TDS 3.0: Season One Talk

[marceline]

 

you could see the exact moment Jordan went "holy shit, this isn't funny anymore" as he kept trying unsuccessfully to find the line that would finally be too far for these people.

 

I've been saying all along that the best thing that the Dems could do is keep Trump's followers in the limelight instead of him. Just put a camera on them and keep it running. There's not an independent, moderate or old school Republican that would want to be lumped in with those folks.

[nodorothyparker]

I wonder how many of these people are voting in the primaries anyway.

 

Just once I would like to see the interviewer ask these people if they're even registered to vote, do they normally vote in primaries, and if so how have they generally voted in the past?  Would it be particularly illuminating for the Republicans who are working overtime to distance themselves from Trump or is the entire election being held hostage by people who probably won't be showing up to the polls anyway?  That's the one thing I wish Jordan had managed to work in but it wouldn't have likely made for a ha-ha moment either.

[topanga]

Just once I would like to see the interviewer ask these people if they're even registered to vote, do they normally vote in primaries, and if so how have they generally voted in the past?  Would it be particularly illuminating for the Republicans who are working overtime to distance themselves from Trump or is the entire election being held hostage by people who probably won't be showing up to the polls anyway?  That's the one thing I wish Jordan had managed to work in but it wouldn't have likely made for a ha-ha moment either.

As much as it pains me to say it, politicians shouldn't ignore the voting power of motivated "common people," even people who don't usually vote. Republicans ignored them in 2008 and 2012, and they lost the Presidential election both times.

 

I think that's why TDS continues to follow Trump and his supporters. Yes, they're ridiculous, but Trevor doesn't treat them as an insignificant joke. 

[AnaRow]

Would it be particularly illuminating for the Republicans who are working overtime to distance themselves from Trump or is the entire election being held hostage by people who probably won't be showing up to the polls anyway?

 

Are they actually working overtime to distance themselves from him?  I know some of the old-school ones have a problem with him but (for example) I don't see how saying you'd only let Christian refugees in the country is all that far from banning Muslims.

[SmithW6079]

I think that's why TDS continues to follow Trump and his supporters. Yes, they're ridiculous, but Trevor doesn't treat them as an insignificant joke. 

Proto-fascist Trump and his brownshirt followers are the furthest thing from an insignificant joke.

[possibilities]

I don't know why they wouldn't vote. If they show up for rallies, doesn't that take more effort than showing up to cast a vote. Is there actual research showing that Trump supporters don't vote? They seem like Tea Party members to me, and they vote, don't they? I know a few who do, at least. And if we dismiss a portion of the population because we think they won't vote, I think that's a bad policy anyway. These people exist, in large numbers. There is a truth about our country that is embodied in these people, and it has an effect. Moreover, there are lots of people who can't vote (children, ex-cons to name two groups) and ignoring them is a bad policy. I think ignoring adults with this huge well of racist hateful angry energy is also a perilous practice. Eventually things boil over. It could be this election or it could be another way, but it's not an insignificant problem either way.
 

All the pearl clutching by the Republican establishment also strikes me as disingenuous. As was said upthread, there's really not much distance between "ban Muslims" and "only allow Christians," and a lot of what the other candidates advocate is no less outrageous than what Trump proposes. They're just scared because he's not using his inside(the beltway) voice to say it, and because he can't be bought or influenced by Party money. His ego and his bank account make him independent of the Party machine, and I think that's what bothers the Party more than what he's actually preaching.

[ganesh]

Maybe the people who traveled to Vegas will be voting in the primaries, but I'm talking about all the people at the rallies. Turnout at primaries is low, and largely establishment style voters. Trump may be changing that, but it's a relevant question and would have fit into the piece.

The rest of the candidates are running the classic con : misdirection. While they all yell how Trump is awful, and Trump is yelling back, no one is asking why you voted to defund PP? Did you know that the baby parts video was fake? Why does your own party not really like you very much?

