the shocking shit comedians say. He'll take his scolding and come out the other side a great and funny host.

Jon Stewart will be an especially hard act to follow.

and others consider it racist or sexist why wouldn't the same standard apply someone
considered to be a 'comedian'?

You know the answer to that question. Actors say shocking things while acting in movies and live theater. Do they mean what they say or convey? Comedians are actors. Comedy is theatre. I agree comedians can say "shocking" things. I have always come from the school that anything CAN be joked about. Sometimes it may be darker humor and I understand that some people might be offended. But many people also realize it is humor and not serious.

I look at motive and intent. If a comedian says something to poke fun at humanity, make light of a serious situation, etc. I think it is acceptable. If someone like Limbaugh or Hannity say really means things as non-comedians and who are NOT going for a laugh, it is much more offensive.

or on a comedy venue.

"A hot white woman with ass is like a unicorn. Even if you do see one, you'll probably never get to ride it," he writes.

I doubt I will watch much if when or if he takes the helm.

I think this guys problem is going to be that he really is hit or miss on his jokes. Some of them are just not that funny, so then intent of it being funny doesn't get picked up by many. At least that is the feeling I've been getting from the limited view of his stuff I've seen so far.

Obviously I get that he's joking. And yes nearly every comedian these days seem to use twitter. Jokes are jokes. Some are funny, some are not as much. I'm a chubby middle aged white dude. When I hear a comedian make fun of a pasty white middle-aged chubby dude I'm not offended. I get the joke. I understand that some people do not.

not even in a biting humor kind of way - really lame stuff

They just fall flat for me. They're just lame, and not lame in a good way. A lot of the stuff feels like he's trying too hard, and that his humor is of learnt "skill", rather than something is natural and just comes to him. At least that's the impression I've got so far.

There's all this stuff you are not supposed say, even if you're a comedian. The list of the unsayable/unspeakable is very long, and growing every day.

And the people who create the list will tell you that they are staunch supporters of freedom of speech.

That's dishonest argument. It's a matter of whether he is funny. Whether he should get that job is what we're discussing. It's not his First Amendment right to be the one who gets it. But he can continue to say whatever misogynistic thing he wants to say.

If you think the principle of free speech and free expression is just a legal principle, you don't understand what democracy is. Social and economic pressure can be just as powerful as legal sanctions in shutting people up, which appears to be what you want to do.

As long as it is not illegal, you have free speech. Doesn't make you entitled to any particular job, though.

You're in essence saying there should be no reaction to any speech. Like those right wingers who interpret opposition speech as "shutting down" their speech. It doesn't mean say anything and expect zero reaction.

Would I be oppressing his free speech if I don't watch the daily Show because I don't want to hear misogyny? Oh that poor Andrew Dice Clay. That 80s comedian was famous for misogyny. I didn't think it was funny and so did not listen to him. You appear to think I'm suppressing his free speech. I couldn't keep him off television or from the comedy clubs though. People who think it's funny got to see it. So I wasn't able to oppress his free speech. But there were feminists who criticized him, and probably tried to get people to refuse to go and see him. I guess that was "punishing" him and oppressing his free speech.

Do you really want to say that?

You have no right to oppose another person's free speech either. You seem to think no one can comment on another's use of their free speech. Or boycott them. Or advocate that they not get a job.

If a white guy used the N word as a routine part of his comedic performance and the KKK members enjoyed his schtick you'd support that guy getting this job? And we'd be morally wrong to oppose that guy getting the job?

No one is entitled to any job, and that's what we are debating here. If I went out and spieled a lot of anti-Semitic stuff and got fired, my boss is morally in the wrong?

It seems you don't understand moral rights. Moral rights are the basis of legal rights, as the founders of the US recognized in both the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. If there were no moral rights, legal rights would have no basis.

Moral rights can be weighed against each other, so that the right to free speech is not always supreme. It can be overridden by other moral rights, e.g, the right to life (shouting "fire" in a crowded theater is one example of this).

Your post is such a jumble that I don't know whether I have cogently replied to it. I urge you to take an ethics course from a good philosophy department. It might improve your understanding of the subject, and help to to express your thoughts more clearly.

I still think another comedian should get the job.

I hate supposed "humor" like that.. meant to be mean and/or embarrass people. There's so many things that are actually funny in this world.

