The Ultimate Daily Show and Philosophy: More Moments of Zen, More Indecision Theory

375 Pages·2014·2.243 MB·English

by  Holt, Jason

series editor: william irwin edited By Jason holt
PHILOSOPHY/POP CULTURE irwin The UlTimaTe
T
Does fake news give us the real story? h
Daily Show
e
Is Jon Stewart a philosopher?

U
Can watching The Daily Show make you smarter? l
T
and PhilosoPhy
i
Should The Daily Show play such a prominent m
role in our news culture?
a
M
oT More MoMents of Zen, More IndecIsIon theory
Where does “Stephen Colbert” end and r
ee
Stephen Colbert begin? M
oD
M
ea
n
Looking for the real deal on “fake” news? Want to know how Jon Stewart stacks up tsi
against today’s brightest public intellectuals? Or how far down Stephen Colbert’s ol
fy
irony goes? Perhaps you’re curious about how The Daily Show hones your critical
Z
thinking skills against bad media, bullshit, and political spin. If so, good news, en S
because here’s The Ultimate Daily Show and Philosophy: revised, expanded, , Mh
and updated to probe deeper than ever before the philosophical significance of o
r
the quintessential “fake” news show of the twenty-first century. The Daily Show is eo

I
much more than hilarious faux news: along with its successful spin-off, The Colbert nw
d
Report, The Daily Show’s surging popularity is claiming an increasingly significant e
c
role in contemporary American culture. What better way to plumb its comedic I
s
depths than with the razor-sharp, media-savvy minds of our Senior Philosophical Ioa
nn
Correspondents? With moments of Zen-like clarity, The Ultimate Daily Show and
t
Philosophy represents the most philosophically astute observations regarding the hd
e
premier American satirical news show available anywhere. o
ryP
Jason Holt is Associate Professor at Acadia University. He is author of Blindsight h
and the Nature of Consciousness, co-author of Flexibility: A Concise Guide, and i
l
editor of The Daily Show and Philosophy and Philosophy of Sport: Core Readings.
o
William Irwin is Professor of Philosophy at King’s College. He originated the s
philosophy and popular culture genre of books as co-editor of the bestselling The
o
Simpsons and Philosophy and has overseen recent titles including Superman and
P
Philosophy, Black Sabbath and Philosophy, and Spider-Man and Philosophy.
h
y
To learn more about the Blackwell Philosophy and ISBN 978-1-118-39768-8
Pop Culture series, visit www.andphilosophy.com 90000
edited By
holt
Blackwell PhilosoPhy and PoP culture series
This book has not been approved, licensed, or sponsored by any entity or
9 781118 397688
person involved in creating or producing The Daily Show, the TV series.