So, no, they aren't really distancing themselves that much. Are a majority of women going to vote for any of these people in the general? Latinos?

Bush is calling Trump names, while literally running an email scam. Could you imagine if Trump busted that out?

The debates are a farce because the networks use them for ratings stunts. Because they're networks. Because they all complained about how last cycle the questions are too hard.

[formerlyfreedom]

Let's talk about The Daily Show - the debates are not the topic here.

[kassygreene]

You're telling me, possibilities; that was just horrific.  The guy who was just as mystified as Jordan was re: why he even supported Trump, the lady insisting that "the vast majority" of undocumented immigrants are criminals... I just... *shudder*.  It got to the point where, when Jordan was trying to find out what would put them off Trump, I couldn't even tell who pissed me off more:  the two guys who were apparently cool with registering Jews, or everyone else who just proved their bigotry/hypocrisy by supporting the registry of Muslims when doing that for another religion would be a deal-breaker for them.  Ugh, NO words.

 

Also?  Jeb Bush running a Nigerian prince scam.  Thank you for that, Trevor.

 

Eight or nine years ago when I was living in the DC area, and doing my grocery shopping via my condo's shuttle, I had a trip with a woman like the one I bolded above.  Her husband had been a political appointee director of some agency or bureau, Clinton replaced him in 1993 because political appointees at that level get replaced when there is a change of administration, and she was still annoyed a dozen years later.  Now before this I knew her and her husband as fairly comfortable retirees - she boasted about their second home in Las Vegas (who does that?), about their bucket list trips, and I generally tuned her out.  But on this day there were four passengers and the driver, and after looking at each of us to make sure we were the appropriate shade of pale, she brought up a story from that morning's paper about a major arrest of some drug-making or distributing operation run by some Hispanics.  Since all of us (except the driver, a nice guy who I enjoyed talking to but whom she regarded as an African-American who knew his place) were white, she figured it was safe to say "you know, all those immigrants are criminals."  So for the first and last time I talked to her.  I pointed out that immigrant groups are always lumped together as The Other until a new group comes in, that one ethnicity is no more uniform in behavior than any other, and that what she was claiming was the sort of thing people used to claim about the Irish.

 

Found out later she was Irish-American.  It did shut her up that day, and she never spoke to me again.  Win-win.

 

That's not a Nigerian prince scam, that's a straight up OG mafia shakedown. You can't charge people to opt out of a mailing list. 

 

Jordan's piece is part of a much larger picture I've been noticing on the political landscape.  On Sunday, there was a similar focus group piece on Face the Nation where a Republican pollster/pundit was essentially doing the same thing, but within the context of the Republican candidates only, as opposed to the more general piece Jordan did. They were both quite similar, but on Sunday, they talked about Obama too. One thing that came across is the massive hypocrisy in groups and the massive information deficit.

I know Jordan can't really antagonize too much, but when he flat out said the thing about Mexicans isn't true, the woman was like, "ok, so?" I don't think it matters to them. You can point out how wrong they are, but they'll just double down on it. I think it was a good move in that case for Jordan to just push as far as he could to see where it would break down. I tend to think those people who put down the placard when Jordan said "register Jews" were only doing it because they were like, "oh I'm on tv, he said Jews."

 

Basically, both groups came down to, "why do you think that?" "Because" and "Trump is saying what people are thinking." Ok, that's fine, but then you're all a bunch of ignorant marks. I'm doubtful Trump believes what he's saying. He's a businessman. He's selling a particular product and they're eating it up. I mean, criticize Obama all you want, or you don't like Clinton because she's too establishment. If you can't say really why you support a particular candidate, you're an idiot, and you're dangerous because it doesn't matter. You don't have to write an essay when you vote. 

 

I'm stuck with conservative talk radio, and there's a lot of them that are petrified Trump is destroying the party. I'm like, 'you reap what you sow'. Nearly 7 years, you all have been preaching hate and fear, and it's on you now. I think most of the GOP establishment thought Trump would implode by now. It's not that far till the primaries, and they are panicking. 

