The Colbert Report and Bell

[Coach]

Why not just watch it online? As far as I know, all episodes of both The Daily Show and The Colbert Report are usually available through the comedycentral website the next day.

There's also other means of downloading episodes. The internet is your friend.

[TurnedTheCorner]

Watching TV shows on a computer monitor defeats the purpose of a home theater and/or big screen TV.

[Daradon]

Originally Posted by TurnedTheCorner

Watching TV shows on a computer monitor defeats the purpose of a home theater and/or big screen TV.

Feed it to the TV?

Get a Smart TV?

There are ways around it, if you really don't want to watch on the computer.

[kipperfan]

Somewhat off topic, but I often feel I'm the only one in the world that has a seroius hate on for Jon Stewart and his stupid show (Colbert is OK, nothing I watch on a regular basis though). To me the guy comes across as such a smarmy, holier than thou arsepick I simply cannot believe the sucess he has.

Hated him ever since he had the gall to accept an invitation onto a proper news show (Crossfire, the old version) to discuss his new book, took the invitation only to sh** all over the show and it's hosts saying basically that it was a joke and shouldn't be on the air.....but oh by the way check out my new book and my awesome TV show!! He's an egotistical, self-aggrandizing maroon and I will never watch/read or listen to anything he does again.

/rant

[TurnedTheCorner]

There are - just throwing the comment out there, not knowing Bertuzzied's set-up intimately.

[TurnedTheCorner]

Yeah, something's wrong with you kipperfan.

[Daradon]

^^^ Fair enough.

Something tells me if he likes the show, he won't mind putting 22 minutes on the monitor. It's not like you're watching a 2.5 hour film and want surround sound.

[Bertuzzied]

I just like having the colbert report on in the background when i'm getting ready for work everyday. I mostly listen to it. I guess i can watch it online. I didn't even know us Canadians had that option. before it was only available to US people. I'll just have to pump up my computer speakers.

[Daradon]

Originally Posted by kipperfan

Somewhat off topic, but I often feel I'm the only one in the world that has a seroius hate on for Jon Stewart and his stupid show (Colbert is OK, nothing I watch on a regular basis though). To me the guy comes across as such a smarmy, holier than thou arsepick I simply cannot believe the sucess he has.

Hated him ever since he had the gall to accept an invitation onto a proper news show (Crossfire, the old version) to discuss his new book, took the invitation only to sh** all over the show and it's hosts saying basically that it was a joke and shouldn't be on the air.....but oh by the way check out my new book and my awesome TV show!! He's an egotistical, self-aggrandizing maroon and I will never watch/read or listen to anything he does again.

/rant

That was the whole point and actually is the basis of my argument. Crossfire was NOT a proper news show. It was just entertainment posing as news. That's ok, if like Stewart on Colbert, you don't present yourself as news. But CNN and Crossfire did!

Crossfire was just pundit yelling opinions at pundit. It was not newsworthy in any way, and was actually damaging posing as news.

There's actually a funny bit Colbert and Carrell used to do that lampooned Crossfire when they were both on The Daily Show called Even Stephen, where they just yelled each other the various republican and liberal talking points on any given issue. That's all Crossfire ever was.

And it got pulled shortly after Stewart's appearance. An achievement in my eyes.

Sadly, it just came back.

Stewart also completely destroyed that idiot from Mad Money. That was a treat to watch.

Like his comedy or not, he often knows what he's talking about better than a lot of 'journalists' and 'experts' and is a great debater.

I can see how people would think he's smug, though these particular circumstances, I would say there is good reason why he did what he did.

[Daradon]

Originally Posted by Bertuzzied

I just like having the colbert report on in the background when i'm getting ready for work everyday. I mostly listen to it. I guess i can watch it online. I didn't even know us Canadians had that option. before it was only available to US people. I'll just have to pump up my computer speakers.

Yup, the Canadian version of Comedy, called Comedy Network has the previous five episodes.

Also other shows on Comedy.

[kipperfan]

Originally Posted by Daradon

That was the whole point and actually is the basis of my argument. Crossfire was NOT a proper news show. It was just entertainment posing as news. That's ok, if like Stewart on Colbert, you don't present yourself as news. But CNN and Crossfire did!

Crossfire was just pundit yelling opinions at pundit. It was not newsworthy in any way, and was actually damaging posing as news.

There's actually a funny bit Colbert and Carrell used to do that lampooned Crossfire when they were both on The Daily Show called Even Stephen, where they just yelled each other the various republican and liberal talking points on any given issue. That's all Crossfire ever was.

And it got pulled shortly after Stewart's appearance. An achievement in my eyes.

Sadly, it just came back.

Stewart also completely destroyed that idiot from Mad Money. That was a treat to watch.

Like his comedy or not, he often knows what he's talking about better than a lot of 'journalists' and 'experts' and is a great debater.

I can see how people would think he's smug, though these particular circumstances, I would say there is good reason why he did what he did.

I know that's what your buddy Jon said, but let's hear you back it up because that is a pile of BS as far as I'm concerned. One show takes serious political topics of the day, brings in Senators and Congressmen to discuss them with knowledgeable hosts who have background in current events and foreign affairs. The other show makes stupid little jokes (basically all pointed at the Republican party, I'm no fan of the Repub's but Stewart, even in his "jokes" always has a hardcore liberal bias) with the host trying to seem like everyone else (usually right wingers) are silly and wrong while he is all knowing.

