The Opposition With Jordan Klepper - General Discussion

[formerlyfreedom]

A spot for discussion of the episodes from the first season of The Opposition with Jordan Klepper. See the main forum for other topics, including media, characters, and more.

[meowmommy]

Feels very much like the Colbert Report, updated.

[wknt3]

I guess I have to admit that I was wrong when I said that this looked like Comedy Central execs just wanted to exactly copy TCR. No they clearly were copying Stephen Colbert's more recent work as well. Maybe he could trade them unaired "Tuck Buckford" scripts for the rights to do his old bits unfettered? It was well executed and I'll give it a chance especially since Jordan was a much better interviewer than I expected, but it has the same fundamental flaws that have been evident since the format was announced. It's an attempt to copy what worked before, not an organic development of a Daily Show contributors existing comedic voice like Colbert or Nightly. And the alt-right media is so much more extreme than Fox News that I'm not sure a parody is a sustainable basis for a show. I guess we'll have to see what happens and if they can somehow escape the limitations of the format.

[Skyfall]

2 hours ago, wknt3 said:

I guess I have to admit that I was wrong when I said that this looked like Comedy Central execs just wanted to exactly copy TCR. No they clearly were copying Stephen Colbert's more recent work as well. Maybe he could trade them unaired "Tuck Buckford" scripts for the rights to do his old bits unfettered? It was well executed and I'll give it a chance especially since Jordan was a much better interviewer than I expected, but it has the same fundamental flaws that have been evident since the format was announced. It's an attempt to copy what worked before, not an organic development of a Daily Show contributors existing comedic voice like Colbert or Nightly. And the alt-right media is so much more extreme than Fox News that I'm not sure a parody is a sustainable basis for a show. I guess we'll have to see what happens and if they can somehow escape the limitations of the format.

Well first Nightly was cancelled so CC probably wanted it to be safe. Second, I think this is an organic development for Klepper from his Daily Show voice. He’s always been a Colbert type and J Stew knew Trevor covers from a More international POV so this is a way to cover bulls*** mountain on a level J Stew used to.

[ganesh]

3 hours ago, Skyfall said:

Second, I think this is an organic development for Klepper from his Daily Show voice.

His deal to me has always been kind of "Facebook troll" with a wink to the audience who knows better. This is what I was expecting. I did like the line about "It must be so courageous ranting about something that doesn't affect you."

I go back and forth on whether exposing these delusional scum for what they are is helpful. On the one hand the more we know, the more we can use these people's delusions against themselves. On the other, these people are so locked into their false realities, that I doubt it's going to change anything. On the third, this kind of show gives a snake old salesman like Jones just more ammunition to play the victim and sell more garbage to his listeners. On the fourth hand, I find it hard to believe that there's room for this show, which I was entertained, but it's not terribly original, versus including a show like the Nightly Show as well. I'm not saying either/or, but I wish there were room for both. 

[iMonrey]

I didn't really care for it but then I never cared for the Colbert Report either. Even a parody of a right-wing nut job makes me stubby. I am certain there are people who watched TCR, and who will watch this show, because they think it's real, and they agree with what they're saying. 

So, from a lefty perspective, it's supposed to be "ha ha aren't these idiots funny and isn't their ignorance and hypocrisy amusing?" But to me, it isn't. I'm not really finding anything to laugh at. This is really the way people are, and this isn't going to change them, and I don't get a kick out being reminded of that.

[Lantern7]

I'm okay with it. I don't really think Jordan put in the time like Larry and Stephen before him, but I'm good with him spoofing extremist media for now. If the show tanks, I would be okay with Larry coming on stage to beat the shit out of Jordan. "THIS is what you replace me with?!? And, hey, Bill Cosby?? This is mild compared to what I got in mind for you!!"

ETA: The "Shopposition" link is real, and I find it very funny.

[ganesh]

I liked the piece with the two guys talking about "joking." 

[Lantern7]

Slowly catching up. Note to Jordan: never use "New York Giants" and "take a knee" in the same sentence. It might save you some personal harm.

