'Review America' a limited podcast series on American Politics through the prism of Wrestling

Wrestling fans have a unique way of viewing the world. A perspective with elements from media studies or observational comedy, they see the superficial presentation whilst taking into account the layers of meta-reference and insider jargon. The culture has moved towards a better understanding of this through the popularity of 'The Daily Show' and the rise of independent media challenging and unpacking mainstream news.

Review America  – Episode 1: The RNC

Which brings us to today, where we can have an audience receptive to a show discussing American politics through the prism of wrestling. 'Review America: Wrestling with democracy' is a limited series podcast hosted on the 'Fight Network', a Canadian media station dedicated to combat sports. Hosted by Americans Brian Mann and Nate Milton, its a spin-off from a 2012 episode where Canadians John Pollock and Wai Ting departed from their regular format of reviewing Wrestling PPVs to investigating the compelling presidential showdown between nominees Governor Romney (r) and Senator Obama (d). Not unlike my own fascination with America's brand of politics as an outsider all those years ago. Host Brian describes the zeitgeist which birthed the show in the show's opening address:

Review America with Brian Mann & Nate Milton – Episode 1: The RNC
BRIAN MANN: (2m 37s) This really does feel like a convergence this year where a lot of the world is kinda becoming hip to the Pro-Wrestling way of doing things unfortunately. You and I, we obviously have no shame when it comes to liking pro-wrestling but its interesting how our entire society has kind of unknowingly adapted to the same framework of thinking. A couple of months ago the New York Times wrote a really great article... and I just want to share a quote from it...

'Is Everything Wrestling' by Jeremy Gordon
If a story is told well, if its history seems consistent, then the machinations putting it into place can be temporarily overlooked or turned into a fun story of their own. And why not? In the end, we're all marks for a world we want to believe in.

And I think that really puts this election into focus, the reason Nate and I are going to spend a couple of weeks and really months until this wraps up in November is because I think there is a uniquely pro-wrestling way of looking at this entire election. So this isn't going to strictly be a political show, we are going to be tying it into that. We will be viewing this through the framework of "Marks" and "Smarks" and "kayfabe"* and everything that I think our audience is conditioned to think and that's why we want to bring the show to you on this platform (The Fight Network) rather than putting it out through a different party. This is a show about Politics but for Wrestling fans even though we're not necessarily going to be making Ted DiBiase jokes every second.

*Glossary for wrestling jargon:
Mark - Fan who enjoys and consumes Wrestling at face value
Smark - Fan aware of Wrestling's artifice and appreciates its meta layers. Short for "Smart Mark".
Kayfabe - Preservation of the illusion that Wrestling is real

My blog's initial focus on the pundit class was because they were more compelling (read: entertaining) political personalities with arguably more influence on voters. They were unfettered as private citizens and not beholden to the usual journalistic constraints of objectivity and decorum. Pundits were establishing fiefdoms through their media empires, effectively fashioning their own voting blocs to leverage or rival the politicians.
This election, the rise of Donald Trump as the "rogue" nominee for the Republican party represents the convergence of wrestling, punditry andpolitics. With 10.8 million Twitter followers, coupled with his unrivaled ability to engulf "free media", Trump is a one-man noise machine.
Nate Milton expands:

Review America with Brian Mann & Nate Milton – Episode 1: The RNC
NATE MILTON: You talk about relating in the way you and I... look at pro-wrestling you can easily apply it to the world of politics and I think in this election in particular where you have two oversized characters. One in Hillary Clinton on the Democratic side and Donald Trump, the guy we're gonna be focusing on most this week on the Republican side. Someone who has dabbled in the world of pro-wrestling. He's a WWE Hall-of-Famer so he's no stranger to the world of "kayfabe" but I think its gonna be an interesting journey for us because as you've mentioned politics is something that we often talk about and to our credit its something we enjoy talking about and to the listeners' credit something that they didn't mind when we went down that road so I think we're gonna have a lot of fun and get to some insightful places... and I think the tagline "Wrestling with democracy" is very appropriate.

I founded this blog in 2007, at the close of George W Bush' presidency and gearing up to the 08' presidential race. The politics is wrestling meme had been forwarded in sprinkles but the "Pundit Fight" premise of the blog was only possible with the advent of Air America Radio. The Progressive radio network provided a stable of liberal talkers to counteract the "Right Wing Noise Machine". This allowed me to pit Rush Limbaugh and Ann Coulter against the likes of Jon Stewart and Rachel Maddow, the incubation of the politicised media marketplace today.

Its a telling state of affairs that a presidential nominee has usurped all of the pundits combined, not only in bombast but his ability to manipulate the media and the masses. Its worth noting that 'Review America' never had to mention the pundit class in relating American politics to wrestling. Donald Trump has seemingly made PunditFight obsolete by becoming the living incarnation of it. Sad.

Pundits TRUMPED!

