Jon Stewart rips into Tucker Carlson, Triumph loves Pat Buchanan
“I‘m a little disoriented, you know, because we live in this time where Pat Buchanan is voice of reason. “
- Triumph the Insult Dog, MSNBC October 13, 2004
It’s been a great week to see some fun political punditry on cable television. On Wednesday, right after the last presidential debate, I tuned into MSNBC’s “AFTER HOURS” show to see Triumph the Insult Dog sit in on a panel with Ron Reagan Jr. and Pat Buchanan. Hilarious stuff!
Note to NBC: Give this rubber dog puppet his own show! One of the best entertainers on the network!
There really should be a place where folks can see a replay of this show, but unfortunately, there isn’t one. Luckily, you can read the transcript.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6247241/
Today, as I edited some projects, multi-tasking with the TV blaring in the background, I stopped in my tracks when Jon Stewart of the Daily Show appeared on CNN’s “CROSSFIRE” show. Like the MSNBC show a few days ago, it was exceptionally inspiring television, not intended to be repeated. In both cases, I didn’t even think about taping this stuff, but I wish I did.
Here’s an excerpt from today’s show:
* * * * * * * * * * * *
CARLSON: Didn't you feel like -- you got the chance to interview (John Kerry). Why not ask him a real question, instead of just suck up to him?
STEWART: Yes. "How are you holding up?" is a real suck-up. And I actually giving him a hot stone massage as we were doing it.
CARLSON: It sounded that way. It did.
STEWART: You know, it's interesting to hear you talk about my responsibility.
CARLSON: I felt the sparks between you.
STEWART: I didn't realize that -- and maybe this explains quite a bit.
CARLSON: No, the opportunity to...
STEWART: ... is that the news organizations look to Comedy Central for their cues on integrity.
STEWART: So what I would suggest is, when you talk about you're holding politicians' feet to fire, I think that's disingenuous. I think you're...
CARLSON: "How are you holding up?" I mean, come on.
STEWART: No, no, no. But my role isn't, I don't think...
CARLSON: But you can ask him a real question, don't you think, instead of saying...
STEWART: I don't think I have to. By the way, I also asked him, "Were you in Cambodia?" But I didn't really care.
STEWART: Because I don't care, because I think it's stupid.
CARLSON: I can tell.
STEWART: But my point is this. If your idea of confronting me is that I don't ask hard-hitting enough news questions, we're in bad shape, fellows.
CARLSON: We're here to love you, not confront you.
CARLSON: We're here to be nice.
STEWART: No, no, no, but what I'm saying is this. I'm not. I'm here to confront you, because we need help from the media and they're hurting us. And it's -- the idea is...
BEGALA: Let me get this straight. If the indictment is -- if the indictment is -- and I have seen you say this -- that...
STEWART: Yes.
BEGALA: And that CROSSFIRE reduces everything, as I said in the intro, to left, right, black, white.
STEWART: Yes.
BEGALA: Well, it's because, see, we're a debate show.
STEWART: No, no, no, no, that would be great.
BEGALA: It's like saying The Weather Channel reduces everything to a storm front.
STEWART: I would love to see a debate show.
BEGALA: We're 30 minutes in a 24-hour day where we have each side on, as best we can get them, and have them fight it out.
STEWART: No, no, no, no, that would be great. To do a debate would be great. But that's like saying pro wrestling is a show about athletic competition.
CARLSON: Jon, Jon, Jon, I'm sorry. I think you're a good comedian. I think your lectures are boring.
STEWART: Yes.
CARLSON: Let me ask you a question on the news.
STEWART: Now, this is theater. It's obvious. How old are you?
CARLSON: Thirty-five.
STEWART: And you wear a bow tie.
CARLSON: Yes, I do. I do.
STEWART: So this is...
CARLSON: I know. I know. I know. You're a...
STEWART: So this is theater.
CARLSON: Now, let me just...
CARLSON: Now, come on.
STEWART: Now, listen, I'm not suggesting that you're not a smart guy, because those are not easy to tie.
CARLSON: They're difficult.
STEWART: But the thing is that this -- you're doing theater, when you should be doing debate, which would be great.
BEGALA: We do, do...
