Let's not get cosmic about Bill O'Reilly interviewing Jon Stewart Wednesday night on "The O'Reilly Factor."
It was fun -- quite a bit of fun -- and sometimes even enlightening to see two of the most authentic cablecasters in the history of the medium sit down together, spar a little and deconstruct their conversation even as they were having it.
The fun part. You know how funny Stewart is, but O'Reilly is incredibly fast and has a wonderful sense of humor.
When O'Reilly asked Stewart if he would be "shocked" to discover that a "Democratic" poll found Fox to be the most trusted news channel on televison, Stewart cracked back with, "Are you shocked that an Internet poll said I'm the most trusted newscaster in America?"
"Yeah, but that was like, Blinky did it [that poll]," O'Reilly countered. "This [the poll that cited Fox] was a big, big, big concern."
Stewart lowered his head in laughter at the "Blinky" line.
Later, when O'Reilly tried to describe Glenn Beck as "basically everyman," Stewart interrupted with a roar of incredulity, "What do you mean, he's everyman?
"He's everyman. He sits on a bastool and ..."
"What, everyman has a show now?" Stewart mocked.
"He doesn't shill for any party. He just spouts -- he spouts what he believes..."
And so it went.
Stewart praised O'Reilly for becoming " the voice of sanity on Fox." But then, he quickly added, "That's like being the thinnest kid at fat camp."
Beyond the quips, both offered some some keen insights. Stewart absolutely nailed it when he linked the tremendous ratings success of Fox to being the "most passionate news organization" on TV, as well as the one that "sells that clearest narrative."
O'Reilly was focused and funny when he mocked Stewart for trying to recyle the conventional wisdom of the left in criticizing Fox for mixing news and opinion.
Saying that viewers don't know "The O'Reilly Factor" is opinion, is like saying Stewart's audience doesn't know "The Daily Show" is "comedy," O'Reilly said. And as clever as Stewart was in making up an absurd schedule as to when Fox was doing news versus opinion, the comedian didn't have a comeback for that.
Life and death? hardly. And given how deeply the audience of each connects with their favorite, surely no minds werre changed.
But it was a delight to see two of the most successful, clever and engaging performers in the history of cable TV in this kind of give and take.
Part 2 of the interview airs Thursday night on "The O'Reilly Factor।"
Sourcą¤:http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/zontv/2010/02/stewart_oreilly_nospin_zone.html
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