Hell, the way Jon Stewart brought out the facts about repubs was funny most of the time because he had a way of making their ugly viciousness hilarious and it took the sting away.

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As a woman, I find his jokes about women to be OTT. I don't think Jon Stewart would ever have plunged to such depths to get a laugh.

Cha. Are you up already? It's only 6.30 a.m. on the east coast. Already afternoon here in Europe.

It seems these found "jokes" that he's getting heat for are targeted for racists and misogynists. Wasn't very wise. Hopefully, he's learned from his mistakes. We are quite capable of that.

I'm on Kauai and it's only 12:42am.. the night is young!

Surya

and connected by the intertube!

Comedians often use Twitter to try out new material. It tells us next to nothing about what he'll be like as a Daily Show host.

I am really, really under impressed by this move.

I mean aren't there tons of Americans out there who could get the job?

full of great comedians just waiting to step up.

Can a South African, however Americanized he may be, have the 'right' sensitivities to mock the US scene?

Of course, there's John Oliver, but Brit humour is world famous.

South African but if he was raised here, that's different. I was thinking maybe different senses of humor.

SF accent can be cut with a knife.

Would make it even harder to sus out his 'funny'.

" it's not like the Daily Show didn't have a stable full of great comedians just waiting to step up. "

I can barely understand him with his accent and what I do understand I don't find funny at all.

I have seen all three bits I think it is, that he has done on the show and each time I did not laugh once.

It's obvious CC wants to save $$$ but they will lose business (ads) if they lose viewership (us) and get bad PR to boot if they stick with a guy who's not funny at all. At least, the sample tweets aren't.

the guy is from South Africa, and yes, they speak English in south Africa, but culturally his views are different.


Did you know that where he is from it was a crime for blacks and whites to associate whit each other? Did you also know that his father is white and his mother is black and that his mother was arrested many times for associating with a white man? Did you know that if he wanted to see his father that he had to go see him on a street corner, and wave to his father from the opposite side of the street?

How about showing a little tolerance for someone who may be making these statements out of pure ignorance and instead of emanating disdain for him, maybe educate him as to why so many women in this country don't find men or their jokes and treatment in regards to women amusing in any way shape or form?

I don't dislike Trevor Noah, I do think he is funny. Especially when you listen to him explain some of the cultural differences he's has had to learn since being in the country. I like the diversity, I like learning about people from geographic locations other than USA USA USA... In all honesty I was hoping Jon's Egyptian counterpart, Bassem Youssef would be given the opportunity to host.

being different and what we tolerate culturally being different. So for a host of a show like that, we don't need to go out of our way for "diversity." We have tons of talented Americans. The South African guy can do a tour any time and people who find anti-semitism and misogyny funny can enjoy his humor.

This seems like a large plum of a job to give someone from another country. If he were wildly popular here already, it might make more sense (for all I know he is).

i am so sick of these stupid hurtful mainful jokes . if u cant say anything nice DONT SAY ANYTHING AT ALL even if ur a celeb
. DO U LIKE PPL RUDE TO U HOT STUFF.

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the Daily Show is reviewing other options as we speak.

Everyone seems to have just lost ANY sense of humor and are offended at ANYTHING. Its ridiculous. Watch a roast of one of the celebrities if you really want to see some rough stuff

or misogyny on the Daily Show set, it won't go well.

Does that pass the sniff test or can Stewart actually see the difference between hatred and humor?? I trust Jon Stewart to make the right decision.

However I cannot even fathom that Stewart doesn't have a heavy hand in the replacement. He is the head writer as well as the lead host. I'd be very surprised if he doesn't have a piece of the show either.

Wait and see...

He's got plenty of money and he's 60ish. Time to explore other aspects of life.

Stewart is 52.

Many people who lack critical thought believe that offending all is much more ethical than offending some.

but those tweets aren't even funny - really, that's what's wrong here to me

can be funny without that kind of thing.

IMO it's just an excuse for it - like comedians are immune. Oh, can't you take a joke is a right wing thing.

Aren't there enough of the home-grown variety here?

I suppose it was too much to expect that he not be attacked, but I thought it would come from the right.

We are going by the supposed jokes. I never heard or saw him before and I would guess 98 percent of Americans haven't either.

