Chapter 12
Historical Perspective: Jon Stewart has long insisted he’s just a comedian, despite the impact his show has on the political process. Is he right? Is there a different standard for entertainment programs than for traditional news organizations? Do viewers make a distinction between the two? Do you? Check out the following links for a discussion of this question and other historic intersections between politics and entertainment, including Bill Clinton on Arsenio Hall and Arnold Schwarzenegger announcing his candidacy on the Tonight Show.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28411973/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aFQFB5YpDZE
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2003/08/07/MN109521.DTL
http://www.arseniohall.com/sounds/arseniohall_clinton-plays-sax_300k.wmv
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A55440-2004Oct22.html
http://politicalhumor.about.com/library/bljohnkerryjokes.htm
http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2009-03-19-obama_N.htm
http://www.journalism.org/node/10953
http://www.pbs.org/now/politics/socialsechistory.html
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4259493