Jon Stewart In A Fat Suit On The Daily Show
I was glad to see this post from Fatties United bringing up the bit Jon Stewart did on The Daily Show last night. My husband and I watch TDS and Colbert on a daily basis; like so many people, it’s where I get most of my news.
When I saw this sketch, I wavered between, “come on, it’s Jon Stewart, you’re taking this way too seriously” and unease, which Tanteterri articulated well:
What do you do when one of your heroes disappoints you so deeply?
Last night on the Daily Show, after a hiatus, they started out with fat jokes. With Jon Stewart in a fat suit. How droll. Not. A whole sketch about how Jon apparently became hugely fat by eating cheese steak sandwiches and milkshakes at the Jersey Shore while he was on vacation.
I love Jon Stewart. I love the Daily Show. And it is so disappointing to see this kind of bigotry portrayed on a show that is my main source of news.
Actually, in his moment of Zen, Jon was shown dancing around in his fat suit, looking like he was having the time of his life – and I liked those joyous images. But of course, they had to end with Jon doing exercises asking “is it gone yet†after each push up. Grrrr.
I don’t know how Jon can’t see the connection between his actions and the quote played later in connection with health reform where someone complained about their tax dollars going to help people who were killing themselves. I may be wrong, but I took this to be an attack on fat people – and that somehow we are unworthy of health coverage.
I did post on the Daily Show forum with my complaint, and I was happy to see, I was not the first person to complain about the fat jokes.
I hate these kinds of quandaries of conscience. The Daily Show is usually excellent. I really don’t want to boycott it. But I don’t want to support this kind of behavior either.
For those of you who missed it, here’s the video. I’d love to know what you think, and if you plan to write in and complain about a smart guy resorting to dumb humor.
| The Daily Show With Jon Stewart | Mon – Thurs 11p / 10c | |||
| Intro – The Williams Filter | ||||
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Posted by mo pie
Filed under: Celebrities, Fat Suits, Humor, TV, Video
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To me, it seemed like Jon was making fun of New Jersey people (ie., himself) more than anything else. He leaves New York for three weeks and goes on a Jersey diet, which tends to be quite unhealthy and fattening. Realistically, he could have put on a few pounds if he’d done that. In the spirit of humor, though, reality is always taken a couple of steps further in order for it to be funny. So he eats Jersey food for three weeks and becomes quite obese. That’s how jokes are made.
When I saw this, I thought there would be some people who would take (inordinate) offense. The joke isn’t one of stereotyping the behaviors or mannerisms of obese people, though. Jon still acted like Jon; he even feigned ignorance of the fatsuit at first. The joke is on Jersey people, Jon included- their regional food of choice is ridiculously fattening and unhealthy. That got blown out of proportion in order to make a joke.
One more thought: Jon is a smart guy, but he utilizes much dumber humor than this on a pretty regular basis. Dong jokes (taepodong icbm’s- remember those?), Jon Stewart Jizz-ams in Front of Children, Master Rebators- the majority of his episodes have something along those lines. He knows it’s immature, and he knows it’s low-brow. But he kind of likes doing it, and I think he has fun with it.
The thing is, Mike, there’s a difference between lowbrow, immature humor based on location or wording and immature humor that makes fun of an innate quality in people who are already denigrated for this socially unacceptable part of who they are.
I’ve never been to Jersey…
But I have to agree with Mike in that I don’t believe it was a targeted attack per se, but at the same token, it was an easy and low joke to make at the expense of people already at a social disadvantage. Chalk it up to a crappy joke that misfired even further.
“The camera effect that Brian Williams uses to make himself look normal on TV.” That, right there, is an excellent example of fat hatred. That so-called joke says that fat people aren’t normal, and need to hide their real shapes. There’s a dozen other things that had me shouting angrily at my TV about this bit, but I think the whole Williams Filter part might be the most easy to point out.
Mike, the word “fattening” is soooo early 90’s. C’mon.
So…he represents a person who makes ridiculous decisions. And then they make fun of how superficial the media is. Yeah, sounds like his regular bit. I mean, this one wasn’t quite as funny as usual, but it didn’t offend me.
It’s not as though he said, “This is me at my natural healthy weight and I look like a crime against nature.”
I think the Brian Williams comment was a joke about Williams having a big head, perhaps a callback to the big giant head of Brian Williams joke they did when they first debuted the screens behind them. However, the other stuff stands. I’m not sure what I think of this stunt. It’s just really dumb either way.
There are a lot of ways to make jokes about New Jersey. None of them require a fat suit. Put on a a fat suit and it’s no longer a joke about New Jersey. Now it’s a fat joke. Period.
And Jon Stewart should be too smart to need to lean on fat jokes.
