04 Nov
Uncategorized

At Sanity Rally, Sense Through Satire

By Symi Rom-Rymer In the weeks leading up to last Saturday’s Jon Stewart/Stephen Colbert Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear, the media world was practically falling over itself trying to analyze, explain, and dissect the event before it even happened.  Pundits were asking each other, what it will it mean for the midterm elections, what did it mean about the state of centrist politics, is Jon Stewart preparing for a political campaign, will it draw more crowds than Glenn Beck’s Rally to Restore Honor, and most importantly, will it be a success?  Today, having almost fully recovered from being crushed morning ‘til night by 214,000 of my closest friends, I can unequivocally answer, I don’t know, I don’t know, I certainly hope so, and it seems that way.  As for the rally’s success, the answer is...

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20 Nov
Arts & Culture, Latest

An Interest in Hanukkah? Jon Stewart Sings!

By Mandy Katz "Can I Interest You in Hanukkah?" may be the first ever TV ditty sung a due by Jon Stewart and fellow faux-newsie Stephen Colbert. It's part of Colbert's upcoming TV special, A Colbert Christmas: The Greatest Gift of All, airing Sunday on Comedy Central. Audio of the duet aired yesterday on National Public Radio's Fresh Air — you can hear it on the show's website (click "Listen Now" and skip to minute 7:07). Sample lyric: "Yes, indeed, 8 days of presents, which means one nice one, then a week of dreck." Colbert, the show's host and self-described "broadcasting legend," also sings his own original carols. After all, the crusty newsman explains, perched on a piano bench in a cozy cardigan sweater, every time we hear one of those other, familiar, Yuletide standards, "someone else...

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