‘The Daily Show’ increases in popularity

    Last year an Indiana University study found “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart” to be equally as substantive as network news. As a bona fide news junkie and a TV addict, I have found few other news shows with as much journalistic integrity. During the “will she or won’t she” Paris Hilton debacle earlier this year, not only was The Daily Show the only late night show not to touch the subject, but while CNN, FOX News, MSNBC, and all the network news shows where reporting minute-by-minute updates, The Daily Show deemed Paris Hilton’s antics as Not News Worthy.     Of course, The Daily Show is just as much about what’s in the news as how the news is being reported. To whatever level it can, The Daily Show holds TV news and politicians accountable, pointing out the absurdity of situations – unlike other late-night arenas. If The Daily Show is making fun of you, it’s not a good thing. Whether the subject is the inaction of Congress, the secrecy of the Vice President, or the unintelligible statements of our Commander-in-Chief, The Daily Show is there with a snide comment and a snarky grin. Of late though, Jon Stewart has seemed somewhat woebegone about the lack of challenge in writing his show: they show the clip of the president saying, “childrens do learn,” at an education function, and there’s nothing he can add, and it’s not even taken out of context. The news has become the punch line.
    The Daily Show is the perfect counter-point to the argument that dumbing-down TV equals ratings. As The Daily Show’s popularity has increased over the past few years, so has its complexity and status as a “thinking man’s show.” The Daily Show and its sister show of sorts, The Colbert Report, have become the coveted platform for authors to promote their books. While NPR and Charlie Rose are still regular book-tour stops, The Daily Show and Colbert Report are able to reach a wider, younger book buying audience.
    In just the past five years, The Daily Show has gone from a fluff show with token celebrity guests, to an intellectual show with authors, heads of state, and top-ranking American officials featured as guests on the show all presenting viewpoints and new perspectives to an audience that otherwise wouldn’t have seen or heard them. And it’s still really funny.
    The Daily Show is on Comedy Central Mondays through Thursdays at 11, or 11:05 on CTV.