[trow125]

I'm probably not going to get around to posting the upcoming guests here -- I don't spend as much time on PTV now that so many of my favorite shows are no longer on (Jon Stewart-era Daily Show, The Nightly Show, @Midnight, etc.) -- and I haven't watched "The Opposition" yet, BUT I thought I'd mention that their talent booker is Ann Marie Baldonado. If you are a regular "Fresh Air" listener, you know that name from hearing Terry Gross say it in the end credits. She's moved on from "Fresh Air" after 20 (!) years. And here is the guest roster for next week. The fact that this is such a serious and heavy-hitting lineup (no TV or movie actors) does intrigue me enough that I might check it out.

10/2: Asha Rangappa,  Former FBI Agent, Senior Lecturer at Yale University, Legal and National Security Analyst for CNN

10/3: Richard Painter, Chief White House Ethics Lawyer under George W. Bush, currently suing President Trump with his organization CREW, Law Professor at University of Minnesota

10/4: Michael Crowley, Senior foreign affairs correspondent for POLITICO

10/5: Jane Mayer, New Yorker reporter

[meowmommy]

What show goes on for an initial two weeks and then takes a week break?  A show that is already losing my interest.  I like Jordan, and occasionally he is funny, but mostly the material seems tortured.  I don't think he can carry his Alex Jones persona long-term the way Stephen Colbert carried his Bill O'Reilly parody.

[ganesh]

I've liked the interviews so far, and I like when Jordan has the staff on. His rantings are fairly static though. I mean, it's not much more than trolling on FB. Honestly, I don't know if the viewers actually understand what a con man Alex Jones is, so don't really get his deal. Especially in this political climate. People like Jones are a cancer, and are responsible for the mess we're in. 

I was hoping the show was going to be more of Jordan doing his "good guy with a gun" piece, or going to rallies, etc., to shine a light on the people who voted for Trump and how we can understand them better, and counter act their arguments.

[trow125]

2 hours ago, meowmommy said:

What show goes on for an initial two weeks and then takes a week break?  A show that is already losing my interest.  I like Jordan, and occasionally he is funny, but mostly the material seems tortured.  I don't think he can carry his Alex Jones persona long-term the way Stephen Colbert carried his Bill O'Reilly parody.

"The Daily Show" hasn't taken a full week off since mid-August, and "TDS" and whichever show follows it (Colbert, "Nightly," "@Midnight" and now Klepper) have always taken their breaks at the same time. So it's not surprising that they are taking next week off; I guess it's more surprising that they didn't get started 'til mid-September.

I doubt the writers & staff will be on vacation -- more likely they'll be evaluating what worked & didn't work during the first two weeks.

[wknt3]

On 10/6/2017 at 9:38 PM, meowmommy said:

 I like Jordan, and occasionally he is funny, but mostly the material seems tortured.  I don't think he can carry his Alex Jones persona long-term the way Stephen Colbert carried his Bill O'Reilly parody.

 

On 10/7/2017 at 0:19 AM, ganesh said:

I've liked the interviews so far, and I like when Jordan has the staff on. His rantings are fairly static though. I mean, it's not much more than trolling on FB. Honestly, I don't know if the viewers actually understand what a con man Alex Jones is, so don't really get his deal.

I have the same concerns about trying to repeat TCR based on Alex Jones and alt-right media instead of Billo and Fox News types. Truthiness is just much a more sustainable subject for parody IMHO because it was hiding what it was doing and had a starting point in reality so there was an artifice to tear away whereas these folks are pretty open about what they are doing so once you make fun of the stylistic affectations you've pretty much exhausted the well. I also like the staff bits, especially the one making fun of the Milo types, and think Jordan is a surprisingly good interviewer. I like his interviews better than Colbert actually because he's not as insistent on staying in character so the guests get to make their points without being badgered. I think the interviews are closer to the Jordan we saw on The Daily Show - "I'm a clueless dudebro. Tell me why I'm wrong" and less of the Alex Jones imitation that we get on the rest of the show.

