Jon Stewart began The Daily Show on Thursday night with an extended Glenn Beck parody that buried, interred, incinerated, and spread the ashes of Beck’s public persona. It was funny — indeed, hilarious, yes. To watch it was also to witness a satirist bidding a truly fond farewell to one of the most ripe, juicy, nutty objects his satire could ever have the privilege to mock. “He was great for business,” admitted Stewart.
“Glenn Beck was sent here by Jesus,” said a Stewart wearing Beckian horn-rims and speaking in the messianic terms Beck employs. Stewart stood in front of a Beck-like blackboard with pictures of George Soros and Charlie Manson at either end, with the John Birch Society chalked in the middle. “I want you to open your ears because for the next 10 to 15 minutes,” said Stewart/Beck. “I am going to f— them with the truth.”
In between offering a blunt interpretation of the host’s and Fox News’ delicately worded statements about Beck’s “transitioning” — “They dropped his ass” — Stewart didn’t so much impersonate Beck as he did burrow into Beck’s mind-set. It was a Daily Show critique of someone the host felt needed deconstructing, but done as a tableau rather than from behind a table.
Stewart showed clips of Beck ranting about “the coming insurrection” and comparing himself to Paul Revere: “Except when Revere told the you the British were coming, they were really coming.”
Oh yeah: Stewart’s guest was Jamie Oliver. He’s starting a food revolution, as opposed to a world revolution, like Glenn Beck.
Did you watch?
Twitter: @kentucker
Good bye Glenn take the corporate shill teabaggers with u!
The video is now up Ken, get on it!
So this is your idea of restoring sanity? More like childish stupidity. The country is really doing so great because of your party. Riiiiiiiiight.
the only way to restore sanity is to get rid of 95% of the politicians in washington and bring in some who aren’t greedy aholes that don’t give an S about the american people
Just more Teapublican twattle from Tom.
It’s more like your party is the kid who crapped the bed and then blamed his mom for not cleaning up the mess fast enough. Lovely.
Viva Jon Stewart!
@Tom
Jon Stewart was calling for politicians to have civil discourse. You know, the people who actually run the country. Stewart wants them to act like adults.
Stewart is not a politician; he’s a comedian. He makes fun of both political parties. If you don’t know that he makes fun of Democrats as much as Republicans, then you don’t watch the show.
Countdown to either Glen BEck entering a rehab facility or a Charlie Sheen style mental breakdown tour.
Glenn has been having a breakdown on tv weekdays at 5pm.
Next one who needs to go: stewart himself. Glad Beck gone, but take this unfunny twit with you when you leave.
Say hi to Palin for me at the Teabagger shindig!
good one!!!
Amanda can’t reconize a shrill winey Jew when she is one! Stewart can be funny, but he is simply a Christan hating Jew most of the time. John gives Jews a bad name.
Jon is a non-practicing Jew who is married to a Christian. Are you saying he hates his wife?
Salmo Point, you give humans a bad name.
I agree — Stewart needs to go… straight to Fox News! What a thrill that would be, to see him take over from Glenn Beck.
That would finally give me a good reason to enjoy FOX News.
Fox News has better tastethan that.A comedian who can’t be a comedian without tearing someone else apart isn’t very talented is he/she. What’s his name Stewart and that ugly rehead broad,Griffin would make a great pair,but God what ugly babies they would have.
Straight to the top for Stewart!
Farts.
Jon would have a point if the Democrats would have kept their promises for the last 4 years.
Republicans don’t keep their promises, either.
Way to have context Nancy. Jon was making fun of Glenn Beck’s rants, which (per you) he can only do if the Dems perform to a certain level? I am Canadian, but from where I am sitting the Reps block all legislation and stall progress at every turn…
They have been too busy trying to clean up the mess from last 8 years. If you aren’t careful we will all get caught up in the GOP’s elitist mess!!
The last two years it’s the TEAPUBLICANS who have kept Barack from keeping his promises.