Links to the 3 'Review America with Brian Mann & Nate Milton' episode so far:
- Episode 1: The RNC
- Episode 2: The DNC
- Episode 3: Diagnosing Donald

Quotes compilation: GOP Debates as Pro-Wrestling matches

VIDEO: Trump Turns GOP into Pro Wrestling  

MICHAEL SMERCONISH: (0m 18s) What went on in Houston Thursday night gave me a flashback. Early 1970s, Saturday mornings, our Family rec room. My brother and me on bean bag chairs watching Pro-Wrestling... Good guys VS Bad guys, mudslinging and foreign objects. Well, guess who learned on those mats too, Yes the classy Trumpinator. And so it was in Houston, Rubio and Cruz tagteamed the villainous Trump but their victory was short-lived as the Trumpinator pulled someone else into the ring thankfully not wearing tights. Former arch-rival Chris Christie was suddenly his sidekick but can anything stop Trump's ascent before this episode of Wrestlemania wraps up on Tuesday?

Kurtz: Trump controls the media (and bumps me!)
HOWARD KURTZ: (1m 52s) The debate was fascinating because even though Rubio finally did what the press wanted him to do and attack Trump. They went toe to toe and Cruz did some attacking as well. There was so much yelling and so much crosstalk and these guys talking over each other. It was one eccentric moment after the other, Wolf Blitzer had utterly lost control of the debate at several points. I think that blunted the whole thing. I think many of these attacks cancelled each other out because it was such a professional Wrestling match.

Carson: Moderators didn't want to gain control of GOP debate
ERIC BOLLING: We just got out of a raucous debate sir. What are your thoughts? How did you do tonight?
BEN CARSON: Well I did fine with the few questions I was asked and the few opportunities I had to weigh in. But it was clearly a debate that was aimed at World Wrestling Federation. There was no interest in hearing about the actual issues and what the solutions are
BOLLING: Boy there was a lot of fighting. The middle three especially Trump/Rubio/Cruz going back and forth. Did the debate moderators lose control of that a bit?
CARSON: I don't think they wanted to gain control because I think they were enjoying the fight. They probably figure it was increasing their ratings
BOLLING: Let me call you on that sir. At one point, I think it was you that said "Could someone please fight with me?"
CARSON: It seemed that was the only way you were going to get airtime if somebody attacked you. It's pretty sad that we've gotten to this point in our Country. Where we're talking about a Presidential debate. Where we're talking about electing a President and we're not talking about people's real policies. What do they believe? Why do they believe that? Don't the people deserve to know that?

Rubio changes tactics, tries to 'out-Trump' Trump
GRETA VAN SUSTEREN: (2m 04s) Everybody in Stevens Point is watching and thinking "We're all nuts here". They watched that punching back and forth. I wonder if they're thinking this is great democracy working or this is just a bunch of nutty people yelling insults at each other going way off the rails.
CONGRESSMAN SEAN DUFFY: I think this is where the debate is today and if you wanna win and you're going to wrestle with a pig you're going to get dirty. Marco Rubio got dirty last night wrestling with Trump but he came out the winner and ate his lunch...

Deep rifts on display in 9th Republican debate
JOE SCARBOROUGH: I tell you what that was a horrible debate, I know it was like the most watched. Not only what was going on on-stage, I'm sorry the crowd was offensive.
WILLIE GEIST: I loved it
(panel laughs)
SCARBOROUGH: Of course you would. But it was so offensive you would have candidates halfway through their answers and they would start booing. It was like a Gladiator match...
KRISTEN SOLTIS ANDERSON: It made me feel like I was a watching a Professional Wrestling match. These are important conflicts between these candidates that we need to tease out... it's not that these candidates don't need to be engaged in hand-to-hand combat on stage but something about the audience did give it more of a feel of watching a Professional Wrestling match.

Rubio attacks on Trump too little, too late?
LELAND VITTERT: (1m 10s) Rubio continues to pound on Trump, "Conman, Con-artist and everything else. Hair Force One". Too little, too late by Marco or does he have Trump rattled?
PETE SNYDER: I was half expecting John Cena to pop out of the back screen, classic WWE style. I think this has gotten a little out of hand Leland and I think it is a little too little, too late. We had months and months to see who could be the alpha and who could stand up to Trump and noone did. I can understand the strategy of Marco trying to make it a two-person race but this thing is all but over on the Republican side.

- Politics is wrestling, Quote roundup (2010)

Stephen Colbert will finish his show in 11 days, soon to replace David Letterman on 'Late Show'

Sadly our time is nearly up. Arguably the most beloved PunditFighter is leaving his post as influential Political Satirist to fill the shoes of an iconic American entertainer:

Stephen Colbert Will Take Over for David Letterman, CBS Announces
Letterman, the legendary, critically acclaimed host of the CBS late night series for 21 years, announced his retirement on his April 3 broadcast. Colbert’s premiere date as host of THE LATE SHOW will be announced after Mr. Lettermen determines a timetable for his final broadcasts in 2015.
Specific creative elements, as well as the producers and the location for the Colbert-hosted LATE SHOW, will be determined and announced at a later date.

