Tina Fey: Jon Stewart Doesn't Make People Laugh

Tina Fey wrote the movie "Mean Girls," but in the latest issue of Reader's Digest she's playing the part in real life. In an interview with the magazine's Jancee Dunn, Fey disses "The Daily Show" and Jon Stewart, who she says makes audiences clap more than laugh:

RD: Do you see your humor as a gift? Fey: I always think of everything from a mother's point of view now. Every kid has something they're good at, that you hope they find and gravitate toward. This is my thing. I don't think I was supposed to be a gymnast and accidentally landed on this.

RD: Do you still get that hit when you get a good laugh?
Fey: Absolutely. My favorite day at 30 Rock is Thursday, when the show airs. At lunch we screen the episodes. For everyone to watch together, to see the stuff we all worked on, to hear the crew laugh — it's great fun.

RD: What pleases you more, applause or laughter?
Fey: Laughter. You can prompt applause with a sign. My friend, SNL writer Seth Meyers, coined the term clapter, which is when you do a political joke and people go, "Woo-hoo." It means they sort of approve but didn't really like it that much. You hear a lot of that on [whispers] The Daily Show.

Read the entire interview here.

Comments

[cruisepuppy7452a]

Tina has no talent, never did. The girl cannot write, act, produce. Her material is sad and pathetic. Whoever told this gal she had talent, lied to her for her money. Nobody in thier right mind would take this woman on as a client. You have to have talent to write. She isn't funny, and to have her going off on someone who has talent is just sad. Jon has ability, talent, understands humor, satire. His wit is dry, but authentic. Watching SNL anymore is just a lesson in pain. Its not funny. Can anyone say snore? Tina, go home and be a mom, maybe you have talent there, but writing should be left to the professionals.

[JavaCityGal]

I don't care who she backs, she was just never funny, period.

[darrenn]

This is very irresponsible journalism. Nowhere did Fey say that Stewart "didn't make people laugh". A reporter can not write that someone said a particular thing when they did not, especially if that reporter "interprets" what they said as something very different. Most shameful and unprofessional of all would be doing this just to cause a "buzz" headline.

[SifSkade]

Agreed. There was a reference to the Daily Show and people sometimes going "Woo-ooo" instead of laughing in response to certain political comments, but I'm not sure how that translates into her slamming Jon Stewart. The title of this article is sensationalist. It's not quite up there with those Yahoo! "news" pieces entitled "Is Britney Spears Having An Affair With Lindsay Lohan?" where the first word in the lead paragraph is "No," but it's not something I'd use as an example of primo journalistic ethics.

[jakela]

Okay, I just wrote a post disapproving of Tina Fay's remarks. Then I went to the site and listened to the interview rather than just reading the transcript; SHE DID NOT SAY ANYTHING ABOUT STEWART OR THE DAILY SHOW. The transcript is dead wrong unless the audio tape has been edited. Kinda shocking. In fairness to the Huff Post, the transcript was done by Readers Digest not Huff Post. I can't imagine why this has been reported in this manner. So, so, so horrible! LEAVE TINA FAY ALONE! ;)

[wickedzeus]

that's a neat 180..but good investigating, if only more posters actually read up on things before giving their usually extreme either black or white opinion...

[jakela]

Tina Fay's statement is really rich after she delivered her totally JOKE FREE diatribe about "bitch" being "the new black" on SNL. I love Tina Fay's writing for film and generally think she's a very funny comedian. However, her writing and performance on weekend update never lived up to the Daily Show. Perhaps a little jealousy here? Or maybe she's has such a rooting interest in the election that she's calling Stewart not funny because he dared to admit that he respected Obama's speech? Lame. Sad. Beneath her in a big way.

[RBinFl]

If Tina Fey backed BO, this message board would read something entirely different. Grow up children. People have a right to support their choice.
Thank you Tina Fey. ( I didn't hear her saying Stewart wasn't funny).

[Eduardodelazul411]

Her pro-Hillary speech was pure soapbox with no actual substance. It was all about gender to her. No real issues. I'm hardly against celebrities speaking out, but when someone speaks out about something important in an unsubstantiated or an uninsightful way, be they celebrity, politician, average citizen, or what have you, it's an extremely irresponsible thing.

[wickedzeus]

how can you possibly know that it's ALL about gender? would you have liked her to have gone into a long, detailed and yes substantive speech about her reasons for supporting hillary? that would have made the SNL medium even more inappropriate for a political message...

[JDJase]

This is another one of HuffPost's misleading articles. She never actually said Jon Stuart isn't funny. The Obamington Post is just doing a hit on Tina Fey because she likes Hillary Clinton, it's incredibly obvious!

[nothingsnew]

What is wrong with everyone here? Did you go to Reader's Digest and read the article? This is not what she said, they even have an audio of the interview, she never said JS was not funny, she never even mentions the Daily Show.