I live in New Jersey, and I was a lot more offended by the fat part of the “bit” than I was by the New Jersey part.
And, for the record, I have “small” hair, don’t say “youse guys” and my finger nails are short enough that my finger pads touch my keyboard.
I’m a little disappointed that he did this. Just like I’m disappointed when Rachel Maddow uses ‘lame’ so much on her show (I emailed her about it though and I know a few others have as well, so maybe she’ll stop soon). He made a joke about prostitutes last night that made me cringe. I will probably send an email to the show letting them know it’s not cool.
I’m not the brightest – what is the problem with using “lame”? I may be missing a connotation or something, I’m sorry.
It is a fat joke. I don’t think Jon Stewart is any more above fat jokes than he has been about any other discriminatory jokes, but that’s what satire is. I almost feel like he was making fun of making fun of fat people, but I still feel kind of irked by it. I think that may mostly be because I don’t really like Jon Stewart, though.
I cringed. I wasn’t sure if I was being over-sensitive, but I still cringed. It was a fat joke – no matter what. A fat suit is always a fat joke.
Fat suits are inherently offensive. I can’t think of a single legit reason to wear one.
BrieCS, I believe Sparkle Pants takes issue with the word “lame” because it uses a physical disability as an insult. Kind of like when someone says “that’s so gay.” That’s what I took her complaint to mean, but please correct me if I’m wrong, Sparkle Pants.
Also, I was disappointed to see Jon do this bit. He’s much too smart to resort to this kind of humor.
The joke isn’t one of stereotyping the behaviors or mannerisms of obese people, though.
No, see, if it was as you assert, and not stereotyping behaviors or mannerisms of obese people, then 1) Jon wouldn’t have had an alarm set for “snack time”, and 2) they wouldn’t have had the other guy say, “I’m not really here. I’m a hallucination brought on by your obesity induced diabetes.”
It was, pure and simple, a(nother) skit against fat people, helping to continue fat hate and discrimination. And no, people who are upset about it are not taking (inordinate) offense.
to BrieCS: the problem with the word lame is that it uses a word that refers to people with physical disabilities to mean anything bad. Lame in that context has the same issues that using retarded or gay does; by using words that discribe groups of already oppressed people (people with mental or physical disabilities, queer people etc.) as catchall phrases for bad things we are furthering the idea that there’s these people are bad or wrong, that they don’t deserve the same respect as everyone else.
I had the same problem with it. I mean it was Jon Stewart so he must have meant it ironically right, right? But then it kept getting worse and my belief just slowly faded out.
One thing I will say, however, is that I think the extremist talking about how their tax money would to help people kill themselves was more about euthanasia rather the usual fat scapegoats. But that was just how I took it.
(Slight digression)
I completely agree about not using the word lame. It’s disrespectful, even if most people don’t use lame to describe crippled people anymore.
Okay, um, so I just posted the above comment, right? And then I was all like “Oh noes! People can’t hear my voice on the internet!” And decided to clear it up and state that I was, indeed, being sarcastic. ‘Cause I know how people love to misinterpret.
My fiancee and I had different reactions to this.
Me: “Uncool.”
Him: “People do gain weight on vacation.”
Any shot at Jersey is a fair one.
“But Seegz, don’t you–”
ANY SHOT AT JERSEY IS A FAIR ONE.
So, you have no problem with the other thousands of people these shows have made fun of?
Because, you know, that’s what they do…
But now that it hits close to home, its no longer OK? Is that what I am hearing?
People may not agree with what I have to say, but it needs to be said anyway.
Now, do I think Fat Suits are a shitty way to make a joke? Sure. Hell, I even agree that they serve the same purpose to fat people as blackface makeup served to the white stars of minstrels: they’re a convenient, dehumanizing way to make fun of fatties without actually getting a fat person to play the part; an in-joke that the lighter or more idiotic members of the audience can connect with while we just sink in our seats.
But people, we are shooting down every little thing that offends our delicate sensitivities. I know, I don’t like hearing rants about fat people in some douchebag’s comedy act, either, but it’s COMEDY! Everyone and everything’s a target! Sometimes YOU’RE the one they deliver an offensive joke about. I KNOW it takes you back to your schoolyard days, but people, we need to learn to suck it up and deal with it. Is it offensive? Yes! Do you have the right to be offended? Fuck yes, you do! There’s nothing wrong with being offended by something! Do we need to fire the nukes at mosquitoes like we’re doing here? Do you have to send an angry email to every single douchehound that uses the word “fat?” NO! Do we have to avoid him, now, because the consensus is that he’s a fat-hating monster who is out to get us? NO! Do you think I avoid shows like this, or Wait, Wait, Don’t Tell Me, because they GASP! make fat jokes once and a while? NO! They’re STILL FUNNY, and they aren’t OUT TO GET ME!
