The Miracle on Ice and Hoosiers aside, the underdog usually loses, and Penn State professor Sophia McClennen speculates that it’s happened again: Jon Stewart is leaving The Daily Show because he’s “exhausted” and "dejected" from battling Roger Ailes and the Fox News juggernaut. “Could Stewart really be giving up his show due to Fox News fatigue?” wondered McClennen in a Wednesday article for Salon. “It’s time to take seriously the idea that Fox News killed the greatest satire show of our nation’s history.”
McClennen, who’s written extensively from a lefty perspective about Stewart and Stephen Colbert, claimed that even as Stewart has tossed barb after barb at Fox News, the channel has “spun lies even more than ever,” and that its “viewers are consistently swinging toward extremism that is hate-based and fact-averse.” Therefore, Stewart, disappointed that he wasn’t able to put a dent in the “extreme” and “delusional” Fox/Republican worldview, threw in the towel.
From McClennen’s piece (bolding added):
Fox News viewers deny climate change, worship Chris Kyle and think the Confederate flag is a symbol of honor. They blame the murders of black youth on black youth rather than the actual people who kill them (but they aren’t racist). They hate immigrants and science and gay couples who want marriage rights. They blame everything on Obama and they are frightened by female sexuality. The only things they love are their guns, their delusions and their fear. Nothing Stewart ever said has made one bit of difference to them.
Now you’re thinking that Stewart never aimed his show at Fox News viewers; he aimed it at those of us who are already skeptical of the channel. But clearly that isn’t entirely true…[W]hy the ongoing tussles with Bill O’Reilly? Why the fact-checking vines? There had to be at least a little hope that there were some reasonable folks out there in Fox-land that might tune in and listen…
…[T]the last show that Stewart did before taking his [current] break was so revealing. On that show he went after Donald Trump, pointing out the stupidity and arrogance of his remarks about Mexican immigrants. He then did a classic Stewart move and followed up his satire of a politician’s idiotic behavior with more satire of the idiotic media coverage of the idiotic politician. Stewart pointed out all of the insanity of Trump and of Fox News’ adoration of Trump…
…As he wound down the bit he exclaimed: “There is one good thing to come out of this. The farce of his candidacy is finally exposed. His unseriousness on display for all people and voters to see. And the results will be obvious.” He then cut to coverage that shows Trump polling at second place nationally and second place in Iowa and New Hampshire. A dejected Stewart looks down at his desk and simply mutters “fuck me.”
That “fuck me” resonates with all of us that are tired of watching Fox News and exhausted by covering GOP politics while their discourse becomes more extreme, more delusional and more dangerous…
…It’s [hard] to imagine what this election cycle will be like without Stewart. I understand his fatigue, but seeing him go feels like watching our star player give up while the bullies take over the field.