To commemorate his influence on Washington and to punctuate the homestretch with a bang, Stephen is broadcasting a special from the Nation's Capital:

Stephen Colbert presents: Mr. Colbert goes to Washington, D.C. Ya later, Legislator:
Partisan is such sweet sorrow: A Colbert victory lap '014

Announcing the Mr. Colbert Goes to Washington Special 
STEPHEN COLBERT: because as of tonight there are only 11 episodes of the 'Colbert Report' left... a lesser Newsman might stoop to a cheap publicity stunt before going off the air... but I for one have no time for a shameful last-ditch ratings grab because I'm too busy planning this coming Monday's show where I will be broadcasting the Colbert Report from Washington D.C.
Yes! It is my farewell to Washington special "Stephen Colbert presents: Mr. Colbert goes to Washington, D.C. Ya later, Legislator: Partisan is such sweet sorrow: A Colbert victory lap '014"

Jon Stewart taking Summer ‘Daily Show’ hiatus, John Oliver fills in as host

Deadline reports that APF pundit Jon Stewart will be taking a break from hosting the Daily Show to direct his first feature film 'Rosewater', an adaptation of the book 'Then They Came For Me'. Its based off a memoir written by Maziar Bahari, a journalist imprisoned by Iran in 2009. He has appeared on the Daily Show three times, accused by the Iranian Government of being a spy during his first appearance.

UPDATE: Jon Stewart Taking Summer ‘Daily Show’ Hiatus To Direct First Film And “Challenge” Himself, John Oliver To Sub
11 AM EXCLUSIVE: Jon Stewart will take a 12-week summer hiatus from hosting Comedy Central‘s The Daily Show to make his feature directing debut. In his absence, Daily Show regular John Oliver will be guest host for eight weeks of fresh shows. Stewart has written the script for and will direct Rosewater, an adaptation of the book Then They Came For Me: A Family’s Story Of Love, Captivity And Survival. Published in 2011 by Random House, the book is Maziar Bahari’s harrowing ordeal of leaving London in June 2009 to cover Iran’s presidential elections. With a pregnant fiance left behind, the BBC journalist expected to be away for a week. Instead, he spent the next 118 days in Iran’s most notorious prison being brutally interrogated by a man he knew only by one thing: he smelled of Rosewater. Bahari wrote the book with Aimee Molloy. Scott Rudin will produce with Stewart and Gigi Pritzker. Pritzker’s OddLot Entertainment is financing the film.

North Korean film 'Propaganda' (2012) features Professional Wrestling

VIDEO: North Korean film exposes
Western propaganda (9 of 10)

NARRATOR: (8m 50s) This game is based on something called WWE, which stands for World Wrestling Entertainment. Extreme violence cheered on by Americans baying for blood. They know the names of each one of these actors and yet they don't know where Britain is on the map despite the efforts of the British to be their best friends 

Jon Stewart's unedited interview with Chris Wallace on 'Fox News Sunday' (transcript)

 VIDEO: Exclusive: Jon Stewart on 'Fox News Sunday' (unedited)

Transcript of Chris Wallace interviewing Jon Stewart (June 20, 2011)
WALLACE: I'm just trying to understand you.
STEWART: Is that really true?
WALLACE: Yes.
STEWART: Because here's the thing that surprises me about that. I've existed in this country forever. There have been people like me who satirize the political process and who have satirized — what was it that Will Rogers said? How crazy is it when politicians are a joke and comedians are taken seriously? I've existed forever. The box that I exist in has always been around, the change is the box that you guys, you've moved closer to me. But I'd like to know what I'm doing that's really different than what you've seen previously from satirical comedians that work in the political milieu. What is different about it, that makes you so perplexed?

Bloomberg Game Changers: Jon Stewart

Last month Jon Stewart was profiled on 'Bloomberg Game Changers'.

Bloomberg Game Changers (Ch Bloomberg. Thursdays 9:30pm ET)
A new original documentary series. Bloomberg Game Changers gives a compelling look into today's most influential leaders in technology, finance, politics and culture. See how these Game Changers redefined their industry and at times, the world.

The show focused on Stewart's rise to prominence and his current influence on the Political and media landscape.

Bloomberg Game Changers: Jon Stewart
Oct. 22 (Bloomberg) -- BLOOMBERG GAME CHANGERS profiles Jonathan Stuart Leibowitz, now Jon Stewart, from his New Jersey boyhood through the standard struggle of the stand-up comedian - part time jobs and late night gigs at New York’s comedy clubs. It will shine a spotlight on his early television shows and movies, including rare video from his early career, to show his transformation into the dominant American commentator of our time.

