Russell Brand shoots on MSNBC's 'Morning Joe'

VIDEO: Russell Brand Unplugged - Letting loose on Morning Joe

Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

RUSSELL BRAND: Is this what you all do for a living? I'm here to promote a tour called 'Messiah Complex'... You're conveying news to the people of America? People of America we're going to be OK. Everything's alright. These are you're trusted anchors. Is that your news there? Give us your papers, I'll shuffle them for you.
(adopts the role of a news anchor)
We are going to talk about the situation with Edward Snowden...
That’s the problem about current affairs. You forget about what’s important. You allow the agenda to be decided by superficial information. What am I saying? What am I talking about? Don’t think about what I’m wearing. These things are superficial.

Russell Brand on MSNBC: Poking fun at our Newsroom

Comedian Russell Brand appeared on MSNBC's 'Morning Joe' program to promote his 'Messiah Complex' comedy tour. The interview had some underlying tension with the three hosts at times talking around or patronising their Comedian Guest. Russell was quick to point this out, eventually hijacking the show then playfully demonstrating how the News should be delivered.

This episode is reminiscent of when Jon Stewart appeared on CNN's 'Crossfire' and admonished his hosts Paul Begala and Tucker Carlson for "Hurting America" when they needed Media the most. 'Crossfire' was cancelled soon after. In wrestling this is known as a 'Shoot Fight'

Shoot Fights: When pundits get personal - Kilmeade VS Garofalo, Stewart VS Crossfire
In wrestling, a 'shoot' is when one of the combatants overrides the agreed script and does something unexpected by injecting real emotion. This may involve actually hitting (physically connecting with) other wrestlers or using very personal verbal attacks. In essence making a fake wrestling scenario or feud into a real one. Shoots aren't necessarily a bad thing as the heightened realism makes for compelling viewing and is sure to garner an audience.

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.

The Rumble 2012: Jon Stewart VS Bill O'Reilly on PPV

The Daily Show have used the wrestling metaphor in regards to American Politics so its not surprising they've incorporated it playfully for the showdown between Jon Stewart and Bill O'Reilly.

The Rumble loses a lot of its sting because Jon and Bill are quite cordial with each other. Stewart is very respectful towards O'Reilly, increasingly so with each appearance. I was initially of the mind that O'Reilly was the least likely to break character (kayfabe) of the APF Pundits. His playfulness with Stewart shows he is able to ease up against perceived enemies and not always take himself so seriously.

Personally I feel Glenn Beck or Rush Limbaugh would make for a juicier PPV as both are monolothic and have successful independent brand names they have more "Aura". Being less answerable to critics they would be risking more in a battle with Jon Stewart. Some future dream matchups to think about for future PPVs.

Exit note: I'm predicting Stephen Colbert will work his way into the angle. As a Guest referee perhaps?

VIDEO: Jon Stewart VS Bill O'Reilly PPV - The Rumble 2012

Coming this Fall | 2 Men | 2 Podiums | 1 Air-conditioned Auditorium | O'Reilly VS Stewart | The Rumble in the Air-conditioned Auditorium | It's On! | The Internet! | Live Streaming | October 6th 8PM ET | It's why | It's why Al Gore invented the internet | www.therumble2012.com

Bill O'Reilly

Jon Stewart

Stephen Colbert with the aid of his [Not] SuperPAC starts his own 'Operation Chaos' in South Carolina

VIDEO: The Word - Raise Cain

The Colbert Report
Get More: Colbert Report Full Episodes,Political Humor & Satire Blog,Video Archive

In 2008 influential Conservative pundit, Rush Limbaugh gleefully used his influence to create chaos in the hotly contested Democratic Primary. In 2011, influential faux pundit Stephen Colbert is manufacturing some mischief of his own.

Stephen encouraged his audience to vote for Herman Cain as a proxy for him. Cain suspended his campaign after allegations of sexual misconduct but he remains on the ballot. Colbert isn't eligible for the ballot after being two and a half months late to file for official candidacy. Stephen came up with next best thing:

STEPHEN COLBERT: Anyone who shares my values can show it by voting for Herman Cain. Independents, Democrats, college kids, viewers of my show, people who attended my rally, my Twitter followers, my good friends on Reddit. Young people of the Internet, stand up and shout! Because you are legally eligible to go down to the polls and tell the world how much you love Herman Cain.

