CS: Because it would be too weird? {to go on his friends show}
AW: No, I love Jon’s show, and I TiVo it and watch it every day. But I think it has a bit of a corrosive effect on my business.... Its entire ethos is to make fun of politicians. Colbert’s worse...or better at it, I don’t know. I guess it’s really not fair to say it’s corrosive. It’s just that for a remarkable number of Jon’s viewers, that’s the sole source of news, and that’s both good and bad. It’s good that they’re gonna get it somewhere, and if it’s gonna be at a comedy show I’d rather it be there than Bill Maher or something like that. But on the other side, I don’t like the idea that there’s such a cynical view of politics and government.
CS: But you understand why that cynicism exists, right?
AW: Do I understand why that cynicism exists? Yes. I think it exists because of Jon’s show.
CS: Do you really?
AW: We could have the circular argument if you want. I think it accelerates itself. I think there becomes a feedback loop that’s corrosive. Congressmen do dumb things, yes, then are highlighted for doing dumb things, and highlighted some more, and people watch it and say that congressmen do dumb things, and so then when another congressman does a dumb thing, it’s like, "Well, my audience wants to watch a congressman do a dumb thing," and then the audience laughs at the congressman doing a dumb thing, and then Jon says, "Hey, I got a great scam here, lemme go find another congressman doing a dumb thing," and where do I get in? Where do I get in not doing a dumb thing? Not being a bozo?
CS: Well, after last night, we know very well how Jon argues. (This interview took place the day after Stewart’s takedown of CNBC commentator Jim Cramer – Ed.)
AW: What I thought was interesting about last night was the irony of watching the comedian be critical of the news guy for being funny.
CS: I don’t think that was the reason...
AW: ...at the crux of it, it was the news guy defending himself by saying, "I’m being an entertainer. I’m being funny." And the comedian saying, "Dude, don’t do that. You be the serious one and I’ll be..." which is kind of a theme of Jon’s joust with the "Crossfire" guys. The irony with Jon...we have to remember that Jon was critical of "Crossfire" because it dumbed down the debate. Some of my concern about Jon is that, it’s smart, but it can be just as corrosive, because we’re being treated like we’re dumb. And maybe some of us are.
I’ve made my argument for the public option everywhere I could. From the President of the United States on Air Force One, to Rachel Maddow, to the slightly deranged Sean Hannity.
But I know that I even need to make my case on fake news programs. That’s why I’m appearing on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart at 11 PM tonight.
Jon and I will discuss a number of topics, but one at the top of my list is how I believe we must keep fighting for health care reform that creates real competition and lowers costs.
Please tune in or check it out on http://www.thedailyshow.com / tomorrow to listen to our discussion. It may be the fake news, but we know the fight is real.