I have seen him all three times he has been on the show.

He has a hard accent and is hard to understand.

What I did understand was really, really NOT funny.

They have all kinds of talent present and past from the show to draw from.

heard SF English spoken (by an exchange student), I thought it was Africaans.

with those kinds of jokes. Turns out he has one white and one black parent.

use of Jews and women as targets for his comic rapier.

I have seen all three times he has been on the show and seriously did not laugh once ...

Exactly

I watched some clips of his jokes and they're just pokes and nothing more.
These days Don Rickles would be stuck on a pike by the road for his routine

now THAT is funny. I was LOL much of the time. But our subject comedian isn't funny, or at least not the "jokes" he tweeted.

No objections to any of them taking over.

To me it just looks like Comedy Central is trying to save money by hiring someone who's hardly known. Get a tried and true FUNNY professional in there. And my top picks are black.

If Wanda wants/gets that job, I would watch it. She's hilarious!

I thought she was much better than Steve Carrell. LOL just thinking about her in that movie

But the Jewish joke wasn't bad IMHO

not 'funny', IMHO.

he is missing by a mile

Jews are sensitive about the Holocaust. It's like using the n-word around African Americans. I worked in low income inner city schools where young AAs often call each other that when joking around, but if whites use it, it's racist.

If Charlie Hebdo has the inherent right to say what they want in the name of satire and entertainment, then so does this guy...

a show that can reach millions.

Big difference between niche print media and mass-view TV.

And anyway, look what happened to Charlie.

I susupect CC and the Daily Show are reviewing their choice as we speak.

Because there is *NOBODY* they can ever hire who hasn't said some jokes of questionable taste in their past...

Free speech is free speech.

No one is arresting him for bad or tasteless jokes. But no one is saying that CC has to hire him. No one has to give him a platform to air his jokes. "You're just not marketable with this information out there. People are going to hear about those things you did, and not tune in. We're going to find someone else. Thank you for your interest."

That's the flip side of free speech that people always seem to forget. One person's 'nothing' is another person's something, which is good to remember when it's your own ox being gored.

at least see the new show first before declaring him the worst replacement ever over some bad jokes he tweeted years ago...

I guess we know where you're coming from. I'd bet you'd be among the first to complain loud and long if some old redneck came out with jokes targeting a different demographic. At least, I hope you would.

I think anyone can be forgiven for stupid shit they said in their youth, but some of his stuff isn't exactly old. Some of those tweets were just last year, in fact.

I'm willing to give him a chance, if he can display some sense of how his remarks actually were offensive. If it's going to be more of the old "what's the matter, fatty, can't you take a joke?", then no thanks.

made a sexist/ethnic/religious joke, please...

You all might as well boycott The Onion as well...

But he seems to have turned around and away from that, and is now a pretty good voice for everyone while still being extremely funny. It's possible, and maybe Noah will do the same. For now, the jury is still WAY out on him.

Can confirm he still makes really awful jokes.

Or drew a cartoon image of him?

Would he then be disqualified from the gig?

Limbaugh, Malkin, etc... say things WAY worse and get a free pass.

It's almost like there is a double-standard when it comes to white folks vs. a minority. Nah, that couldn't be.

We expect offensive right-wing assholes to be offensive right-wing assholes. We hold up higher standards for ourselves. And like it or not, The Daily Show is seen as one of the last outposts of liberal attitudes on mainstream TV and is judged by that standard.

Also Limbaugh and Malkin have been held up for ridicule by the daily show for their comments.

Not among liberals anyway. We ream over Rushbo and Michelle whenever they say anything at all. Rightly so.

But is he funny? Can he do a good interview? That remains to be seen.

But he might be good. Time will tell.

decide they don't want the grief...

Jerry Seinfeld. There are funny people out there. Kevin might be too busy, Jerry's semi-retired but I bet Wanda would do it.

My vote: Wanda Sykes. Kevin Hart and Chris Rock would be good, too, but I love Wanda.

Have you looked at anything else he's done?

I just don't think the guy is funny if those were indicative of his humor.

Even though Piers was a liberal, he was still a bit grating on the nerves. Most folks don't want to hear criticism of their own country by a perceived foreigner - even criticism they may agree with.

