"The Daily Show": Week of 3/9/15

[trow125]

3/9: Rep. John Lewis (Congressman, Georgia's Fifth Congressional District & co-author of “March”)
3/10: Abbi Jacobson & Ilana Glazer (promoting “Broad City”)
3/11: Common (hip hop artist & actor – promoting movie “Run All Night”)
3/12: Rob Corddry (promoting “Children’s Hospital”)

[attica]

This might be my favorite slate of guests in eons!

[The Luvly Junkie]

(sniff... still crying since news broke about Sam Bee leaving. Seriously, is there any other correspondent who wants to join them, too?? T_T Life is so unfair...)

 

On the bright side, good to know Rob Corddry is paying another visit to his alma mater. And Common...what else do I need to say about him besides him being the one and only Lonnie Lynn?

 

TDS, why you have to stab my heart so slowly?!? Waaaah~ (Increase quantity of tissue boxes on my shopping list) Y_Y

[Jediknight]

Well since I know Jon will cover Kris Kobach being a complete jackass.  I'd just like to get out in front of it, and say on behalf of my state I apologize.

[LADreamr]

Last night on Night of Too Many Stars, Jon made a comment about still being famous for another four months. I hope that's not all we have left of him.

[iMonrey]

Hmm, sounds like maybe they've settled on an end-date. Kind of makes sense for him to leave at the end of spring so the show can start fresh with someone new this fall.

[ruby24]

So, probably in July then, like it was rumored he wanted it to be.

[Victor the Crab]

Four months left of Jon? That's too short! NOOOOOOOOOO!

 

Well, a great episode tonight covering the 50th anniversary of the Selma march, followed by a great interview with John Lewis. Great that he appeared on TDS right following the events of the weekend, and that he retold the events from half a century ago.

 

Oh yeah, Fuck you both CNN and Fox News!

[brgjoe]

Actually I though that was kinda tame for Fox News.  Was surprised one of those idiot talking heads didn't say something like, "Gee, if John Lewis and those protesters would have just obeyed the police, they wouldn't have been hurt...."  ;)

 

It was great to see John Lewis on the show.  Am glad Jon didn't have another comedy segment and went right to the interview with him.  Lewis is such a great and humble man and I could listen to him tell stories about his life all day long.  A true American hero and patriot.

 

And definitely share your sentiments about CNN and Fox News, VtC.  :)

[The Luvly Junkie]

Did anyone record the telethon parts of the Night of Too Many Stars? It's probably not the funniest part of the whole benefit, but I'm just glad to see so many correspondents together. We're probably not gonna see that (and more) until Jonny-bun's last day. And really, July? 4 months is more than Ollie-Scone's host tenure!!! It's too soon!!!

 

I have yet to see John Lewis' interview, but watching last night's first segment, I knew I was in for something really good. Can I just assess the fact that everyone (including myself) will agree that CNN and Fox can go fuck themselves??? It's even weirder now that Fox's criticism wasn't as harsh, as brgjoe pointed out. 

Edited March 10, 2015 by The Luvly Junkie

[peeayebee]

Really good show. I also could listen to John Lewis talk all day. 

 

There were a couple of jokes I really liked. "Can a brother get a phone book?" Jon wasn't the only one wondering why the organizers of this commemoration didn't think about Lewis's height.

 

And I cracked up at Jon pointing at the camera and admonishing the viewers for just sitting on their butts.  

[dubbel zout]

I can't imagine what a slap in the face to John Lewis the changes to the Voting Rights Act must have been.

 

I like how Jon emphasized that fifty years ago is still within living memory for a lot of people. And I like how Lewis said civil rights were a lifelong struggle. It's kind of depressing, but on the other hand, things have come a long way. (They have a long way to go, but progress has occurred.)

[VCRTracking]

I'm hoping for a seppuku joke tonight.

[Wax Lion]

I have a lot of respect for John Lewis but it really bugs me whenever he talks about March like he had to tell the story with pictures to get kids interested in the Civil Rights movement. From what I've heard, March is a great graphic novel and a great graphic novel is a lot more than just making a story easier to follow with pictures, it's about using the words and art together. Whenever I hear Lewis talk about working on it to get kids interested, it leaves me the impression March isn't a good graphic novel.

 

I really wish someone would prep him to talk a little about the medium better, you don't have to make him read Understanding Comics or Words and Pictures but give him a couple talking points about the artists and what they did to bring the story to life in a way prose wouldn't.