The mischief doesn't end there as Colbert's SuperPAC helmed by Jon Stewart has begun airing tongue-in-cheek attack ads levelled at frontrunner Mitt Romney. Things are getting real!

Update:

Colbert Super PAC's Herman Cain Ad

The 'Definitely Not Coordinating With Stephen Colbert Super PAC' released a new ad endorsing a vote for Senator Herman Cain in the South Carolina Primary. It cleverly appropriates Stephen Colbert's branding with its patriotic Capıtal 'C'.
Watch Stephen unveiling the ad on his show - Indecision 2012 - GOP Attack Ads & Colbert Super PAC's Herman Cain Ad

- Rush the Vote: The Operation Chaos movement
- Political life imitates art: Stephen Colbert for President and Al Franken for Senate

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?

Transcript: Bill O'Reilly Interviews Jon Stewart - Day 2

VIDEO: Bill O'Reilly Interviews Jon Stewart (Day 2, 05/17/11)

Part 2: O'Reilly and Stewart Discuss Presidential Politics
O'REILLY: Sarah Palin, governor of Alaska, but left office with high approval rating.
STEWART: I'm sure she did.
O'REILLY: Yes.
STEWART: Then they got to know her.
O'REILLY: No, she left with high approval rating. She was in there.
STEWART: Fair enough.
O'REILLY: Like her?
STEWART: I'm not a particular fan of her style of rhetoric. I think she's too thin-skinned.
O'REILLY: Sounds like Colbert you're describing.
STEWART: Colbert, I would actually endorse for president. She's reminiscent to me much more of a television personality than a politician because I think that her inability to get past slights, it makes it very difficult to -- like I would just imagine her at night just with the hands going, did you see that thing that Maher…

Jon Stewart defends his 'Rally to Restore Sanity': Rachel Maddow, Sarah Silverman, Sam Seder and Bill Maher weigh in

Jon Stewart explaining his 'Rally to Restore Sanity' with Rachel Maddow

VIDEO: Rachel Maddow's One hour interview with Jon Stewart

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

'The Rachel Maddow Show' (Nov 15, 2010)
MADDOW: You don‘t do all that many interviews...
Why did you—why did you want to talk to me?

STEWART: After the rally it—you know, whenever you go out there, whatever you put out, you can only control your intention. You can‘t control its perception or how people receive it. And you can control your execution.

So, when people are perceiving it as something—people that I respect are perceiving as something that we didn‘t perceive it as sort of either two or three things, one is we were inartful in the way that we conceived it and presented it, our intention was wrong or off, not clear. Or it‘s being misperceived. So, I guess—there‘s probably four. I don‘t know what that would be.

VIDEO: Bill Maher on The Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear

HBOs' Real Time with Bill Maher: Ep 196
And finally, New Rule, if you're going to have a rally where hundreds of thousands of people show up, you might as well go ahead and make it about something. With all due respect to my friends Jon and Stephen, it seems to me that if you truly wanted to come down on the side of restoring sanity and reason, you'd side with the sane and the reasonable, and not try to pretend that the insanity is equally distributed in both parties.

Keith Olbermann is right, when he says he's not the equivalent of Glenn Beck. One reports facts, the other one is very close to playing with his poop.

Sam Seder and Sarah Silverman discuss the effectiveness of Jon Stewart and his 'Rally to Restore Sanity' as well as Bill Maher's critique of the rally.
Sam chats with Atrios and Sarah Silverman (Nov 17, 2010)

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

Glenn Beck critiques Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert's comedic performances at 'The Rally to Restore Sanity'. Gives good reviews on messaging.

I've talked plenty of times about Glenn Beck's credentials as a Comedy Enthusiast. Beck on his radio show was surprisingly complimentary towards Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert on their rally mostly in reference to their messaging. Gracious as Stewart's 'Rally to Restore Sanity' was considered by many to be a counterpoint to Beck's own 'Restoring Honor Rally'.

Beck was happy to welcome Stewart and Colbert as fellow figureheads of popular protests championing a message of non-partisanship. Where he found fault in the rally was in its comedy. Beck makes it clear he thought the comedic elements were "awful", likening it to a "High School production" so bad it felt like he was in a "tribulation waiting for the second coming of Christ".

