Jon Stewart Accuses Fox of Misleading Editing

What is it with right wingers and edited video?

MediaJune 2011 • Views: 36,003

If you watched the version of Jon Stewart’s interview with Chris Wallace that aired on Fox News, there were several very obvious cuts, and today Stewart is accusing Fox of editing the interview to make him seem like he was having “a nervous breakdown.”

Jon Stewart wants everyone to know that his Fox News appearance was not the real deal.

The comedian lambasted the network, arguing his Sunday interview with host Chris Wallace was edited to make him look like “a woman on the verge of a nervous breakdown.”

“I suggest you look at the unedited version online where my emotional states don’t seem to change so arbitrarily,” he said on his “Daily Show” Monday night. …

Stewart said the network edited the moment at which Wallace “basically gives away the game” by describing Fox News as a “counterweight” to NBC News.

Fox News, meanwhile, has their talking points together, as Bret Baier joins the attack on Stewart.

Fox News personality Bret Baier entered the fray Monday - calling Stewart’s perception of Fox News “insane.”

“He is a political force and there’s no denying it,” Baier said on the “Kilmeade and Friends” radio show. “He touches a lot of young people and he wants to be heard on politics but … when something goes wrong, he punts to ‘I’m a comedian.’”

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65 comments

iossarian Tue, Jun 21, 2011 9:56:51am

I really don’t see what the issue is.

Stewart is a political comedian.

FN is a far-right propaganda outlet.

What are we arguing about exactly?

makeitstop Tue, Jun 21, 2011 10:00:54am

[quote]“He touches a lot of young people and he wants to be heard on politics but … when something goes wrong, he punts to ‘I’m a comedian.’”[/quote]

Stewart smashed that particular talking point while on the air with Wallace. That a Fox exec continues to use it shows that they’ve got nothing to counter Stewart’s point with.

martinsmithy Tue, Jun 21, 2011 10:01:06am

Wow, I didn’t think Fox News would stoop that low. I don’t think John Stewart will be appearing on any Fox News broadcasts ever again.

Iwouldprefernotto Tue, Jun 21, 2011 10:01:07am

re: #1 iossarian

I really don’t see what the issue is.

Stewart is a political comedian.

FN is a far-right propaganda outlet.

What are we arguing about exactly?

If Fox doesn’t play the victim, they got nothing.

HappyWarrior Tue, Jun 21, 2011 10:01:08am

Could Fox be any more lame? And yes while young people like Stewart, we go to him to laugh at the news not really to get it.

Four More Tears Tue, Jun 21, 2011 10:01:55am

Can’t wait to hear what Stewart has to say about:

He touches a lot of young people

Political Atheist Tue, Jun 21, 2011 10:02:07am

Watching FOX pundits try to skewer Stewart for trying to have it both ways as a comedian and political pundit is just laughable. Whats’ next? Maybe one of Charlie Sheens “goddess” porn stars criticizing Stewarts social life?

Interesting Times Tue, Jun 21, 2011 10:02:31am

“He touches a lot of young people and he wants to be heard on politics but … when something goes wrong, he punts to ‘I’m a comedian.’”

Oh. Then I suppose we’re supposed to hold comedians to a higher standard for truth-telling than cable news 9_9

And, just to indulge my need for a bit of schadenfreude:

Jon Stewart’s Ratings Are Now Higher Than All Of Fox News

According to the May Nielson ratings, The Daily Show with Jon Stewart beat the entire Fox News network in terms of total viewers. Stewart averaged 2.3 million viewers, while the Fox News prime time and day time line up averaged 1.85 million viewers.

_{Hmmm…perhaps this is why Brett Baier has his undies in a wad :)}

wrenchwench Tue, Jun 21, 2011 10:04:27am

re: #8 publicityStunted

Oh. Then I suppose we’re supposed to hold comedians to a higher standard for truth-telling than cable news 9_9

And, just to indulge my need for a bit of schadenfreude:

Jon Stewart’s Ratings Are Now Higher Than All Of Fox News

_{Hmmm…perhaps this is why Brett Baier has his undies in a wad :)}

It looks like jealousy to me.

jaunte Tue, Jun 21, 2011 10:05:52am

when something goes wrong, he punts to ‘I’m a comedian.’”