[Victor the Crab]

I won't feel sorry Ringling Bros. is phasing out their elephant act. I just hope the elephants get a nice place to live out their days after all the misery they've had to endure.l

[brgjoe]

Perhaps I am misinterpreting what Jon said in the first segment, but it appeared to me as if he were using a false equivalence on what those senators were doing with that letter, comparing it to what Pelosi did in 2007.  While I wasn't thrilled with what she did back then, what has been going on against Obama has been pretty much the Republicans trying to marginalize him from Day #1.   From the Republicans pretty much openly stating they won't help cut deals with him in order for him to be a one term president, to yelling "You lie!" in the middle of a freaking State of the Union speech, to going behind the President's back to invite a foreign leader to address Congress, to now this letter to one of our adversaries just to sabotage a deal that's about to be struck.   The disrespect against a sitting president to me has been unprecedented.  And now this letter which could very mean (yet another) war could be started over there.

 

So to compare what she did to what FORTY-SEVEN senators did to me doesn't pass the equivalence test to me.  Especially considering what that party has been doing ever since the very moment this President has been sworn in.

[Splash]

My favorite part of the the Fox News bit about the Times cropping out GWB is the fact that they used a completely different picture to illustrate their outrage.  Pay no attention to the bridge behind the people, Fox News viewers!

[shok]

Jon and his false equivalence meme has finally finished me off. I'm done with him.

[peeayebee]

I loved Lewis Black's segment. It was hilarious. "50 Tons of Grey." So many great lines.

 

I don't watch Broad City, but that clip did nothing for me. I've heard the show is very funny, and I'd probably watch it if I didn't have 10,000 other programs to watch.

 

I need to extend my DVR recording of TDS because the end keeps cutting off. I assume that was Sam Simon. It cut off as he started to repeat a quote someone had said. Can anybody tell me what followed?

[dubbel zout]

Simon said (sorry! Not my fault!) something along the lines of "People say the work is its own reward; then what's this?" and held up the award he won.

 

I loved how visibly thrilled the Broad City ladies were to be on the show. 

 

ETA: Concordance.

Edited March 11, 2015 by dubbel zout

[ganesh]

Broad City is *hilarious*. If you can make room for it, do. It's only a half hour show. Everyone on the boards who watched 

 

I'm not sure Pelosi visiting Syria is the same thing as this letter either. Congressional leaders visit foreign leaders all the time. I'm doubtful Pelosi was going to Syria claiming any diplomatic authority than it was gathering information and seeing what Assad was like, the situation there. Pelosi was also the speaker at the time, which does carry come authority and I think would afford one the latitude to visit other places.

 

It's already been said though, 2008 started with "we are going to make this a one term president". There's been a continual pattern of behavior in hampering the president's ability to do his job. The segment severely lacked context. The letter itself claimed clearly congressional authority trumped the executive's negotiating authority. Even though they neglected to mention that the makeup of congress itself might be different in 2017 anyway. 

 

On PBSNews, they asked the senator if he was aware about the 95% number, which he completely blew off. He claimed that this was different because it was a nuclear issue, but clearly, nuclear agreements have been made without congressional approval as well as with Iran anyway. So it's obviously this is a completely different case with a completely different motivation. There's actually a more palatable measure with 60+ support in the senate that's been effectively torpedoed because of this letter now. 

[futurechemist]

I like Lewis Black and I like Back in Black.  But I thought this segment missed the mark.  People might be sad that Ringling Brothers won't use elephants, but that's because elephants are very intelligent, nearly as intelligent as primates.  So mocking them for this decision left a bad taste in my mouth.

[ganesh]

I think he was mocking people for being kind of hypocritical. There's no real debate that the elephants shouldn't be in the circus, but he's saying people get all up in arms about this, but don't give a shit how their food is treated. He's not mocking the decision, he's mocking the fake self-righteousness. 

[Sharpie66]

Pelosi went to Syria after notifying the White House and actually getting some briefing on the situation over there from administration officials. What happened with that letter is completely different, and Jon should correct himself on that point tonight, but he won't because he is all about the false equivalency.

[ganesh]

I didn't even know she got clearance. I figured it's within the purview of the office of Speaker to do stuff like that. That's even worse on TDS then.

[iMonrey]

 

Perhaps I am misinterpreting what Jon said in the first segment, but it appeared to me as if he were using a false equivalence on what those senators were doing with that letter, comparing it to what Pelosi did in 2007.

 

Yeah, this really bugged me too. When Pelosi met with Assad, the U.S. was not in negotiations - along with five other countries - with Syria for a major nuclear deal. Big difference. And Pelosi didn't essentially say to Assad "don't listen to anything our President has to say."

 

I want to give Jon the benefit of the doubt on this, and say his point was really about the fact that both Republicans and Senators reacted to both of these situations the same way. That's still being generous to Jon though. 

[DXD526]

What Pelosi did doesn't qualify as sedition, but what those 47 senators did does, IMO. It's very nice to want to be fair and show both sides, but sometimes there isn't another side except the wrong one. Last night's segment doesn't pass the smell test. It makes me a whole lot less sad about Jon leaving.

[attica]

I liked hearing that Sam Bee runs that phone bank like a boss.