Watch the entire episode here - Bloomberg Game Changers: Jon Stewart

Enjoy a preview clip here

VIDEO: Bloomberg Game Changers | Jon Stewart - CNBC and Cramer

Jon Stewart on NPR's 'Fresh Air' with Terry Gross discussing Glenn Beck and The Daily Show's 'Rally to Restore Sanity'

Terry Gross interviewed Jon Stewart on Sept. 29 at the 92nd Street Y
in New York City. (Joyce Culver/92nd Street Y)

Jon Stewart recently sat down with NPR's Terry Gross in front of a live audience to discus his show and the upcoming duel rallies he is hosting with Stephen Colbert, 'The Rally to Restore Sanity' and 'March to keep fear alive'.

Jon on distancing the rally as a direct reaction to Glenn Beck's 'Restoring Honor' event

Jon Stewart: The Most Trusted Name In Fake News
"Like everything that we do, the march is merely a construct," he says. "It's merely a format, in the way the book is a format, a show is a format ... to be filled with the type of material that Stephen and I do and the point of view [that we have]. People have said, 'It's a rally to counter Glenn Beck.' It's not. What it is was, we saw that and thought, 'What a beautiful outline. What a beautiful structure to fill with what we want to express in live form, festival form."...

"I very much wanted to avoid the idea that [the march] would be a reaction to him. 'Cause I don't think that'd be fair to him and it's not meant to ridicule activism or the Tea Party movement or religious people."

Stewart on defining what they value and do on the 'Daily Show'

But even though The Daily Show often comes up with facts and stories missed by other news sources, Stewart says, it would be wrong to describe what he does as "journalism."

"We don't do anything but make the connections," he says. "We're just going off our own instinct of, 'What are the connections to this that make sense?' And this really is true: We don't fact-check [and] look at context because of any journalistic criteria that has to be met; we do that because jokes don't work when they're lies. We fact-check so when we tell a joke, it hits you at sort of a gut level — not because we have a journalistic integrity, [but because] hopefully we have a comedic integrity that we don't want to violate."

Jon Stewart on Glenn Beck

On similarities between himself and Glenn Beck
"He's a reaction to what he feels like is the news, and so are we. We actually share quite a bit in common in terms of, not point of view necessarily, but reason for being. We're both in some ways an op-ed. We consider ourselves editorial cartoonists in some respect. Not him, but the show. Op-ed cartoonists, or the Messiah. We're both different...

On deconstructing Beck
"The beautiful thing about what he does is, it's very difficult to argue with his facts. It's the conclusions [that are problematic]. ... It's that slippery slope. ... So what you do is, you just grab together facts and put them together and then do a grab bag of conclusions. Everything is discovered as evidence of secret plots, of secret things that could be occurring."

Read the entire article and listen to the 40+ minute conversation between Jon Stewart and Terry Gross here - Jon Stewart: The Most Trusted Name In Fake News

Where to watch Glenn Beck's 'Restoring Honor' Rally (8/28/2010)

August 28, 2010. Glenn Beck's 'Restoring Honor' Rally

On August 28, 2010 Glenn Beck organised a rally in Washington DC at the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. Glenn Beck and the rally received some early criticism, accused of hijacking the date which would have been the forty-seventh anniversary of the Great March on Washington, where Civil Rights leader Martin Luther King famously delivered his "I have a Dream" speech.

The 'Restoring Honor' rally turned out to be less overtly political and more religious, honoring America's fighting men and women and a celebration of freedom. Its most notable speakers included Glenn Beck (Conservative Commentator and organiser), Sarah Palin (2008 Republican Vice Presidential nominee) and Alveda King (former Georgia State Representative and niece of Martin Luther King)

Watch the official documentary made by the enterprising Glenn Beck team:

8/28 the Documentary now available on-demand!
This is our first full-length documentary and it’s going to blow you away. It’s an exclusive inside look at the making of the 8-28 Rally. When we say exclusive, we mean it. From the time Glenn arrived in Washington DC to the time he took the stage our cameras were rolling. You will not believe what went on behind the scenes:

• We’ll show you how most of my staff had no idea what the plan was just days before the event.

• You’ll see the panic that took place when we heard that Albert Pujols and Tony LaRussa may not show up.

• And the best part…we’ll tell you the story of how the script to Glenn’s speech went missing on the way to the rally.

You can also watch the simulcast of the event that was originally aired on C-Span
'Restoring Honor' Rally aired on C-Span

Rick Sanchez appears on 'Stand Up with Pete Dominick', conversation contributes to CNN firing

Rick Sanchez has been released by CNN presumably for comments he made on APF pundit Pete Dominick's show

BREAKING: Rick Sanchez Fired From CNN
CNN released this statement today:

“Rick Sanchez is no longer with the company. We thank Rick for his years of service and we wish him well.“

They will broadcast CNN Newsroom from 3-5pm for the foreseeable future.

