Neva Chonin of the San Francisco Chronicle has a few harsh words today for the audience of the Daily Show last Tuesday. She starts out nice enough…
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Random Thought No. 2: Group + Think = Oxymoron.
I know I talk too much about “The Daily Show’s” Jon Stewart and his handsome, bespectacled progeny, Stephen Colbert. What, you’d rather I talk about Ann Coulter? Y’all get mad at me when I talk about Ann Coulter. You do not understand the transcendental blondeness. Anyway, bear with me one more time, because I need to get something off my chest, and it isn’t my mammary glands.
If you missed it, Tuesday’s edition of “The Daily Show” proved, beyond a doubt, that neocons have nothing on liberals when it comes to mindless groupthink and bad manners. I’ll explain. Somehow, Stewart hooked John Bolton — former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, xenophobe, aspiring crypto-fascist and proud owner of a mustache — into appearing on his show to discuss the latest Bush administration scandal. You know, the firing of eight U.S. attorneys for political purposes. Hard to keep track sometimes. Anyway. The dialogue between these political polar opposites was a template in how to conduct a cordial debate in this, the era of ad hominem hatespeak: No matter how violently they disagreed, neither man interrupted, insulted, or bellowed at the other. Dude, they talked like civilized people. In 2007. Imagine that.
Only one thing could have improved the exchange: muzzles for the galoots in the studio audience, who responded to Stewart and Bolton’s civility by behaving like dittoheads on break from the Rush Limbaugh show. Stewart’s every word drew the usual prolonged cheering; Bolton’s replies met with the expected jeers. Gee, thanks, studio audience! I think I speak for “Daily Show” viewers everywhere when I say I wouldn’t have recognized Bolton as a right-wing nut job without your help. Bolton, in turn, was certainly shocked into re-examining his beliefs by your adamant scolding. And Stewart? How proud he must be to know he has such knee-jerk monkeys for fans.
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You might remember comments by Rob Corddry and (the more diplomatic) John Oliver regarding ‘knee-jerk’ audiences which sparked a bit of discussion here at NFZ.
I can’t agree completely with Neva on this one. The Bolton interview was one of the best interviews I had seen in a long time and the audience, for the most part, was ‘attentive. Once or twice towards the end they interrupted the pace of the show, which was unfortunate. Honestly, what bugs me the most with TDS and TCR audiences is the person who has to screech or hoot – it’s like nails on a chalk board to me.
Maybe Oliver is right and we have to remember how difficult it is to be an American these days and forgive our citizens for their ‘release of tension’. Maybe guests like Bolton should not be scheduled during Spring Break.
Let’s make it a video trifecta today – here’s the video of the interview courtesy of Comedy Central’s MotherLoad. Watch and discuss among yourselves.
I think John Oliver has a little better understanding of the audience’s perspective. They don’t get to exchange civil words with Bolton, who very civilly pretty much told them and anyone else who disagrees with this administration to take a hike. The audience took advantage of their one and only chance to be heard at all.
Anyway.
The person who wrote that criticism has a point, of course, but in making it she commits one of the acts that lead to “ad hominem hatespeak.” She’s being judgemental and bitchy. She’s calling names and not making any apparent attempt to understand how moving that whole encounter must have been. She describes Bolton as a xenophobic, crypto-fascist, and yet she doesn’t seem to understand why the audience made the noises they did. She can’t even give THEM credit for knowing what they were cheering and jeering.
I’m not defending the audience. My problem with excessive noise is that it interrupts the flow of conversation. But I don’t blame them for reacting and for expressing emotions. And if she’s going to take pride in watching TDS for intellectual stimulation, if she believes the show’s primary appeal is to thoughtful, concerned adults, then she should probably give the studio audience a little more credit. If only because SHE IS ONE OF THEM.
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I was at that taping and I would just like to say that ONE guy was responsible for the obnoxious clapping. When he clapped, some guy across the isle clapped causing a few other people to clap like the monkeys they are. Hmph.
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Let’s not forget that Stewart himself laughed in Bolton’s face a couple of times. Of course, I adored him for it.
The fact is, these people have run our country into the ground for years. When they send us a punching bag, it’s damn hard not to take a swing at it.
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Usually people who go to tapings want to laugh, be entertained, while being informed. To be put in an arena with John Bolton, of course you’re going to jeer, and clap, and the whatnot. This isn’t ‘Face The Nation’ or ‘This Week’ – this is THE DAILY SHOW on COMEDY CENTRAL. If you’re watching TDS to be completely informed in leiu of the news, and expecting the audience who is probably over tired from having to wait in line for 3 hours to act like ‘civilized folk’ – then you have some issues you need to work out.
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The thing is, Bolton didn’t have to come on to TDS, a show which is clearly left-leaning and clearly would view him critically. I think that the fact that he did definitely says something positive about him. And I think the audience should have been courteous and civil enough to acknowledge that. Like, there was totally unnecessary of applause for Jon when he said something – anything – against Bolton, and while, okay, you might not like the man, or agree with him, but at least give him the respect he deserves.
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I don’t see how you can control or stereotype a fan base. They don’t speak for all viewers/fans as the writter of the piece herself point out by claiming to be a viewer of the show. Critics cannot judge the show by how the audience responds…only if the show responds to the audience.
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I think this Neva chick needs to spend a couple of hours alone with a vibrator. She represents the elitist snobs who have no perception of what a tv comedy satire show is all about. If she wants intelligent debate maybe she could watch Fox News instead. I wouldn’t even credit her as a TDS fan with that snarky comment about the audience.
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