As much as I agree with size acceptance’s core values, I think this group needs to better learn to pick its battles. I’m getting sick, personally, of seeing blogs I’d come to respect winging at the hint that, oh no, someone made an off-color joke about the fats! THIS is not news. Ricky Jerkface is not news. Stewart is not on an anti-fat crusade! Could he be more educated on the subject? Sure! But for fuck’s sake, don’t sound the alarm every time someone says the word “fat.”
I usually take a while to say something perfectly simple when I make a rant. I’m going back to bed; I’m still sick.
I agree with Seegs. Maybe Jon Stewart could have grown a beard on his vacation or stopped bathing or something so as not to offend anyone, but comedy isn’t funny when it’s “safe”.
I also have a problem with a group appropriating a word (queer) and then getting up in arms when it is used in a derogatory way… when its original use was as a negative, derogatory word. “Gay” I can see being upset about. “Queer?” Not so much.
Comedy isn’t funny when it’s lazy and crass, either, and there are FAR too many unfunny, lazy and crass so-called “comics” these days, who exist mainly to take potshots at already hurting people. What’s funny about picking on the oppressed, anyway?
Picking in the powerful, puncturing the egos of the rich, speaking truth to power? Now THAT’S funny. Upholding the crappy status quo and leaning on “those (fat) (black) (female) (whatever) folks are SO (fat) (black) (female) (whatever), amirite?” as the basis for your routine? Not daring, not rebellious, not counter-culture, not hip, and most decidedly NOT funny.
seems to me that sending angry-but-civilized emails is a great way to “educate” folks in the media who are clueless about this particular subject. like jon stewart. (that’s what i did.)
i think seegz and mike have been brushing up on their derailing skills.
derailingfordummies.com
“You’re Just Oversensitive
Once again, though very similar to You’re Being Overemotional, this one has a slightly different nuance.
What you’re implying is that the Marginalised Personâ„¢ is looking for offence where none exists.
Once again, you’re disowning your own responsibility, and this is absolutely the crux of any derailment – you just can’t repeat or reinforce it often enough. No matter what, none of this is your fault – nothing you said that was hurtful, offensive, bigoted or discriminatory is really to blame here, because you said it in all innocence! After all, what reason have you ever had to examine your ingrained prejudices? Why should you start now?
So you want the Marginalised Personâ„¢ to know this is how you feel and that you really believe the responsibility is all theirs – if they weren’t looking so hard for offence, everything would be a lot more pleasant!
(For you)
You Just Enjoy Being Offended
Closely related to the above point, it’s another critical element of a successful deraling. You really need to make sure the Marginalised Person knows you consider their issues to be completely trivial. It’s insensitive in the extreme – it also exemplifies your lack of awareness and empathy.
By demonstrating you have absolutely no concept of what a particular issue or point may mean to them both within their conversation with you and beyond it, you get to show off just how cocooned and protected in Privilege® you really are. Remember how maddening this is for a Marginalised Personâ„¢ – it’s a Privilege® they do not share and will probably never know so to witness it being so blithely owned and used to diminish their experience is bound to get their blood pumping.
But absolutely best of all, you are being obnoxious and hurtful enough to tell them outright that they enjoy facing discrimination and prejduice. Enjoy it so much, in fact, that they “look†for reasons to be hurt and offended! Wow. This one is almost breathtakingly perfect as a derailment tactic, it lacks any sort of conceivable class and humility and goes straight to smug viciousness. The very idea that anyone enjoys being hurt and discriminated against as a daily practice is so preposterous it could only be believed by a Privileged Person® who’s never really experienced or known what it’s like.
The fact is, many Marginalised Peopleâ„¢ go out of their way to avoid these sorts of debates and confrontations because it’s such a painful and unenjoyable experience. Those you are encountering in this circumstance have likely made a conscious choice to do so, even knowing it will probably go bad. For you to spit in the face of their choice in putting themselves on the line by suggesting it’s all fun and games for them just adds a particularly piquant insult to injury. “
Someone above mentioned sarcasm not coming through in writing so I kind of feel the need to say I’m not one of the “you just enjoy being offended” people. I think that overweight people are the butt of the joke way too often, but sometimes it does more harm than good to jump down everyone’s throat every time something is a little offensive (again, I don’t think when fat people are made fun of it’s no big deal, I just think Jon’s fat suit wasn’t that bad). I’m not saying everyone should just suck it up all the time, but Al Sharpton leaps to mind when I think maybe I agree with you but sometimes give it a rest.