You are no better than O'Reilly fans if you believe everything you read or hear and never look into the truth, which is right before you eyes. Just stop believing it just because you think you can trust the source.

http://media.rd.com/rd/video/rd_video/tina_fey_interview_96K.mp3
http://www.rd.com/celebrities/tv-stars/tina-fey-interview/article.html

[nothingsnew]

Sorry, these are two separate links:
http://www.rd.com/celebrities/tv-stars/tina-fey-interview/article.html

http://media.rd.com/rd/video/rd_video/tina_fey_interview_96K.mp3

[Redheadwithopinions]

Who the flock is Tina Fey? A semi-famous comedianne because of much more talented individuals than herself, namely John Stewart, Alec Baldwin, and the SNL crew. Really, she's not that funny. She's just a novelty. She's one of those that seems to think that "funny looking" is the same as being funny. John Stewart is NOT always funny. He does make me think though, as does Bill Maher and George Carlin, and a few others that refuse to be silly. Tina Fey is Silly. Plain and simply, not the sharpest knife in the drawer she has to build herself up by ripping on her mentors. Nice lady..yea, I'd pay money to see her...NOT! On the other hand..my dog might have to downgrade on his brand of dog food if any of the others listed come to my town. She's got a lot of nerve picking on the people that made her who she is today . Frankly, hope someone kills her off on the new show...never thought much of that either...she's just not that funny. Get over yourself Tina...not all of us can be pretty.

[JDJase]

what are you 12 years old?

[anywho]

Excellent response Redheadwithopinions!!! Really thoughtful and with passion. JDJase, is just attacking you because your comments were so good.

[KimberlyKay]

I watched Jon Stewart almost every night. Why? Because he makes me laugh out loud. I guess my sense of humor is different than Tina Fey's. I haven't ever watched 30 Rock -- don't know if it is funny. SNL hasn't been very funny for a long time (with some major exceptions like Norm Coleman's hysterical take on Senator Dole-- interest of full disclosure I like, admire and respect Senator Dole, but it was still hysterical-- t.v. funhouse is usually fairly funny). I figured I was simply getting too old to appreciate SNL's humor. But Jon Stewart? He never fails to deliver a good, relaxing belly laugh.

[nothingsnew]

Please listen to the interview here, I am really mad that you all have not read or listened to the actual interview. Tina Fey never said any of this and the written interview doesn't even support this HP report. http://media.rd.com/rd/video/rd_video/tina_fey_interview_96K.mp3

[ArchAngel]

Jon Stewart - Self effacing, modest, constantly pokes fun at self, humanist, champion for less fortunate, regular guy, brilliant improvisational, absurd dry humor. First class mensch!

Tina Fey - Brittle, preys on stereotypes, self described as a bitch and a control freak.

[nothingsnew]

http://media.rd.com/rd/video/rd_video/tina_fey_interview_96K.mp3

[chicklette]

Wow. I used to really like Tina Fey, not so much for her SNL stint but for her extracurricular activities.

Guess she really does have something in common with Hillary - instead of trying to do a better job than the competition, she's content to simply tear them down. Sad. Sad. Sad.

[peacenic]

Tina Fey doesn't speak for me. I am a white 50 something woman. It is inappropriate for SNL to show bias for a candidate. Hillary Clinton is always whining about getting the short end of the stick in the media and on everything else, for that matter. Hillary's number one fan is Hillary. The rest of us are incidental or in her way. Constantly diminishing Obama and telling us how great she is is wasting a valuable opportunity to show voters what can and will do as president. Smearing somebody does not make you more appealing. You are raining on your own parade. Jon Stewart is a comedic genius who can make his points without being offensive or insulting. Tina and Hillary are mean girls.

[penitentiaryofdreams]

I'm laughing every night!!! 30 er ... uh 40 Rock doesn't make ME laugh.

[transendentilist]

30 Rock is a term coined in the 50s, and it just means 30 Rockefeller Plaza. This is where television first started. It's not supposed to make you laugh, or cry, for that matter. It's just an address.

[crushinator]

I believe the poster was referencing "30 Rock" the TV show as not making them laugh, not the physical address for which the show was named.

I like Tina Fey and John Stewart. Both make me laugh but John Stewart consistently makes me laugh.

Her writing is much better on 30 Rock than SNL but The Daily Show has a tougher job of being funny four days a week as news develops instantly, where her new show can be written and rewritten and rehearsed all week for one episode. John's got a harder job and does it almost 100% hilariously.

[Cycle]

Both have room for improvement. Ms. Fey's brand of humor is more about targeting certain market demographics and playing it safe, rather than taking risks. Her tenure at SNL was marked by beating mildly funny concepts into the ground and recurring characters endlessly babbling inane catch phrases. She is creatively bankrupt. Stewart's material is great but he is a poor vehicle for conveying it. His brand of political humor requires a deadpan delivery but he mugs insufferably for the camera. He is incapable of subtle sarcasm.