As far "liberal" and "republican" talking points and "yelling", have you watched any show, on any news network (no, Colbert and Jon Stewart don't count) out the States lately? I'll guess the answer is no because that is what you'll see on every single political show that brings a panel in. You seem not to realize it, but over the past 10-15 years that is what the US politic system has devolved into - two sides yelling at each other, each side thinking they're right and not willing to compromise.

Crossfire is, and was, a real news show, despite Jon Stewart's opinion. You and he may not like the content, may not like the hosts or even the guests, but it certainly is a news show, always was and through the first 4 episodes of this new iteration, continues to be.

[Coach]

Originally Posted by kipperfan

I know that's what your buddy Jon said, but let's hear you back it up because that is a pile of BS as far as I'm concerned. One show takes serious political topics of the day, brings in Senators and Congressmen to discuss them with knowledgeable hosts who have background in current events and foreign affairs. The other show makes stupid little jokes (basically all pointed at the Republican party, I'm no fan of the Repub's but Stewart, even in his "jokes" always has a hardcore liberal bias) with the host trying to seem like everyone else (usually right wingers) are silly and wrong while he is all knowing.

As far "liberal" and "republican" talking points and "yelling", have you watched any show, on any news network (no, Colbert and Jon Stewart don't count) out the States lately? I'll guess the answer is no because that is what you'll see on every single political show that brings a panel in. You seem not to realize it, but over the past 10-15 years that is what the US politic system has devolved into - two sides yelling at each other, each side thinking they're right and not willing to compromise.

Crossfire is, and was, a real news show, despite Jon Stewart's opinion. You and he may not like the content, may not like the hosts or even the guests, but it certainly is a news show, always was and through the first 4 episodes of this new iteration, continues to be.

This is pretty much the entire point that Jon Stewart makes and that the news shows should be helping to INFORM the public on the information, not provide opinions and bias's depending on who is writing the biggest cheque to the network. You may argue that Colbert and Stewart are not news, and they will both say the exact same thing. They will fully admit to their view being skewed and biased depending on who they are making fun of at the time. And Jon Stewart regularly warns his audience and critics alike that his show should not be taken as news. But the people should be able to turn to something like CNN or FOX and know that the information their getting is the truth, and its often not. That is their whole point.

And to further your argument, both Stewart and Colbert regularly have political guests like members of government, authors, past and current presidents, and hosts of rival shows like O'Reilly who regularly have good dicsussions and are definitely not always agreeing with them.

I will say that Stewart does come off as a huge ###### on that Crossfire segment and I've seen it before. But that doesn't mean he is wrong.

[TurnedTheCorner]

Definitely the right thread for this discussion.

[PsYcNeT]

I still hold to what UB says, that opinion/panel shows are not "news" programs. They are not reporting anything, just spinning it. Colbert and Stewart do this as well, however they are not on CNN and they do not portray themselves as news.

Also Tucker Carlson is a horrible person, politics aside.

[kipperfan]

Originally Posted by MattyC

This is pretty much the entire point that Jon Stewart makes and that the news shows should be helping to INFORM the public on the information, not provide opinions and bias's depending on who is writing the biggest cheque to the network. You may argue that Colbert and Stewart are not news, and they will both say the exact same thing. They will fully admit to their view being skewed and biased depending on who they are making fun of at the time. And Jon Stewart regularly warns his audience and critics alike that his show should not be taken as news. But the people should be able to turn to something like CNN or FOX and know that the information their getting is the truth, and its often not. That is their whole point.

Then Jon and Steve seemed to have missed the entire point of Crossfire, it is a 30 minute program that presents topics already reported on, brings in advocates from both sides and thoroughly debates the issue. There are a lot of us (obviously, given the show was on for close to 25 years and is now back on air again) that watch/read enough news that we're well aware of the current topics at hand and having 30 minutes a day to debate on the bigger topics is, in my opinion, certainly something a "news program" or "news channel" should be doing and again in my opinion, enjoyable to watch.

I understand Stewart's take, I just think it's a giant pile of BS. Most educated people enjoy debates and are able to see past the "talking points" to see where the two sides really stand, why they claim to stand there and if common ground will ever be possible on that issue in the future.

Not every "news" show has to have a guy behind a desk reading out the latest story to break on the wire. To say there is no "news value" in a show like Crossfire is quite simply wrong.

[kipperfan]

Originally Posted by TurnedTheCorner

Definitely the right thread for this discussion.

I knew it would happen too, CP is rife with Stewart fan boys as evidenced by many prior threads. My fault though.

[PsYcNeT]

Originally Posted by kipperfan

I knew it would happen too, CP is rife with Stewart fan boys as evidenced by many prior threads. My fault though.

So does that make you a hate boy?

[Ark2]

Originally Posted by HotHotHeat

I think to put it simply would be to say these types of shows aren't news, but they do a better job of reporting it than actual news organizations.

They are just as biased as any real news organization in the States. Not sure how they are doing things any better.

[kipperfan]

Originally Posted by PsYcNeT

So does that make you a hate boy?

I guess it does!

[kipperfan]

Originally Posted by Ark2

They are just as biased as any real news organization in the States. Not sure how they are doing things any better.

Well, way, way more biased if we're going to be honest. With the content on both shows (Colbert and Stewart) I'm quite sure the Democratic party would be extremly happy to sponser both for as long as they remain on the air. Stewart (and Colbert, but to a lesser extent) is a slightly more humerous, slightly more biased, liberal version of Bill O'Reilly.