You know you’re on a Foreign Exchange to America when... the Only Man you can Trust is a Short, Salt & Pepper, Jewish Comedian Who Gives You Fake News

I cannot begin to describe how much I love Jon Stewart.

For years now he has been the voice of reason in a crazy world. The last 8 years have seen his show rocket in popularity as his hilarious yet probing news ‘reporting’ has brought into stark focus the failures of the Bush administration. For 13% of 18-25 year olds he is the main source of daily news and, according to a 2007 study, his viewers are better informed than those watching ‘Papa Bear’ O’Reilly or even ‘The Best Political Team on Television’ CNN.

What this says about the American news media is for others to discuss (or me in my dissertation next year!) but the very fact that a comedy show provides better information than 24 hour news networks might go a long way to explaining why some Americans can’t point out Iraq on a world map.

Stewart has come under attack recently though. With Obama’s victory many were predicting the ‘end of comedy’: ‘What will they do now we don’t have an idiot in the Oval Office?’ Comedy or a competent President? I think voters made the right choice and rest assured, so does Jon. But the problem was certainly there. I remember Stewart takin a direct pop shot at Obama during the campaign and his studio audience taking in a collective sharp breath. Stewart’s reply was typical, reassuring them that it was OK to laugh at this guy just as much as the pork obsessed senior citizen from the other team but he learnt his lesson. From then on the jokes were flung elsewhere (having a wolf-hunting pre-madonna in heels as the alternative target really helped).

He has also been usurped by his prodigal son, Stephen Colbert, whose consistent and seemingly constant portrayal of an extreme conservative ideologue is simultaneously pant-wettingly funny and a bit too close for comfort, especially when you hear that some people just don’t get the joke.
However, Stewart remains the last word in serious ‘fake’ news. His recent diatribes against the injustices of the bank bailout contain as many common sense observations as they do jokes, maybe even more and over the past week his razor sharp wit has been directed squarely at what he clearly believes to be one of the causes for the plunging 401k necklines, CNBC.

Last Wednesday’s edition of The Daily Show was completely devoted to the issue of whether the money channels could have given us a little forewarning instead of screaming “BUY! BUY! BUY!” even as the market fell to its death. Stewart and his team’s criticism focussed on the Looney Tunes reject of financial advice, Jim Cramer.

Cramer, who barely five days before its collapse was advising his viewers to buy Bear Stearns, took it upon himself to hit back, going on various talk shows to defend the values of telling people what to do with their money while honking a bull horn. The rest of the news media, who love a good fight almost as much as they love a no pants Britney Spears, billed the ‘feud’ as the ultimate clash. It was like watching the build up to a prize fight between Muhammad Ali and Mike Tyson. As it turned out, the inevitable interview last night, was more like Muhammad Ali verses the before picture guy in a Bio Flex ad.

After accusing Stewart of presenting a “variety show” and completely belittling the idea of a comedian criticizing his words of not so wisdom on other shows, Cramer sat in his seat like a 3 year old that’s just been found peeing on the couch. His shame was obvious as he vainly attempted to wheedle his way out of definitive evidence showing him advising short selling and under a constant barrage of insight and justice coming from the so called ‘jokester’ across the desk.

His main defence was that his is an entertainment show just like Stewart’s. But Stewart makes jokes about politicians whereas Cramer is telling you what to do with your monetary future. Anyone whose projected retirement age has gone from 56 to 105 recently would have a good perspective on that comparison.

In a world dominated by tanned glamour pusses with perfect teeth (and that’s just Brian Williams), it is good to know that the legacy of Rob Morrow and Walter Cronkite lives on in American journalism, collecting and giving the facts from the everyman’s point of view and fighting for the values of the little guy against the misdemeanours of corporate Goliaths. It’s just lot more funny now.

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