Particularly in recent years, I love looking at clips of the Daily Show (or watching the whole thing, if I can). He puts a funny spin on what are essentially (because I will admit a liberal/democratic bias) the facts. And when you're laughing, you're not crying or thinking "oh my God, the country is going to pot." And it's nice to not feel that way sometimes.
Whenever Stewart goes on FOX news shows, he always is perfectly clear that he is a comedian first and a journalist/political activist second. He maintains that he's looking for the laugh. Or as my mom likes to say "finding the funny." Also known as my family's major coping mechanism. But if so many people go to his show for legitimate news, is it really still just a comedy show? Or does the line blur somewhere, creating this hybrid form of I don't know what.
Stewart has also said that it's sad that people are getting their news from a show on Comedy Central, and that a vast number of people seem to think that the Daily Show makes more sense than any other news channel. But is it? I know that I understand humor better than straight talking; as an optimistic person (deep, deep down inside), I tend to shut down and am unable to focus when assaulted with a barrage of doom and gloom (or as my grandparents call the news, "murder and mayhem").
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