It should come as no surprise to fans of either show, but it looks like the mainstream press is waking up to the notion that the best places to catch scientific rock stars on TV are on The Daily Show or The Colbert Report. Some of my favorite guests have been science geeks (Brian Cox! Janna Levin!), and I’m already giddy with anticipation with tonight’s Daily Show interview of Neil deGrasse Tyson.
Today’s THE USA Today has a write-up of the Daily Show/Colbert Report and science phenomenon here (internal links omitted):
Best science on TV: Comedy Central’s Stewart, Colbert?
By Dan Vergano, USA TODAYLooking for science? Headed for Animal Planet or the Science Channel?
Think again, scientists say: All the cool kids want to sit across from Comedy Central’s Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert.
“Comedy Central is it, as far as science goes,” says Caltech physicist Sean Carroll, who is scheduled for a Colbert Report visit in March to promote his book, From Eternity to Here: The Quest for the Ultimate Theory of Time. “I give tremendous credit to The Daily Show and The Colbert Report for understanding that science is fascinating and fun, not off-putting and work.”
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I honestly think my favorite Jon Stewart and Neil deGrasse Tyson moment was the one where Jon teased Dr. Tyson about the Rubik’s Cube, but The Daily Show‘s link to that one is messed up. Still, to whet your appetite for tonight, please feel free to revisit this fun exchange instead:
| The Daily Show With Jon Stewart | Mon – Thurs 11p / 10c | |||
| Neil deGrasse Tyson | ||||
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I absolutely adore Neil deGrasse Tyson. He even has a really rockstar name! When I found out he was going to be in Tampa, FL last Thursday at the Museum of Science & Industry, I made the hour drive that night & was privileged to see him “live in concert”! Never has a Powerpoint presentation been so thrilling (especially since it was on the IMAX Dome screen). He did book signings afterwards and I got to say hi to him! He signed my copy of The Pluto Files and he said he liked my “I Need My Space” t-shirt from the Kennedy Space Center. I told him I named my telescope after him & Bill Nye & he squealed and laughed. I wanted to hug him so much.
It was a magical evening. My brain was so happy and my nerdy heart was overflowing :)
Can’t wait to see him on TDS tonight!
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I love the clip (briefly referenced in this one) where Jon says something like “every time you talk about the universe it makes me want to hug you!” I love that statement because it is humorous and yet you could see in his eyes that is was true, he really was feeling that wonder and awe. (Of course I love the “science makes me horny” comment in this one too!)
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I think I have watched every video lecture, interview, q&a that’s on the internet of Dr. Tyson. The common thing in all of the videos is that he is the most engaging scientist I have ever watched.
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yeah, I had also the same opinion that Dr.Tyson is a great scientist I have ever seen
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