Like Fox punts to “it’s a news/opinion” broadcast…

gehazi Tue, Jun 21, 2011 10:06:15am

re: #8 publicityStunted

That’s…amazing. Maybe not surprising, but amazing.

All from a man (and a writing team, and an excellent supporting cast) that insists correctly that he is merely a comedian. And he fits perfectly with the state of US politics.

makeitstop Tue, Jun 21, 2011 10:06:29am

re: #10 jaunte

Like Fox punts to “it’s a news/opinion” broadcast…

…or like Limbaugh punts to ‘It was satire!’

gehazi Tue, Jun 21, 2011 10:07:22am

re: #3 martinsmithy

Wow, I didn’t think Fox News would stoop that low. I don’t think John Stewart will be appearing on any Fox News broadcasts ever again.

It’s one of his more admirable qualities that he is constantly willing to go into “hostile” territory.

makeitstop Tue, Jun 21, 2011 10:08:36am

re: #11 gehazi

That’s…amazing. Maybe not surprising, but amazing.

All from a man (and a writing team, and an excellent supporting cast) that insists correctly that he is merely a comedian. And he fits perfectly with the state of US politics.

But if you watch the interview, Stewart’s actual words are that he’s a comedian first - a point that Wallace (and the blog post he used as a cite) tried to ignore, and that Stewart was quick to correct.

Decatur Deb Tue, Jun 21, 2011 10:10:22am

“but … when something goes wrong, he punts to ‘I’m a comedian.’”

1. Something rarely goes wrong.
2. He always says “I’m a comedian.”

Lidane Tue, Jun 21, 2011 10:12:02am

re: #8 publicityStunted

Jon Stewart’s Ratings Are Now Higher Than All Of Fox News

I’m sure that Fox News loves knowing they’re losing to the Daily Show.

jaunte Tue, Jun 21, 2011 10:12:25am

Foxfans indignant at being called misinformed:
[Link: www.google.com…]
I didn’t see any evolution questions on the surveys, or it might have been even

Political Atheist Tue, Jun 21, 2011 10:12:28am

re: #14 makeitstop

I had this chat with Leftwingconspirator after we watched the clip. I say comedy is (among other things) a device to communicate and persuade. Obviously he wants to persuade us political change is needed. LWC was stuck on Comedy first, but then I used an analogy.

“As a Ford salesman, I’ll need not tell you horror stories about Chevrolet. But if I get you ROFL at Chevy, what might you buy next time?” Stewart does indeed have it both ways.

jaunte Tue, Jun 21, 2011 10:13:34am

re: #17 jaunte

Foxfans indignant at being called misinformed:
[Link: www.google.com…]
I didn’t see any evolution questions on the surveys, or it might have been even

more definitive.

Four More Tears Tue, Jun 21, 2011 10:14:40am

Like watching the Titanic sink in slow motion…

APNewsBreak: Gingrich campaign finance team quits

The top fundraisers for Newt Gingrich’s presidential campaign have abandoned his struggling bid amid anemic fundraising and heavy spending.

Campaign spokesman R.C. Hammond is confirming to The Associated Press that fundraising director Jody Thomas and fundraising consultant Mary Heitman have left the team.

HappyWarrior Tue, Jun 21, 2011 10:15:12am

It’s funny to me. Fox and the right are quick to defend Limbaugh’s crap as “satire” but Stewart who is an actual satirist is different game. Y tu, Fox?

iossarian Tue, Jun 21, 2011 10:15:43am

re: #18 Rightwingconspirator

I had this chat with Leftwingconspirator after we watched the clip. I say comedy is (among other things) a device to communicate and persuade. Obviously he wants to persuade us political change is needed. LWC was stuck on Comedy first, but then I used an analogy.

“As a Ford salesman, I’ll need not tell you horror stories about Chevrolet. But if I get you ROFL at Chevy, what might you buy next time?” Stewart does indeed have it both ways.

