I Used to Like Jon Stewart

Now he’s just another corporate shill

Photo by Etienne Girardet on Unsplash

I remember looking forward to relaxing in the evening, watching Comedy Central. The Daily Show with Jon Stewart followed by The Colbert Report would provide a few good laughs at the expense of our political system, otherwise known as “the military-industrial complex.”

Then Jon Stewart moved on from The Daily Show and did some pretty admirable things, like creating a farm sanctuary (along with his wife, Tracey), and standing up for 9/11 families, first responders and veterans.

I recently added his podcast, The Problem with Jon Stewart, to my watchlist, and the first few shows were okay. But, I can’t bear to even watch and listen now, because “the problem with Jon Stewart” is Jon Stewart. In my eyes, he has become a sell-out.

What really turns me off is his unabashed support of Zelensky and the war in Ukraine. Yes, I realize that they are fellow comedians and Jews. And, I also realize that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine violates international law. I am not a Putin apologist, but I do study history and don’t see a prolonged war as benefitting the Ukrainian people.