23
Sep
2010
Labor Union Nailed on Daily Show: I Am Stunned
Is this for real? I mean, when someone from the Daily Show wants to do an interview with you, don’t you know you’re dead? Seriously, what the heck is this? (HT2 LRC)
| The Daily Show With Jon Stewart | Mon – Thurs 11p / 10c | |||
| Working Stiffed | ||||
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“Seriously, what the heck is this?”
Funny?
I was waiting for them to unionize the picketers. I was expecting them to go and stop picketing for the Union, and picket for their own union as a strike, but higher Mexicans was a nice twist too. Too bad they didn’t have a real confrontation with the union and picketers. It’s best when they get idiots like that guy on, who aren’t smart enough to make sure they don’t get really screwed.
This is great. So many media pundits complain that young people’s only source of news is the Jon Stewart Show and Colbert. I find that Stewart (and sometimes Colbert; though his show has become pretty silly) gets to the heart of matters much more effectively than the drones on CNN, MSNBC, etc. You need comedy to cope with the absurdities inherent to a democracy.
I love the Daily Show sometimes.
Ah Bob – your surprise reminds me of people who get shocked when libertarians criticize Republicans 🙂
What?!?!?! Not everybody left of center is enamored with unions?!?!?!?
It was a very good sketch. I see those picketers all the time – I knew they were hired, but I never thought of what they paid them or organizing the protesters before!
Daniel, it really depresses me that your model of me is so off. You think I am surprised that the Daily Show would attack a union? I have been praising Jon Stewart to the heavens for how even-handed he has been (same with Glenn Greenwald). I’m hoping it’s just that you don’t stop in here much, and not that you believe a (Rothbardian-type) libertarian is automatically tone deaf to anyone outside his orbit.
The reason this shocked me was how foolish the labor leader was. Why was he consenting to the interview, and then looking like a deer caught in the headlights? Did he think he was going to be painted in a flattering way? And in particular, didn’t it occur to him that he had a huge vulnerability, knowing that he was hiring temp workers at minimum wage?
That’s what I was surprised about, not that the Daily Show busted him on it. I almost think it was staged. I can’t believe a guy would sit there on camera saying, “Hmm, I’m trying to think of how to explain this to you.” He might as well have said, “Give me a second to come up with a good lie.”
I think the chances that the UFCW guy knew he was part of a Daily Show production are close to zero.
Why would you think I think a libertarian is “automatically” tone deaf to anyone outside his orbit? You’ve had enough interactions with me to know I’m pretty fair to libertarians.
I figured you were shocked because your title said “I am stunned”. Not an entirely unreasonable inference to make, is it?
I see the source of your concern now – wasn’t entirely clear from the title. Ya, I’m often surprised at who goes on the Daily Show. I think people automatically assume that they’re one of Jon Stewart’s crowd, so they can’t imagine they would actually be criticized by him.
“THIS is where I nail you” LOL
Seriously, is this for real??