Absolutely. Stewart is a political comedian in a long and proud tradition. Of course he wants to persuade people (we all do).

Where FN is either stupid or lying is in their claim that they aren’t doing the same thing.

Kronocide Tue, Jun 21, 2011 10:15:55am

Fox News obviously sees Stewart as a threat, and as a vehicle to increase their credibility. Stewart obviously hits too close to home.

Of course, Fox’s attack only increase Stewart’s validity as a satirist, which he himself thinks is absurd in that he has more credibility than real news people.

gehazi Tue, Jun 21, 2011 10:15:58am

re: #21 HappyWarrior

The best bit from that article on Stewart’s ratings vs Fox News?

A 2010 survey found that the average age of the Fox News viewer is 65 years old. Fox has the oldest audience on all of cable. (FNC’s audience is older than The History Channel, The Hallmark Channel, and The Golf Channel).

jaunte Tue, Jun 21, 2011 10:16:24am

re: #22 iossarian

Lying, for the win.

Political Atheist Tue, Jun 21, 2011 10:17:18am

re: #15 Decatur Deb

I thought he did to Chris Wallace precisely what John Woo did to him. With similar results at that moment. A flummoxed host. With calm, insight and real experience, agree or not, Stewart did in Wallace point for point.

Comedy Central Video

Interesting Times Tue, Jun 21, 2011 10:17:49am

re: #9 wrenchwench

It looks like jealousy to me.

Especially when you consider Baier’s emphasis on Stewart reaching young people. As opposed to the Fox demographic:

Youtube Video

iossarian Tue, Jun 21, 2011 10:17:59am

re: #25 jaunte

Lying, for the win.

Right. I mean, Wallace lays it out there in the interview: “We see ourselves as a counterweight.”

Counterweights are, by definition, not fair or balanced.

ReamWorks SKG Tue, Jun 21, 2011 10:18:32am

Nevertheless I enjoyed the point Steward made about Wallace (not sure when it aired, sometimes I pick up an old one on my Tivo) where he caught an admision they’re not Fair and Balanced. Chris Wallace said that Fox covers the “other side of the story”

Working now and listening to the fabulous Kitty Margolis who will be at Yoshi’s this weekend. (I won’t be there, because I have business in Florida)

If you don’t know Kitty, go to Amazon and listen to some samples. She reminds me a bit of McCorkle.

jaunte Tue, Jun 21, 2011 10:19:01am

re: #28 iossarian

Absolutely; and you know they want to keep concealing it as long as possible, because they cut that piece out.

makeitstop Tue, Jun 21, 2011 10:19:01am

re: #16 Lidane

I’m sure that Fox News loves knowing they’re losing to the Daily Show.

Man, Ailes’ paranoia must be at full gallop today. My money says that he declares war on Stewart before long.

wrenchwench Tue, Jun 21, 2011 10:19:05am

re: #27 publicityStunted

Especially when you consider Baier’s emphasis on Stewart reaching young people. As opposed to the Fox demographic:

[Video]

You’re not getting me to watch that again.

simoom Tue, Jun 21, 2011 10:20:20am

Here’s one of the sections they edited out of the broadcast version (the bolded/capitalized bits):

[Link: mediamatters.org…]

STEWART: You can’t understand because of the world you live in that there is not a designed ideological agenda on my part to affect partisan change because that’s the soup you swim in. And I appreciate that. And I understand that. It reminds me of, you know — you know, in ideological regimes, they can’t understand that there is free media other places. Because they receive marching orders. AND IF YOU WANT ME TO GO THROUGH BILL SAMMON’S EMAILS AND —
WALLACE: DO YOU THINK I’VE EVER — How do you explain me?

STEWART: OH I THINK YOU DO A NICE JOB. AND I’VE TOLD YOU THAT ON THE SHOW. I THINK YOU’RE ONE OF THE MOST INTERESTING —

WALLACE: Do you think I get marching orders?