Pete Dominick's website (www.standupwithpetedominick) was down for several hours, though it seems to be fine now. Pete will be expanding his role on CNN with a new Saturday show, 2:30pm ET. His facebook page offers a hint of the show's content

On our show tomorrow on CNN at 2:30 and 10:30 I will bring a camera to the people every week. We will talk about the weeks stories that weren't covered enough. We will highlight people from the week who are "better than me" and we will never prep a segment on pop culture unless it slams americans obsession with it

Here are is a sample of of Sanchez' contentious remarks

Partial transcript of conversation between Rick Sanchez and Pete Dominick
RICK SANCHEZ: Its not just the right that does this cuz I've know a lot of elite, north east, establishment liberals that may not use this as a business model but deep down they look at a guy like me and they automatically see a guy in the second tier and not in the top tier...

I think to a certain extent Jon Stewart and Colbert are the same way. I think Jon Stewart is a bigot... [he is bigoted towards] anyone who isn't like him. Look at his, I mean what does he surround himself with?...

I’m telling you that everybody who runs CNN is a lot like Stewart, and a lot of people who run all the other networks are a lot like Stewart, and to imply that somehow they, the people in this country who are Jewish, are an oppressed minority? Yeah.

That what happens when you watch yourself [Sanchez] on his show all day and all they ever do is call you stupid...

I think Jon's show is essentially prejudicial... against anybody who doesn't agree with his point of view which is very much a white, liberal, establishment point of view. He can't relate to a guy like me...

He's upset that someone of my ilk is at almost his level. I'm sorry that's my impression. Why would a guy constantly berate you night in and night out?...

VIDEO: Rick Sanchez calls Jon Stewart a bigot on Pete Dominick's radio show

Read and Listen to my 2008 interview with Pete Dominick - Introducing the newest APF Pundit: Pete Dominick

Stephen Colbert to testify in Congress in character

Stephen Colbert is scheduled to testify on Capitol Hill tomorrow.

Fresh off farm gig, comedian Colbert set for House hearing
(CNN) -- Stephen Colbert shined his comedic light on farm labor and immigration for his TV show. Now a House subcommittee is about to have him draw attention to the issues on Capitol Hill.

The Comedy Central funnyman, fresh off Thursday night's "The Colbert Report" episode showing him packing corn and picking beans on a farm as part of a challenge from a pro-immigrant-labor group, is to appear before a House subcommittee on immigration at 9:30 a.m.

In wrestling, kayfabe is the art of preserving the illusion that wrestling is real. Obviously this can be easily managed within the realm of wrestling but harder so when the larger than life characters interact with foreign parties or migrate to other forms of entertainment. I've spoken previously of the awkwardness of the hypermacho Bill O'Reilly persona when positioned in lightweight programming.

This will be an interesting exercise in hyperreality - seeing an earnest caricature of a conservative bloviator invited by a Democratic Congress to testify on the serious matter of illegal immigration. Since everyone in Congress should be across the Colbert brief, it shouldn't play like a 'Borat sketch'. But that's not to say reality won't be muddled at all.

Watch Stephen addressing the concerns of Fox and Friends' Gretchen Carlson and Steve Doocy

The Colbert Report	Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c
Fallback Position - Migrant Worker Pt. 2
www.colbertnation.com
Colbert Report Full Episodes 2010 Election Fox News

Watch one of the rare occasions Stephen Colbert breaks kayfabe and unpacks his art.

VIDEO: The Real Stephen Colbert (Out of Character)

Read a discussion on Colbert's in-character appearance from Conservative blog, Newsbusters - Stephen Colbert to Testify to Congress About Illegal Immigration

Watch happens when staying in character can go wrong. I've shown and discussed this infamous clip between John Stossel and Dr D David Schultz previously. Here it is again being unpacked below:

VIDEO: Schultz VS Stossel - When keeping it Kayfabe goes wrong documentary (1 of 2)

Glenn Beck unveils new Political news portal - 'The Blaze'

Glenn Beck's 'The Blaze' and Michelle Malkin's 'Hot Air'

Glenn Beck's meteoric rise in influence continues. Possibly taking a leaf from Michelle Malkin in founding a Political news portal a la 'Hot Air', Glenn Beck unveils his own Blog network, 'The Blaze'.

Via Glenn Beck's Facebook

The other day, I was thinking to myself: “you know, twenty hours a week on radio and TV, plus a magazine, books and live events really just doesn’t give me enough ways to communicate with people.” So, it was time to add one more platform to the list: The Blaze (theblaze.com), a new website for news and opinion. Why call it “The Blaze”? Because nothing burns hotter than the truth. I've hired actual journalists who we will unleash on the stories that the MSM ignores, spins or just doesn’t understand. I hope to earn your trust over time and to eventually make The Blaze the first news site you visit every day. We’ve got great stories up there already and lots more to come, I hope you’ll take a look.