I thought that More to Love show was way more insulting than Jon’s fat suit and I don’t understand why people seem to be saying that it’s such a great thing for FA.
LadyLady, if you’d take the time to read what I had written, you’d see that your copypasta doesn’t apply at all.
–What you’re implying is that the Marginalised Personâ„¢ is looking for offence where none exists.–
I did NOT say that an offense doesn’t exist. Clearly, one does. In fact I made sure to state that fat suits are a terrible form of humor, even comparing them to using blackface. Not one of us, I’ll bet, likes fat suits.
What I DID say is that I don’t think this deserves a blog post. I’m not the blog owner, but that’s how I see it and it’s my right to disagree just as it’s yours to take offense. Our vitriol is mighty, and how can we hope that people take the movement seriously if we, again, keep spreading it so thin by using nukes to kill mosquitos?
–Once again, you’re disowning your own responsibility, and this is absolutely the crux of any derailment – you just can’t repeat or reinforce it often enough.–
LadyLady, what the fuck are you talking about? “Our own responsibility?” How is this even relevant? So now I’M the one who donned the fat suit and made you feel blue? Me? The 310 pound fat guy? Am I the new perpetrator of this crime, or because of my opinion, am I an accomplice? Or is Punchy to blame now?
You know, since you’re doing such a wonderful job at ignoring our points, I’m just going to go ahead and ignore the rest of the irrelevant yammering that I’m sure you took so much time to copy and paste in the first place.
Thank you, GreyLadyBlast, for offering something to the discussion instead of raising the defenses and holding up an 8-9 paragraph sign that says “I didn’t read that but I assume it was bad.”
In fact, I may have to revise what I said earlier, because that’s a very good point. I’ve had it with people like that, too. Idiocy is spouted everywhere and whenever someone points this out, those people say we’re being ‘too PC.’ Bull crap, we just know the difference between funny and ignorant or offensive. So yeah, I’m sick of people getting on stage and using their last diatribe on Stormfront as the basis for their entire act, too!
However, I retain my other point, which was that I don’t think it warrants a post. I think all it deserves is a passing mention in a larger post, at least. At best, an eye roll.
*eye roll*
I have to say, while the fat suit did make me uncomfortable in an I’m kind of offended by this but Jon Stewart makes fun of everyone but really must we put on fat suits kind of way, what was more offensive was his guest the next night (or was it Wednesday?) who said that fat people should be locked into closets for their own good so that they can be prevented from stuffing their faces with cakes, and that doing so is the same thing as making people wear crash helmets. Obviously, if you love someone, you’d rather they starve to death than be fat!
Shorter douchebags: What? You can’t take a joke?
I’m concerned that you cite TDS and Colbert as your main sources of news. Are you serious? Holy cow. The bias of these programs are on par with Fox News, MSNBC etc, if not worse. Might as well watch Sesame Street for news!
I still don’t understand why more people aren’t up in arms regarding Ricky Gervais*. I’m honestly surprised that there is no major backlash (including NOT being invited to TDS) regarding him and his hate. Most hatemongers have people pointing out their faults left and right, however Ricky seems to avoid this because of.. what, The Office?
I wasn’t very offended by the fat suit, to be quite honest. My wife (who is not really in shape but could never be called overweight) was very disappointed in Jon, because she knows that it really hurts me when I feel dehumanized because of my weight (I’m 6’5″ and don’t know how much I weigh, but I wear size 56 pants because most of my weight is abdominal). I didn’t start really feeling like I wanted to avoid TDS for awhile until I noticed a clip on Hulu a few nights later for Mr. Gervais, who I already loathe, and the caption underneath: “Ricky Gervais wants supermarkets to put the cakes through a little door so fat people can’t get to them.”
This is getting old, he sounds like a broken record, he’s said it so many times that people should have noticed by now and started realizing that he’s trying to spread hate and dehumanize a group of people ala “whatever”-ism, shouldn’t they?
Why would one of my personal heroes (and America’s Most Trusted Newsman**) want this person on his show??
*http://calorielab.com/news/2009/01/22/ricky-gervais-fat-jokes-no-surgery/
**http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/07/22/time-magazine-poll-jon-st_n_242933.html
BigXYZ, I saw that bit too. We’ve talked about Gervais before (http://www.bfdblog.com/category/celebrities/ricky-gervais/) and his comedy about fat people just totally breaks my heart, given how much I love his shows.
Pingback: Big Fat Deal » Fat Suit Sighting: How I Met Your Mother
Through all of human history
its comes as no great mystery.
fatness is a humorous condition
and fat jokes are American tradition.
Yes my big folks,
We must embrace food.
no need for scapegoats
no need to brood!
the bigger the body, the bigger the heart.
how’s that for a brand new start?