 

The Republicans have been courting these people since 2008 (at least).  Reap what was sowed indeed.  I don't know why they are surprised; that the same collection of right-wing evangelicals who tend to regard Mormons as cultists if not Satanists and yet cheerfully supported Romney would four "disappointing" years on support Trump or Carson - consequences!  Yes, politicians are skilled at making empty promises while taking campaign contributions and courting votes - but someday the rubes are going to get their payback.

 

In case you couldn't tell, yes, i iz librul.  I should make that a username.

 

ETA and now I'm off topic.  Sorry, going away now.

Edited December 16, 2015 by kassygreene

[trow125]

So, no, they aren't really distancing themselves that much. Are a majority of women going to vote for any of these people in the general? Latinos?

Were one or two of the men in Jordan's Trump focus group Latino? I thought they might be.

I loved "Who said it: Donald Trump or a racist sandwich?" I've seen a bunch of those "Who said it: Trump or Mr. Burns?" or "Trump or Voldemort?" type quizzes floating around the Internet but this was the best one yet.

 

BTW the Zadroga Bill is closer to passage: "Money for the program will be included in the omnibus legislation to keep the government funded that is expected to easily pass." If that happens today or tomorrow, I would love for Jon to come back and take a victory lap before the show goes on holiday break!

[attica]

Were one or two of the men in Jordan's Trump focus group Latino? I thought they might be.

 

I thought so too, and then I thought of the psychological idea of 'identification with the aggressor.'

[ganesh]

I don't know if the demo in Jordan's focus group can be extrapolated to the Trump supporters as a whole. 

 

Trump v Mr. Burns is funny. When Jordan is saying "you really had to think about whether Trump or a racist sandwich said that?" It's quite something else. 

[Victor the Crab]

Wouldn't have surprised me the least if Jordan went and got smash faced drunk right after having to deal with those Trump ignoramuses, in a desperate attempt to remove all memory. I know I would.

[redfish]

I think that's why TDS continues to follow Trump and his supporters. Yes, they're ridiculous, but Trevor doesn't treat them as an insignificant joke.

 

 

ITA. Trump may be the perfect material for jokes but he is creating/fanning/enabling the worst of people's nature and not letting anyone be ashamed of that. That focus group with Jordan, yikes. It was monstrous, their callousness and lack of self-awareness. They are aware that co-workers/friends/family could watch this and start to look at them with concern especially when they have no problem with mocking the handicapped, Asians, Mexicans or even (2 out of the 6) a Jewish registry similar to Muslims.

 

The Rep candidates and the party have only themselves to blame, they enabled and encouraged this beast to flourish beyond their control.

 

I guess time has passed that America has forgotten about WWII and the internment of Japanese-Americans because of the yellow peril attitude. Either that or US has purged themselves of ever feeling guilt of their past actions. History is repeating itself in the worst way.

 

ETA. and the public should take Trump supporters seriously (in fear) because those types will vote regularly and consistently to their party line. In the primaries and general election they'll be there first in line to vote.

Edited December 17, 2015 by redfish

[Bastet]

I initially didn't care much for many of Jordan Klepper's pieces, but ever since Trevor took over as host I've really come around on him.  And he's just been on fire lately, with the "good guy with a gun" segment and this "Um, why?" piece with the Trump supporters.

 

When the field of Republican candidates was first set, I would not have imagined there could come a day when I'd think, "Gee, I'll be sad to see Ben Carson drop out/lose."  But every time I see Trevor close his eyes and bring his hands up to impersonate him, I realize I am not ready to see Carson crawl back into obscurity to take his place as a footnote in political history.  That's my favorite of his many impressions.

[ganesh]

I guess time has passed that America has forgotten about WWII and the internment of Japanese-Americans because of the yellow peril attitude.

 

Way back in 1989, Reagan, current patron saint of the GOP, signed a law giving restitution to people interred in the camps and called it a "terrible mistake". For all their "distancing", the other candidates are still fairly restrictive of the refugee situation. 