The UlTimaTe
Daily Show anD
PhiloSoPhy
The Blackwell Philosophy and PopCulture Series
Series editor: William Irwin
A spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down, and a healthy helping of popular culture clears the cobwebs from Kant.
Philosophy has had a public relations problem for a few centuries now. This series aims to change that, showing that
philosophy is relevant to your life—and not just for answering the big questions like “To be or not to be?” but for answering
the little questions: “To watch or not to watch South Park?” Thinking deeply about TV, movies, and music doesn’t make you
a “complete idiot.” In fact it might make you a philosopher, someone who believes the unexamined life is not worth living
and the unexamined cartoon is not worth watching.
Already published in the series:
24 and Philosophy: The World According to Jack Inception and Philosophy: Because It’s Never Just a Dream
edited by Jennifer Hart Weed, Richard Brian Davis, and edited by David Johnson
Ronald Weed Iron Man and Philosophy: Facing the Stark Reality
30 Rock and Philosophy: We Want to Go to There edited by Mark D. White
edited by J. Jeremy Wisnewski Lost and Philosophy: The Island Has Its Reasons
Alice in Wonderland and Philosophy: Curiouser and Curiouser edited by Sharon M. Kaye
edited by Richard Brian Davis Mad Men and Philosophy: Nothing Is as It Seems
Arrested Development and Philosophy: They’ve Made a edited by James South and Rod Carveth
Huge Mistake Metallica and Philosophy: A Crash Course in Brain Surgery
edited by Kristopher Phillips and J. Jeremy Wisnewski edited by William Irwin
The Avengers and Philosophy: Earth’s Mightiest Thinkers The Office and Philosophy: Scenes from
edited by Mark D. White the Unfinished Life
Batman and Philosophy: The Dark Knight of the Soul edited by J. Jeremy Wisnewski
edited by Mark D. White and Robert Arp South Park and Philosophy: You Know, I Learned
Battlestar Galactica and Philosophy: Knowledge Here Something Today
Begins Out There edited by Robert Arp
edited by Jason T. eberl Spider-Man and Philosophy: The Web of Inquiry
The Big Bang Theory and Philosophy: Rock, Paper, edited by Jonathan Sanford
Scissors, Aristotle, Locke Superman and Philosophy: What Would the Man
edited by Dean Kowalski of Steel Do?
The Big Lebowski and Philosophy: Keeping Your Mind edited by Mark D. White
Limber with Abiding Wisdom Terminator and Philosophy: I’ll Be Back, Therefore I Am
edited by Peter S. Fosl edited by Richard Brown and Kevin S. Decker
Black Sabbath and Philosophy: Mastering Reality True Blood and Philosophy: We Wanna Think Bad Things
edited by William Irwin with You
The Daily Show and Philosophy: Moments of Zen in the edited by George Dunn and Rebecca Housel
Art of Fake News Twilight and Philosophy: Vampires, Vegetarians, and the
edited by Jason Holt Pursuit of Immortality
Downton Abbey and Philosophy: The Truth Is Neither edited by Rebecca Housel and J. Jeremy Wisnewski
Here Nor There The Ultimate Daily Show and Philosophy: More Moments
edited by Mark D. White of Zen, More Indecision Theory
Ender’s Game and Philosophy edited by Jason Holt
edited by Kevin S. Decker The Ultimate Harry Potter and Philosophy: Hogwarts for
Family Guy and Philosophy: A Cure for the Petarded Muggles
edited by J. Jeremy Wisnewski edited by Gregory Bassham
Final Fantasy and Philosophy: The Ultimate Walkthrough The Ultimate Lost and Philosophy: Think Together,
edited by Jason P. Blahuta and Michel S. Beaulieu Die Alone
Game of Thrones and Philosophy: Logic Cuts Deeper edited by Sharon Kaye
Than Swords The Ultimate South Park and Philosophy: Respect My
edited by Henry Jacoby Philosophah!
The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo and Philosophy: edited by Robert Arp and Kevin S. Decker
Everything is Fire The Walking Dead and Philosophy: Shotgun. Machete.
edited by eric Bronson Reason.
Green Lantern and Philosophy: No Evil Shall Escape edited by Christopher Robichaud
this Book Watchmen and Philosophy: A Rorschach Test
edited by Jane Dryden and Mark D. White edited by Mark D. White
Heroes and Philosophy: Buy the Book, Save the World X-Men and Philosophy: Astonishing Insight and Uncanny
edited by David Kyle Johnson Argument in the Mutant X-Verse
The Hobbit and Philosophy: For When You’ve Lost Your edited by Rebecca Housel and J. Jeremy Wisnewski
Dwarves, Your Wizard, and Your Way
Forthcoming:
edited by Gregory Bassham and eric Bronson
Sons of Anarchy and Philosophy
House and Philosophy: Everybody Lies
edited by George Dunn and Jason eberl
edited by Henry Jacoby
Supernatural and Philosophy
The Hunger Games and Philosophy: A Critique of Pure
edited by Galen A. Foresman
Treason
edited by George Dunn and Nicolas Michaud
The UlTimaTe
Daily Show
anD
PhiloSoPhy
more momenTS
of Zen, more
inDeciSion Theory
Edited by Jason Holt
This edition first published 2013
© 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Inc
Wiley-Blackwell is an imprint of John Wiley & Sons, formed by the merger of Wiley’s
global Scientific, Technical and Medical business with Blackwell Publishing.
Registered Office
John Wiley & Sons, Ltd, The Atrium, Southern Gate, Chichester, West Sussex, PO19 8SQ, UK
editorial Offices
350 Main Street, Malden, MA 02148-5020, USA
9600 Garsington Road, Oxford, OX4 2DQ, UK
The Atrium, Southern Gate, Chichester, West Sussex, PO19 8SQ, UK
For details of our global editorial offices, for customer services, and for information about
how to apply for permission to reuse the copyright material in this book please see our
website at www.wiley.com/wiley-blackwell.
The right of Jason Holt to be identified as the author of the editorial material in this work
has been asserted in accordance with the UK Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval
system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical,
photocopying, recording or otherwise, except as permitted by the UK Copyright, Designs
and Patents Act 1988, without the prior permission of the publisher.
Wiley also publishes its books in a variety of electronic formats. Some content that
appears in print may not be available in electronic books.
Designations used by companies to distinguish their products are often claimed as
trademarks. All brand names and product names used in this book are trade names,
service marks, trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners. The
publisher is not associated with any product or vendor mentioned in this book.
Limit of Liability/Disclaimer of Warranty: While the publisher and author(s) have used
their best efforts in preparing this book, they make no representations or warranties with
respect to the accuracy or completeness of the contents of this book and specifically
disclaim any implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. It is
sold on the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in rendering professional
services and neither the publisher nor the author shall be liable for damages arising
herefrom. If professional advice or other expert assistance is required, the services of a
competent professional should be sought.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
The Ultimate Daily Show and Philosophy : More Moments of Zen, More Indecision
Theory / edited by Jason Holt.
pages cm. – (The Blackwell Philosophy and PopCulture Series)
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-1-118-39768-8 (pbk. : alk. paper)
1. Daily show (Television program) I. Holt, Jason, 1971– editor of compilation.
PN1992.77.D28D35 2014
791.45′72–dc23
2013006643
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.
Cover image: Jon Stewart © Kristin Callahan/Rex Features; Socrates © thegreekphotoholic/
iStockphoto; Jean-Paul-Sartre © Bettmann/CORBIS
Cover design by www.simonlevy.co.uk
Set in 10.5/13pt Sabon by SPi Publisher Services, Pondicherry, India
1 2013
To Megan

