Jon Stewart is as Funny as Ever. But the World has Changed Around Him. by Constance Grady
February 19, 2024
Introduction:
(Vox) Jon Stewart’s return to The Daily Show has been, on the metrics, a success. According to Comedy Central, his first episode back on February 12 was watched by 1.85 million total viewers across premiere simulcasts and encores, up 110 percent from Trevor Noah’s final episode in 2022. It’s also a major improvement on Stewart’s last show. The Problem with Jon Stewart, which ran on Apple TV+ from 2021 to 2023, was routinely drawing in audiences as low as 40,000 people.
“Jon Stewart” and “The Daily Show” on their own are flawed brands. “Jon Stewart on The Daily Show,” on the other hand? That’s a combination of such heady nostalgia that the viewers pour in.
Still, Stewart’s first episode proved that his appeal is not just pure nostalgia. There is some kind of alchemy that occurs when Jon Stewart gets behind that old Daily Show desk. He knows the format of the show so well; he plays it like a virtuoso.
He eases into his monologue with no rush, breaking out the same Borscht Belt voices and self-deprecating barbs he used to play with in 2015, talking in the same relaxed patter that builds to the same crescendo of righteousness. He is so delighted by the chance to play a gotcha reel (in this case, members of the Trump family repeating “I can’t recall” during depositions after a discussion of Biden’s allegedly failing memory) that he almost manages to make the old trick feel new again. He almost manages to make you think, “Wow, Jon Stewart could have done something with the Trump era.” Almost.
Conclusion:
As good as Jon Stewart’s ratings were on his first night, The Daily Show wasn’t the most-watched show on late-night. Over on Fox News, Gutfeld! got 2.2 million views. No matter how skillful Stewart’s performance has been, it’s hard to avoid the sense that he’s delivering a coda to a golden age that ended long ago.
Republicans Push For Discharge Petition Against Mike Johnson
Source: Newsweek
Published Feb 22, 2024 at 5:46 AM EST
Campaign group Republicans for Ukraine are launching a six-figure advertising blitz urging GOP House members to support a discharge petition to pass a bill containing additional military aid for Ukraine, after Speaker Mike Johnson declined to bring it to a vote.
On February 13 the Senate passed a $95 billion package including an additional $60 billion in aid for Ukraine, but it must also be approved by the House before President Joe Biden can sign it into law. Currently Johnson is refusing to hold a vote on the package, which he claimed is "silent on the most pressing issue facing our country," in a reference to illegal immigration.
On Wednesday Republicans for Ukraine announced a "six-figure digital ad" campaign aimed at the 10 House Republicans they seem most likely to sign a discharge petition. A discharge petition, which would require the support of 218 House members including at least four Republicans, could allow the aid package to go to a vote without Johnson's backing. Supporters of Ukraine are confident they have the numbers needed to pass the package in the House if they can get it to a vote.
Speaking to Newsweek, Republicans for Ukraine spokesperson Gunner Ramer said: "For generations, the Republican Party prided itself on standing up to dictators and leading the free world. Many Republicans, including many in Congress, still identify with that party and that role for America. Right now the critical issue in the world is whether free countries will help defeat Putin in Ukraine.
