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A review by 1outside
The Daily Show (the Book): An Oral History as Told by Jon Stewart, the Correspondents, Staff and Guests by Chris Smith
5.0
Why would you read a book about a TV show you never actually watched?
Well, after being pretty down about the state of the world last year (2016), and trying to avoid news as much as possible, this year (after the US presidential inauguration) I figured we were somewhat in the eye of the storm and so I eventually started to embrace the news...via comedy.
And so it now happens that among my favourite comedians, 3 of the States-side dwelling ones are Stephen Colbert, Samantha Bee & John Oliver. All alumni of the Daily Show.
And even though I'd been aware of Jon Stewart, had seen a few clips and gifs here and there, and remember the outcry when he decided to retire from the show, it wasn't until becoming a fan of his disciples that I decided to take an interest in this guy as well. I watched a few in-depth interviews, and one of them was about this book. And so I thought...why not. Why not read it? So I did!
It's a real page-turner. I don't think you necessarily have to be a hardcore fan of Jon or the show, throughout the book Smith provides enough context for the reader not to get lost and to be able to "get" if not everything, at least most of it. For me it turned out to be a pretty good guide to looking up old videos on the Comedy Central website, and so I found the whole process of reading the book extremely enjoyable.
Its only downside was that because I got it in the e-book format - and I read e-books before falling asleep at night - I would get to sleep about an hour later than normally. Why was this more thrilling to read than a fiction book, I have no idea, but it definitely didn't work as a lullaby.
I highlighted so much stuff, and made so many bookmarks! Ranging from stuff about Carell vomiting in Evelyn Colbert's car to interesting details about the goings-on of the production of a comedy TV show, to some actually pretty deep stuff. Maybe one day I'll put some of the quotes here.
I guess until this year I mostly perceived US politics and international relations through the lens of different forms of fiction, with the occasional song or interview thrown in. So I wasn't completely ignorant of the scene, but I definitely feel that after reading this I still learned a ton about the different processes at play - and this is still "only" a book on a comedy show. Politics (and history) is a flipping bottomless pit.
So I missed the era when The Daily Show with Jon Stewart was a thing. I came to it late. I come from the world the previous, pre-Jon world, transformed into. Ever since watching all those interviews and a documentary or two, and then reading this, I've been pondering if the change the Daily Show's way of looking at things brought was purely a positive one. Would the Bernie Or Bust movement have happened anyway? An did the Bernie or Bust movement have any actual impact in the result of the presidential election? Etc. etc. That'd be for a separate essay or ten.
The book doesn't really do much of the pondering - and that's what makes it so fun to read. Different opinions, voices - yes, occasionally delving into the old chestnut of when does satire news show become a news show, but mostly to do with the creative processes, production issues, changes of tone etc. during Jon's tenure at the show.
I personally love reading non-fiction books about people or topics I don't know enough about, so this book was absolutely ideal and in the perfect form. It didn't paddle one idea, it didn't stroke Jon Stewart's ego, it features a great variety of voices and opinions. And it's fascinating if you, like me, are interested in the behind the scenes of the production of anything creative.
Well, after being pretty down about the state of the world last year (2016), and trying to avoid news as much as possible, this year (after the US presidential inauguration) I figured we were somewhat in the eye of the storm and so I eventually started to embrace the news...via comedy.
And so it now happens that among my favourite comedians, 3 of the States-side dwelling ones are Stephen Colbert, Samantha Bee & John Oliver. All alumni of the Daily Show.
And even though I'd been aware of Jon Stewart, had seen a few clips and gifs here and there, and remember the outcry when he decided to retire from the show, it wasn't until becoming a fan of his disciples that I decided to take an interest in this guy as well. I watched a few in-depth interviews, and one of them was about this book. And so I thought...why not. Why not read it? So I did!
It's a real page-turner. I don't think you necessarily have to be a hardcore fan of Jon or the show, throughout the book Smith provides enough context for the reader not to get lost and to be able to "get" if not everything, at least most of it. For me it turned out to be a pretty good guide to looking up old videos on the Comedy Central website, and so I found the whole process of reading the book extremely enjoyable.
Its only downside was that because I got it in the e-book format - and I read e-books before falling asleep at night - I would get to sleep about an hour later than normally. Why was this more thrilling to read than a fiction book, I have no idea, but it definitely didn't work as a lullaby.
I highlighted so much stuff, and made so many bookmarks! Ranging from stuff about Carell vomiting in Evelyn Colbert's car to interesting details about the goings-on of the production of a comedy TV show, to some actually pretty deep stuff. Maybe one day I'll put some of the quotes here.
I guess until this year I mostly perceived US politics and international relations through the lens of different forms of fiction, with the occasional song or interview thrown in. So I wasn't completely ignorant of the scene, but I definitely feel that after reading this I still learned a ton about the different processes at play - and this is still "only" a book on a comedy show. Politics (and history) is a flipping bottomless pit.
So I missed the era when The Daily Show with Jon Stewart was a thing. I came to it late. I come from the world the previous, pre-Jon world, transformed into. Ever since watching all those interviews and a documentary or two, and then reading this, I've been pondering if the change the Daily Show's way of looking at things brought was purely a positive one. Would the Bernie Or Bust movement have happened anyway? An did the Bernie or Bust movement have any actual impact in the result of the presidential election? Etc. etc. That'd be for a separate essay or ten.
The book doesn't really do much of the pondering - and that's what makes it so fun to read. Different opinions, voices - yes, occasionally delving into the old chestnut of when does satire news show become a news show, but mostly to do with the creative processes, production issues, changes of tone etc. during Jon's tenure at the show.
I personally love reading non-fiction books about people or topics I don't know enough about, so this book was absolutely ideal and in the perfect form. It didn't paddle one idea, it didn't stroke Jon Stewart's ego, it features a great variety of voices and opinions. And it's fascinating if you, like me, are interested in the behind the scenes of the production of anything creative.