 

Quote

I was hoping the show was going to be more of Jordan doing his "good guy with a gun" piece, or going to rallies, etc., to shine a light on the people who voted for Trump and how we can understand them better, and counter act their arguments.

I was hoping for the same thing. Unfortunately the format seems way more driven by network execs who think they can clone the Colbert phenomenon than by trying to expand on the best of what Jordan did on The Daily Show.

[mariah23]

On 10/6/2017 at 11:33 PM, trow125 said:

"The Daily Show" hasn't taken a full week off since mid-August, and "TDS" and whichever show follows it (Colbert, "Nightly," "@Midnight" and now Klepper) have always taken their breaks at the same time. So it's not surprising that they are taking next week off; I guess it's more surprising that they didn't get started 'til mid-September.

I doubt the writers & staff will be on vacation -- more likely they'll be evaluating what worked & didn't work during the first two weeks.

I'm a member of the Comedy Central Crew and they have sent me surveys to give my opinion about the first two weeks.

Edited October 8, 2017 by mariah23

[ganesh]

Neat. What did you say? 

[mariah23]

Nothing much.  I told them I liked the show and the second week was better.  I’m still amazed how much the setting looked like The Colbert Report.  I know it’s the same studio, but the background just looks so Colbert-like.  When Jordan is at his desk, sometimes all I can think of if they change the black background to blue, them it’s TCR all over again.

[Hanahope]

Someday, when  public education is no longer funded by the government and it’s all private, companies will call the private schools a training program and only teach them enough to be employees.

[mariah23]

I just completed a third survey of The Opposition.  Comedy Central needs to stop focus grouping this to death!

[Lantern7]

At least I found out from Jordan that Michael Grimm's comeback is backed by Steve Bannon. Like I'm not depressed enough. I hope you folks understand that not everybody from Staten Island thinks alike.

I'm good with Jordan as kindasorta 2010s Stephen Colbert as Right-Wing Firebrand. I hope he asks the right people for help. I imagine him getting three minutes of laughter from Larry Wilmore before the connection would be lost.

[Lantern7]

Anybody still watching? Two good lines from last night:

"The man on the gold throne with his choirboy slave is right!" - Jordan on a clip where the president expresses his surplus of humility in an interview

"Bricks! As heard in the Ben Folds Five song!" - graphic displayed while one of Jordan's contributors shilled bricks as a Lego substitute.

[ALenore]

I'm still watching.  He's had some really good pieces.  I like the one he did last week after the shooting at the church in Texas, and the one he did Monday on Puerto Rico.

[Miss Dee]

I'm honestly regretting I don't have time to DVR his show like I do with Noah's and Colbert's. I've seen a few bits and pieces lately and I think he's improving.

[Hanahope]

I like his initial bits and his correspondents are good too.  The interviews are a bit odd because he keeps up the persona, so it takes some getting used to.

[ganesh]

I just haven't had the chance to watch with all the other programming on. I liked him on TDS, and the episodes here I watched were enjoyable. His character isn't really as satirical for me because there's actually people like this irl and they are why we are in this mess. It's not like "ha ha, I can't believe there's people like this" because there are. And they're running the country. 

[Lantern7]

I'm still watching. Anybody know if the ratings are good? I hope not. It's not that I want the show to fail, but Jordan's supporting cast of "citizen journalists" are so obnoxious . . . which is the point, and it's a relief that they are just fictional characters (or at least fiction portrayals of a political leaning). If the show got popular, I'd imagine strangers seeing them, flash back to an episode, momentarily forget about the disconnect between character and actor, and just go nuts. I have the same concern about people in Times Square posing for pictures while impersonating the president.

[trow125]

I've found this site to be a reliable source for late-night ratings. They also run ratings for other time slots, so you have to scroll down to find the late night ones.

