Jon Stewart had a profound response to the state of television while working the crowd ahead of the recent episode of The Daily Show. The beloved host returned his old stomping ground as a part-time host on Monday evenings, and the gig involves more than just sitting at the big desk dropping zingers on Trump and Biden.
Like any good comedian, Stewart warmed up the crowd ahead of the show by partaking in some light Q&A with the audience. However, the returning host was hit with an existential question from about why Stewart isn’t working in social media where most young people get their news. The audience member took things even further by noting that “TV is dying.”
After feigning shock about the obvious fact that TV is being surpassed by TikTok, Stewart joked, “In your mind, seeing as I work in television, will I die first? ‘Cause if that’s the case, I don’t mind.”
The Daily Show host then got serious for a minute as he educated the young whippersnapper on media consumption.
Via Deadline:
“You still watch TV but you just watch it on your computer [or phone],” he said. “You understand that’s still TV? You’re just watching it on a different delivery service. It’s like, heroin is heroin whether you snort it or shoot it. It’s still an opiate for the masses as is television, you’re just getting it in smaller bites. But it’s still TV. We make it.”
However, Stewart’s answer didn’t seem to register with the young man as he seemed to still very concerned for The Daily Show host.
“You have a look on your face like, ‘This poor boy, if only he knew the business he was in,’” Stewart quipped.
(Via Deadline)