[shok]

Really good coverage of the Republican debate. I laughed out loud at Carson's nap time and Kasich's jujitzo moves and snickered at most of the stuff in between. Excellent show tonight.

[topanga]

Really good coverage of the Republican debate. I laughed out loud at Carson's nap time and Kasich's jujitzo moves and snickered at most of the stuff in between. Excellent show tonight.

Yes, it was. I find myself cackling with laughter whenever I watch this show, something I rarely do (the cackling, that is). Usually I limit myself to a quick chuckle when I watch something funny.

[angora]

Great show last night.  I always like What the Actual Fact, and Trevor's debate coverage was excellent.  I loved comparing the debate to a high school reunion, as well as Trump's plan to stop ISIS by changing their WiFi password.  Trevor's Ben Carson impression is always gold - Carson's geographical Wikipedia-prepping KILLED me.  The bit on Cruz was my favorite, though.  "...Are carpets different in America?"

 

The interview was fairly good IMO.  I think Trevor's reaching a place where he can get excited and fanboy without having it take over the interview.  His amazement at Will Smith wanting to meet him made me smile, and I'm intrigued by Concussion.  Not too many sports-related movies (other than The Mighty Ducks) that appeal to me, but this one sounds cool.

[topanga]

Great show last night.  I always like What the Actual Fact, and Trevor's debate coverage was excellent.  I loved comparing the debate to a high school reunion, as well as Trump's plan to stop ISIS by changing their WiFi password.  Trevor's Ben Carson impression is always gold - Carson's geographical Wikipedia-prepping KILLED me.  The bit on Cruz was my favorite, though.  "...Are carpets different in America?"

 

The interview was fairly good IMO.  I think Trevor's reaching a place where he can get excited and fanboy without having it take over the interview.  His amazement at Will Smith wanting to meet him made me smile, and I'm intrigued by Concussion.  Not too many sports-related movies (other than The Mighty Ducks) that appeal to me, but this one sounds cool.

Pure gold. The Toilet Carpet bomb. And "Christopher Christie? Is that you? You've gained..." (I forgot what Trevor said. Supporters? But it was funny). And Christie (I think) referring to King Hussein of Jordan--a guy who's been dead for 16 years. Hilarious.  Oh, and Trevor's impression of the Nigerian comedian was amazing. 

 

Will Smith displays the rare ability to be arrogant and smug, yet intelligent, charming, and funny--all at the same time. I want to dislike him because of his arrogance--and the strangeness of his family--but he wins me over every time I watch him in a movie or in an interview. I love it when he said he didn't have a chance to say, "Oh, hell Naw!" in his latest movie, one of his signature lines. 

[peeayebee]

Great show last night.  I always like What the Actual Fact, and Trevor's debate coverage was excellent.  I loved comparing the debate to a high school reunion, as well as Trump's plan to stop ISIS by changing their WiFi password.  Trevor's Ben Carson impression is always gold - Carson's geographical Wikipedia-prepping KILLED me.  The bit on Cruz was my favorite, though.  "...Are carpets different in America?"

ITA. I really like What the Actual Fact. They could have that on every night.

 

I also love Trevor's Ben Carson impression and the Wikipedia prepping. Even without Trevor's made-up bit (which was hysterical), Carson clearly had studied. So funny. 

 

And Cruz. Blood Bath & Beyond was great. And scary.

 

Will Smith has so much charisma. I agree with your take on him, topanga. I kinda want to hate him, but he's so charming and funny.

[zxy556575]

Dog forbid any of the candidates show up without their American flag lapel pin. Because they are patriotic, dammit! Preserve our might! Bomb our many enemies to smithereens! They care about this country! Just not the people in it!

[dusang]

Will Smith displays the rare ability to be arrogant and smug, yet intelligent, charming, and funny--all at the same time. I want to dislike him because of his arrogance--and the strangeness of his family--but he wins me over every time I watch him in a movie or in an interview. I love it when he said he didn't have a chance to say, "Oh, hell Naw!" in his latest movie, one of his signature lines. 

