Remember…

That was superfluous German.

I would be remiss if I did not at the very least contemplate the everpresent and ever-increasing confluence of entertainment and news.

I have a distinct memory of Jon Stewart, in the attempted ambush on CNN’s (late) Crossfire, ridiculing Tucker Carlson for expecting Stewart’s interview of then presidential candidate John Kerry to be hard-hitting. He accused him of thowing “softball” questions instead of pursuing the lines of query more aligned with his outspoken stance on media bias and depth of coverage. Stewart handidly called Carlson out for forgetting that The Daily Show is preceeded by puppets making crank (prank? — I never know) phone calls; he made clear what is often lost on viewers of both programmes: The Daily Show is intended to be comedy, not news. Stewart is a comedian who does satire, not a journalist who does reporting.

It is for this reason that I am filled with consternation at the very thought that this past evening, during what may have been the most important election of this millenium thus far, John Stewart, joined by his colleagues of Comedy Central fame, provided what they dubbed “Actually Live” coverage of the 2008 election results.

Stewart is an idol of mine — well I’m not sure about that, but it’s a hell of a way to start a clausal sentence –, but that does not mean that his presence is uncharacteristic of a frightening reality; America, as has proved to be the case time and time again since its transition into an urban, consumption and communications-focused society, is always willing to sacrifice moral ideals for monetary gains or short-term increases in joy. How is it that this man, an intelligent, educated, sophisticated New York Times subscriber is not able to witness the bluring of lines that he is encouraging? Is it not apparent to him that by imbuing such an important evening with his comedic sensibilities, and by not only critiquing the news media, but by usurping their role, he becomes one of them? Does he not realize that his postition is no longer as a commentator, but as a participant? Does he not see how this justifies much of the far right’s commentary veiled as news?

Obviously it is impossible to know how he feels on these subjects, both as a TV presenter and as a concerned American, without asking him. It is, however, intriguing, on such “an historic night.”