Because of the Thanksgiving holidays, the most recent article with ratings of new eps (as opposed to reruns) of "The Opposition" is here, and it covers Nov. 13-17. It looks like "The Opposition" loses quite a bit of the "Daily Show" audience. Viewers (in millions) are 0.86 for "TDS" and 0.33 for "TOwJK." That means more than half the audience is tuning out at 11:30.

I recently posted in the "@Midnight" thread that I had gotten a survey from Comedy Central asking my opinion on bringing back that show. So CC may be considering its options.

[Lantern7]

Thanks, @trow125. I kinda feel bad for Jordan. He's picking up the baton wrested from Larry Wilmore's hands, that was once held by Stephen Colbert.  His tone is basically "What If Colbert Got His Show This Decade, And He Riffed Off Alex Jones Instead Of Bill O'Reilly?" The "citizen journalists" are an interesting twist, but it doesn't seem to help. And Jordan could probably be considered a student of Jon Stewart, and he is WAY behind Sam, John and Trevor.

Also, I feel bad for the "couple" in their segment last night. To talk with people that toxic, while pretending to be that toxic? If the cast has to take long showers when they go home, I wouldn't be shocked.

[Hooper]

I liked Jordan Klepper ok on TDS, and I may leave the TV machine on for his show many evenings after TDS, but most of the time I'm only half listening.  I think one of the big things that The Colbert Report had that The Opposition lacks is variety (oh, and also Colbert).  Sure, Stephen played a parody of O'Reilly, but he also did other stuff on the show - The Threatdown, The Craziest Fucking Thing I've Ever Heard, Prescott Pharmaceuticals, Formidable Opponent....   Jordan is just relentlessly doing an Alex Jones parody, and that gets old and predictable pretty fast.   I don't know if it's that Jordan is that limited in what he can do, or if it's  his writers who are that limited, or if it's higher ups dictating these limits, but the single gosh-conspiracy-theorists-sure-are-wacko joke just wears thin after a few dozen hours.

[meowmommy]

I'm watching, but the material could fill a ten minute segment instead of a half-hour show.  Most of the interviews don't interest me.  However, the interview with Bill Browder was riveting, and I felt like Jordan was riveted, too, seeming to step out of character because of the seriousness of the material.

[Lantern7]

Jordan Klepper tried to eat the president's preferred McDonald's meal in one segment. That took guts. And then the astronaut offered him a Moon Pie, and I felt bad for Jordan.

[Panopticon]

It sounds snarky if I say that Jordan eating the president's McDonald's order was a new high point for the show, but I mean it as a compliment. It was a solid piece of commentary uniquely delivered. Both funny and horrifying.

Overall, I think the show may be able to find its feet and I hope it gets a little more time to do so. I think Jordan's growing into a good interviewer, and I like the bullet points with the introduction of the day's guest. I also think the "I apologize for nothing" tag at the very end is frequently funny, as is "tell me something I already know."

The citizen journalists aren't doing it for me, though.

[teddysmom]

On 12/13/2017 at 7:33 PM, Panopticon said:

It sounds snarky if I say that Jordan eating the president's McDonald's order was a new high point for the show, but I mean it as a compliment. It was a solid piece of commentary uniquely delivered. Both funny and horrifying.

Overall, I think the show may be able to find its feet and I hope it gets a little more time to do so. I think Jordan's growing into a good interviewer, and I like the bullet points with the introduction of the day's guest. I also think the "I apologize for nothing" tag at the very end is frequently funny, as is "tell me something I already know."

The citizen journalists aren't doing it for me, though.

They reran this last night (Dec 21) and I watched this morning. I'd never seen it before and I was dying.  I love the correspondent guy that came on to talk him thru eating all that crap.  He's my favorite of the bunch. 

  I am finding The Opposition to be my new favorite late night show, other than Full Frontal. Yes it's similar to Colbert Report, but more subversive.   I find it way funnier than the similar bit Colbert does now, and I have to admit, I am finding Colbert's jokes about Trump to be getting stale and not funny at all.  Sometimes the bits don't work, but when they do, it's pretty funny. 

