Comedy Central Politics

By: Sarah Harl

Every day, 1.8 million people tune into Comedy Central's "The Daily Show with John Stewart". In comparison, 1.9 million people watch Fox News "Hannity and Colmes" show.

I know this question has been posed in this class before, but how much influence does John Stewart have in the wake of this upcoming election?

Stewart doesn't think much. During an interview earlier this year Stewart said that he felt no pressure to report all news stories, such as the Virginia Tech shootings.

But Stewart does report things like international news and politics. But as many citizen's interviewed pointed out, Stewart generally gives both parties the run around, getting a chuckle from both Democrats and Republicans alike.

I think that Stewart's witter banter provides a much needed relief for Americans in the heat of political races. By pointing out how ridiculous politics can sometimes be, Stewart gives a voice to the average American in a comedic and appreciated way.

As a sole source of news, "The Daily Show" provides an incomplete and uneducated view. But as a Pew Center research points out, you cannot understand all of the jokes Stewart makes without having a commanding knowledge of the news first.

So, Stewart isn't a journalist. He caters to a very specific crowd of news buffs who are looking for a break from the intensity of everyday news.