…as very well she should be.
Back in May, Tom Brokaw was quoted as saying Jon Stewart’s “role is important” in the media, and if for no other reason than more young people get their “news” through the Daily Show than any other source, he’d be right. The funny thing (no pun intended) is just how much news they actually get, and how critically young people are taught to think about the mainstream news in watching the show. My favorite segments are often the ones where the Daily Show lines up back to back identical quotes from the leading cable and network news shows, demonstrating that they are all pretty much reading off the same talking points or press releases and not giving any kind of objective perspective about what’s really going on.
Last night was one of the best Daily Show’s I’ve ever seen (though of course I didn’t see the clip till this morning on my computer). Yes it was funny and provided entertainment, but it also exposed viewers to the perspective of someone I really admire, Lara Logan - who is CBS chief foreign correspondent and has spent the last 5 years on the ground in Iraq and Afghanistan. (Yes, I’m aware that she’s extraordinarily beautiful, but I promise the admiration isn’t skin deep.) This 7 minute clip is very much worth watching as she slams American media for their pitiful coverage of the war(s)
4 responses so far ↓
1 Dave // Jun 19, 2008 at 1:15 pm
I saw this episode — it’s probably the best interview I’ve seen on the Daily Show!
2 omar younis // Jun 19, 2008 at 1:30 pm
come on jake seriously, you just like her cause she’s cute.
3 Jake Brewer // Jun 19, 2008 at 1:42 pm
Hey, I’m not saying she isn’t gorgeous. Just glad to see there’s so much more there.
4 Kyle Buffenmyer // Jun 20, 2008 at 12:33 pm
This clip really hits three great points. One point that I have experienced is how the media slants or is selective about what it publishes or broadcasts. It happens everyday and I hate it!
I’ve traveled to over 30 countries and everywhere I go people say the same thing, “We love the American people, but hate the government.” But, we as the American public have a responsibilty to educate ourselves about government, foreign policy, and how the economy really works. A friend from Australia recently told me that the difference between elections in Australia and the USA is that if Aussies make a poor decision about who they elect then no one suffers but themselves. If we as Americans make a poor choice, literally the entire world can suffer. Democracy is a great responsibility no matter how powerful one’s country is, but being a superpower means we carry a great deal more responsibility. I hope we remember that in an election year.
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