Age of the Geek

The End Of Daily
  
     It’s official. We are losing the most trusted newsman of this generation.
     Also, Brian Williams has been suspended from NBC.
     In an oddly timed juxtaposition, William’s six-month suspension coincides with Jon Stewart’s announcement that he will step down as the host of “The Daily Show” sometime this year after 17 years of producing fake news.
     We just lost Colbert. I’m not sure I’m ready to lose Stewart as well. I’m not sure the nation is ready to lose Stewart either. We are on the verge of another election cycle (granted, we’re always on the verge of another election cycle) and there is nobody more capable at sifting through the bunk (in lieu of a stronger term) of presidential candidates than Stewart.
     Who else is going to make interns sift through hours of archive footage so that they can expose the seemingly endless amount of political hypocrisy? Who else is going to have such a passion for calling out the 24-hour news networks on their sensationalistic practices and biased reporting?
     Stewart may have started out as a comedian mining the news for cheap jokes on what was basically a full length version of a “Saturday Night Live” skit, but under his tenure he’s built the show into a media powerhouse by performing the role of “watchdog” that so-called real news outlets had given up on.
     This was apparent in 2004 during Stewart’s now legendary appearance on “Crossfire.” Host Paul Begala introduced Stewart as “The funniest smart guy on TV or the smartest funny man” shortly before Stewart held Begala and Tucker Carlson’s feet to the fire with such gusto that the show was canceled within three months.
     It’s going to be incredibly difficult to find a successor for Stewart’s chair that can bring his level of analysis and still be funny.
     Jon Oliver would be the obvious choice, just as he was when Stephen Colbert moved on, but he’s already got his own show on HBO. Likewise, the qualities that would make Larry Wilmore a worthy successor are the same ones that earned him his own show in Colbert’s former timeslot.
     Of the current crop of Daily Show correspondents, Samantha Bee and Jason Jones each have a decade’s worth of experience at the show, but it’s hard to say if either of them are interested in taking on the pressure of the big chair.
     Al Madrigal and Aasif Mandvi are also veteran correspondents, but they each have their own projects that they may not be willing to give up on.
     Outside of the “The Daily Show” staff there’s potential in Joel McHale. He has the personality and can run a comedy show, but by his own admission he doesn’t feel he’s smart enough to take on Stewart’s part on the political end.
     Amy Poehler and Tina Fey are both funny and politically-savy. After years of doing “Saturday Night Live’s” Weekend Update skit, Poehler in particular may be ready to graduate to real fake news.
     Or hey, why not Brian Williams? I hear he’s going to be available later this year.
     Williams isn’t actually as far out a suggestion as one might think. As Stewart has moved from entertainer to serious newsman, Williams has done the opposite, apparently making a bid to host “The Tonight Show” at one point. He’s a funny guy, he can produce a show, he is a close friend of Stewart, and he’s already apparently equipped to report on fake news.
 
     Travis Fischer is a news writer for Mid-America Publishing and needs a moment of zen.