Glenn Beck: Media ignores Yusuf Islam's appearance at Stewart's rally
GLENN BECK: On the Jon Stewart rally which, by the way, I thought was an absolute I mean, it was a high school production. It was a high school production, the comedy. And even Jon Stewart. I mean, he said it from stage several times. This didn't work. I mean, it was really bad. Colbert, I thought there were a couple of things

PAT: When he was off stage
GLENN: It was good.
PAT: Everything went pretty well.

GLENN: Yeah. When Jon Stewart was just talking, I thought, okay, this is going to go into you know, this will be good. And then Colbert would come out and it was awful. It was embarrassing.

PAT: It was.
GLENN: I was embarrassed not for Colbert.
PAT: Train wreck.

GLENN: It was beyond it. I was embarrassed for Jon Stewart because he's better than that. And the music was great. I mean, they had really great musical guests and everything else. And the message that Jon Stewart had after the concert was good. I mean, it was very similar to what I said. Just in different, you know, obviously different language. I framed mine in God, but we're better people than what we're allowing ourselves to become. Let's stop being used by, you know, red and blue. And so that was, you know, basically his message. And I think it was a success for him. I think if he wouldn't have given that message, it would have been jump the shark. I think it was jump the shark for Colbert. I don't think Colbert ever recovers from that. Just awful. No, it really was.

The Show program for the 'Rally to Restore Sanity' AKA 'March to keep fear Alive'

Here is the planned timetable for the joint Daily Show/Colbert Report Rally held on October 30, 2010 at the National Mall in Washington, D.C.

Via The Christian Science Monitor

Revealed: schedule for 'Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear'
* 10:00 a.m.: The pre-pre-show begins with videos and music on the jumbotron to keep the gathering crowd friendly and entertained.
* Noon: The pre-show starts with a performance from The Roots.
* 12:40: A comedian (to be determined) warms up the audience.
* 12:57: A video countdown with a show introduction.
* 1:00: The show kicks off with the national anthem by a musical guest (to be announced).
* 1:05: Mr. Stewart welcomes the crowd – whose projected size is ballooning daily. Currently, there are 200,000 sign-ups on the official Facebook page alone.
* 1:20: Mr. Colbert enters, and two actors – Don Novello and Sam Waterston – perform readings.
* 1:40: Jeff Tweedy and Mavis Staple perform for 10 minutes, followed by Stewart and Colbert until 2 p.m.
* 2:15: Sheryl Crow performs for five minutes, followed by speakers and guests (to be determined).
* 2:30: Musical guests (also still being lined up) come on.
* 2:40: The show turns to a pre-taped sequence – The Sanity and Fear Awards. (Noting the intense media interest in this event as she reads through the rundown, Ms. Lowe says, “I’d like some sanity, myself.”)

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

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

David Letterman in conversation with Jon Stewart compares Glenn Beck to Bobby Heenan

VIDEO: Jon Stewart on The Late Show
with David Letterman (Sept 29, 2010)

David Letterman and Jon Stewart have used the wrestling analogy to describe American Punditry more than once. So it's no surprise to see Letteman make this comparison between Glenn Beck and Bobby "The Brain" Heenan. What it does show is that Letterman has put some thought to the analogy and that he knows his wrestling.

Jon Stewart on The Late Show with David Letterman (Sept 29, 2010)
DAVID LETTERMAN: ... I finally figured out who Glenn Beck is, he's Bobby Heenan. Do you remember Bobby Heenan?
JON STEWART: Bobby Heenan, the wrestling manager!
LETTERMAN: That's right. That's exactly who Glenn Beck is.
STEWART: Bobby Heenan?
LETTERMAN: Bobby Heenan. Yes. He's just looking to make trouble. He has no idea what he's talking about. He just wants trouble.