[Bastet]

It's very nice to want to be fair and show both sides, but sometimes there isn't another side except the wrong one.

 

One of the reasons TDS' false equivalency segments piss me off so much is they ran a piece long ago (when Stephen was a correspondent) just annihilating the practice.  Stephen was, of course, the arrogant but clueless reporter going on about how he was an objective newsman because he reported what one side said, and then reported what the other side said.  Jon pointed out that what the other side said was clearly a lie, and therefore shouldn't Stephen's job as a journalist be to provide the public with the facts exposing it as a lie.

 

So the recurring habit of engaging in the same crap for which they rightly mocked the mainstream media annoys me all the more.

[Wax Lion]

I'm going to try to write off last night's episode as due to Daylight Savings because it just seemed to miss all over.

 

I know Jon has a strong dislike of Pelosi, one that gets to an almost personal level of disappointment but he's used her in interviews as an example of someone you think might be one of the good guys but turns out to be just as corrupted as everyone else once you start paying attention. It's the one part of Jon I really don't like, he sees politics as a dirty nasty game (which it is), if you try to play it by its rules there's no way to become a horrible corrupt person and there are no shades of grey. And if you try to avoid the game to maintain your morals, Jon calls you weak and too foolish to understand the stupidity of the American voter.

 

I'm not sure if it's something I see as false equivalence as much as an excess of cynicsm with no eye on how to improve things.

 

But I think it requires blinders on Jon's part that he doesn't understand, at the very least, talking with someone one President is giving the silent treatment and actually undermining a negotiation. I doubt Pelosi was going to come back with a peace treaty with Syria so the Democrats could campaign on what a failure Bush was. Judging by history, the Republicans are going to undermine Obama's peace talks and say it proves what a terrible leader he is. They have a long history of creating problems and then pointing to the problem as proof of Obama's ineffectiveness.

 

But both segments fell seriously flat for me so I'm going to excuse it and say the team is sleepy from Daylight Savings.

[ruby24]

The thing about Pelosi is that for what her job was, as Speaker of the House, she got stuff DONE. She did, and she may have used Republican tactics and she seems like a crass politician or whatever, but she was so much better at her actual JOB than Boehner, whose House runs roughshod over him. Pelosi's House in the first two years of the Obama administration passed more progressive legislation than any time since the 1960's. Most of it died in the Senate of course, but since a Speaker's only real task is to "get the votes," that's what she did and what she was very effective at doing.

 

Jon seems to hate her for other reasons, like he thinks she needs to be a face of the party the way a presidential candidate is, but that's really not her purpose as House leader. House leaders only have to get the party aligned behind them, and she was very good at that. I don't have any problems with her.

[possibilities]

Even the New York Daily News condemned the 47 senators-- and they are typically right wing apologists! So Jon needs to seriously think about whether his ideology is interfering with his lucidity, or whether he's content to be as hypocritically lazy as other media commenters he has made a living calling out on similar shenanigans.

 

ETA: Okay, this is funny. Response to the 47, from Iranian Foreign Minister:

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2015/03/09/1369700/-BREAKING-Iran-s-Foreign-Minister-responds-to-the-letter-from-47-Republican-Senators?detail=email

Edited March 11, 2015 by possibilities

[walnutqueen]

I loved Lewis Black's segment. It was hilarious. "50 Tons of Grey." So many great lines.

 

I don't watch Broad City, but that clip did nothing for me. I've heard the show is very funny, and I'd probably watch it if I didn't have 10,000 other programs to watch.

 

I need to extend my DVR recording of TDS because the end keeps cutting off. I assume that was Sam Simon. It cut off as he started to repeat a quote someone had said. Can anybody tell me what followed?

 

Sam Simon said :  True happiness is the happiness that comes from being honored.  I love scrolls, I love plaques, I love trophies; I got a building named after me ... Someone actually once said "A Good deed is it's own reward".  (holds up janky looking award)  Well then what's this?

 

I loved Lewis Black's piece.  And while I'm at it, fuck SeaWorld, too.

[ganesh]

To be fair, the Speaker is basically the second highest elected office, so I'd say their job is a little more than just get the votes. 

[ruby24]

They're not elected to be speaker by the people though. They're elected to Congress, that's just a leadership position.

[Victor the Crab]

That Oklahoma football player had nothing to apologize for telling those racist frat boys off. And that guy who said sorry for saying that shit? He and his "bros" are only sorry they got caught. Anybody want to bet that they all would accuse other people of being reverse racists if they were accused of the shit they were saying?

 

Oh, and you want to know what alcohol does? It makes you say what's really on your mind. Who needs a lie detector when you have rye?

[Jediknight]

That Oklahoma football player had nothing to apologize for telling those racist frat boys off.

Yeah, Eric Striker doesn't need to apologize to anybody for what he said.