It's like being able to criticize one's momma, while being insulted when someone else does it.

Not funny jokes, but not nearly as bad as people are making them out to be. At least, not any of the tweets I saw.

Not easy for somebody from a totally different culture to do what Stewart does so well.

I'll give him a chance though, despite the weird adjustment it will take. I didn't like Colbert's show when it first started; I was tired of his act after one episode. Now I think he's a freakin' genius

transfer to his new gig...

ut I am curious to see the "real" Colbert. He's smart, quick-witted, and talented, so hopefully he makes the show his own

I am more concerned that he has a grasp of the issues that plague this country. In other words, can he go after ''FOX News" like Stewart. Like it or not the Daily show has been bringing it home to our side for some many years. We need a strong voice, even if it's wrapped in satire.

See this:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10141055261#post6

People should just relax, and wait until they see the showbefore deciding. The Daily Show is almost the centerpiece of Comedy Central. I doubt that they would ruin that franchise with a new host that was truly an asshat.

And I'm South African. He just wasn't funny in the Daily Show Appearances I saw, or on Leno's show.

He can be hilarious when performing for a home crowd. I get the sense that he's trying too hard when he performs for an American crowd. He does all the SA accents so well - and if you think there's one SA accent, you couldn't be more wrong. English is a second language of most South Africans even though it's the lingua franca of commerce and government. Whites (English and Afrikaans) have similar accents when they speak English but they're both very different to Zulu, Xhosa, Cape Coloured (I know "Coloured" is considered racist in the USA but most mixed race people still identify themselves that way in SA) and Indian accents. And even among the Indian community, Johannesburgers sound very different to Durbanites.

But he does rely on stereotype humour a lot, even in SA. He's not particularly vicious about it and generally delivers it with some affection for his subjects. As others have said he's an equal opportunity offender. Most South Africans are a lot more tolerant of stereotype humour if they don't think it's informed by genuine disdain. I recall a mixed-race friend who was a wizard with accents doing a stereotypical KZN Zulu bit years ago and a Canadian friend of ours was all "OMG that's racist!" while everyone else in the very mixed company was chuckling. I mean, don't get me wrong, there is also really, nasty, racist stereotype humour that's shared among unreconstructed white racists when they think no-one from their targeted groups are listening, but most SAns make fine distinctions based on the apparent affection or disdain for the target of the humour, which is read from the kind of language used, among other things.

Having said all of which, I'm not sure he's the right man to fill Stewart's shoes. He seems uncomfortable in front of American audiences. And I was expecting someone like Poehler to fill the slot. His comfort zone is South African stereotypes he knows well. Which is why he sounds to me a bit like an alien anthropologist trying to make witty observations on a culture he only really has a surface understanding of from popular culture, when he's in front of an American audience.

jokes early on in their careers. There just wasn't twitter around to record it.

Complete speculative garbage.

A casual survey of humor, in particular stand-up humor, shows you how racist, sexist, and homophobic comedy was in the 1980s and early 90s. It's not a stretch to say that some material Stewart participated in the zeitgeist of the times.

most of them tone down their act when they get a shot at a wider audience.

and a lot of the comedians that refuse to do anything offensive are regarded as unfunny.

that doesn't justify any offensive attempt at a joke, of course, but let's just say he's hardly alone.

it remains to be seen if his entire schtick is based on offending people or if these tweets are relatively isolated incidents. certainly some comedians have made entire careers on that.

i've seen him on the daily show a few times, he was at least mildly funny without anything particularly offensive coming up.

than his lack of 'political' comedy chops. Jon was always heavy into political commentary.

if jon stewart picked him, i'll give him the benefit of the doubt and hope he rises to the occasion.

though at the moment, i would have been happier to have, say, either jessica williams or kristen schaal. again, admitting that my opinion is influenced by familiarity or lack thereof.

A South African Comedian would have absolutely no knowledge of American Politics and at least for me and alot of my friends we watched the Daily Show to get Political Insight With Comedy...

I Just Think They are going in the wrong direction with the show, if it will no longer be about US News & Politics mixed with comedy than what will it be, just a comedy show? Im sorry but I believe the viewers watched the Daily Show because Jon Stewart talked about US, World News & Especially United States Politics & mixed it in brilliantly with a combination of satire and comedy...