Jon Stewart vs Crossfire Tucker Carlson and Paul Begala 2004 FULL SHOW
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Published 2023-12-15
During his appearance on "Crossfire," Jon Stewart, who was the host of "The Daily Show" at the time, expressed his concern about the show's style of political commentary. He argued that shows like "Crossfire" contributed to the polarization of political discourse, emphasizing entertainment over substantive discussion.
Stewart's key points included:
Critique of Partisan Bickering:
Stewart criticized "Crossfire" for engaging in what he saw as shallow and confrontational partisan bickering rather than fostering a genuine exchange of ideas.
Dismissal of Responsibility:
He accused the media, including shows like "Crossfire," of failing in its responsibility to provide a meaningful platform for political discussion and debate.
Advocacy for Responsible Journalism:
Stewart advocated for a more serious and responsible approach to journalism, urging media outlets to contribute to informed public discourse.
The aftermath of Stewart's appearance led to some significant consequences:
Cancellation of Crossfire:
The show faced increasing criticism, and in 2005, CNN eventually decided to cancel "Crossfire." While the cancellation was not solely due to Stewart's critique, his comments contributed to the ongoing debate about the role of media in political discourse.
Impact on Media Critique:
Stewart's appearance had a lasting impact on discussions about media responsibility, journalistic integrity, and the influence of entertainment in news programming.
From the perspective of those who shared Jon Stewart's concerns about the state of political discourse on television, his appearance on "Crossfire" was seen as a positive and necessary critique. However, others who appreciated the confrontational style of shows like "Crossfire" may have viewed it less favorably. Ultimately, the incident prompted reflection on the role of media in shaping political conversations and had repercussions in terms of media programming decisions.
All Comments (21)
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This episode is what got the show canceled. They thought Jon Stewart was right and canceled it 3 months later.
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Before Jon Stewart came on, this was considered the highest rated "new program" on tv. After, they got canceled 3 months later. I loved that Jon came on with a mission and read both of them.
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I can't believe 20 years have gone by since this classis episode. It's perfect for perspective after Carlson's recent interview with Putin and Stewart's return to the Daily Show.
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Tucker knew he was eviscerated when he said "I thought you'd be funny" and Jon said "I'm not your monkey!." Brutal take-down by Stewart!!
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Crossfire should have been called “two grown ass men talking over one another.”
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Jesus, Tucker is insufferable... I don't even care for John Stewart that much, but he was making real and good points and Tucker just wouldn't listen.
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A piece of history right there.
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Tucker did stop wearing bow ties.
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Holy cow! This is a hidden gem! The whole episode including Stewart demolishing them (in stellar quality, too!) Thanks a lot!
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“It’d be hard to top this group.” Oh, sweet, summer child…
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:How are you holding up" is literally more hard hitting than anything tucker asked Putin
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Tucker asking him why he didn't ask John Kerry tougher questions, and then thinking of his Putin interview and his justification is hilarious
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“And you won’t” is such a savage response to “I’d hate to have dinner with you!”. God I love Jon Stewart.
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It does show how things have changed, and perhaps not for the better. The bombast and incessant noise of these TV channels may have dissipated a little, but the wrong lesson was learned. It seems CNN (and other networks) decided that a debate format was “bad”, when in fact the real lesson was missed, i.e. bad debate is bad, and we miss good debate. In the end, Jon Stewart was crucial to Crossfire’s cancellation, but real, honest debate also disappeared, replaced by a sanitised, non-confrontational and extremely silo heavy approach. The (two) sides of American politics hardly ever talk to each other. This media situation may even have contributed to partisan nature of politics, where Democrats and Republicans speak different languages and live in diametrically opposed realities. Crossfire was bad, but it was one of the only debate shows going.
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"I know, and you won't"
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20 years later, and I still agree with John Stewart in this clip.
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Jon predicted the future here and his criticism is 1000 percent valid in saying this show was reductive and wasn't substantive enough to justify calling it a debate show.
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This is the moment Tucker Carlson officially became Cucker Tarlson. Humiliated even out of his defining sartorial feature, his bow-tie and the shame it reminded him of.
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Good god I haven’t seen the opening minutes, it really is pro wrestling
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Tucker Carlson is even more insufferable now than he was 20 years ago. Fantastic achival piece. Thanks for uploading
