Jon Stewart Rips CNN's 'Early Start' Wake 'Em Up Calls (VIDEO)

Next to Fox News, Jon Stewart undoubtedly gets the most material out of CNN, what with their zany holograms and Wolf Blitzers. But on Tuesday night's "Daily Show," Stewart found a new reason to mock the cable news network that he previously missed -- probably because it occurs at 5:00 in the morning.

We're talking, of course, about CNN's "Early Start" with Ashleigh Banfield and Zoraida Sambolin. It's pretty much your typical morning news talk show, except for this one curious segment called "Wake 'Em Up" where the hosts cold-call people in their Rolodexes and interview them by surprise.

The interview that caught Stewart's eye? It was a call to Kerry Kennedy before 6:00 a.m. one morning, where Banfield inexplicably asked her if she had any "haunting memories" of her father's campaigns. Stewart immediately felt bad for the Kennedy, who probably isn't used to getting good news from CNN on the phone before sunrise.

"You don't cold-call a Kennedy at 5:00 in the morning," Stewart insisted. "Do you know how many unexpected tragedies this family has suffered?"

After busting out his best "Morning Zoo" DJ impression to mock the call, Stewart pointed out another gaffe in the "Wake 'Em Up" segment that happened just this week. This time, Banfield attempted to call comedian Chuck Nice but dialed the wrong number by accident and told a poor stranger that she was "The FBI."

"CNN, why don't you just stick to what you do best?" Stewart suggested. "And as soon as we figure that out, we'll let you know what it is!"

Watch the full segment above.

Comments

[Paul Slansky]

12:47 PM on 01/13/2012

It's a new low, and new lows aren't easy to come by these days, although nothing should really be surprising from a once-great news network that now boasts that fool Wolf Blitzer as its eminence grise. CNN is as stupid as Fox News without standing for anything except desperate hunger for ratings. Note to current (though clearly and deservedly doomed) network president Ken Jautz -- here's your new slogan: "CNN. We'll try ANYTHING!" If there's ever a major East Coast earthquake, it will be caused by Cronkite, Brinkley and Murrow thrashing violently about in their graves.

[taylor316]

10:02 PM on 01/12/2012

CNN=chit news network

[vandegrasse]

03:40 PM on 01/12/2012

This is the kind of_crud-you get when you have a 24-hour news cycle!

[HyperBart]

02:49 PM on 01/12/2012

Maybe CNN tries to get viewers with 'trainwreck'-television? You know... it's so awfull that you keep watching somehow event while you don't want to.

[pilseung]

02:40 PM on 01/12/2012

I do believe impersonating a federal agent is a felony...

[ahl76]

01:55 PM on 01/12/2012

If you are going to comment...his name is JON...not JOHN...Jeez

[ScreenParty]

11:09 AM on 01/12/2012

Another HULU video fail by HP...

[Entheo]

11:09 AM on 01/12/2012

i have to believe the producer came up with the lame idea of the 5 am call... which leads me to ask, with so many talented people out of a job, how did that person get hired?

i like ashleigh banfield, or maybe i should say i used to. she did stories on the palestinians which brought their plight into americans' living rooms. but then she disappeared -- hmmm, can't imagine why -- only to return fully reprogrammed as a Stepford Anchor.

[studioh!]

10:45 AM on 01/12/2012

WORST.BIT.EVER.

[JYRock]

10:43 AM on 01/12/2012

These people are complete lunatics! First of all, everyone knows if you're gonna prank call someone the only appropriate follow up questions are: Is you refrigerator running? or Do you have Olive Oil in a bottle. NOT and I repeat NOT questions about your dead daddy's assassination.

WHAT IS WRONG WITH PPL?!? FCC surely this is worth an indecency fine!

[ATLBravesFan]

10:34 AM on 01/12/2012

The Kennedy call was insensitive and bizarre.

[vaf112675]

10:25 AM on 01/12/2012

CNN is really going down the tubes.

This is what passes for journalism nowadays?

[hector74elp]

10:07 AM on 01/12/2012

Most awkward CNN segment ever! It felt so uncomfortable, i know it was funny Daily Show bit, but it was hard to laugh. Yet, if there was a CNN segment where Wolf Blitzer drunk-dials people, yeah I'd watch that.

[JohnFromCensornati]

09:36 AM on 01/12/2012

This is unsurprising behavior coming from the Tea Party Channel.

[mlmn08]

09:35 AM on 01/12/2012

Uhhhhhhh, he is totally right.....these calls were embarrassing to everyone, even me.