Daily Show
I watch the Daily Show religiously, and I have to admit that the show seems to have taken serious change in tone since they moved to the new set. Granted, I only have 6 shows to analyze, but they seem to have changed dramatically.
First, the Daily Show put together one of the most coherent and fair explanations I have seen on the whole Rove scandal. Second, Stewart verbally demolished Bernard Goldberg and his enemies list. Third, Stewart got into a real in-depth discussion with Michael Isikoff about the important issue being the administration's dishonesty.
Tonight though sealed it for me. Something is different. The guest was Robert Kennedy Jr. He was on to discuss a story he's trying to get out about a mercury-based vaccine additive that's been linked to autism. According to his information, (studies, scientists, statistics, etc) it's a done deal that they are connected. Salon has the story in more detail. The thing that struck me was that Stewart did not interrupt at all. He shot like maybe one joke in at the end, but other than that he didn't cut in. It seems to me that Stewart just wanted to get this story out, since Kennedy had trouble getting the story out, (part of his tale is how ABC just edited the piece into a commercial for the Pharmaceutical industry.)
So all this makes me think that Jon Stewart has been building his audience, driving up his numbers, and is now going to take them out for a spin, doing more advocacy and more editorializing. In short, people are listening, and now the Daily Show is ratcheting up what they have to say. I wonder if it has to do with the positive reaction Stewart got from spanking Tucker Carlson. Did it help makee him realize that his auidience will indulge him during his forays into substantitive issues.
Of course this could all prove false if he start softballing guests again (Clinton, Kerry, O'Reily) but time will tell.
On a side, and completely non-related note, Jon Stewart was once somehow convinced by Craig Liggeons into doing a little shill for Polywumpus Improv Comedy during one of his stand-up shows. I don't know how it happened but I'm sure that's the key to his success.
I'm sure that it did -- both in the sense that people appreciated what he had to say, and -- though he helped get Crossfire cancelled -- that political television hasn't changed all that much since he made that appearance. And I think he feels a responsibility to do something about it.
It will be interesting to see how far the audience is willing to go on this new ride.
Posted by: Matt at July 21, 2005 2:41 PM