A story in Sunday’s New York Times outlines the recent, unexpected discovery made by many authors and book publicists in the U.S.: when it comes to getting interviewed on television, you are better off with the likes of Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert than with, say, Regis Philbin or even Charlie Rose.
Take Muhammad Yunus, the Bangladeshi “banker to the poor” who recently appeared on “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart” on Comedy Central after it was announced that he had won the Nobel Peace Prize.
“Tell me about microfinancing and microlending,” Mr. Stewart asked earnestly. “Because there’s a theory that you developed through your work in economics that has really proven to be incredibly effective in fighting poverty.”Mr. Stewart has also interviewed Ishmael Beah, the young Sierra Leonian who just published “A Long Way Gone,” a memoir about his wrenching experience as a child soldier; Jeffrey Rosen, the George Washington University law professor who wrote “The Supreme Court: The Personalities and Rivalries That Defined America”; and Vali Nasr, the Middle East expert who was promoting “The Shia Revival,” an examination of ethnic conflict in Iraq.
Since when did microlending, global poverty, constitutional law and civil wars in Africa become topics for frank discussion on fake-news comedy shows?
I’m personally really sick of Daily Show & Colbert Report “fake news.” As far as I’m concerned, they’re the only real news shows on television. They happen to approach the news from a comedic perspective and crack jokes, but at least they are mindful of the fact that they’re SUPPOSED to be doing comedy; guys on CNN and FOX, etc? They act like they’re actually reporting the news. (Anna Nicole Smith was an idiot and then she died. That should have taken 5 minutes MAX in any real news reporting.)
It seems that Stewart and Colbert show a much deeper and more intelligent grasp of the news than most of the “serious” news anchors in the U.S. Their (and their writers’) insights are delivered with a very much needed dose of humor. And yes, to write, deliver, or appreciate satire, you have to have a brain. Just as Jon Stewart brings up the truly important points from the books that authors are promoting, he also brings up truly important points from news stories that others seem to miss – or perhaps are afraid to point out. They both go far beyond the infotainment that passes as news and beyond showing photo ops and reading scripts that seem to be prepared by the White House. Yes, we’re smart. We read books and newspapers, and we care about what is going on in the world and how it can be better.
I’m addicted to the Daily Show and the Colbert Report! No just for the laughs and the brain stimulation, but for the books promoted. I’m looking now online for a list of the authors and books – anyone?
Hi Carol,
here’s a site:
http://www.squidoo.com/ColbertReportBookList