{"id":30125,"date":"2015-11-12T21:56:57","date_gmt":"2015-11-13T05:56:57","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.newscorpse.com\/ncWP\/?p=30125"},"modified":"2015-12-04T10:39:47","modified_gmt":"2015-12-04T18:39:47","slug":"the-clowns-of-cable-news-laughing-at-fox-news-not-with-them","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newscorpse.com\/ncWP\/?p=30125","title":{"rendered":"The Clowns Of Cable News: Laughing At Fox News, Not With Them"},"content":{"rendered":"

There has been a meme circulating around the InterTubes for some time saying that “I get my news from Comedy Central and my comedy from Fox News.”<\/em> It’s a concise way of articulating the reality that programs like The Daily Show are far more reliable sources for information than Fox & Friends or Bill O’Reilly.<\/p>\n

\"Fox
\n<\/a><\/p>\n

But something that seems to have been developing without much notice is that Fox News is actively reshaping their programming to be more like an actual comedy network. Alone among cable news broadcasters, Fox News is airing actual comedy shows. Already on the schedule is their late night entry Red Eye. Earlier this year they premiered The Greg Gutfeld Show, spinning off the former Red Eye host. And they just announced a new show starring Bill O’Reilly stalker\/producer and Fox Nation editor, Jesse Watters, that will expand on his Watters’ World segments from The O’Reilly Factor. [See this epic smackdown of Watters<\/a> by Steven Colbert]<\/em><\/p>\n

Setting aside the fact that there is scarce evidence of actual humor in any of these programs, what is interesting is that Fox News is investing so much of their airtime in a form of entertainment that literally makes a mockery of their pretense to being journalists. And considering their epic failure in this genre, the execrable “Half-Hour News Hour,”<\/em> they have some measure of courage to attempt it again. For a network that whines so often about not being taken seriously as reporters, this trend will do little to enhance their already tattered reputation.<\/p>\n

Making matters worse is the fact that Fox News has been so fiercely derisive of comedy programs that deign to direct their barbs at news subjects. Over many years there has been a constant drumbeat of outrage from Fox aimed at comedians whom they regard as unqualified to have worthwhile opinions on the news or the talent to find humor in it.<\/p>\n

And no one has taken more abuse from Fox than Jon Stewart. Sean Hannity called him “a sanctimonious jackass.”<\/em> Megyn Kelly said that “He was not a force for good.”<\/em> Bill O\u2019Reilly labeled him “a key component of left-wing television.”<\/em> O’Reilly also went after Stewart’s audience saying that he has “stoned slackers watching your dopey show every night.”<\/em> And this anti-Stewart doctrine comes straight from the top. Fox News CEO Roger Ailes publicly scolded Stewart saying that “He hates conservatives. He\u2019s crazy.”<\/em><\/p>\n

Fox News generally demeans anyone in the entertainment field who speaks out about politics, unless it’s Ted Nugent or Dennis Miller, but then it’s a stretch describing them as entertaining. If George Clooney or Sarah Silverman exercise their rights as citizens, Fox News considers it an abomination and unleashes a rancid stream of unreserved hostility. Fox contributor Laura Ingraham even wrote a book titled “Shut Up and Sing<\/a>,”<\/em> to advocate for silencing show biz folk who want to participate in American democracy.<\/p>\n

\n

How Fox News Deceives and Controls Their Flock:
\nFox Nation vs. Reality: The Fox News Cult of Ignorance.<\/a>
\nAvailable now at Amazon.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

So after disparaging entertainers, and especially comedians, for engaging in the centuries old art of satire, it is rather odd to find Fox News devoting a significant amount of time and money to doing what they hate so many others for doing. But while it is common for comedians to take on political topics, it is unheard of for news networks to commit whole programs to comedy. Certainly a news network can interview a comic or report on a humorous news story, but Fox is getting ready to launch their third comedy show. And they still want people to take them seriously as journalists? Well, that ship has sailed. If anything, Fox could continue to debut new comedy programs until they fill the schedule. Then, at least, people will be laughing at Fox for the right reasons.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

There has been a meme circulating around the InterTubes for some time saying that “I get my news from Comedy Central and my comedy from Fox News.” It’s a concise way of articulating the reality that programs like The Daily Show are far more reliable sources for information than Fox & Friends or Bill O’Reilly. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":30127,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"The Clowns Of Cable News: Laughing At Fox News, Not With Them","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[9,1],"tags":[26,82,33,227,83,43,129],"class_list":["post-30125","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-art-culture","category-general","tag-bill-oreilly","tag-daily-show","tag-fox-news","tag-jesse-watters","tag-jon-stewart","tag-laura-ingraham","tag-sean-hannity"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.newscorpse.com\/ncWP\/..\/Pix\/Trump\/foxnews-bozo-comedy.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p4Ijg-7PT","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":32769,"url":"https:\/\/www.newscorpse.com\/ncWP\/?p=32769","url_meta":{"origin":30125,"position":0},"title":"SNL’s Trump Mockery Causes Fox News Clowns To Freakout: ‘Should Comedy Shows Take On Politics’?","author":"Mark NC","date":"10\/2\/2016","format":false,"excerpt":"There has been a meme circulating around the InterTubes for some time saying that \"I get my news from Comedy Central and my comedy from Fox News.\" It's a concise way of articulating the reality that programs like The Daily Show are far more reliable sources for information than Bill\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "General"","block_context":{"text":"General","link":"https:\/\/www.newscorpse.com\/ncWP\/?cat=1"},"img":{"alt_text":"Fox News","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.newscorpse.com\/ncWP\/..\/Pix\/Trump\/foxnews-satire-sway.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.newscorpse.com\/ncWP\/..\/Pix\/Trump\/foxnews-satire-sway.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.newscorpse.com\/ncWP\/..\/Pix\/Trump\/foxnews-satire-sway.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":284,"url":"https:\/\/www.newscorpse.com\/ncWP\/?p=284","url_meta":{"origin":30125,"position":1},"title":"Fox News Going For Even More Laughs","author":"Mark NC","date":"11\/21\/2006","format":false,"excerpt":"It's inspiring to see that Fox News isn't content to rest on their Laurels, or their Hardys either. Having already locked up some of the funniest names in news (O'Reilly, Hannity, Coulter, etc.), they are now preparing to test a Saturday night comedy program in the mold of The Daily\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "General"","block_context":{"text":"General","link":"https:\/\/www.newscorpse.com\/ncWP\/?cat=1"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":4582,"url":"https:\/\/www.newscorpse.com\/ncWP\/?p=4582","url_meta":{"origin":30125,"position":2},"title":"Jon Stewart’s Daily Show Is More Popular Than Fox News","author":"Mark NC","date":"6\/4\/2011","format":false,"excerpt":"The recent May ratings data revealed the weakness of Fox News, particularly when compared to their competitors. But Fox is also getting whipped by an old adversary about whom their CEO, Roger Ailes, once said... \"He openly admits he's sort of an atheist and a socialist. [...] He hates conservative\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "General"","block_context":{"text":"General","link":"https:\/\/www.newscorpse.com\/ncWP\/?cat=1"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":8338,"url":"https:\/\/www.newscorpse.com\/ncWP\/?p=8338","url_meta":{"origin":30125,"position":3},"title":"Hilarious MoveOn.org Video Rankles Right-Wing Prudes","author":"Mark NC","date":"11\/1\/2012","format":false,"excerpt":"A new video produced by MoveOn.org with help from Michael Moore is causing some right-wingers to reach for the smelling salts. The rest are falling off their chairs with outrage and frothing criticisms. What has them so unraveled? OMG! Old people cussing. 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