Jon Stewart made his name and considerable reputation for incisive and funny political commentary largely during the George W. Bush presidency, when Republicans disagreed with Democrats on policy and priorities — but when both political parties were firm on the idea of maintaining Constitutional order.
That’s not the case any longer, notes culture commentator Keith Olbermann, as he excoriates Stewart’s much-anticipated return to Comedy Central’s Daily Show desk.
After a 9-year absence, Stewart showed up having caught a bad case of bothsidesism, Olbermann says, calling out the “fraud” Stewart for skewering — in seemingly equal measure — President Biden and his POTUS challenger Donald Trump.
Well after nine years away, there's nothing else to say to the bothsidesist fraud Jon Stewart bashing Biden, except: Please make it another nine years
— Keith Olbermann⌚️ (@KeithOlbermann) February 13, 2024
Olbermann, like many viewers, found Stewart’s equal antipathy toward Biden, who is old, and Trump, who is old and facing 91 felony charges — including allegedly trying to steal the last election and upend democracy — pathetic and irresponsible.
“Nothing else to say,” Olbermann wrote, “to the bothsidesist fraud Jon Stewart bashing Biden, except: Please make [Stewart’s absence] another nine years.”
Jon Stewart kicks off The Daily Show's election coverage with a wellness check on America's two chronologically challenged candidates: Joe Biden and Donald Trump. pic.twitter.com/RPmFodvVAy
— The Daily Show (@TheDailyShow) February 13, 2024
Another commenter disappointed in Stewart’s “awful” inability to distinguish between the different levels of rot each candidate presents, wrote: “Biden’s age is the lowest hanging fruit of comedy right now. Maybe Jon’s rusty and not up to the challenge?”
Stewart’s performance was such a dispiriting example of bothsidesism — “both sides equally bad” — that operatives for Robert F. Kennedy‘s independent campaign popped into the comments to offer people a third option. There is no more potent proof that Stewart performed the false equivalence that Olbermann accused him of than RFK’s opportunism.
Jon Stewart isn't impressed with Joe Biden and Donald Trump. Neither are we. Luckily, America has a third choice: @RobertKennedyJr. And Kennedy can win. Looking forward to a conversation between Uncle Bobby and @jonstewart.#RFKJr pic.twitter.com/qg6gOu4uvb
— RFK Jr for President (Fan Page) (@Rfk4POTUS) February 13, 2024
Another commenter turning the news into his own knock on Stewart delivered a line — borrowed from Special Counsel Robert Hur — that might be seen as an audition to replace him: “I think Jon is too old to host the Daily Show. He’s a well intentioned old man with memory problems.”
Others said the Daily Show brought back the wrong former host, asserting that Trevor Noah didn’t do the bothsidesism schtick.
