The Daily Show IS Real News

This month marks a special anniversary. One year ago Labor Day, I discovered the Daily Show. While everyone else has been watching it for years, I had always sniffed into my New York Times that Comedy Central was a poor substitute for substantial journalism. I tut-tutted at the frightening statistic that people in their 20s get most of their news from Jon Stewart's satirical talk show. It's a sad commentary on our shallow society, I thought as I watched two extremists yell at each other on CNN, when more young people follow an election as presented by a comedian than even know who Brian Williams is.

The world is much too serious, I thought as I listened to another recipe on National Public Radio, to get your news from Comedy Central.

So last year, Labor Day Weekend at my sister's house, I was channel surfing on the satellite system. I've always been fascinated by satellite TV in rural Wyoming because you can get local news from the east coast and the west coast, but nothing from even the home time zone. If you need a local weather report, you are out of luck. Of course at my sister's you can just look out at the mountains to see what's coming, but I digress ...

So I was checking to see what was going on in either Burbank or Brooklyn when I came upon Comedy Central and a rerun of the Daily Show. I was hooked. Here's what I've discovered since:

• This program is very funny.
  
• It has an unabashedly liberal bias (which I consider a good thing).
  
• The guests are legitimate politicians, authors, journalists, and other newsmakers.
  
• The books being promoted are often so interesting that I want to read them.
  
• Many of the stories are not only reported, but analyzed, fact checked, and refuted – more effectively than much "legitimate" TV news.
  
• The Daily Show is quoted regularly in other outlets.
  
• Jon Stewart is not only funny, but a sharp and incisive interviewer who should never be underestimated by guests. Take a look at this recent clip from YouTube: Jon Stewart Destroys Bill Kristol on Health Care
  

Labor Day 2009: I have just one complaint. Every time there's a national holiday, the show goes into reruns. I guess Jon and crew need a break. This time, they are taking three weeks off. How am I supposed to know what's going on that whole time? Oh sure – I can look at Brian Williams or, God forbid, a newspaper or CNN. No point in watching local news – it's pretty much nothing but weather. With Saturday Night Live also on summer hiatus, I've gone into serious comedy (slash) news withdrawal.

For the record, I also watch the Daily Show's spinoff, The Colbert Report. It's entertaining too, but a little on the silly side. For serious news, it's not quite up to my standards.