Pete Dominick to appear on nightly 'Pete on the Street' segments on CNNs 'John King, USA'

Great news for fans of APF Pundit Pete Dominick. Widely considered the only true independent on the APF Roster, Pete is much deserving of this expanded exposure.

Via Pete Dominick's Facebook

The Big News: Starting Monday March 22 I will be doing a nightly segment on John King USA on CNN. The show airs at 7pm and the segment is called "Pete on the Street" Check the online preview on CNN.com tomorrow at 12N

Read a personal review of what the addition of Pete Dominick means to CNN, from DailyKOs diarist 'Save the Clock tower' - UPDATED: Baby steps towards balance: CNN adds Pete Dominick

Update: March 20, 2010
Watch Pete Dominick's first 'Pete on the Street' segment here -

Social Media Manners: Pete Dominick gives us a humorous take on social media manners and miscues

Jon Stewart, Wyatt Cenac and Mick Foley endorse the analogy that American Politics is like pro-wrestling

PunditFight was founded some three years ago and has been the premier resource for the analogy that American Politics and Punditry is not unlike Professional wrestling.

The Daily Show: Crumbums & Fatcats

The March 15 edition of The Daily Show distilled and endorsed this analogy more explicitly than I've ever seen it. Jon Stewart crossed to 'Senior political analyst' Wyatt Cenac about the Eric Massa scandal, Wyatt brought up the wrestling analogy to describe American Politics and Punditry then reintroduced wrestler Mick Foley to bring the point home.

VIDEO: The Daily Show (March 15, 2010) - Crumbums & Fatcats
Crumbums & Fatcats

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Health Care Reform

Crumbums & Fatcats (Monday March 15, 2010)
Wyatt Cenac gets Mick Foley to demonstrate how easy it is for politicians to work both sides of the filibuster.

WYATT CENAC: Jon here's your problem. You think politicians wanna win their arguments when all they really wanna do is keep having them. They know arguments are interesting, they energize voters, they keep the money flowing in.
JON STEWART: You're telling me their interest is in conflict, not in resolution?
WYATT CENAC: Yes. Jon do you watch professional wrestling?
JON STEWART: (pause) Yes.
WYATT CENAC: So you know right now, Shawn Michaels is angry at the Undertaker... But they're gonna settle it in the squared circle
JON STEWART: So it will be done!?
WYATT CENAC: Well unless something were to happen to keep the fight going
JON STEWART: I get it. They have to keep the conflict going. But at least in wrestling you know the good guy and the bad guy. Shawn Michaels is a good guy. The Undertaker is the bad guy.
WYATT CENAC: Until the swerve when they switch. It keeps the audience interested and again the moneys keeps flowing
JON STEWART: You're saying congressional leaders flip on issues. To keep conflict going and money flowing and keep their bases interested
WYATT CENAC: Jon Congress people are in Congress for like 80, 90 years. You just can't expect them to do that same character the whole time. It'll get boring
JON STEWART: So you're saying like Harry Reid's flip flop on whether he would like to amend the filibuster is just a pro-wrestling move...

Wrestler Mick Foley comes out and performs a skit where he plays both sides off one issue, the filibuster.

JON STEWART: So they can play both sides of one issue but isn't that what the news media is for - to provide context. Break through the posture and create a little clarity.
WYATT CENAC: Context Jon? No. The news guys are more like the manager, the color guys. They got their own take on the filibuster too...
JON STEWART: So what you're saying is the whole f*cking thing [American Politics] is fake like professional wrestling

Apologies for the long transcript but it was a quite the dissertation on the politics-as-wrestling meme. Every theme Stewart and Cenac touched on from Congressman character swerves to Media being color guys are issues I've touched on in my 3 years on PunditFight.

Mick Foley is no stranger to politics and the Daily Show, with this being his second appearance in character.
- Watch Jon Stewart using the wrestling analogy previously to describe his interaction with neo-con Bill Kristol
- Watch Mick Foley endorsing the wrestling analogy in 2004 on the Marc Maron show
- Read all posts on the wrestling analogy here
- Possibly the genesis of this segment, Wyatt Cenac talks to Marc Maron about Politics being Wrestling

Rush Limbaugh interested in purchasing St Louis Rams + Animation and Wallpaper

St Louis Rams x Rush Limbaugh wallpaper

Rush Limbaugh has been in the news lately for his interest in co-owning NFL Team, The St Louis Rams.

Rush Limbaugh says he's trying to purchase Rams
It appears conservative talk-radio host Rush Limbaugh wants to be an NFL team owner.

In a statement released today, Limbaugh said he's partnering with St. Louis Blues owner Dave Checketts in a bid to buy the St. Louis Rams. Limbaugh didn't go into details, but said he and Checketts "have made a bid to buy the Rams and are continuing the process."

It's unclear whether Limbaugh and Checketts will try to buy the team outright or purchase a majority or minority stake in it. Georgia Frontiere's children own a 60% stake in the team, and billionaire Stan Kroenke owns a 40% stake.

