March 3
...serving up your daily dish.
Jon Stewart got the Oscar gig, but is Baristaville’s own Stephen Colbert funnier? Stewart mocks the news, while Colbert -- pictured here on a giant two story high billboard in Times Square -- goes after the news pundits. This week, in the freebie paper amNewYork, two writers went head to head in the battle over who is the funnier news spoofer. James Fanelli favored Colbert:
“Indeed, it was only a matter of time before Stephen Colbert, the bespectacled host of "The Colbert Report," showed that he is the true king of Comedy Central."
But David Abramowicz defends Stewart:
“’The Colbert Report’ is a comedy sketch; ‘The Daily Show’ is a mural. While Stewart's range carries viewers to the bottom of the hour, Colbert's deadpan shtick struggles to keep them awake until midnight.”
Baristaville, cast your votes.
March 3, 2006 in Major Dudes | Permalink
Wow. What a toughy! But, can't they be seen in their own light? Why do I have to choose,mommy,why? Don't make me do it!! You can't make me do it!!! I won't! I won't! I won't!
Phew. I feel better now.
Posted by: Incorrigible Enigma | Mar 3, 2006 8:57:59 AM
Tough one, agreed, but I have to go witrh Jon Stewart. He's just a teensy bit funnier. {And let's not forget Bill Maher).
Posted by: Miss Martta | Mar 3, 2006 9:06:26 AM
aw, hell, friends. this isn't even a topic worthy of debate. jon and stephen are both funny--really, really funny.
i think the bigger question, one we'll all want to ponder this morning, is: who is a bigger publicity hungry, coy, pretend we didn't leak this to the press to prompt our flagging careers, weasel-- scott stapp or kid rock? You make the call:
http://www.salon.com/wire/ap/archive.html?wire=D8G3R0085.html
Posted by: i'm fran, dammit | Mar 3, 2006 9:25:49 AM
Bill Maher came on Leno the other week doing an "I don't believe in avian flu, the gov't made it up to scare us all into submission" shtik.
Sometimes he can be funny & others he's just a total ass.
Posted by: crank | Mar 3, 2006 9:26:28 AM
Yogi is the greatest catcher of all-time, Strahan the best defensive lineman, Walsh the best guitarist, Dukakis the finest actor, Tripuka the best hoopster, Tyree best special teams player ever, Aldrin the smoothest moon walker and, of course, Colbert the "King of Comedy." Then again, maybe Yogi's funnier??
Posted by: Bruce | Mar 3, 2006 9:28:51 AM
Count me in the 5% of college-educated folks aged 30-55 who don't care for Jon Stewart. At all. I was just thinking this morning how I am dreading the Academy Awards this year. God, could they possible clone Johnny Carson? I was such a big Letterman fan at the beginning. The irnonic, cooler that them routine, very funny. Now it's all you see any more. That nudge, nudge, they're all jackasses but us kind of stuff. And Stewart to me is just another well-educated wise ass that basically makes the same jokes over and over again. I am certain Stewart will be a train wreck Sunday night by about the 10th Dick Cheney hunting joke.
Posted by: montclair_is_crazy | Mar 3, 2006 9:30:04 AM
It's amazing to me that well-educated folks find Stewart/Colbert to be somehow cutting edge, provacative stuff. Try buying a few Bill Hicks CDs and than come back and talk to me about "edgy".
Posted by: montclair_is_crazy | Mar 3, 2006 9:37:06 AM
Jon Stewart will do well on Sunday night. His self-deprecating style is somewhat similar to Billy Crystal's, and his timing is impeccable.
Posted by: RadonMan | Mar 3, 2006 9:44:05 AM
I agree with Georgie Girl - no one is better than Jon Stewart, and as far as steven Colbert goes, I don't know - it just seems as though he is playing a character, whereas Jon Stewart just seems to be himself.
Posted by: Mary | Mar 3, 2006 9:46:26 AM
What if they held the Oscars a nd nobody watched?
Imagine....
Posted by: crank | Mar 3, 2006 9:47:07 AM
It is being said (don't ask!) that this year's Academy Awards involve the greatest number of motion pictures that have not been seen. In my case, ditto for Stewart and Colbert. If I had hair, I would wash it that night. The only good thing about "Red Carpet (Gag! Choke!) Season" is that TCM runs some great old classics.
"We don't need no stinking bah-djes."
Posted by: Conan the Grammarian | Mar 3, 2006 9:50:01 AM
I'll bet the folks of Hamas will be watching...
"In other words, had you been living in the territories, you would have become a shahid (martyr)?
Abu-Assad hesitates for a second before replying, "yes."
Posted by: Right of Center™ | Mar 3, 2006 9:52:01 AM
I watch them both.. I also try & catch Bill Mahr (He can be right, dead on center & sometimes off)
Also da crazy Ali G, Borat & Bruno
Posted by: JT | Mar 3, 2006 10:26:25 AM
They're both have their own style of comedy, and they're both excellent at what they do.
Posted by: Katie | Mar 3, 2006 10:36:56 AM
Bill Hicks
"I used to drink, I did. I had to quit. Man, I was an embarrassing drunk. I'd get pulled over by the cops, I'd be so drunk I'd be out dancing in their lights thinking I'd made it to the next club."
http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Bill_Hicks
Posted by: Scot | Mar 3, 2006 10:39:40 AM
Love Ali G! Brilliance!
But while we're on the subject of funny men, two of my faves are Doug Dale and Robert Smigel who used to host Comedy Central's "TV Funhouse" with the Anipals, featuring Insult, the Comic Dog. I was soooo sorry that this show was taken off the air but a very nice friend of mine who works over at CC sent me the whole set of VHS tapes of the show. My boyfriend though I was having a coronary, he never heard anyone laugh so loud before.
Posted by: Miss Martta | Mar 3, 2006 10:40:22 AM
Colbert's show is, while very good, totally scripted. Although delivery is important ( and Colbert's delivery is very good), the writers get much of the credit here.
Stewart, on the other hand, is very quick on his feet - which I have to believe requires more smarts. While much of the show (any show, really) is heavily scripted, Jon can banter with guests of any persuasion and sound both informed and funny. That's talent in my eyes.
Posted by: todd | Mar 3, 2006 10:44:45 AM