STEWART: I think that you are here in some respects to bring a credibility and an integrity to an organization that might not otherwise have it, without your presence. So, you are here as a counterweight to Hannity, let’s say, or you are here as a counterweight to Glenn Beck, because otherwise, it’s just pure talk radio and it doesn’t establish the type of political player it wants to be.

The removed all mention of the Bill Sammon directives.

gehazi Tue, Jun 21, 2011 10:20:22am

re: #28 iossarian

Right. I mean, Wallace lays it out there in the interview: “We see ourselves as a counterweight.”

Counterweights are, by definition, not fair or balanced.

They can’t have it both ways…at least not forever. Either a counterweight, or fair and balanced, but not both.

Not that fair and balanced would necessarily be a good thing: just look at CNN these days, never willing to take a fucking stand on anything.

WINDUPBIRD DISEASE [S.K.U.M.M.] Tue, Jun 21, 2011 10:21:38am

Daily Show ratings higher than all of Fox News

Naturally, they edit Stewart, he’s a bigger dog than any of their pigs

jaunte Tue, Jun 21, 2011 10:22:19am

re: #33 simoom

“These are not the Sammon directives you’re looking for…

WINDUPBIRD DISEASE [S.K.U.M.M.] Tue, Jun 21, 2011 10:22:55am

re: #34 gehazi

They can’t have it both ways…at least not forever. Either a counterweight, or fair and balanced, but not both.

Not that fair and balanced would necessarily be a good thing: just look at CNN these days, never willing to take a fucking stand on anything.

CNN is a dead dull pork boredom network for greyface, for people who have given up

It’s the Grandma’s Buffet of cable news networks, it’s cold cuts and mashed potatoes

gamark Tue, Jun 21, 2011 10:23:27am

re: #8 publicityStunted

Oh. Then I suppose we’re supposed to hold comedians to a higher standard for truth-telling than cable news 9_9

And, just to indulge my need for a bit of schadenfreude:

Jon Stewart’s Ratings Are Now Higher Than All Of Fox News

_{Hmmm…perhaps this is why Brett Baier has his undies in a wad :)}

From that link:

The O’Reilly Factor (2.8 million) drew more total viewers than The Daily Show (2.3 million)

So Stewart beat the average of all Fox News show viewership, not all Fox News shows. That’s a big difference that seems to have been conveniently left out of the headline. One could reasonably say a lying headline.

kirkspencer Tue, Jun 21, 2011 10:24:30am

I’m waiting for the slow-motion assault on the Murdoch empire in the UK to bear fruit - the phone-hacking eavesdropping scandal: [Link: www.adweek.com…] .

jaunte Tue, Jun 21, 2011 10:25:37am

re: #35 WindUpBird

From your link:

Jon Stewart is the biggest threat to Fox News’ future out there. He is literally teaching his audience, which is bigger than FNC’s, how to see through the partisan propaganda that Rupert Murdoch has based his network on. Stewart is educating an entire generation of viewers on how to watch cable news, or more specifically how not to watch Fox News.

This is why Jon Stewart is important.

gehazi Tue, Jun 21, 2011 10:29:31am

re: #38 gamark

It’s not a very clear headline, but it’s a stretch to call it a lie.

What the headline is trying to say (as the article makes clear) is that the Daily Show averages more viewers than the entirety of all FNC show averages. It doesn’t communicate that very well, but fortunately the article itself is (as you point out!) stuffed with great data.

The reality is that Stewart is ahead of every show but one on a head-to-head basis, and ahead of the average of them all.

Kronocide Tue, Jun 21, 2011 10:34:09am

re: #28 iossarian

Counterweights are, by definition, not fair or balanced.

And therein lies the construct being fomented for years by the other ‘satirist’ Rush Limbaugh: Fox News is equal time.

And with that, I must go commit capitalism.

Interesting Times Tue, Jun 21, 2011 10:41:52am

re: #38 gamark

From that link:

So Stewart beat the average of all Fox News show viewership, not all Fox News shows. That’s a big difference that seems to have been conveniently left out of the headline. One could reasonably say a lying headline.