You don’t sound as though you’re glad Beck is gone. You sound like you’r a bitter teabagger who is angry someone insulted their idol.
Why…talk about someone who has not sense of humor!
Always love his Beck parodies. Great night tonight for Jon and the viewers.
Is it wrong that I wanted the Gospel choir back to again perform the awesome song, “Go F*** Yourself”?
No, it’s not wrong at all. In fact, it’s very very right.
No, it’s not wrong at all. In fact, it’s very, very right.
That would have been awesome!
That would have beeb great. Love that song! I find myself singing it often!
Stewart points out the hypocrisy both in politics and the media, that’s why I like him.
Yes, but his hate of 50 percent of America doesn’t help much.
Stewert very even-handedly satires people on BOTH sides of the political spectrum. The right-wingers make a bigger deal of it because making Big Deals out of small potatoes is kind of their thing. Like smug pretention is the Left’s great talent. And to say that a satirist “hates” half of the people he or she parodies shows that you maybe don’t get how humor works. It’s not about hate. It’s about social commentary. It’s about an angry kind of optimism. And, like I said, the Daily Show makes fun of everyone. You apparently think it’s okay to riff on whom you already don’t like but when it’s YOUR party’s turn, you want to plead “hatred” & “unfairness!” Your such a good hypocrite, you must be a politician yourself, Nancy.
wow, 50% hate? you must have done some pretty intensive research that i’m sure you wouldn’t mind sharing with the rest of us to back up such a sensationalistic number
You must have missed an episode or 20. He’s been killing Obama recently. Or are facts not important to teabaggers?
You do realize that “teabagger” is a gay slur?
Nice job peeps. Way to out yourselves as bigots.
“Teabagger” is NOT a gay slur.
It is done by both gay and straight couples.
It’s also an act that seems to be done a lot in hazing at fraternities and high school sports teams.
*
BTW, members of the Tea Party first used the term “Teabagger” to describe themselves.
So explain why exactly did you bother to watch the show/clip, read the article & comment. You could have just stayed home in your bubble.
MattyB, I absolutely love EVERYTHING you said and think it’s right on the money. Thank you for being so level headed.
@halo,
are you serious? Teabagger isn’t a gay slur. Where did you get that silly idea?
So now someone has flagged this article as spam or abusive so people can’t post it on facebook! That is so sad. Why are people so fearful of hearing opposing thoughts?
GOP fears everything.
The GOP especially fears Jews and intellectuals. Anyone with a brain, really.
And anybody they can’t scare into fetal position submission.
WOW we are trolling the shallow end of the intelligence pool.
Here’s a hint Amanda-moron the Jews you speak of and those who have a brain are INDEPENDENTS
And they DO NOT support Obama anymore (by about half)
not all black and white – i despise beck – and kinda starting to dislike stewart
wow, you need a hug.
At some point Jon will be funny again. Maybe when the Democrats are successful at something again. I don’t know.
@Nancy,
Jon Stewart is funny. He makes fun of all politicians who do stupid things, no matter what party they belong to. You obviously don’t watch his show. You also obviously don’t pay attention to facts. If you did you would know that the Republicans left the country in a mess that will take years to fix.
Oh look at the little Democrat hater and her pointy stick of truth! How fortunate we are to have her informing us of all of our shortcomings and faults!
Back under the bridge, troll.
Hey Nancy, where are the bills creating jobs for Americans that Republicans promised? Oh thats right, they are too busy trying to defund the Health Care reform, defund Planned Parenthood, defund the EPA, defund PBS and NPR to do that. Now the government is going to shut down because they want to prove they are cutting the deficit by cutting programs that amount to less than 1% of total spending. Oh and yet they want to increase defense spending, provide more tax decreases to the rich and corporations and eliminate medicaid completely. Yup, that’s how you create jobs.
