Jon Stewart: Making

“The country’s 24 hour political pundit perpetual panic conflictinator did not cause our problems but its existence makes solving them that much harder.”

Jon Stewart

Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear closing speech (2010)
Context: The country’s 24 hour political pundit perpetual panic conflictinator did not cause our problems but its existence makes solving them that much harder. The press can hold its magnifying glass up to our problems bringing them into focus, illuminating issues heretofore unseen or they can use that magnifying glass to light ants on fire and then perhaps host a week of shows on the sudden, unexpected dangerous flaming ant epidemic.
If we amplify everything we hear nothing.

Problem , Country

“I mean, it's so hard to make Russell Crowe look like he got in a fight.”

Jon Stewart

The 78th Academy Awards (2006)
Context: I really thought that the make-up artist for Cinderella Man should have won. I mean, it's so hard to make Russell Crowe look like he got in a fight.

Fight

“Just because we hit on points that resonate, or people think are real complaints—that doesn't make us journalists.”

Jon Stewart

Hartford Advocate Interview (2008)
Context: People would like to place a standard on our show that doesn't exist. We're not set up for reporting; we don't have an apparatus for that. We're discussing things that hopefully people might get something out of, but it's wildly inconsistent. Just because we hit on points that resonate, or people think are real complaints—that doesn't make us journalists.

People , Thinking

“That theater doesn't make for authentic public discourse.”

Jon Stewart

Hartford Advocate Interview (2008)
Context: Stewart: The real issue is that TV news can either bring clarity or noise. And it tends to not seem to know the difference between them. … We do a show that doesn't try to bring noise. I think that we have a more consistent point of view than most news shows, I'll say that.
Bulger: What's that point of view?
Stewart: That theater doesn't make for authentic public discourse.

“If the events of September 11, 2001, have proven anything, it's that the terrorists can attack us, but they can't take away what makes us American -- our freedom, our liberty, our civil rights. No, only Attorney General John Ashcroft can do that.”

Jon Stewart

Freedom

“There are terrorists and racists and Stalinists and theocrats, but those are titles that must be earned. You must have the resume. Not being able to distinguish between real racists and tea partiers, or real bigots and Juan Williams and Rick Sanchez is an insult — not only to those people, but to the racists themselves, who have put forth the exhausting effort it takes to hate. Just as the inability to distinguish between terrorists and Muslims makes us less safe, not more.”

Jon Stewart

Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear closing speech (2010)

Hate , People , Effort , Tea

“For those of you who are keeping score at home, I just want to make something very clear: Martin Scorsese, zero Oscars. Three 6 Mafia, one.”

Jon Stewart

The 78th Academy Awards (2006)

Home

“Kurtz: So you don't, you're not confusing yourself with a quote, "real journalist"?
Stewart: No. You guys are—
Kurtz: You're just making fun—
Stewart: You guys are confusing yourselves with real journalists.”

Jon Stewart

2002-11-02
Reliable Sources
CNN
Television
http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0211/02/rs.00.html

Guy , Quotes

“You're on CNN. The show that leads into me is puppets making crank phone calls. What is wrong with you?”

Jon Stewart

After being accused by Carlson of not having asked John Kerry hard-hitting enough questions during an interview on The Daily Show.
Crossfire Appearance (2004)

“Howard Kurtz: CNN has is broadcasting your show internationally.
Jon Stewart: I am not.
Kurtz: Does that make you legitimate?
Stewart: No, I am illegitimate. I am the bastard son of anything. We're not— we're fake.”

Jon Stewart