STEWART: It's not honest. What you do is not honest. What you do is partisan hackery. And I will tell you why I know it.
CARLSON: You had John Kerry on your show and you sniff his throne and you're accusing us of partisan hackery?
STEWART: Absolutely.
CARLSON: You've got to be kidding me. He comes on and you...
STEWART: You're on CNN. The show that leads into me is puppets making crank phone calls.
STEWART: What is wrong with you?
CARLSON: Well, I'm just saying, there's no reason for you -- when you have this marvelous opportunity not to be the guy's butt boy, to go ahead and be his butt boy. Come on. It's embarrassing.
STEWART: I was absolutely his butt boy. I was so far -- you would not believe what he ate two weeks ago.
STEWART: You know, the interesting thing I have is, you have a responsibility to the public discourse, and you fail miserably.
CARLSON: You need to get a job at a journalism school, I think.
STEWART: You need to go to one.
The thing that I want to say is, when you have people on for just knee-jerk, reactionary talk...
CARLSON: Wait. I thought you were going to be funny. Come on. Be funny.
STEWART: No. No. I'm not going to be your monkey.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Jon Stewart continued to debate Tucker Carlson over journalistic integrity, and actually called Carlson a “dick.” I wish every episode of CROSSFIRE was this entertaining.
One odd moment occurred when someone asked Stewart about “Bush’s hump”- the controversy about Bush being wired to receive instructions during the first presidential debate. I was surprised that Stewart knew nothing about this situation. What was even stranger was how quick Paul Begala was in dismissing this topic as a myth. Didn’t he hear George Bush say “Let me finish” to nobody in particular? He had plenty of time to respond, and the moderator did not ask him to finish. A rational person would conclude that Bush was hearing voices.
You can read the entire transcript at:
http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0410/15/cf.01.html
The Free Speech Zone website has some little video clips of this Crossfire exchange, if you don’t mind viewing it in that awful Windows Media format.
http://www.thefreespeechzone.net
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Both Triumph the Insult Dog and Tucker Carlson wear bow ties. Both characters stir controversy with their hilarious mistruths. One is a pompous ass. The other is a rubber dog puppet.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
“I‘m a little disoriented, you know, because we live in this time where Pat Buchanan is voice of reason. “
- Triumph the Insult Dog, MSNBC October 13, 2004
It’s been a great week to see some fun political punditry on cable television. On Wednesday, right after the last presidential debate, I tuned into MSNBC’s “AFTER HOURS” show to see Triumph the Insult Dog sit in on a panel with Ron Reagan Jr. and Pat Buchanan. Hilarious stuff!
Note to NBC: Give this rubber dog puppet his own show! One of the best entertainers on the network!
There really should be a place where folks can see a replay of this show, but unfortunately, there isn’t one. Luckily, you can read the transcript.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6247241/
Today, as I edited some projects, multi-tasking with the TV blaring in the background, I stopped in my tracks when Jon Stewart of the Daily Show appeared on CNN’s “CROSSFIRE” show. Like the MSNBC show a few days ago, it was exceptionally inspiring television, not intended to be repeated. In both cases, I didn’t even think about taping this stuff, but I wish I did.
Here’s an excerpt from today’s show:
* * * * * * * * * * * *
CARLSON: Didn't you feel like -- you got the chance to interview (John Kerry). Why not ask him a real question, instead of just suck up to him?
STEWART: Yes. "How are you holding up?" is a real suck-up. And I actually giving him a hot stone massage as we were doing it.
CARLSON: It sounded that way. It did.
STEWART: You know, it's interesting to hear you talk about my responsibility.
CARLSON: I felt the sparks between you.
STEWART: I didn't realize that -- and maybe this explains quite a bit.
CARLSON: No, the opportunity to...
STEWART: ... is that the news organizations look to Comedy Central for their cues on integrity.
STEWART: So what I would suggest is, when you talk about you're holding politicians' feet to fire, I think that's disingenuous. I think you're...
CARLSON: "How are you holding up?" I mean, come on.
STEWART: No, no, no. But my role isn't, I don't think...
CARLSON: But you can ask him a real question, don't you think, instead of saying...
STEWART: I don't think I have to. By the way, I also asked him, "Were you in Cambodia?" But I didn't really care.
