EPISODE NUMBER: 7035 (March 9, 2011)
GUESTS: Anthony Weiner, David Brooks
SEGMENTS: Stephen Gives up Catholicism for Lent, Bench Press
VIDEOS: Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Before I start, a big Get Well Soon to our buddy Jacob, our Junior Senior Correspondent, who had a procedure yesterday to get a better look at his heart. Here’s hoping for a quick recovery, and enjoy that Valium while you can!
Happy Late Ash Wednesday! While I think it’s hysterical that Stephen is giving up Catholicism for Lent, I also found it doubly funny that by eating pork, “Stephen” was breaking Stephen’s Ash Wednesday abstinence. Oh, Catholics, you are so wacky! But apparently not as wacky as those Jews and their skull doilies. I also love how Stephen had a wet-wipe, a Yarmulke, and a huge plate of bacon just hanging out underneath his desk. I will say that I think that Stephen makes a much better looking Catholic than Jew. But maybe that’s just my Catholic guilt talking. Oy vey!
Stephen’s montage with Congressman Zero Body Fat, aka Anthony Weiner and various pundits was both pitiful and … okay, it was mostly pitiful. But Weiner does have a very good point about Clarence Thomas’s wife making money for the Heritage Foundation. And I’d love to earn some walking around $700,000. That would buy a whole lot of shiny things with an Apple on them. I was a bit disappointed in the David Brooks interview in that Stephen was very clearly trying to get Brooks to delve into how the book relates to “Stephen”, and Brooks kept on with his talking points without batting an eye. It’s so rare that Stephen invites his guests to break down that fourth wall with him, and Brooks totally dropped the ball.
What did you all think of Stephen’s new Judaism? Leave it in the comments, if you didn’t give up the Internet for Lent.
- You may have noticed that I am holier than thou are.
- It’s basically the hand stamp for God’s nightclub.
- So, for the next 40 days, I am giving up Catholicism.
- Wow. I feel so empty. Is this what Unitarians feel like all the time?
- This is terrible, now there’s nothing to keep me from masturbating. Fight it!
- You know what, I’m in media, I’ll start with Judaism – Catholicism’s cranky grandfather.
- I got my skull doily right there. Oh this feels good. I can feel the chosenness coursing through my veins already. And oh, Hey! Now I’m circumcised.
- As a Jewish person I will give up not eating bacon.
- All for you, Not Jesus.
- Oh my God, this is so unclean.
- You know, so far being Jewish has been pretty good. I don’t know what we’re always complaining about. It’s a good thing that I’m Jewish, or that might have sounded anti-Semitic.
- Wow you two, get a padded room already!
- That’s right, no one is the boss of [the Supreme Court Justices]. That’s why when you get confirmed to the Supreme Court, you get a clerk, a gavel, and a bumper sticker that says “Suck it, Bitch!” and may it please the court.
- I don’t want to have sex with your book. Not that, I’m sure, it wouldn’t be a loving, giving experience.
- They’ll throw you out of the store if you do that, by the way.
- Hello world! Oh hear me, oh Israel!
- Does anger count as an emotion? Because I’m very good at that one.
I wish Anthony Weiner was my congressman. I loved the interview! The Supreme Court is the court that decides the constitutionality of any and every law in this country, and they do not have to abide by any code of ethics. That makes my head hurt.
Stephen’s “And oh, Hey! Now I’m circumcised.” line cracked me up. And I loved that he asked the audience if his forehead looked okay after he wiped off the ash mark. Not entirely sure why, but I liked it.
Shout Out (Hey!):
+3
Welcome to to the tribe, Stephen! You don’t really have much of a Yiddishe punim, but it’s a very nice punim anyway. And so…you’ve already sinned! Next Yom Kippur you’re going to have to be on the other end of the atonement phone, apologizing instead of being apologized to.
Love the way he’s on the attack against the loathsome Clarence Thomas. When somebody’s that powerful, and there are no guiding ethics, the watchdogs must stay alert. I also adored the interview with Anthony Weiner. He’s not my congressman, but I’d vote for him anytime. (Although, I must say, my own is wonderful, thank heavens.)
Another great show.
Shout Out (Hey!):
+3
Whoops, the atone phone, not atonement!!!
Shout Out (Hey!):
0
I loved Stephen becoming Jewish for Lent! It was so silly & absurd that it made me forget (momentarily) the horror of all that’s happening in the midwest right now. Honestly, I don’t know if I could have gotten to sleep without TCR last night, I was so pi$$ed off!
Anyway… Does anybody know what Stephen said to Weiner at the end of the interview? It reminded me of someone from TDS (Was it Ben Karlin?) who said the Jewish writers loved to give the Gentiles performer Jewish words/expressions to say because they (the Gentiles) were so terrible at saying them. From the way Weiner laughed at the end of the interview I think Stephen kept that streak alive! :D
God bless Stephen & TCR!
Shout Out (Hey!):
+2
I don’t know if Stephen was especially funny or if I was just especially giggly when I watched this, but the whole conversion to Judaism, in fact everything up to the interview (sorry David Brooks) just had me in stitches. “HEY!…and now I’m circumcised.” I was reminded of Jerry’s dentist on Seinfeld, just converting to Judaism for the jokes lol.
Anthony Weiner’s the man. Didn’t he used to be roomies with Jon? I wish him well in his (possible) mayoral run, but frankly we need a whole lot more of him in Washington.
Shout Out (Hey!):
+2
I think Weiner was laughing because Stephen said Weiner was a “shanda to the goyim,” which would mean a shame on the gentiles… I think he meant that he was a “shanda to the yehudim,” which would mean shame to the Jewish people. At least that, and the accent, may have been why he was laughing… but what the heck, Stephen is just funny!
And Stephen, I think you make a very handsome Jewish man. I love the yarmulke. I have just a few questions to ask you: Are you feeling alright? Would you like something to eat? What’s the matter, you don’t like my chicken soup? Does you wife make it like I do? No, of course she doesn’t. How are the children? Private schools? Why private schools? What, public schools aren’t good enough for you?…
Oh, man — for a second I was channeling my great grandmother…
I love you, Stephen! When is the bar mitzvah?!?
Shout Out (Hey!):
+2
Oh my goodness! The Giving-Up-Catholicism-For-Lent/(Fake)-Converting-To-Judaism had me in stitches! Most of my best friends are Jewish, so that segment really tickled me. LOVED the “And oh, Hey! Now I’m circumcised” quote! It had me doubling over. And I also think that Stephen is very handsome as a Jewish man, and especially in the sense that he really, truly is a real life mensch, if I do say so myself. :) Plus he did a perfect Jewish impression in the sign off, which ended a good episode. Can’t wait to see what new religion he’ll follow next! Anthony Weiner was great. I can definitely see him getting along with Jon as roommates. I actually rather enjoyed David Brook. A little flat at times, but still interesting. Another keeper in the iTunes inventory.
Shout Out (Hey!):
+2