But according to Fox itself, O’Reilly is considered “opinion” rather than “news”. Therefore the headline about beating Fox “News” is correct :P

gamark Tue, Jun 21, 2011 10:48:50am

re: #41 gehazi

Well, there are lies, damned lies, and statistics.

A headline just as truthful could have been:

“Bill O’Reilly’s ratings are higher than all of Comedy Central”

SidewaysQuark Tue, Jun 21, 2011 10:48:59am

I’m no fan of Fox News, but of all people to get mad about others taking soundbytes out of context - Jon Stewart? —————-Really?

gamark Tue, Jun 21, 2011 10:51:09am

re: #43 publicityStunted

Bill O’Reilly works for Fox News. Fox News, like other cable outlets have opinion/analysis shows and news shows.

But yes, what is the big deal with comparing a comedy show with a news network?

gehazi Tue, Jun 21, 2011 10:56:13am

re: #46 gamark

Good point, why would I pick entertainment masquerading as news over a nuanced and thoughtful examination of major news stories?

gamark Tue, Jun 21, 2011 10:58:49am

re: #47 gehazi

Good point, why would I pick entertainment masquerading as news over a nuanced and thoughtful examination of major news stories?

And where to you go for that? I’d love to find a news source like that. Unfortunately, I’m stuck with biased news sources and having to read between the lines based on multiple sources with different biases.

jaunte Tue, Jun 21, 2011 10:58:50am

re: #45 SidewaysQuark

Did you have an example?

jaunte Tue, Jun 21, 2011 11:02:11am

Conservapedia sez:

Stewart will display video clips, sound bites, and news stories in which Republicans and other conservative politicians are made to look silly, using clips which are often edited or taken out of context so that they appear to be contradicting themselves.
[Link: www.conservapedia.com…]

They don’t provide any examples either.

andres Tue, Jun 21, 2011 11:03:07am

re: #45 SidewaysQuark

I’m no fan of Fox News, but of all people to get mad about others taking soundbytes out of context - Jon Stewart? —-Really?

But Stewart makes comedy: he has this… thing… this… artistic license (yeah, that’s it), that allows him to bend the truth to make it funny.

Fox, on the other hand, is supposed to make journalism: there’s no artistic license in journalism!!

gehazi Tue, Jun 21, 2011 11:04:19am

re: #48 gamark

And where to you go for that? I’d love to find a news source like that. Unfortunately, I’m stuck with biased news sources and having to read between the lines based on multiple sources with different biases.

Hint for my previous comment: Fox News is the “entertainment masquerading as news”, not the Daily Show.

There is no such thing as a non-biased source, and I didn’t mention bias in any case. It never has existed and never will. The best anyone can do is to read (or watch) broadly and thoughtfully. Stewart has a pretty narrow focus, and obviously makes no attempt at fairness in the stories he chooses to cover, but he is consistently thought-provoking in a way that most so-called news channels fail to be.

kirkspencer Tue, Jun 21, 2011 11:04:59am

re: #51 andres

But Stewart makes comedy: he has this… thing… this… artistic license (yeah, that’s it), that allows him to bend the truth to make it funny.

Fox, on the other hand, is supposed to make journalism: there’s no artistic license in journalism!!

Riiiight. Tell that to William Randolph Hearst.

allegro Tue, Jun 21, 2011 11:05:52am

re: #45 SidewaysQuark

I’m no fan of Fox News, but of all people to get mad about others taking soundbytes out of context - Jon Stewart? —-Really?

It’s a

comedy

show, not a news show. Try comparing apples to apples. Have there been any occasions where the Daily Show has selectively edited its interviews in such a way that Fox has edited this one?

gehazi Tue, Jun 21, 2011 11:05:55am

re: #45 SidewaysQuark

I’m no fan of Fox News, but of all people to get mad about others taking soundbytes out of context - Jon Stewart? —-Really?

To jump on this wagon: you do know that Stewart almost always publishes longform unedited interviews on his website and consistently pushes his viewers to watch them, right?

andres Tue, Jun 21, 2011 11:24:40am

re: #53 kirkspencer

Riiight. Tell that to William Randolph Hearst.