Rush is an avid sports fan having once been a sports analyst for ESPN. He commented cautiously on the ongoing negotiations on his radio program.

Rush Confirms Interest in Rams; State-Run Media Runs With Story
RUSH: I have not commented on this on this program, even though the news has been out there since Monday. I had to confirm it when I was asked about it. It was reported Sunday on the CBS NFL Pregame Show by Charley Casserly that I am part of a group with Dave Checketts that has put in a bid on the St. Louis Rams, and that's all I can say. That's true. But Goldman Sachs is handling the sale. There's a confidentiality clause. None of the bidders can disclose anything, can't talk to anybody. We don't even know who the other team bidders are and we can't do anything other than confirm it since it's a leak. I can't discuss it. So it's out there and that is true.

As RadioEqualizer reports, the majority of reportage on Rush' bid has been tinged with outrage over Rush' history of [non-football related] controversy and the infamous Donovan McNabb statement about the media being "very desirous... and interested in black coaches and black quarterbacks doing well..."

Read RadioEqualizer's argument of "bias against a conservative owner".

TAG TEAM: WaPo, Others Gang Up To Stop Rush's NFL Bid
Since news broke early this week that Rush Limbaugh was part of a consortium bidding on the NFL's St Louis Rams, the state-run media's outraged response remains baffling. Why do they care who owns a football team?

Animation: Rush' St Louis Rams variant

Apart from the use of the wrestling term "Tag team" in the RadioEqualizer post there is another odd wrestling link to this story. The current 40% owner of the Rams, billionaire Stan Kroenke was in a recent high profile feud with WWE owner (and football fan) Vince McMahon.

Jill Greenberg makes Glenn Beck cry for GQ cover

What do these three subjects I've previously written about all have in common
1) Glenn Beck crying
2) Bruno (Sacha Baron Cohen's Gay Austrian alter ego)
3) Controversial photographer Jill Greenberg

Answer: They've all come together on the recent July issue of GQ Magazine. The special "Comedy issue" with 'Bruno' on the cover features a Glenn Beck piece titled "The hilarious rage of Glenn Beck". Its only fitting Beck would welcome being featured in such an issue as he is a keen student of comedy.

Glenn Beck crying for photographer Jill Greenberg

What is also interesting about the piece is the accompanying photographs were shot by Jill Greenberg. You will remember Jill, a proud liberal, caused quite a stir for her partisan misuse of portraits she shot of Presidential candidate John McCain for the Atlantic magazine. Jill Greenberg was probably tasked to do the shoot as Glenn has a reputation for being a cryer and Jill a reputation for photographing people crying.

But as Gawker astutely points out, Jill Greenberg true to form may have subverted her subject once again

Exclusive: How GQ Made Glenn Beck Cry
And if Beck knew who Greenberg was, then he almost certainly would have known that the crying bit he was so eager to play along with was a sly reference to End Times, her 2006 series of photos of crying toddlers, which she shot by giving kids candy and then taking it away from them. Beck called that "terrorizing children" last year.

"The crying was my idea, and Glenn was cool with trying it," Greenberg says.

You can read GQ's piece on Glenn Beck here

An Extended Q&A with Glenn Beck
GQ: Funny isn’t exactly the first word that leaps to mind when you think "Glenn Beck."
BECK: It’s actually the reason I decided to do radio. Every time I listened to talk radio, the conservatives had a stick lodged in their butt. I never understood why the entire world could have a sense of humor but the conservatives have to be Thurston Howell. I mean, you can’t have a sense of humor and be conservative?

National Secret leaked - Stephen Colbert in Iraq

I have just received a dispatch from Stephen Colbert to go forth and leak that he will be doing a weeks' worth of episodes from Iraq.

VIDEO: Exclusive - Where and When Is Stephen Going to the Persian Gulf - Iraq Announcement

The Colbert Report	Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c
Exclusive - Where and When Is Stephen Going to the Persian Gulf - Iraq Announcement
colbertnation.com
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Stephen Colbert's Iraq announcement
STEPHEN COLBERT: Greeting Colbert Nation and prepare yourselves to be entrusted with a National Secret - beginning Monday the Colbert Report will be doing a week of shows from Iraq, you're the only ones who know now do what anyone with a big secret would do, let it slip every chance you get. On your blogs, your tweets, your facebook, your bloofies. Don't know what a bloofie is? Get with the times Grandpa!

The Colbert Report in Iraq starting Monday. Go forth and leak

I've done just that. Over and out

Stephen Colbert appeared on Good Morning America to promote his mission to Iraq to entertain the troops, dubbed 'Operation: Iraqi Stephen Going Commando'. Host Robin Roberts mentioned Stephen was following in the footsteps of luminaries like Bob Hope and Marilyn Monroe, I would also add fellow APF pundits Bill O'Reilly and Al Franken.
VIDEO: Stephen Colbert on Good Morning America!

