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

[copesthetics]

tina shouldn't even have a freakin' career

[jcause28]

SNL has pandered to the lowest common denominator for some time now. It's a dead show that should have been put out of its misery in the late 90's. Jon Stewart is being topical and funny on a nightly basis. SNL has a week to prepare, and they still miss the mark by a few miles. 30 rock is okay, but it would be a misjudgment to give Fey too much credit for that show. I laugh the hardest at Tracy Morgan.

[JPE33180]

I try to stay up to see the Daily Show but the body is weak -- So thanks to Comedy Central I get another chance at it the next day. I am always either amused or entertained by Stewart and find myself sitting through episodes that are being re-run.
On the other hand I have a problem sitting through an episode of SNL or 30 Rock. No knock on Baldwin here - he's just not enough to make me inflict myself with the rest of the cast.
Dear Tina, hopes this helps you understand that making petty asides about other entertainers does not make you or your product a better option.

[VTConQuest]

John Stewart doesn't make people laugh? Actually, Tina fey is just a simplistic joke.

[Sioen]

Uh, Tina who? What does she do again?

[agentoris625]

Jon Stewart has plenty of Emmy's and a slew of fans to remind him that he's doing ok, he doesnt really need everyone to out and out rip Tiny Fey for making her own observation right or wrong.

[RoseMerry]

Tina was not being mean, just accurate. Stewart is lameness personified. I hope he never is allow near any award show again. He ruined the Academy Awards show. I hope Ellen or Whoopi does it next year.

[Nostraboris]

Stewart is lame, but Ellen degeneres is not? what is this the lifetime messageboard?

[skidz12]

Hillary-ous, simply Hillary-ous, this lady is about as in touch as her canidate and our current administration is with reality. Absolutely Hillary-ous

[Dogma]

Tina who?

[DocGreen]

I am definitely from Tina Fey fatigue.

[Sean68]

I've always thought Stewart the least funny part of the show. It's not that funny anymore. It was at its best when it had the three C's: Carell, Corddry and Colbert (whose own show is now much funnier than Stewart's). The PC replacements are nearly as funny.

[Manx]

Tina Fey is becoming the Ann Coulter of comedy. Ann Coulter isn't funny and neither is Tina Fey - nor has she ever been. That's why SNL's ratings have been in the pits.

[tenilla]

God, I couldn't agree more!

I never thought she was funny when she was on SNL.

I only watched 30 Rock to see Alec Baldwin. Never watching SNL or 30 Rock again because of the racist portrayal of Obama on SNL, Fey's Hillary endorsement, and Hillary's 3-days-before-Ohio appearance.

I hope Lorne Michaels and Tina Fey see that she is being called the the Ann Coulter of Comedy -- and that SNL is being called the Terry Schiavo of television comedy.

[Sean68]

You also hear "clapter" constantly on Bill Maher's show. It's distracting. I can always predict what the audience will applaud and when they'll groan and/or boo.

[kvass]

But he seems to get the laugh machine laughing and that is all that counts in televison these days

[jimsey]

Much ado about nothing. In context it was a minor comment.