[different drummer]

For those who are Tivoing this, something was up with my OnePass, and it wasn't set up to record any of this week's new episodes (starting with Tuesday, tonight is a repeat). I don't know why, but it was willing to let me set up another OnePass on them, so it is treating it as if it's a different show (next week's episodes were already in the To Do List.)

As for the show itself, I like The Opposition, a lot. Is it similar to the Colbert Report, which I adored? Yes. But did I carry the same affection for Jordan into this show as I carried for Stephen in to his? Nope! Yet I think he's doing a great job, and I actually look forward to his interviews, which is unusual for me. 

[wknt3]

On 2/19/2018 at 10:04 PM, different drummer said:

For those who are Tivoing this, something was up with my OnePass, and it wasn't set up to record any of this week's new episodes (starting with Tuesday, tonight is a repeat). I don't know why, but it was willing to let me set up another OnePass on them, so it is treating it as if it's a different show (next week's episodes were already in the To Do List.)

Explanation here. https://www.newsfromme.com/2018/02/21/well-this-is-annoying/
 

Quote

As for the show itself, I like The Opposition, a lot. Is it similar to the Colbert Report, which I adored? Yes. But did I carry the same affection for Jordan into this show as I carried for Stephen in to his? Nope! Yet I think he's doing a great job, and I actually look forward to his interviews, which is unusual for me. 

I am liking it more and more. I still think it wants to be TCR a little too much, and I'm not sure it will ever be as good given that very very few shows are and the contemporary right wing media is much harder to parody than it was in the days of truthiness when there was at least a pretense of objectivity and a veneer of journalistic trappings. I do agree on the interviews as I've said before. That is the one area where he's better than Stephen. He gives the guests time to make their point and his style works pretty well here. I think it's one area where not being as good as Colbert is actually a positive. He's not as quick as Stephen (very very few are) and he's not as committed to staying in character at all times so he doesn't cut them off like the blowhards he is parodying would. I think right now Comedy Central probably has the best interviewer combination of any network in late night between Jordan and Trevor (who I think is the best interviewer in late night today by far).

[ALenore]

Quote

Explanation here. https://www.newsfromme.com/2018/02/21/well-this-is-annoying/

I discovered that myself last week.  My TiVO is set up to record it both ways, in case they change the name back again. 

[different drummer]

19 hours ago, wknt3 said:

Explanation here. https://www.newsfromme.com/2018/02/21/well-this-is-annoying/
 

 

1 hour ago, ALenore said:

I discovered that myself last week.  My TiVO is set up to record it both ways, in case they change the name back again. 

 

Yep, I took a closer look to see if I could figure out the problem, and found the "with" and "w/" discrepancy. I'll keep both passes, too. We'll see if it happens again - it's annoying because it's messy in the "Now Playing" list, to have two folders.

[DXD526]

Or he could confuse everyone by changing his name to Keppler. Apparently, some people think he already has. 

[Hanahope]

I was catching up on a few weeks episodes this last week.  The episode with Alex Jones calling him Keppler and then Jordan ranting about "this Keppler guy" was just hysterical.  I could not stop laughing.  Jordan really does a great job on this show.

[Lantern7]

Watching the two guys interview the person vying for Kim Davis' job was a little cringy. I know those "correspondents" are merely playing the parts of alt-right talking heads, and I know David Ermold was probably in on the joke . . . but I wonder if anybody from the show apologizes to people in advance before interviews . . . like Stephen Colbert did with his audiences before taping The Colbert Report. I realize Jordan might get crap about being a pale imitation of Stephen, but I wouldn't blame him if he also did that.

Edited March 9, 2018 by Lantern7

[Hanahope]

I do wonder how many takes they sometimes have to do in order to stay in character long enough.

[teddysmom]

Last night when he went to talk to kids marching tomorrow was very inspiring.

