’s Phil Bronstein:

But, get this. He “declared his love for newspapers,” the Post story said. OK, we’ll take it as a win for our struggling medium, but doesn’t that make him an old fogy? What else did he say: Network newscasts are “obsolete.” Cable TV news is a circus and Fox News is not “fair and balanced.” Oh, and some journalists get too cozy with their subjects.

How many millions of times have you read that critique? I look to Jon for great irreverence, brilliant, rapier-like insight and hilarity. Please, Jon, don’t start saying what everyone else says. Unless you’re going to satirize yourself.

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