Find previous occasions where Letterman and Stewart have used the wrestling analogy here:

• Jon Stewart, Wyatt Cenac and Mick Foley endorse the analogy that American Politics is like pro-wrestling
• William 'Bill' Kristol - Top wrestling heel (villain)
• Bill O'Reilly on David Letterman talking about Glenn Beck and Rush Limbaugh

Glenn Beck discussed this exchange between Stewart and Letterman with radio co-host Pat Gray on 'The Glenn Beck Program'

Jon Stewart hearts Glenn
PAT: The reference to Bobby Heenan or whatever, whoever he's talking about there is a really good reason not to go on Letterman's irrelevant show. Nobody knows who Bobby Heenan is.

GLENN: Doesn't matter. Look, David Letterman, you know, he doesn't believe, I believe, in anything I say. I don't believe in the things that he believes in.
PAT: Yeah.

GLENN: You know, why would I go there?
PAT: It's a useless exercise.
GLENN: I don't believe
PAT: In futility.

GLENN: Yeah, I don't believe in boycotting anything. I just believe in this: I spend my money and my time in things that I believe in. I don't believe in David Letterman. David Letterman does what David Letterman does. He's funny sometimes, he's I don't know honestly, David, I don't know how you do it every day. I don't know how you are still doing the top 10 and you don't think, really? Again? I'm doing this? I mean, I don't know how you do that...

What is most astonishing about this exchange is that Glenn Beck's showmanship and craft is seemingly not informed through a boyhood interest in wrestling. I hope someone will one day get a chance to ask if Beck ever watched wrestling as a kid. Not knowing who Bobby Heenan offers some clue to the negative.

To enlighten Pat Gray and Glenn Beck, here is a sample of Bobby "The Brain" Heenan's work

VIDEO: Bobby Heenan Angry with Andre the Giant

To be honest I actually don't see the Heenan/Beck comparison. The one I used was an amalgam of Stone Cold Steve Austin, Doink The Clown and Edge and Chris Jericho.

According to David Letterman, Glenn Beck is Bobby "The Brain" Heenan

Jon Stewart hates Tucker Carlson, likes Bill O'Reilly and wants to be liked by Glenn Beck

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
Truthiness to Power
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Rally to Restore Sanity

Jon Stewart on Tucker Carlson

(directed at Tucker Carlson after a clip of him is played calling Colbert a pompous jerk)

"Yes a pompous jerk, as opposed to an arrogant douche - who apparently gets to decide who is and who is not a comic.

Tucker and I can talk like this because we already have a visceral negative reaction to each other. Not an ounce of friendship or respect between us. Truly one of the only people in the world I feel that way about,"

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
Bill O'Reilly
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Rally to Restore Sanity

Jon Stewart on Bill O'Reilly

I was coming on [to Fox] to promote the book and you were kind enough to have me and I'd always enjoyed being on your program because you really are -  especially over there - the fairest person, honestly by  a thousand miles. By a mile!

Jon Stewart on Glenn Beck

The Beck thing, I would love to have a conversation with him. I would love it. We could do an hour. Is he like the bubble boy of Fox News?

Beck, Colbert and Stewart Posters for 'Rally to Restore Sanity' and 'March to keep Fear Alive'

Tell your friends. Download PunditFight Beck, Colbert and Stewart heads

 Click below to download the PunditFight heads in PDF form

• Glenn Beck Portrait
• Stephen Colbert Portrait
• Jon Stewart Portrait

Find other PunditFight art here. Download hi-res art of the PunditFight roster here.

Rally to Restore Sanity - Jon Stewart's rally for the "80 percenters", Stephen Colbert counters with 'March to Keep Fear Alive'

VIDEO: Rally to Restore Sanity (September 16, 2010)
Rally to Restore Sanity

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

JON STEWART: We have seen these folks, the loud folks over the years dominate our national conversation over our most important issues

(video montage of sensational personalities)

But why don't we hear from the 70 to 80 percenters? Well most likely because you have sh*t to do (applause)
And quite frankly even if you didn't have sh*t to do you may lack the theatrical flair necessary for today's 24hour-a-day 7-day-a-week news media...