Glenn Beck was the biggest phoney I’ve ever seen, under the guise of “commentator”. He should start a store-front ministry with Jim Baker’s bunch. That tone of voice, patronizing fluff…it made me gag. So glad he’s gone. I never watch FAUX BUT I’ve heard enough of those ‘send me your money” preachers on television to last a lifetime. Beck has been practicing to become one for over two years. Beck is so perfect that I bet he doesn’t have to wear deodorant. He reminds me of Ted Haggart….Where is God to allow this kind of crap to go on? It’s an abomination.
I liked Beck you are all sad haters, Indeed this article was not news and was not worthy of my attention. Stewart is a hack1
People who don’t agree with you are sad haters? That makes me sad. And possibly a hater.
I’m assuming you forgot to hit shift while typing “1″ In order to make an exclamation mark. In which case, you need to stop yelling, no one can hear you on the interbuttz~
Not worth your time to read?
Just to log in and respond.
Jon has potential however there isn’t much funny left in politics. It’s just making fun of ugly jokes today.
I like The Daily show when I watch it and I don’t like Glen Beck’s show. Still, the left seems just as interested as polarizing America as the right does. Hurling insults or whatever at people who strongly disagree with you while you’re in power does no good in uniting nation. I don’t really see any difference between the right and the left when it comes to antagonizing those who have a different outlook than you. It’s a shame because the show was on the other foot not too long ago, but nothing was learned… I’m in Canada though, so maybe I’m way off. This is a purely an outsider’s perspective.
Spelling corrections: ‘interested in polarizing’, not ‘interested as polarizing’ and ‘the shoe was’, not ‘the show was’.
I completely agree with your statement. All politicians do these days his hurl insults. It is part of why America is so unstable now. The time wasted on the insults and hot headedness should be used to dig us out of the massive hole we’ve been thrown in by both parties!! Yes, I said both parties!!
TGH
You are 110% correct.
It is all about trying to get money into campaigns and get lobby money.
Sadly, the voting public is held hostage. To both sides.
We’d all be better off is the “journalists” in this country STOPPED covering politicians until they stop hurling insults and making baseless accusations.
Sadly, GE who pays no taxes and owns MSNBC/NBC only report the Obama WH news
and Fox does the same for the GOP
I fear the damage is to great to undo.
“I liked Beck you are all sad haters, Indeed this article was not news and was not worthy of my attention. Stewart is a hack1″
Wow! This whole sentence is a mess. I think you just threw the word “indeed” in there to try and sound like an intellectual. Which, by the way, is pretty obvious you’re not. The article was not worthy of your attention yet you must have read it or why else would you have commented on it? And who comes to an entertainment website for news???
As many have said, Jon hits up both sides of the political aisle. I agree that he seems to give it to the right more so than the left but that’s just because there is WAY more material there.
Glen Beck is a troll.
Not worthy of your attention and yet here you are posting. You’re smart. P
Dan: Then why do you watch Beck? He is CERTAINLY NOT news, and defineitely not worth your time
Darn, I meant definitely.
I am personally embarrassed for Glen Beck and his
little “Blackboard Jungle” with all the cute little pictures. He does manufacture some newsy articles though. If you enjoy BS.
Fox News is a disgrace to this great country.
What he said ^^^^
You are a disgrace to this great country if you believe that because you want to see left wing loons destroy it!!
Run-on sentences are a disgrace to the English language, Mary.
Thanks for an update of the current mooing of the right-wing cattle, Mary! Now, on to the weather!
You’re sooooo right, Mary. Why can’t we go back to the days of feudalism and serfdom like the right wing of today seem to want? Oh, to be one of the unwashed masses of peasants begging for a handout from our masters. Sigh. The good old days.
Mary doesn’t want “left wing loons” to destroy America. She wants Right-wing loons to destroy America.
Well whos left to make fun of on CNN anymore?
You sad pathetic fools obviously George Soros has influenced News Corp and slowly nudged Glenn off the air!!!
All while Google is using their street view cars to spy on American citizens to help Obama’s grand scheme to sell our Country to the Communist Chinese all while Michelle Obama is feeding us fruits and vegetable infused with mind control drugs. Also Van Jones, The Weather Underground, The AFL-CIO and the New Black Panthers are involved with this somehow.
