Who is more damaging - Jon Stewart or Steve Colbert?

[CAnnoneer]

I have the misfortune of having both shows waste prime time on my Comedy Central channel.

Jon Stewart advances the liberal agenda by inviting liberals to agree with and conservatives to make fun of. Steve Colbert does the same thing by pretending to be conservative so as to mock and caricature the conservative views and talk points. It seems to me Colbert is more malignant. Stewart at least makes fun of Dems from time to time.

Why aren't there conservative comedy shows that make fun of the likes of Pelosi, Boxer, and Hillary? Don't conservatives have good writers and a sense of humor?

[Antibubba]

Stewart spears whoever is in charge.  That's been the Repubs for a while, and they've made it easy for him. 

[Perd Hapley]

There are plenty of such conservative shows.  They're all on radio.  I'm sure you've noticed that lefties thrive on television and conservatives in radio?  The question you should be asking is "Why is that?"

Limbaugh used to do a show like that.  He hated the fact that everything had to be planned out to the tiniest detail and run through committee.  Spontenaity was not allowed.  Oh, and he was on at 2 am in a lot of markets.  Or maybe conservative men just don't like putting on make-up? 

[Parker Dean]

What I want to know is why all the Left's heavy hitters are comedians.

I don't mean the unintentional ones either

[Manedwolf]

If I don't like a show, I don't watch it.

That said, Stewart is a quick-witted satirist. Read his "America: Democracy Inaction" book, the one that's made to look like a gradeschool textbook. It's HILARIOUS and very sharpwitted, skewers all sides of the political spectrum. 

And Colbert? Apparently some of the ultra-ultra-right doesn't "get it", because some actually thought he was SERIOUS, inviting him to press dinners and using his quotes to support their real arguments. (!)

Such is the state of political acumen today, that some politicians can't even figure out what's satire.

Don't conservatives have good writers and a sense of humor?

The old-style ones did, but they're nearly extinct. Jowly, bumptious theocrat/neocon hybrids don't have a sense of humor, no.

[MechAg94]

Colbert is just doing a parody of Bill O'Reily.  Some of his stuff is actually funny.  It is pointless to call either one "damaging" in my opinion.  They are comedy shows.

Stewart does a very funny show, but most of his shows I come across lately are almost 100% bashing the Bush administration.  I just get tired of that and I don't watch it regularly.  I used to watch it a lot more.  It may be that I am just not happy with the actions of Republicans in D.C. the last couple years.    Makes it hard to laugh about.
There was a clip floating around a while back of their coverage of the Michael Jackson trial that was great. 

[Perd Hapley]

ManedWolf, I'm curious about one of your comments, but started a new thread to keep things on topic.  Would appreciate your input. 

http://www.armedpolitesociety.com/index.php?topic=5883.0

Thanks,

fistful

[doczinn]

It is pointless to call either one "damaging" in my opinion.

Many young people watch The Daily Show as news.

[StopTheGrays]

On DU, not that I go there much, they think Stewart and Olberman are the only news sources they can trust. A comedian and a psychotic...the only news sources they can trust for the "real story".

I liked Colbert's stuff when he was doing both the Daily Show and Strangers with Candy. The deadpan, being funny while acting serious is my style of humor.

[Thor]

Can't stand Stewart and Colbert is ok, IF one realizes that it's all parody.

[Spec ops Grunt]

Damaging my ass, I think their funny as hell.

[wacki]

It is pointless to call either one "damaging" in my opinion.  They are comedy shows.

You would be surprised how many people use John Stewart's show as a source.

[Perd Hapley]

The fact that popular entertainment can influence political or social views should be obvious.   

[HForrest]

I used to regularly watch Stewart... the constant Bush-bashing got to be too much. Don't get me wrong- I hate Bush. There's just a point where enough is enough, though. Yes, Bush is a bad president. Yes, he makes a dopey ass out of himself sometimes. Yes, the war in Iraq sucks. Find some new material.

[Stand_watie]

Colbert is actually quite funny. I don't know if that is deliberate or not. Stewart is just a dumbed down version of Bill Maher.

[glockfan.45]

Why aren't there conservative comedy shows that make fun of the likes of Pelosi

There are, SNL trashed Pelosi right after last Novembers elections, South Park if you pay close enough attention has a conservative slant. They did a pretty good job of poking fun at Gore in their global warming episode. Ted Kennedy has been the butt of countless jokes and skits over the years. I like Stewart and Clobert for what they are, take it with a grain of salt and have a sense of humor. Most of these comedy programs take their jabs at those in power, remember all the Clinton and Reno gags back in the 90's?

[Perd Hapley]

Stewart is just a dumbed down version of Bill Maher.

I can't imagine a bigger slam than to be compared to Bill Maher, whether favorably or no.  Satan himself is barely as arrogant and blind.