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Jon Stewart: SOPA Will Drive Us To Libraries "Like A Common Masturbator"

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The Daily Show featured not one but two segments on SOPA last night, and with Wikipedia "dark," Jon Stewart had a dickens of a time figuring out just what the hell SOPA means. (What was he supposed to do to learn things, "go to the library like a common masturbator?") And so Stew-Beef reluctantly turned to the "notoriously unreliable news" for answers, discovering, to his horror, that this law could send violators to jail for up to five years for merely streaming copyrighted material.

Later, Stewart shows a montage of Representatives all but admitting they don't actually understand SOPA, because they're not nerds—including one Congressman who actually suggests they "bring in the nerds" to explain it to them. An incredulous Stewart retorts, "Really? Nerds? You know I think the word you're actually looking for is "experts," so your laws don't backfire and BREAK THE INTERNET."

Later on in the show, talented new correspondent Jessica Williams files a funny report while on the run from the law, having made a criminal YouTube video of herself singing, "All the Single Ladies" in her bedroom. It's not the Beyonce song that violated SOPA, she explains, but rather the TV she accidentally left on in the background showing Newhart. Asked if that's actually a copyright violation, Williams explains, "Of course. Why would anyone buy a Newhart DVD when they can watch my video and see Newhart with no sound for free?"

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Comments [rss]

  • dd7
    In response to all the attacks on my comment that "Stewart is funny, but Colbert is funnier" ... seriously, people???? You really all need to get a life.  Do you really have that much of a problem with someone expressing an innocuous opinion?  Must everyone in the world agree with you, or feel the wrath of your anger if they dare to express an independent thought?  Jeez!!!
  • santijose
    I like that third guy. You know that guy on whats that channel?
  • dd7
    Jon Stewart is funny but Colbert is funnier.
  • Jesus, from the vitriol in this thread you'd've thought Ron Paul was the host of the Daily Show.
  • dd7
    What vitriol???? You're seeing things that aren't there.
  • I love Colbert but he does not compare to John, sorry.
  • estragon_nyc
    True.  Colbert can't come close to blowing his lines on scripted rehearsed material with the frequency Stewart does, and Colbert can't equal Stewart in smothering a joke with constant overselling, winking at the audience, and constantly begging them to like him.  Colbert actually shows some respect for the material by performing it well; that's why he'll never be the equal of Stewart.
  • First off John has been around longer and is the creator of Colbert so maybe you should show some respect. 


    What sets John apart is the fact that he respects his guests, there views even when they differ from his own.

    Go look at john when he has to go on O'Rielly factor etc. 
    THATS what makes John better.
  • estragon_nyc
    None of that has anything to do with what I was saying, though.  Sure, Jon Stewart has good points and has done things I respect.  I just don't think he's a good performer.  Don't confuse liking the material he performs with whether or not he performs it well.

    It's like, if I listened to a musician and said "He was out of key the whole night, and then he messed up that song" it's no answer to say "He's not a bad guy!  And you should see how he treats his sister!"  He was still out of key!

    I watched TDS faithfully since it began (in the Kilby days) and gave it up last year because I wasn't enjoying Jon anymore.
  • Also, John Stewart is John Stewart, and Colbert is shtick.
  • 100% agree. Great point.
  • randomtransplant
    booo
  • Rayski_LaRue
    Newhart was the shit!
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