contents
Acknowledgments xi
Introduction: From Wiley-Blackwell’s World Philosophy
Headquarters in Malden 1
Segment 1 headlines: faux news is Good news 5
1 Rallying Against the Conflictinator: Jon Stewart,
Neil Postman, and Entertainment Bias 7
Gerald J. erion
2 The Fake, the False, and the Fictional: The Daily Show
as News Source 23
Michael Gettings
3 The Daily Show: An Ethos for the Fifth Estate 38
Rachael Sotos
4 Seriously Funny: Mockery as a Political Weapon 56
Greg Littmann
5 Keeping It (Hyper) Real: Anchoring in the
Age of Fake News 69
Kellie Bean
Segment 2 live report: Jon Stewart (not mill) as
Philosopher, Sort of 83
6 Jon Stewart: The New and Improved Public Intellectual 85
Terrance MacMullan
viii contents
7 Stewart and Socrates: Speaking Truth to Power 102
Judith Barad
8 Jon the Cynic: Dog Philosophy 101 114
Alejandro Bárcenas
9 “Jews! Camera 3”: How Jon Stewart Echoes
Martin Buber 125
Joseph A. edelheit
Segment 3 field report: Politics and
critical Thinking 137
10 More Bullshit: Political Spin and
the PR-ization of Media 139
Kimberly Blessing and Joseph Marren
11 The Senior Black Correspondent: Saying What Needs
to Be Said 155
John Scott Gray
12 The Daily Show’s Exposé of Political Rhetoric 167
Liam P. Dempsey
13 The Daily Show Way: Critical Thinking, Civic Discourse,
and Postmodern Consciousness 181
Roben Torosyan
Segment 4 interview: religion and culture 197
14 GOP Almighty: When God Tells Me (and My Opponents)
to Run for President 199
Roberto Sirvent and Neil Baker
15 Profaning the Sacred: The Challenge of Religious
Diversity in “This Week in God” 211
Matthew S. LoPresti
16 Jon Stewart and the Fictional War on Christmas 231
David Kyle Johnson
17 Evolution, Schmevolution: Jon Stewart and
the Culture Wars 247
Massimo Pigliucci