Hearst didn’t bend the truth as much as break it in peaces and glue them as he saw fit.

But serious journalism is supposed to be impartial. :)

navi Tue, Jun 21, 2011 11:27:16am

what’s wrong with looking like a woman on the verge of a nervous breakdown? even so, he didn’t look like one. and wtf is up with the misogyny?

Interesting Times Tue, Jun 21, 2011 11:30:26am

re: #57 navi

what’s wrong with looking like a woman on the verge of a nervous breakdown? even so, he didn’t look like one. and wtf is up with the misogyny?

Er, it’s a reference to this film: [Link: www.imdb.com…]

First As Tragedy, Then As Farce Tue, Jun 21, 2011 11:37:14am

“He touches a lot of young people and he wants to be heard on politics but … when something goes wrong, he punts to ‘I’m a comedian.’”

You know who else touched a lot of young people and wanted to be heard on politics?

Eventual Carrion Tue, Jun 21, 2011 11:39:28am

re: #59 negativ

You know who else touched a lot of young people and wanted to be heard on politics?

Foley?

SidewaysQuark Tue, Jun 21, 2011 11:39:45am

re: #55 gehazi

To jump on this wagon: you do know that Stewart almost always publishes longform unedited interviews on his website and consistently pushes his viewers to watch them, right?

Yes, I was actually kind of making something a dry joke that obviously failed. Of course Stewart and Fox News are different, and should be held to different standards. I just thought the situation to be ironically humorous, given that Stewart’s whole show is based on making jokes out of quick quotations.

hawaii69 Tue, Jun 21, 2011 11:40:02am

he wants to be heard on politics but … when something goes wrong, he punts to ‘I’m a comedian.’”

Wait….is he talking about John Stewart, Glenn Beck, or Rush Limbaugh?

hawaii69 Tue, Jun 21, 2011 11:43:31am

re: #10 jaunte

Like Fox punts to “it’s a news/opinion” broadcast…

That’s known as “infotainment”, and unfortunately, all News programs
have gone down way down that road at this point.

FOX is just the most polticially cynical.

sagehen Tue, Jun 21, 2011 12:38:34pm

Stewart on Crossfire, in 2006.

Youtube Video

“Yeah, but we’re on Comedy Central. The lead-in to the our show is puppets making crank phone calls.”

thecommodore Tue, Jun 21, 2011 2:40:40pm

re: #50 jaunte

Conservapedia sez:

They don’t provide any examples either.

Speaking of Conservapedia, Here’s what they say about President Obama:

Barack Hussein Obama II aka Barry Soetoro,[1][2][3][4] born in Honolulu, August 4, 1961[5][6][7][8][9]) grew up outside the mainstream of Black America and had little in common with African-Americans social, political, and cultural experiences.
Obama reportedly was born in Honolulu, Hawaii to Barack Obama Sr. (b. Alego, Kenya, 1936 - d. Nairobi, Kenya, 1982) and Stanley Ann Dunham (1942–1995) in 1961, however questions remain about the Obama’s natural born citizen status. Obama’s birth father, a natural born citizen of Kenya was a Marxist, while Obama’s maternal family had roots in other progressive left and atheist traditions. Obama later was to make the rather ostensible claim to the Chicago Sun-Times religion editor Cathleen Falsani on April 5, 2004, “I’m rooted in the Christian tradition.”[10] In point of fact, Obama was reared in the Islamic faith while living with his mother and stepfather, Lolo Soetoro, in Jakarta, Indonesia in the mid-1960s until the early 1970s.[11] It is believed Stanley Ann Dunham moved to Hawaii with the young Obama about 1970 or 1971 where he attended the elite Punahou School and graduated in 1979. Ann Dunham died at Straub Clinic, Honolulu, Hawaii on Nov. 7, 1995. (She was born in Wichita, Kansas, 29 Nov. 1942). Dunham wrote “Surviving Against the Odds: Village Industry in Indonesia, ca. 1992. (Published: 2009, Duke University Press) [12]

The rest of the page is straight from the fever swamp.

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