 

I feel the same way about Mr. Smith.  His family is strange but I heard a great story from Karate Kid where Jaden (minorly) injured himself during training and Will was like, "well, you have to remember you've had opportunities that many people haven't and you have to work for it and this is a small price to pay, etc. etc...."  and Jaden, who was like 11 at the time and just wanted some comfort from a parent rather than a rallying half-time speech, was just like, "can you get mom for me?"  Will Smith is arrogant but really, you kind of have to be to get as far as he has in that industry, and although it's hard to think of him as a rapper on a fundamental level he's coming from the same place as the Puffys, the Ice Cubes, and the LLs of the world.

[possibilities]

I'm loving the glee that Trevor exudes. It's like he's opening presents every time he gets to tell a joke.

 

Blood Bath and Beyond was the best.

 

And that King of Jordan gaffe was one for the ages. I knew he was dead, but it was such a huge mistake that, in the second before Trevor pointed it out, I had begun to doubt myself. But no one seems to care about actual knowledge of the world in this primary, so it won't hurt Christie the way "oops" hurt Perry in the primary 4 years ago. It's kind of amazing how far even the already basically fallen party processes have continued to fall-- who could have imagined Palin and Perry would be only a warm up for this year's baker's dozen of circus rejects?

 

The guest gushing over Trevor and Trevor gushing over the guests is starting to be somewhat adorable to me. I'm not sure which crushes are sincere and whose are just politeness gone a little off the rails, but everyone seems to be having a good time.

[ganesh]

The debates are just catastrophic. There's too many people for any one of them to actually say something, and they all know it, so they have to just get their sound bites in. And the moderator isn't going to ask much of a follow up question because of time constraints. So they let them all just argue at one another. 

I don't think any of them really think the solution to all these foreign policy problems are going to be solved by throwing the American dick on the table either. You're going to punch Putin in the nose? Putin's like "come at me bro." He would beat these people down. This cold war era approach to foreign policy isn't going to work, as we've seen since about 2000. It's way more complex. I'd say given more time, they might have better responses, but I don't think they would. 

Fiorina makes my skin crawl. She is such artifice. Whenever she keeps bringing up how she was a CEO, I'm waiting for someone to pull the "yeah, how'd that work out for ya?" I'm absolutely incensed that the media has given her a pass on the PP shooter. She meticulously orchestrated her Kruschev Shoe Moment in the last debate, and I'm leaning to the side that she knew the video was fake and went with it anyway. No one has asked her if she feels responsible? 

Edited December 17, 2015 by ganesh

[zxy556575]

The guest gushing over Trevor and Trevor gushing over the guests is starting to be somewhat adorable to me. I'm not sure which crushes are sincere and whose are just politeness gone a little off the rails, but everyone seems to be having a good time.

 

When Trevor makes American pop culture references I always wonder how much of that stuff was available to him growing up in South Africa. Is he really aware of things like Pop Tarts or The Brady Bunch, or are they just words that the writers put in his mouth? It doesn't matter to me either way, but I am curious about the scope of his knowledge. I think his unfamiliarity with our sports does come through.

[angora]

lordonia, I can't find it now, but I'm pretty sure I remember reading an interview where Trevor talked about idolizing Black actors in Hollywood movies when he was younger (I think he specifically mentioned Eddie Murphy, and maybe Will Smith, too?), so he saw at least some American stuff.  How much, though, I dunno.

 

Speaking of pop culture - forgot to mention it after Monday's episode, but I got such a kick out of Trevor comparing Ted Cruz's claim about no significant global warming in the last 18 years to saying Star Wars is about a guy who kisses his sister.  Particularly, how it devolved into such a delightful Star Wars geekout.  "'Cause that makes it sound like they KNEW they were brother and sister, which they DIDN'T, and besides..."  So much love.

