The Daily Show

I find this article on cnn.com an interesting commentary on the way Americans get their news. I think it is especially important that viewers of The Daily Show with Jon Stewart answered the most questions correctly:

Dannagal Goldthwaite Young, a senior research analyst at the Annenberg Public
Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania, said "Daily Show" viewers came
out on top "even when education, party identification, following politics,
watching cable news, receiving campaign information online, age and gender are
taken into consideration."

I have no trouble believing that this article is true, even in this instance. I love The Daily Show; I would try to catch it as often as possible at home, and if I didn't watch it at 11, I'd try to catch the re-run the next day. I think it is informative without being preachy -- and it's funny. Of course, it isn't my only source of news, but with the Daily Show, I can at least guarantee that I'll hear about something interesting.

Jon Stewart was recently a guest on the O'Reilly Factor. You can find a transcript of the "interview" here. Apparently -- according to good old Bill -- "eighty-seven percent are intoxicated when they watch [The Daily Show]." Wow, when I watch it, I am one of only 13% of people who aren't wasted? Pft, I find that hard to believe.

Also, in breaking news, "We're boycotting France." What?! I didn't know we were still boycotting a country whose only guilt was not supporting us in an unjustifiable war. Wow, hold a grudge much, Billy?

But what is most frightening to Bill is that "[Stewart] actually [has] an influence on this presidential election. That is scary." Because informed voters know enough not to vote for Bush... yeah, I can see how O'Reilly would be scared. Unfortunately, I am more disturbed that the viewers of The O'Reilly Factor voluntarily subject themselves to this crap! In what is supposed to be a 'news' program, there wasn't anything informative in the interview whatsoever. Read the transcript for yourself. Or better yet, watch The Daily Show and actually learn something instead!