Re: How do you contribute?

Description: Enabling Jon Stewart.

Question:  Do you see yourself as a social critic?

Transcript: I’m not a social critic, I think, in my role at the show.  I mean I . . . I . . .  You know yeah I make jokes, and I funnel jokes to Jon.  I think Jon’s a social critic, but I think he’d be the one to say he’s just a comedian, too.  I . . .  I . . .  I . . .  Again I’m an enabler, so it’s not so much my criticisms coming through as . . . as me helping someone else get theirs across.  Again, you know, it . . . everyone is a social critic.  It’s nice.  I’ve got a bit of a soapbox.  I can certainly, you know, get some of my points across, which is nice.  I don’t know what those points are though.  My points tend to all be, you know, what an ugly tie.  Or you know, I can’t believe she said that.  Not . . . not . . . just dumb jokes.  So . . .

Question: Why do so many young people get their news from “The Daily Show”?

Transcript: I think it’s a lot more fun to watch than a regular news program.  The commercials are probably more exciting, and Jon is very engaging.  You know he . . .  He sort of gives probity, but also levity.  You know it’s . . . it’s . . . it’s a lot more fun to watch than regular news.

Question: Does “The Daily Show” contribute to their political apathy?

Transcript: I certainly don’t wanna think that.  I think . . .  I . . .  I think if . . . if . . . if we do contribute to that at all, it is in the one percent range.  And I think the . . . the great contributor to the cynicism and apathy of young people, if indeed it is greater than it was . . . ever was is, you know, how fucked up the politicians are acting at the moment.  I mean it’s . . .  You could say, “Oh I can’t  . . .” that . . . that us poking fun at them would make people cynical.  But they’re really doing some crazy stuff, you know, every day.  It’s not . . .  You . . .  You wouldn’t need us to point the finger in order to laugh.  I mean they’re . . .  Crazy, horrible, you know soul-deadening things are being done by our government every day, and the government of every other nation.  You know it’s  . . . it’s . . . it’s . . . it’s . . .  These are really, you know, sadly interesting times.  And I think it’s very easy for anyone to become apathetic.

Question: How does comedy play into this?

Transcript: Comedy allows . . .  Looking at the situation through a comic lens gives a creative vent to anger, you know?  And you know, it makes . . . it makes these untenable situations okay.  It makes you . . . it makes them livable.  You know you can have these psychotic things around you.  And as long as you can laugh at them, they’re okay.  That’s it.  I don’t think it’s that important.  I think you can also not laugh at these psychotic things and just trudge ahead and be fine.

Question: Does your work have an impact on the world?

Transcript:  Maybe I’m a victim of this cynicism and apathy, but I just think the world trudges along no matter what we do.  No matter what my one little voice does or      . . . or contribution.  If one TV show is off the air, big deal you know?  I think the machine of six billion people is just gonna keep grinding forward.  And yeah, no. Yeah that . . .  I mean that’s . . . you know . . .  We’re animals.  There’s always gonna be people laughing.  There’s always gonna be people sleeping, pooping, you know.  That’s life.

Recorded on: 9/4/07