 

All throughout that I was wondering when Jon would mention that Oklahoma took quick action against the fraternity.  I was kind of expecting them to not mention it, but they of course did mention it, and Oklahoma got kudos for the fast action against the frat.

Edited March 12, 2015 by Jediknight

[SpiritSong]

I like Lewis Black and I like Back in Black.  But I thought this segment missed the mark.  People might be sad that Ringling Brothers won't use elephants, but that's because elephants are very intelligent, nearly as intelligent as primates.  So mocking them for this decision left a bad taste in my mouth.

What left a bad taste in my mouth was Ringling Brothers deciding to stop abusing these magnificent animals, but not for 3 years. Greed is more important to them than humane treatment, but then that's true of at least 95% of American companies.

[SpiritSong]

The thing about Pelosi is that for what her job was, as Speaker of the House, she got stuff DONE. She did, and she may have used Republican tactics and she seems like a crass politician or whatever, but she was so much better at her actual JOB than Boehner, whose House runs roughshod over him. Pelosi's House in the first two years of the Obama administration passed more progressive legislation than any time since the 1960's. Most of it died in the Senate of course, but since a Speaker's only real task is to "get the votes," that's what she did and what she was very effective at doing.

 

Jon seems to hate her for other reasons, like he thinks she needs to be a face of the party the way a presidential candidate is, but that's really not her purpose as House leader. House leaders only have to get the party aligned behind them, and she was very good at that. I don't have any problems with her.

I have a lot of problems with her but you're absolutely right about her effectiveness as Speaker of the House. I didn't agree with many of her decisions, but under her leadership things got done and she certainly was not the laughingstock that Boehner is. He couldn't pour water out of a boot if there were instructions on the heel.

Comparing her visit to Syria with the treason of 47 republican senators was some pretty weak tea, as Larry Wilmore would say.

[dubbel zout]

He couldn't pour water out of a boot if there were instructions on the heel.

He'd cry it out.

[ganesh]

I don't think Clinton really did anything wrong, but it's fair that someone should have anticipated that this would happen. 

 

Rap music gets blamed for more things than Obama, I swear. I mean, 18/19 boys are *stupid* as I well know from being one, but even I knew that saying the n word was wrong.

[Hanahope]

What's almost surprising is that these guys sang that song when it was so easy for anyone to record it and then post it.  I mean really, don't kids realize that anything and everything they do these days has the potential, almost very likelihood, of being recorded and posted?  You'd think that alone would keep most in line.

 

I agree that I don't think what Hillary did was wrong, but after seeing what has happened to Obama for the last 6 years, she should have realized that every little thing she does is going to be scrutinized and if at all criticizable and have the ability to be made into a mountain, will be.

[dubbel zout]

after seeing what has happened to Obama for the last 6 years, she should have realized

 

Hillary has been under intense scrutiny for decades. People have been playing "gotcha" with her forever. Yet she still doesn't seem to care/understand that the more she obfuscates, the worse it looks for her. I'll never understand it.

[iMonrey]

 

What's almost surprising is that these guys sang that song when it was so easy for anyone to record it and then post it.  I mean really, don't kids realize that anything and everything they do these days has the potential, almost very likelihood, of being recorded and posted?  You'd think that alone would keep most in line.

 

It hasn't been determined, to my knowledge, just who took the video and who posted it online. If the bus was only occupied by the frat bros they probably figured they were all of a like mind and had no worries about snitches. I wonder if there was a pledge or something on the bus who didn't get picked then decided to get even.

Edited March 12, 2015 by iMonrey

[LADreamr]

don't kids realize that anything and everything they do these days has the potential, almost very likelihood, of being recorded and posted? You'd think that alone would keep most in line.

But if they think they're right and that there's nothing wrong with their racism, there's nothing to guard themselves against.

[Hanahope]

But if they think they're right and that there's nothing wrong with their racism, there's nothing to guard themselves against.

 

So kindof like climate change.  If you don't believe in it, it doesn't exist.  Certainly SCOTUS seems to agree.

[LADreamr]

Also, that house mother knew she was being filmed. The camera was right in her face, and she was gleefully singing those lyrics. The person filming the whole thing must have had a problem with this behavior for some time, to go to this trouble. I just feel terrible for anyone of color who sees things like this and feels further isolated or untrusting.

[scarynikki12]

I like to think that the guy who recorded them hadn't been aware of the racism before, was appalled, thought "eff these guys" and happily posted to the Internet.

[attica]

don't kids realize that anything and everything they do these days has the potential, almost very likelihood, of being recorded and posted?

 

Kids have unformed brains. They understand that everything gets filmed and posted -- it's what you do!  They don't understand that people beyond those in their immediate social circle might see it and Have Reactions Other Than "Like". Their understandings just don't extend that far. 

[dubbel zout]

Kids who are 18 and older should know, I think, but that will always be argued.