Tin foil hat alert! Go back to your dungeon.
LOL, such a win. That one flew right over you Hiro.
I’m gonna just point out for Hiro’s sake that this comment is in all likelihood a satirical remark. At least I dearly hope so. Because I don’t want to eat bananas with mind control drugs in them.
Too late. The banana oil has psychogenic properties!
You know, every time I go to eat an apple, I think “I’d really rather have some chocolate for a snack.” And then I eat the apple and I start to think that it actually tastes good and I like the healthy feeling it gives me and I should eat more of them. I didn’t realize before, but it must be MIND CONTROL. Curse Michelle Obama and her hope that Americans will learn to choose a healthier diet.
David, Do you live in Texas by any chance? Because you sure remind me of my uncle, who has the same name.
The AFL, didn’t realise the Australian Football League was so powerful in the States.
I laughed out loud at the fruits and vegetables comment. Very nice.
it is important to keep the right attitude about politics, on the otherhand there isn’t much of anything to be laughing about anymore. None of what Jon does is actually “debate”. That’s too much for his fans to handle.
Nancy, I’m very disturbed at all of your comments on here. Have you EVER watched Jon Stewart? He’s the most respectful person to have a debate with (and if you think he doesn’t debate, you clearly don’t watch any of his extended online interviews); imagine what it would be like to have a debate with Glenn Beck! At least Stewart lets the opposition voice their opinion. His satire is a key component in starting the discourse on bi-partisan politics. You have to realize the polarization before you can even begin to fix it.
@Nancy
Jon Stewart is a comedian. But he does have conservative & Tea Party guests on his show. He doesn’t “debate” them, but has conversations where they actually discuss issues in an adult manner.
Satire is difficult to do but you, David…have made it look easy.
When Beck and all of his friends and I are gone, you DIRTY birds will be left.Nothing will be here, you’ll be as a chicken peckin in the dirt.
We’d be bored without you instigators.
It had some great moments, but like the previous ones Stewart did, I thought it went on a bit too long.
I really did not find it very funny. Not that I care about Glenn Beck or anything, the segment was just not funny. All of you only liked it because it satirizes someone you disliked. Yeah Glenn Beck had a radical show that was just plain weird at times. So what, don’t watch it. Where was all this vitriol when Olbermann got kicked off the air?
Likewise, if you did not care for the satire, you did not have to watch it. Why do you care about why others enjoyed it? So follow your own damn advice dude.
Honestly I don’t watch his show. I tried for a while. But today, how can you laugh about the state of your country while it is going over the cliff?
Our country was “going over the cliff” when Bush was in office, and yet we still laughed.
Nancy, I’m still waiting to find WMDs in Iraq.
Lord have mercy. People have been crying doom since this country was founded. Glenn Beck was just the latest Chicken Little in a long, long line of them. It’s actually pretty damn funny, Nancy.
Precisely Alec, we found it funny b/c we dislike Glenn Beck. And because we love Jon Stewart, i.e. we watch his show. In other words, we got it. Many of his subtle jokes most undoubtedly went right over your head. Oh, and I’m guessing you disliked it because you dislike Jon Stewart, and you sympathize with Fox. Typical dramatic hypocrite!
Hey, everyone does have the right to personal tastes and preferences. At least until Patriot II passes. Then we will not be allowed to choose who to watch. But not everyone has to like every Jon Stewart sketch,or every Colbert, or every Olbermann, or Maddow or Goodman or any other performeror commentator. Don’t let yourself become like them.
I agree with Alec. Glen Beck’s a loon and I generally like Jon Stewart (love Colbert), but I found this episode boring and then changed the channel. I guess I don’t enthusiastically hate Glen Beck like some people seem to.
I want to see Stewart parody any of the following:
Bill Maher
Keith Olbermann
Larry O’Donnell
Can anyone think of a politician Stewart has parodied THAT WASN’T A REPUBLICAN?