[33kaitykaity]

Eight or nine years ago when I was living in the DC area, and doing my grocery shopping via my condo's shuttle, I had a trip with a woman like the one I bolded above.  Her husband had been a political appointee director of some agency or bureau, Clinton replaced him in 1993 because political appointees at that level get replaced when there is a change of administration, and she was still annoyed a dozen years later.  Now before this I knew her and her husband as fairly comfortable retirees - she boasted about their second home in Las Vegas (who does that?), about their bucket list trips, and I generally tuned her out.  But on this day there were four passengers and the driver, and after looking at each of us to make sure we were the appropriate shade of pale, she brought up a story from that morning's paper about a major arrest of some drug-making or distributing operation run by some Hispanics.  Since all of us (except the driver, a nice guy who I enjoyed talking to but whom she regarded as an African-American who knew his place) were white, she figured it was safe to say "you know, all those immigrants are criminals."  So for the first and last time I talked to her.  I pointed out that immigrant groups are always lumped together as The Other until a new group comes in, that one ethnicity is no more uniform in behavior than any other, and that what she was claiming was the sort of thing people used to claim about the Irish.

 

Found out later she was Irish-American.  It did shut her up that day, and she never spoke to me again.  Win-win.

In case you couldn't tell, yes, i iz librul.  I should make that a username.

 

ETA and now I'm off topic.  Sorry, going away now.

I f-loved that story, so please don't go far...  Iz librul, too, and garsh durn proud of it.  

Edited December 18, 2015 by 33kaitykaity

[attica]

Blood Bath & Beyond was great.

 

That might be the sharpest joke in the TN era. Boom goes the dynamite.

 

I'm on the 'Will Smith is a charming delight' train. I've been following the CTE coverage since Bryant Gumbel's show has been on it (so, like a decade?), and I had no idea about Dr. Omalu. I knew Nowinski (the white former wrestler) and McKee (the white woman neurologist), but not Omalu. I don't know whether that speaks to the media liking white folks more, or my own memory not remembering the black guy.  Could be both. Something on which to cogitate. 

[zxy556575]

The correspondent pieces are typically not my favorite so it was unfortunate that so much of the year-end show was devoted to them. The North Korea segment was moderately amusing.

[shok]

Weird show to end the year. Not much seasonal joy that's for sure. I didn't like all the negativity and nastiness.

[attica]

Jess's dress: so pretty and sparkly! [/magpie]

[Hanahope]

I feel the same way about Mr. Smith.  His family is strange but I heard a great story from Karate Kid where Jaden (minorly) injured himself during training and Will was like, "well, you have to remember you've had opportunities that many people haven't and you have to work for it and this is a small price to pay, etc. etc...."  and Jaden, who was like 11 at the time and just wanted some comfort from a parent rather than a rallying half-time speech, was just like, "can you get mom for me?"

 

Considering that Will Smith (and the family) belong to the Scientology cult, its not surprising that Will treats Jaden 'like an adult', as Scientologists don't believe kids should be kids, but be treated as 'mini' adults.

 

 

Fiorina makes my skin crawl. She is such artifice. Whenever she keeps bringing up how she was a CEO, I'm waiting for someone to pull the "yeah, how'd that work out for ya?"

 

Its my understanding that she at least did what she was supposed to do to generate wealth for the shareholders (at least, short term wealth), because that's really all so many companies care about, workers and customers be damned.  And hey, she got a golden parachute.

[ganesh]

I thought HP went nearly bankrupt and they canned her? Either way, she's getting away with figurative murder for not being called out for the PP shooter.

Edited December 18, 2015 by ganesh

[trow125]

Sorry that the show won't be able to report on this since they're off now 'til Jan. 4, but the Zadroga Act passed and the first responders' health care has been extended 75 years. Hooray!

 

I can't decide which Ben Carson impression I prefer: Trevor's or Jay Pharaoh's on "SNL." They're both great!