STEWART: Because I don't care, because I think it's stupid.
CARLSON: I can tell.
STEWART: But my point is this. If your idea of confronting me is that I don't ask hard-hitting enough news questions, we're in bad shape, fellows.
CARLSON: We're here to love you, not confront you.
CARLSON: We're here to be nice.
STEWART: No, no, no, but what I'm saying is this. I'm not. I'm here to confront you, because we need help from the media and they're hurting us. And it's -- the idea is...
BEGALA: Let me get this straight. If the indictment is -- if the indictment is -- and I have seen you say this -- that...
STEWART: Yes.
BEGALA: And that CROSSFIRE reduces everything, as I said in the intro, to left, right, black, white.
STEWART: Yes.
BEGALA: Well, it's because, see, we're a debate show.
STEWART: No, no, no, no, that would be great.
BEGALA: It's like saying The Weather Channel reduces everything to a storm front.
STEWART: I would love to see a debate show.
BEGALA: We're 30 minutes in a 24-hour day where we have each side on, as best we can get them, and have them fight it out.
STEWART: No, no, no, no, that would be great. To do a debate would be great. But that's like saying pro wrestling is a show about athletic competition.
CARLSON: Jon, Jon, Jon, I'm sorry. I think you're a good comedian. I think your lectures are boring.
STEWART: Yes.
CARLSON: Let me ask you a question on the news.
STEWART: Now, this is theater. It's obvious. How old are you?
CARLSON: Thirty-five.
STEWART: And you wear a bow tie.
CARLSON: Yes, I do. I do.
STEWART: So this is...
CARLSON: I know. I know. I know. You're a...
STEWART: So this is theater.
CARLSON: Now, let me just...
CARLSON: Now, come on.
STEWART: Now, listen, I'm not suggesting that you're not a smart guy, because those are not easy to tie.
CARLSON: They're difficult.
STEWART: But the thing is that this -- you're doing theater, when you should be doing debate, which would be great.
BEGALA: We do, do...
STEWART: It's not honest. What you do is not honest. What you do is partisan hackery. And I will tell you why I know it.
CARLSON: You had John Kerry on your show and you sniff his throne and you're accusing us of partisan hackery?
STEWART: Absolutely.
CARLSON: You've got to be kidding me. He comes on and you...
STEWART: You're on CNN. The show that leads into me is puppets making crank phone calls.
STEWART: What is wrong with you?
CARLSON: Well, I'm just saying, there's no reason for you -- when you have this marvelous opportunity not to be the guy's butt boy, to go ahead and be his butt boy. Come on. It's embarrassing.
STEWART: I was absolutely his butt boy. I was so far -- you would not believe what he ate two weeks ago.
STEWART: You know, the interesting thing I have is, you have a responsibility to the public discourse, and you fail miserably.
CARLSON: You need to get a job at a journalism school, I think.
STEWART: You need to go to one.
The thing that I want to say is, when you have people on for just knee-jerk, reactionary talk...
CARLSON: Wait. I thought you were going to be funny. Come on. Be funny.
STEWART: No. No. I'm not going to be your monkey.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Jon Stewart continued to debate Tucker Carlson over journalistic integrity, and actually called Carlson a “dick.” I wish every episode of CROSSFIRE was this entertaining.
One odd moment occurred when someone asked Stewart about “Bush’s hump”- the controversy about Bush being wired to receive instructions during the first presidential debate. I was surprised that Stewart knew nothing about this situation. What was even stranger was how quick Paul Begala was in dismissing this topic as a myth. Didn’t he hear George Bush say “Let me finish” to nobody in particular? He had plenty of time to respond, and the moderator did not ask him to finish. A rational person would conclude that Bush was hearing voices.
You can read the entire transcript at:
http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0410/15/cf.01.html
The Free Speech Zone website has some little video clips of this Crossfire exchange, if you don’t mind viewing it in that awful Windows Media format.
http://www.thefreespeechzone.net
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Both Triumph the Insult Dog and Tucker Carlson wear bow ties. Both characters stir controversy with their hilarious mistruths. One is a pompous ass. The other is a rubber dog puppet.
* * * * * * * * * * * *