On Thursday, CBS This Morning offered yet another glowing profile of liberal comedian Jon Stewart following his announcement that he will be leaving The Daily Show later this year.
After the “big three” (ABC, CBS, and NBC) morning shows heaped praise on Stewart on Wednesday, CBS’s Anthony Mason beamed at how the Comedy Central show “became a game-changing broadcast, a comedy show that has in many ways managed to shift the narrative in pop culture and politics.”
Co-host Charlie rose introduced the segment by cheering Stewart’s “incredible legacy” before turning it over to Anthony Mason for a full report. After playing several clips from Stewart’s coverage of the 2000 presidential election, Mason spoke to Dalton Ross of Entertainment Weekly to peddle the idea that his show “changed the game in that he sort of did what no one thought was possible in that he made politics entertaining.”
While the CBS reporter noted that Stewart viewed himself as just a comic, Mason’s guest went one step further and argued that Stewart actually “became a trusted source in news.”
As the segment progressed, Mason spoke to two self-identified “fans” of Stewart to hype his supposed role of providing “clarity” to the daily news cycle:
JAKE DORTON: He brought a lot of clarity to journalism and I think he’s brought a lot of accountability for a lot of people that maybe otherwise wouldn’t have had that accountability but he did it in such a way that allowed people to laugh about it.
KRISTEN MALZONE: He keeps me sane. After watching everything crazy that happens in politics these days, I think it's nice to see someone like him put everything.
Rather than acknowledge the controversial and partisan nature of Stewart’s brand of liberal comedy, the CBS reporter promoted how “former President Clinton tweeted ‘where will I get my news each night?’ White House spokesman John Earnest even discussed Stewart's departure at his Wednesday briefing.”
Mason concluded CBS’s continued promotion of Jon Stewart by touting the supposed impact he has had in helping shape American culture and politics:
Comedy shows rarely shape our culture. Jon Stewart's has for more than 16 years. The median age of his audience is 36 years which is about 20 years younger than the network news audience. That tells you where his influence was and how powerful the show was.
See relevant transcript below:
CBS This Morning
February 12, 2015
CHARLIE ROSE: In more than 16 years of The Daily Show, Jon Stewart made news relevant for a new generation. It will be part of his incredible legacy when he leaves the show later this year. Anthony Mason shares some of the moments that helped Stewart become a leader in comedy and some say journalism. Anthony, good morning.
ANTHONY MASON: Good morning, Charlie. Jon Stewart reinvented The Daily Show when he took it over in 1999 and it became a game-changing broadcast, a comedy show that has in many ways managed to shift the narrative in pop culture and politics. Sometimes all it took was a look for Jon Stewart to puncture a politician. The Daily Show’s ferocious satire has most often been aimed at hypocrisy in Washington or the absurdity of the election process.
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MASON: How did it change the game?DALTON ROSS: It changed the game in that he sort of did what no one thought was possible in that he made politics entertaining.
MASON: Dalton Ross is an editor with Entertainment Weekly. He always said he was just a comic but it was more than a comedy show, wasn't it?
ROSS: Absolutely. He would be horrified to hear me say this but he became a trusted source in news.
MASON: Especially among younger viewers.
JAKE DORTON: He brought a lot of clarity to journalism and I think he’s brought a lot of accountability for a lot of people that maybe otherwise wouldn’t have had that accountability but he did it in such a way that allowed people to laugh about it.
KRISTEN MALZONE: He keeps me sane. After watching everything crazy that happens in politics these days, I think it's nice to see someone like him put everything into perspective and talk real about it because otherwise I think I would go crazy.
MASON: The show’s influence with young voters made it influential with politicians. Former President Clinton tweeted “where will I get my news each night?” White House spokesman John Earnest even discussed Stewart's departure at his Wednesday briefing.
JOSH EARNEST: As somebody who, I would certainly describe myself as a fan and an occasional victim of Jon Stewart, but we'll certainly be sad to see him go.
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MASON: Comedy shows rarely shape our culture. Jon Stewart's has for more than 16 years. The median age of his audience is 36 years which is about 20 years younger than the network news audience. That tells you where his influence was and how powerful the show was.GAYLE KING: Everybody liked him. Even his victims are going to miss him. Thank you Anthony.