[Snipsa]

When Trevor makes American pop culture references I always wonder how much of that stuff was available to him growing up in South Africa. Is he really aware of things like Pop Tarts or The Brady Bunch, or are they just words that the writers put in his mouth? It doesn't matter to me either way, but I am curious about the scope of his knowledge. I think his unfamiliarity with our sports does come through.

Growing up in SA during the same time as Trevor (and still living here) I can comment that most of the pop culture references have hit their marks this side too.

We may not have pop tarts this side, but I know what they are. And Brady Bunch still shows up in reruns at times this side. We grew up with many of the same influences as the yanks (just to a slightly lesser degree)... But as long as you had a tv (with even just the terrestrial channels) you will have been exposed to most of it...

[stillshimpy]

Jordan's conversation with the Trump supporters reinforced my worst fears. I don't even know what to say beyond that. Is it good that it's out in the open? Or is it terrifying beyond belief?

It's terrifying.

What is the constructive response?

Day-drinking

or

A diet rich in fruit and vegetable in order to get rid of that shit.

Take your pick or use both as the situation merits.

So Trevor's closed out his first calendar year in the host's seat. All-in-all good job. I really have been liking the tone of Jordan's most recent pieces. Less clowning and mugging, more wide-eyed near terror in the face of the rampant crazy.

I'm going to be the only inhabitant of this particularly land, and that's cool with me, but I actually liked the guy from the climate change bit when he appeared in another bit. I don't think the correspondent sucks as much as that climate change piece was not well-written and not catered to the performers strengths. Overall though, I think Noah's Daily show has done a good job fielding new people.

I hope they all are taking their multi-vitamins, because it's going to be a bumpy election cycle.

[attica]

Day-drinking

 

shimpy? Don't ever change. [clinks highball glass] [swigs.]

[nowandlater]

Is anybody annoyted by Trevor doing accents?

 

It seems like he never or barely did them in his first two months of the show.

 

But over the past month, he keeps doing accents, particularly an American accent.

 

I don't know why I find it so bothersome.

[shirazplease]

 

Growing up in SA during the same time as Trevor (and still living here) I can comment that most of the pop culture references have hit their marks this side too.

I find it amusing that Americans are as unaware of SA culture as they are of their own with regards to the "fly over" states.  I live in Oklahoma and the people in the "big city" think we are still driving covered wagons here.  One of my best friends lives in SA, she's in her 60's, and there is not much that I mention re pop culture that she isn't already aware of.  I have learned much more from her than she has from me.

[possibilities]

I'm going to be the only inhabitant of this particularly land, and that's cool with me, but I actually liked the guy from the climate change bit when he appeared in another bit. I don't think the correspondent sucks as much as that climate change piece was not well-written and not catered to the performers strengths

Ronny Chieng. I liked him, too. He has a YouTube presence, in case anyone is interested in seeing more of what his sensibility is like outside TDS:

 

There are lots of others; these are just the first few I found.

[stillshimpy]

Thank you, possibilities, glad to know I'm not entirely alone.

 

shimpy? Don't ever change. [clinks highball glass] [swigs.]

To your health, attica and back at you.

Edited December 18, 2015 by stillshimpy

[kassygreene]

...

 

Its my understanding that she (Fiorina) at least did what she was supposed to do to generate wealth for the shareholders (at least, short term wealth), because that's really all so many companies care about, workers and customers be damned.  And hey, she got a golden parachute.

 

I used to work at Digital Equipment Corporation, and left before it was bought by Compaq.  The HP/Compaq merger was her thing; she forced voluntary pay cuts to avoid layoffs, and then had layoffs; my old DEC friends who were still there despised her breathing guts, an opinion her board eventually shared.  The merger's success is apparently a matter of how you define "success".  It is generally held, no matter how it turned out, to have been a questionable decision.

 

It is a sick thing (in my opinion) that the number one job of the CEO of any for-profit company is to forever raise the share price and increase the dividends.  And what do they care, really?  They always have a parachute.

 

ETA: bolded text is inserted by me to make clearer what I was responding too...