Sure I can, because unlike you…I WATCH THE DAMN SHOW!! He’s made fun of Olbermann SEVERAL times, and goofed on Maher’s criticism of the “Rally to Restore Sanity.” He’s mocked the Democrats MANY times over (from the Bush years to Obama himself), the hateful & paranoid GOP bigot fringe just provides a lot more fodder, that’s undeniable to anyone who isn’t a follower.
But Stewart definitely gives it to BOTH SIDES.
He has made fun of Olbermann and O’Donnell.
Stewart has also made fun of Obama, Pelosi, Reid, and his former post-college roommate Anthony Weiner.
This week he even called out the Democrats for mocking Republicans who wanted to say a bill that the House passed would automatically become law if the Senate didn’t act on it. Most comedians would have focused on just the Republican plan and not the Democratic response.
I remember seeing Jon make fun of New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin for his post-Katrina chocolate city comment, and then Senator Hillary Clinton’s comment comparing Democrats to slaves with giving a speech in Harlem.
Hysterical!!!
Glenn Beck is one of the world’s great liars and fools. His useless idiots follow his magic underwear wearing self off cliffs routinely.
Both Beck and Stewart held vigils on the grounds near the White House. Stewart’s followers outnumbered Beck’s minions. There was no slamming of any group at Stewart’s rally, only calls for a sane response to what this country is going through. Not so at Beck’s gathering. So go off and scream that the posts here so far, though there will be many more, are vitriolic. It just shows how sensitive you are to what you believe is right and wrong. Beck has said that he may have gone overboard sometimes. Stewart admits that he is a comedian first. Beck says he is a messenger, starts followers are the ones who have appointed him a messenger not Stewart himself. Are you getting anything vitriolic from what I am saying? I am just pointing out facts. If facts hurt you, you may wish not to take part in discussions about facts. It’s for your own good.
It’s this battle about who can care less about the country. Sure, you have followers for whatever satirical program you present. I don’t see Jon with any solutions however.
Jon Stewart is entertainment on freaking COMEDY Central. He has no responsibility to provide answers to all your problems.
Jon Stewart actually has a number of political guests on his show (from both sides of the aisle), he engages in well-informed discussions and sometimes debates with them, and he sometimes does suggest what he thinks is the right way to go and asks the guest what they think of his reasoning. I’d say that he doesn’t just snipe from the sidelines but does in fact try to add something to the national discourse. To me, that’s as good an attempt at a “solution” as a comedian ought to make.
Angst
The problem is the “sheeple” (on either side). They blindly follow/listen and repeat verbatim.
But here is the other problem. To continue to use an anti-gay slur (teabagger) doe not help the situation. And until Mr Stewart stops using it, I will not watch his show.
The left seems to have missed that completely. And I don’t care if Anderson Cooper uses it too. Wrong is wrong.
The day someone can point out where Beck used an anti-gay slur, I’ll be willing to listen and watch the parody. But not now.
And yes a lot of the comments are vitriolic. Instead of having a conversation, people hurl insults. So when the those posters can have a real conversation instead of acting like children in a schoolyard, maybe “debate” will be worth something again.
Teabagger is NOT an anti-gay slur.
It’s someone who performs a particual act, and can be straight or gay. I’m gay, and I don’t know anyone who thinks it’s anti-gay.
*
Tea Party members began calling themselves “Teabaggers.” It wasn’t something that was started by others to insult them.
*
Don’t watch Stewart or Cooper if you don’t want to. But you are not adding to any conversation by posting things that aren’t true.
halo,
you need to google or go to Wikipedia and learn about Teabagging. It’s not a gay slur.
Real, I think you have it. Beck thinks he’s God’s messenger. That’s why he speaks like he’s conducting a funeral. Hes always wanted his viewers to think of him as “holy”. It’s true and you know it.
An awesome moment in television history. If Glenn Beck was sent here by Jesus, then Jon Stewart was a gift from benevolent aliens who fear that without him, Earth will eat itself.
LOL. Benevolent Aliens in 2012!