One of the "correspondents" went to a school in Baltimore, there have been 8 kids from that school killed by gun violence in 2017-18. Altho the piece was supposed to be the kids schooling him on them taking on the gun debate, when he asked "why don't we know about this" and they replied "because we're black", I choked up. 

Laura Ingram asked the Mayor of Baltimore "is it your job to help these kids organize?" 

Fuck you Ingram you piece of shit.  And she got private money to pay for the buses to get the kids down to DC. 

[Hooper]

I'm sort of lukewarm about this show in general.  If it wasn't on right after TDS I doubt that i would watch it much.  But it's not bad, and I think it's improving.  And credit where credit is due, of all the bajillion interviews of the Parkland teens and other teens involved in organizing the march, I thought The Opposition did the best job.  By far.  That interview at the Baltimore school was just jaw dropping.  So well done, and so gut punchingly sad.  And however staged the bit was of Jordan meeting up with a group at their house, it still felt to me like one of the  most genuine, unpolished*, unrehearsed* interactions I've seen between the teens involved in this movement and the media personality who snagged them for some screen time.

*Not that I begrudge the students who've been more "polished".   As I've said elsewhere, people who want to lead a revolution need to be able to articulate the why's and how's and more power to these kids if the get guidance and support from people with some media savvy.  But Jordan's interview did a great job of showing that these are still just kids, many of whom would be entitled to spend some time curled up in a fetal position under their bed, but are choosing to rise up instead.

[Lantern7]

On 3/23/2018 at 11:10 AM, teddysmom said:

Laura Ingram asked the Mayor of Baltimore "is it your job to help these kids organize?" 

Fuck you Ingram you piece of shit.  And she got private money to pay for the buses to get the kids down to DC. 

The air quotes are what set me off. First of all: lame. Second, I kinda want somebody to break those fingers.

Seriously, how long will it be before Jordan breaks character during an episode? As opposed to a few times in the cold open. Even if he's all "Whatever you do, DO NOT go to this website to learn more," there's a breaking point where he admits that his act is an act. I don't think Stephen Colbert did that on TCR, even for Election Night 2008 where he looked teary-eyed at Obama officially winning.

[Lantern7]

Watching last night's episode now, with the segment of Judge Jeanine. Nothing like watching a montage of her ridiculing the left, and seeing the city of "Instabul" mentioned in a crawl Fox News, everybody!!

Thinking about last week . . . what other show would crash at a teen's house? I can't think of any.

ETA: Does the show have a final segment anymore? The last few days, I've fast-forwarded the DVR, and I went from commercials to South Park episodes.

Edited March 29, 2018 by Lantern7

[wknt3]

11 hours ago, Lantern7 said:

Nothing like watching a montage of her ridiculing the left, and seeing the city of "Instabul" mentioned in a crawl Fox News, everybody!!

Instabul was Constantignoble,,,

[Lantern7]

Anybody else watching? I know that it's old hat at this point to go to a rally of like-minded people and really make them look like idiots. But you would think a few of them would've been tipped off about this show and the two gay (gayish?) guys asking all sorts of questions. Stuff like, "Hey, do a comedy routine about the people you're supposed to hate!!"

Also liked the bit last week where one of the "citizen journalists" cut off Jordan breaking out his gaslight, electing to talk softly and stir tea.

[Hanahope]

11 hours ago, Lantern7 said:

Also liked the bit last week where one of the "citizen journalists" cut off Jordan breaking out his gaslight, electing to talk softly and stir tea.

Yes, that was very good.

I think that most of the one-on-one interviews they do with liberal people, they are aware of the tact used and play along.  However, when they are interview 'regular people' or those that aren't liberal, I think that they may not realize the satire being shown to the viewers.

[gesundheit]

Welp, canceled. That's a shame, I thought it had found its groove and I'd started really looking forward to it.

[Lantern7]

Awwwwww. And I liked last night's ripping on Trump's lawyer.

Could I get a link? I feel bad for the "citizen journalists." Where are they going to act smarmy? Or does Samantha Bee take them to her farm?