Edited December 18, 2015 by kassygreene

[peeayebee]

I can't decide which Ben Carson impression I prefer: Trevor's or Jay Pharaoh's on "SNL." They're both great!

I much prefer Trevor's. I don't like all the extra goofiness that Jay adds.

 

I'm going to be the only inhabitant of this particularly land, and that's cool with me, but I actually liked the guy from the climate change bit when he appeared in another bit. I don't think the correspondent sucks as much as that climate change piece was not well-written and not catered to the performers strengths. 

 

I liked Chieng's pizza rat piece much much more than the climate change one. I agree that the first one probably wasn't written very well. 

 

Is anybody annoyted by Trevor doing accents?

 

It seems like he never or barely did them in his first two months of the show.

 

But over the past month, he keeps doing accents, particularly an American accent.

 

I don't know why I find it so bothersome.

 

I love them. I haven't tired of them yet. 

 

I really enjoyed this show with all the correspondents' pieces. Not drawn out. Pretty quick and to the point. "Un Direction" was quite clever.

 

I like Will Ferrell, but that interview was a bore.

[Bastet]

I thought this year-end review show fell completely flat.  But on the whole I've really enjoyed this inaugural "season" with Trevor, and look forward to its return.

 

I just watched Wednesday night's show, too, and that one knocked it out of the park.  With fodder like the Republican debate, I suppose it would be hard not to, but Blood Bath and Beyond was inspired.  I always love "What the Actual Fact?" and this time particularly enjoyed, "That one's true, if words don't mean what they mean."

[Victor the Crab]

Weird show to end the year. Not much seasonal joy that's for sure. I didn't like all the negativity and nastiness.

 

I loved that they showed that slime covered turd Martin Shkreli getting arrested and having to do a perp walk with cameras rolling on him. If anyone deserves the worst kind of karma, it's him. So I'm happy TDS ended the year with that.

[angora]

I agree that it was a downer of a show.  Still some fun bits, though.

 

In reference to Ebola making a "comeback," I laughed at Jessica asking Trevor if he was going to Africa for the holidays, and his reply, "Well, not ALL of it." 

 

Jordan has been super on-point lately.  His segment was pretty dark, but I loved when he defensively cried, "I SKIPPED rehearsal!" and then added in this quavery little voice, "I'm a bad boy..."

 

The whole North Korean girl group story was fun, especially the part about the missile blowing up the entire planet.  Although, point of interest, what's up with the American reporter in the clip they showed just describing it as hitting the U.S.?  Did SHE not notice that the entire planet blew up?  It reminded me of John Oliver's show, where the picture of the Earth is given the scientific name "America et al."

[dusang]

Considering that Will Smith (and the family) belong to the Scientology cult, its not surprising that Will treats Jaden 'like an adult', as Scientologists don't believe kids should be kids, but be treated as 'mini' adults.

Allegedly they recently broke with Scientology. Either way, they personally have been pretty mum on the issue, so points for that.

 

In reference to Ebola making a "comeback," I laughed at Jessica asking Trevor if he was going to Africa for the holidays, and his reply, "Well, not ALL of it." 

 

Jordan has been super on-point lately.  His segment was pretty dark, but I loved when he defensively cried, "I SKIPPED rehearsal!" and then added in this quavery little voice, "I'm a bad boy..."

I loved Trevor's response to the visiting Africa line. His dramatic line readings were on point last night - his aside about the teacher made me laugh and cry.

I liked the switch from "bad boy" being some admirable rebel quality to just being actually bad.

[redfish]

Jordan's conversation with the Trump supporters reinforced my worst fears. I don't even know what to say beyond that. Is it good that it's out in the open? Or is it terrifying beyond belief?

 

 

Terrifying. This means, there so out in the open without a sense of self-consciousness/shame/self-reflection. They are unafraid (like Trump) that no one is going to call them on their insanity/BS/prejudices or even care.

[Brandi Maxxxx]

Blood Bath and Beyond was the best.

 

 

That might be the sharpest joke in the TN era.

The Simpsons did it 18 years ago.