Below are a compilation of the most theatrical performances and promos in recent politics, including some which were included in 'The Daily Show' montage:

1. The rise and rise of Glenn Beck: His appeal and the method to his madness
2. Howard Kurtz' Reliable Sources "outraged" by Glenn Beck and Lou Dobbs
3. Alan Grayson delivers wrestling-style promo on house floor - GOP Health Plan = Don't get sick!
4. Fake pundit Stephen Colbert compares himself to "fake" pundit Glenn Beck
5. Rush Limbaugh: You're either with Bobby Jindal or you're against us

Jon Stewart Coaches Cable News Pundits for the Midterms - MSNBC's Political Narrative

VIDEO: Are You Ready for Some Midterms? - MSNBC's Political Narrative
Are You Ready for Some Midterms? - MSNBC's Political Narrative

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

JON STEWART: What are you doing? Do you know nothing of your obligation to shape the news towards your desired electoral goal? There is no "BUT" in journalism. Have you learned nothing from 'Fox'. You pick your narrative and you stick with with it and if the news doesn't fit your narrative - CHANGE YOUR (expletive) NEWS!

For God's sakes people. You don't change your narrative. Watch how the masters do it.

(Stewart cuts to a clip of Sean Hannity selectively editing President Obama's speech. Stewart makes a comment and plays a "less abridged version" of said clip)

STEWART: See MSNBC, Amateurs! Starting clips later and cutting them off earlier so the speaker can't finish the thought's full construction can be a useful tool in helping your audience understand what you want them to think. It's a fun and easy way to make people you disagree with unelectable...

Jon Stewart claims "Fox News funds terrorism", Wyatt Cenac and John Oliver debate whether its because they're "evil" or stupid"

VIDEO: The Daily Show - The Parent Company Trap

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
The Parent Company Trap
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Tea Party

The Parent Company Trap
JON STEWART: ... If we want to cut off funding to the "Terror Mosque", we must together as a nation stop watching Fox. It's the only way.
(applause)

Wyatt Cenac and John Oliver donning respective "Team Evil" and "Team Stupid" t-shirts argue their case for Fox News motives

The Daily Show Debates: Is Fox News Evil Or Stupid?
The Daily Show correspondents Wyatt Cenac and John Oliver debated last night whether Fox News' Fox and Friends was being evil or stupid when they didn't reveal the connection between Fox News and the funder of the Cordoba House Islamic center near Ground Zero...

Oliver defended Fox News as stupid: "Things are hectic on the morning show. Plus Gretchen [Carlson] wasn't there and she's the only one who knows how to use Google."

Cenac argued that they were evil, since they avoided showing pictures of Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal because "he already looks like he's about to feed Timothy Dalton to his white tiger."

Wyatt Cenac is "Team Evil". John Oliver is "Team Stupid"

Politics is wrestling, Quote roundup: Ann Coulter, Jon Stewart, Mick Foley, Marc Ambinder, Matt Lewis, Wyatt Cenac, Mick Foley

Believers in the 'Politics is Wrestling' meme

1) Jim Cornette, Pro-wrestler manager and promoter

Wrestling legend Jim Cornette rants on the right wing
JIM CORNETTE: Maybe [wrestling commentator, Joey] Styles is like Rush Limbaugh or Sean Hannity or all these people I listen to that are -- You know that -- they're too smart to believe the sh!t that they say. They're heels cutting promos and its obvious and they're doing it for the marks who are dumb enough to believe it and they get paid big money to do it.

2) Matt Lewis, Political writer, blogger and commentator

TownHall's Matt Lewis: "Arlen Specter as Hulk Hogan"
MATT LEWIS: From a conservative perspective, at least, the Specter story was a classic archetype that has been re-played throughout human history -- and retold in the Bible (Judas), American history (Benedict Arnold) movies (Anakin Skywalker) ... and even in the less sophisticated world of ... professional wrestling!

3) Jon Stewart, Television host and Political media critic

William 'Bill' Kristol - Top wrestling heel (villain)
JON STEWART:... Boy the audience, I don't know when they started thinking this was pro-wrestling. It's the strangest thing -- they literally boo and hiss and cheer like you're the Rock and I'm - you know - The Undertaker.

4) Marc Ambinder, politics editor of 'The Atlantic'

Marc Ambinder: Wrestling with Politics
MARC AMBINDER: When staged correctly, both [politics and pro wrestling] can be mesmerizing... Both professions tend to divide people into good and evil... Politics is exhausting... Both politicians and wrestlers are very hearty, and the fans appreciate when each performs effectively.

