Daily Show: Light on an Overcast, Polluted Day!

Only 2 years ago, the average American could not tell you what the Daily Show was, much less which channel it was on and they certainly hadn't watched it. Today, according to Bill Clinton, "It is the source of news for discriminating college students."

I am not a college student but I am among those that read books and usually vote Democratic, except when the Democrat is the rabid, verbose Zell Miller. According to a recent study of the IQs of TV viewers, viewers of the Comedy Central's Daily Show and PBS's News Hour (The Lehrer Report) are the two highest IQ viewers on TV. Fox news came in... (No, not 3rd) but last. But there are a lot of viewers who apparently fall into that low IQ category we will refer to as: The Fox Fools.

Strangely, though Fox's politics is markedly right-wing and ignorant, their entertainment division includes Mad TV, Dirt (about a Hollywood gossip column), and Nip/Tuck (Horned out Plastic Surgeons). It seems that Fox's religion and politics don't mix.

The Daily Show, however, with comedian Jon Stewart at the helm, addresses the issues of the day, every day with extraordinary humor and intelligence. Stewart has interviewed ever major world statesman, some several times. He reads and clearly understands every book on the NY
Times Bestseller's List, then interviews their authors, a list which includes every conceivable member of both Republican and Democratic intelligencia. He even gives equal time to the lesser known parties with people like Ralph Nader. His questions and comments are not only funny, but more insightful than any anchor you will find on any network.

Much like the Simpsons, he appeals to the kids and adults with equal ease. If someone just likes funny jabs at the faux pas of the political elite, he's got it. If they want deeper analysis and big words, he's got that too. If one searches YouTube or Google Video they will find a virtual who's who sitting across from Stewart.

The ratings, month by months are growing and the trend may lead them into the number one spot as we come into the 2008 Presidential Season.

Followed by The Colbert Report, a parody of Fox's O'Reilly, the pair provide an hour of escape from that news that might otherwise make you cry while truly informing you about the horrors of politics from a lighter perspective.