Eric 'Mancow' Mueller adamantly tells Keith Olbermann "Waterboarding stunt was not a hoax" as Gawker.com insists

VIDEO: Mancow Waterboarding hoax?

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KEITH OLBERMANN: I would think that knowing you briefly, if it was a hoax it would have been a much better hoax than this one, Mancow from Chicago's WLS once again in bizarre circumstances
MANCOW: I play pranks all the time, that's the irony here
OLBERMANN: And this isn't one of them
MANCOW: This was real
(note: Mancow's wife and daughter are constantly in frame in the background)

The last time a 'hoax' was accused in punditry was during a fainting on Glenn Beck's program. In that instance, Glenn Beck's constant theatrics made people doubt the authenticity of the fainting episode. In this instance, Mancow's reputation as a juvenile prankster and the reporting from Gawker fuelled the fire.

Did Erich 'Mancow' Muller Fake His Waterboarding for Publicity?
Yesterday we showed you video of Erich "Mancow" Muller, a Chicago-based right-wing shockjock, appearing as a guest on Keith Olbermann's show to discuss his being waterboarded. He claimed it led to an ideological conversion! But now a tipster has provided information that suggests the whole thing may be a hoax.

Read Gawker's response to Keith Olbermann's dressing down of its "sloppy" investigative reporting - Mancow's 'Waterboarding' Was Completely Fake

Again just like in wrestling this often happens because of the constant way they fold reality unto itself. Interesting that this hoax has come on the heels of the anniversary of Owen Hart's death, where the legendary wrestler tragically died in a live stunt that had many wrestling insider's and fans initially dismissing it as another "wrestling work" - a staged event to fool audiences. Even to this day "staged on-air deaths" remain a recurring storyline in wrestling.

Listen to wrestling pundits hoaxes or "works" within wrestling storylines. From the 'May 24' episode of LiveAudioWrestling

JOHN POLLOCK: A lot of fans at that time when that happened on PPV (on-air death), the natural reaction of any wrestling fan is that its an angle (a wrestling storyline) and you look at some the stuff they were doing at that time in 1999 and that really wasn't out of the realm of possibility for WWE to do something like that

Media Matters gives Bill O'Reilly some credit

Media Matters features a clip of Bill O'Reilly featuring a Media Matters clip on how Bill O'Reilly did a "good job". How meta

VIDEO: O'Reilly highlights "far-left smear site" Media Matters' video saying he "did a good job"

BILL O'REILLY: Check 2 - and this is unbelievable. The far left smear site Media Matters, which pretty much slimes me on a daily basis says I did a good job on this...

This 'hall of mirrors' self-referencing is often satirised by Bill O'Reilly-clone Stephen Colbert:

VIDEO: Stephen Colbert unveils new portrait of Stephen Colbert

STEPHEN COLBERT: Well folks that concludes the third and so far finest year of the Report... I want thank you, the Nation and of course I want to thank me. To mark the start of our fourth year together I got something we wanted most of all - another portrait of me...

Howard Kurtz discusses partisanship, polarization and villainry in Punditry: Olbermann, Maddow and Hannity

VIDEO: Cable turns Caustic - CNN 'Reliable Sources' panel on "high decibel" punditry

State of the Union: Reliable Sources - May 24, 2009
KURTZ: Well, I have often argued that the important thing is to have -- no matter what your strong views are -- and it's fine if you're a host, if you're a commentator, to have strong views -- to have people, guests on who have opposing views. I think Keith Olbermann would be more interesting and I think Sean Hannity, now that he's lost Alan Colmes, would be more interest if he had, they had people who flatly disagree with them. On rare occasions they do.

The discussion turns to the therapeutic value of punditry

FREI: No, absolutely. But I think -- and here's the point -- you can actually turn it around. You say this is really good for democracy because it's therapeutic, it's cathartic.

So if you're really mad, you watch these guys who are even madder than you, and you think, you know what? I'm going to -- it's like my kids. When my kids bawl in public, they see another child crying, they stop crying and they watch...

ASHBURN: Hey, I think it completely riles everybody up, just like this. I mean, the more emotional you are, and the more passionate you are, the more you're crying, the more you're yelling, the more people...

This is reminiscent the argument Matt Taibbi laid out in his essay 'Keep on Hatin', a media cycle he describes as "Blame, Hate, Coalesce".

Don't APF hate. Perpetuate!? Matt Taibbi on the vicious circle of hate in punditry
It is amazing to me that people can walk into a bookstore, see a pair of books whose titles begin with "I Hate...," and still believe that the two books are different, simply because the politics of one are conservative and the politics of the other are liberal. Even though it is astoundingly obvious, I'm beginning to think that the vast majority of Americans will not realize until it is too late that this is the same shit.

Watch full video CNN's 'Reliable Sources' - May 2004, 2009
Host Howard Kurtz turns a critical eye on the media