5) Marc Maron, comedian and radio host

Marc Maron's WTF podcast Ep 23: Wyatt Cenac talks pundits and professional wrestling
MARC MARON: Like you said before, it really is all professional wrestling. The sad thing is, people are really struggling for a lot of different reasons... and they don't really know what to do with those frustrations. So when you've got these ideologues or these pundits... who are driving media culture leading them in a direction. They just want some temporary relief or some satisfaction and they are so easily misguided in times that are desperate...

6) Don Callis, former professional wrestler

Politics is wrestling - the 2004 edition
DON CALLIS: Witness the verbiage from the front-runner, Senator John Kerry: "I have a message for George Bush: we're coming, you're going, and don't let the door hit you on the way out!" Now come on, if I fed you that line and asked if it came from a wrestling show or the potential next leader of the free world, what would you say?

7) Ann Coulter, Conservative social and political commentator

Ann Coulter: "Political discourse resembles professional wrestling"
ANN COULTER: Political "debate" in this country is insufferable. Whether conducted in Congress, on the political talk shows, or played out at dinners and cocktail parties, politics is a nasty sport...

Instead of actual debate about ideas and issues with real consequences, the country is trapped in a political discourse that increasingly resembles professional wrestling.

8) Mick Foley, professional wrestler

Mick Foley - Politics is just like wrestling
MICK FOLEY: This current mess I believe honestly, and I’ve told Stone Cold this, somewhere around 1998 then-Governor George Bush was watching Raw, and let’s face it, you know he watches the show. He took a look at Stone Cold Steve Austin and said, "That’s who I’m going to be." Because that’s when the swagger came around and it’s my feeling that if Vince hadn’t copyrighted Texas Rattlesnake, Bush would be calling himself that now.

9) Wyatt Cenac, Comedian, Actor and writer

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

'The Daily Show' is accused of being sexist. The Daily Show women respond.

Women of the Daily Show

A good rundown from The Onion's AV club

"Women of The Daily Show" respond to accusations that show is sexist
On June 23, deliciously feminist-y site Jezebel posted an article titled "The Daily Show's Woman Problem" that accused the Jon Stewart-helmed Comedy Central program of being "a boys' club where women's contributions are often ignored and dismissed." Backing up the author's claims were testimonies from former staffers who said that the show's creative environment marginalized them with its "too cool for school" attitude, which left no room for womanish "emotional vulnerability." The author then went on to suggest (seemingly based entirely on a bitter quote from a rejected "female comedian who has auditioned multiple times") that the recent hiring of G4's Olivia Munn was motivated at least partially by her looks. Even more damning: The article's repeating of rumors about Jon Stewart, whom one anonymous "former executive" says "runs The Daily Show with joyless rage,"...

You can find the open letter from the women of 'The Daily Show' here - Women of The Daily Show Speak

Comedy aficionado Sharilyn Johnson of Third-Beat.com offers her perspective on the controversy:

We’re here! We’re peers! Get used to it!
Look, Jezebel is Jezebel and we’re smart enough to read between the lines. Former employees might be bitter, the story might have been written to fit a narrative, and so on. We understand those tricks — we watch your show, remember?

But the ladies’ hyper-defensiveness does nothing to create transparency or shed light on the complicated grey area where sexism usually lives...

This whole idea of how-dare-we think such things about their precious workplace? Really leaves a bad taste in my mouth. A bad, orchestrated, Comedy Central PR department taste in my mouth.

The Third-Beat offers some great resources on the theme of women and 'late night' via its panel recaps. Whilst the example below is exclusively on the topic of women, you will find that the issue is often visited in panel discussions amongst late night comedy staff due to the obviously disproportionate representation of women.

Women & Late Night TV: A Paley Panel Pointform
What:
Successful late-night comedy writers with vaginas
Who:
Ann Cohen (Best Week Ever)
Jill Goodwin (The Late Show with David Letterman)
Hallie Haglund (The Daily Show with Jon Stewart)
Morgan Murphy (Late Night with Jimmy Fallon)
Meredith Scardino (The Colbert Report)
Moderated by Allison Silverman (The Colbert Report, The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, Late Night With Conan O’Brien)
Where:
Paley Center for Media, New York
When:
May 13, 2010