Empress Tina Fey Has No Clothes
As has been well reported, Tina Fey had this to say about The Daily Show in an interview with Readers Digest:
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.
Stop the presses!!! A queen of comedy (as anointed by no less an authority on all matters comedic than Vanity Fair) hath spoken. In Readers' Digest, home of "Humor In Uniform" no less.
Why the unmitigated gall (was ever a modifier so married to its subject as "unmitigated" is to "gall"?). Four nights a week, Stewart and his cohorts pound out barbs with a hit rate heretofore unseen on network or cable. "Update" which hasn't been funny or had a point of view since Don Ohlmeyer fired Norm MacDonald for jokes at the expense of his crony Orenthal James Simpson save for the sadly short-lived stint of Colin Quinn, struggles to connect even once in eight minutes once a week. Ms. Fey anchored the segment with all the charisma and wit of Alan Greenspan at a "Whither Now Precious Metals" seminar. 30 Rock? Two words -- Alec Baldwin.
She's not totally off base; applause lines in lieu of punch lines are all too in evidence on most stand-up "specials" these days: "Hey fuck Exxon!!!" This unfortunate malaise goes back I don't know how long, but watch any rerun of Married With Children to see this unfortunate "woo hoo" phenomenon at its worst, although in an apolitical, sexual innuendo light. The Daily Show however strives to avoid this applause-o-meter response with great care. Yes, the audience will often react with wild enthusiasm to a Bush-bashing line, but my understanding is he is not a very popular commander-in-chief. Bill Maher, much to his credit, often tries to restrain his left-leaning audience from such knee-jerk whoops of approval but having been whipped in to a frenzy no doubt by the warm up act, he is at the mercy of the choir to whom he preaches.
Bottom line Tina, blame Arsenio, blame the shrill noise of a media which does not differentiate between politics and the NFL (a point which Mr. Stewart and co. make with unerring and hysterical frequency) but lay off the Daily Show, until, at least, you offer anything remotely as trenchant and just plain funny.
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I agree with Tina F. Love TDS but sometimes there is the easy joke that panders to the audience.
I thought Tina Fey was kidding.
I don't know what Fey is talking about. Everytime I see TDS, all I hear is laughter. Hell, that's why Stewart and Colbert are asked for speak or host at every awards show - because they are hysterical.
Maybe Jon should get some quirky little glasses
wow, so over come with hate because she likes clinton you've blown out of all proportion what was quoted. she didn't say stewart wasn't funny, she pointed out that some of his material didn't provke laughter, rather approval.
god forbid anyone deviate from huffpo doctrine.
Try to stay calm. Not everything in the world is about Hillary, if you can imagine. This is actually about Tina's habit of knocking other people with catty little asides, which has become completely tiresome.
Is that the Tina Fey who didn't cross the WGA picket line?
This is off-topic but I was reading about comediens and they said all comedy comes from anger and is simply how the comedien expresses that anger - has anyone else heard this?
Fay supports Hillary...where's the humor in that? Enough said.
Well, she did admit to the world on SNL that she's a bitch. Isn't this what bitches do?
Hayman is on the money in all respects. Without Alec Baldwin "30 Rock" would be a complete waste of time and what's more, they know it. I can't comment on Weekend Update because like most people I know, I stopped watching SNL years ago.
Relax! She didn't really say that Jon Stewart is not funny. She was merely pointing out the difference between political humor and non-political humor.
Tina Fey is one of the funniest and sharpest comedians working right now. 30 Rock is absolutely hilarious. And yes, Alec Baldwin is awesome in it, but Tina Fey writes the words that makes him awesome.
And, if I may venture a little theory - you wouldn't be sore on Tina Fey because of her recent shout-outs to Hillary Clinton, would you?
"Tina Fey is one of the funniest and sharpest comedians working right now. "
No she isn't.
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What is with you people? Isn't it possible, just possible, that someone make a point without it reflecting his or his subject's politics?
I love this article; I was truly surprised by Tina Fey's comments about Jon Stewart. I guess maybe she really is a Mean Girl. I was always hoping she was the one who was picked on, thereby guaranteeing her a life in comedy as a remedy to her poor upbringing and bullied little self. Turns out she had great parents and was the one who bullied (?), thereby guaranteeing her a life in, um, bullying some more?
What exactly is a "Tina Fey"?
What exactly is a "Tina Fey"?
Isn't that what dropped the first atom bomb?
Dammit, I was wanting to see Tina with no clothes. Hayman, you are the worst sort of tease!
Wow, you read my mind! Where are the pictures?
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