[RIBassist]

I used to really like tina Fey a lot, but she's starting to wear a little thin for me. Turning her guest appearance on SNL into an endorsement and commercial for HRC was shrill and decidedly NOT funny (although I thought the sketches with HIllary getting beat up in the debates were hilarious). Disclaimer: I still think Tina is impossibly hot, and she can have me any time she wants me.

I have laughed at Jon Stewart's show. I think the writing is generally good, and as you point out Cycle, a bit edgier than SNL mustered back in the Tina days. But yeah, there's something kind of self-conscious and smarmy about Stewart that keeps me from watching him with any regularity. Disclaimer: I personally can't decide whether Keith Olbermann or Steven Colbert is the funniest guy on TV... they both crack me up.

[transendentilist]

It's Olberman's stories that are comical. But Stewart and Colbert and very witty, funny people. Colbert is lightning fast. Stewart is a great interviewer. He is always respectful of his guests, even the right-wingers. That's class.

[transendentilist]

Why should political humor be delivered with "deadpan delivery?" Sorry you can't enjoy what is a truely different concept for a television show.
Stewart is an excellent interviewer. I think he is quite funny. The same for his pen of comediens; Samantha Bee, John Oliver (reminds me of a young Eric Idel) Larry Willmore...et al.
The show is hip, current and brilliantly written. Some folks just don't know how to enjoy themselves.

[zenobiadarcy]

One thing I can say with absolute conviction is that Jon Stewart has pretty much perfected his game. How can someone be mean to Jon Stewart? He is hilarious! Consistently. Wonderful guy! Often the only laugh all day is courtesy of Mr. Jon Stewart. I am going to have to take 30 Rock off of my season pass as a show of loyalty. Sorry Alec Baldwin and Tracy Morgan. Jon Stewart? I must be misunderstanding. Jon Stewart? I am going to watch some Daily Show reruns and some Curb Your Enthusiasms just to put me back in reality.

[zenobiadarcy]

I apologize to Tina Fey since someone above noted that she said no such thing. I read the article and see how that comment was a by the way on particular jokes. Sorry Tina Fey.

[LollieDotCom]

Now quit pickin on Tina Fey. I always liked her. She's made a mistake and we've all made mistakes in our life. And Tina, I know what the problem is. You've bought into the "where's the beef propaganda" which is nothing against you, it's been pitched hard and long

Let me help. You want to know where's the beef, the substance is to his message of change? Right?

HERE IT IS, here's some of it.....

it's in his transparency, that's a change, ask the Chicago Tribune
it's in his courage to stand against the iraq war before standing against it was cool.. - that's a change
It's in the way he's far more beholding to the American people while McCain and the Clintons are all far more beholding to the big corporations. - You gotta admit that's different.
It's in the transparency in earmarks bill he co-authored and got passed. - Shocking, a bill passed to clean up some of that pork barrel spending that taxpayers hate and congress and the senate love. Wow.
It's in the lobby reform bill he and Tom Coburn co-authored and got passed that shook Washington, D.C. to it's very foundations. You need to read Time magazine's article on that. It'll give you goosebumps.

See? He's never just 'talked' about change. He is change and a very healthy change.

If you like the way things have always been done, and where it's got our country so far, you've got two and a half good choices. Take your pick Bush lite, or Bush ultra lite..

But if you're ready for things to change for the better, you've only got one choice.

There's still time to let better judgment prevail Tina.

VOTE OBAMA.

[LollieDotCom]

I wish HP didn't always run my paragraphs and some sentences together. Let me try that again...

Now quit pickin on Tina Fey. I always liked her. She's made a mistake and we've all made mistakes in our life. And Tina, I know what the problem is. You've bought into the "where's the beef propaganda" which is nothing against you, it's been pitched hard and long

Let me help. You want to know where's the beef, the substance is to his message of change? Right?

HERE IT IS, here's some of it.....

it's in his transparency, that's a change, ask the Chicago Tribune

it's in his courage to stand against the iraq war before standing against it was cool.. - that's a change

It's in the way he's far more beholding to the American people while McCain and the Clintons are all far more beholding to the big corporations. - You gotta admit that's different.

It's in the transparency in earmarks bill he co-authored and got passed. - Shocking, a bill passed to clean up some of that pork barrel spending that taxpayers hate and congress and the senate love.

It's in the lobby reform bill he and Tom Coburn co-authored and got passed that shook Washington, D.C. to it's very foundations. You need to read Time magazine's article on that. It'll give you goosebumps. And you say he did all that while he was only a junior senator like that's a bad thing? That's phenomenal achievement.

See? He's never just 'talked' about change. He is change and a very healthy change.

If you like the way things have always been done, and where it's got our country so far, you've got two and a half good choices. Take your pick Bush lite, or Bush ultra lite..

But if you're ready for things to change for the better, you've only got one choice.
There's still time to let better judgment prevail Tina.

VOTE OBAMA.