Stewart Vs Cramer on Daily Show, march 12.

[Hammerskjold]

The evidence is clear to see in "The Daily Show's" ratings.

Uh, yes? The intro of the episode even explicitly says something like '...in an attempt to drive up ratings so Comedy Central can raise it's advertising rate!'. If your claim is by getting higher ratings the show (or any show) can get more money and Stewart & Co. can get a higher salary, well yeah. That's how the game usually works.

Your original assertion however, makes it sound as if it's all a conspiracy, and Stewart is rubbing his hands in glee after the show, all monocled in his diamond encrusted tuxedo. I just don't see that description fitting him, granted that's only based on what little I know about the man personally. Maybe he does have a diamond tuxedo.

However, I do see your original claim fitting better for someone like, Rupert Murdoch. Now that's a man who knows how to game and play all sides. Considering under the Fox Network, he owns both Fox News and the myriad of shows that viewers can complain about, usually to Fox News. Give him a really puffball lap cat, and we can have a real life Bond villain right there.

I'm tired of sifting through 100's of channels filled with crap to find a few pearls only to be victim to the whims of the producers scheduling and advertisers product placements. So now, if I hear about some good, I rent the DVD's or get it streamed on demand.

I think we should differentiate between the shows and their creator, versus the people who are in charge of scheduling and advertising here. The idiots who say, consign a good show to timeslot hell to die a slow death, are rarely if ever the creators. FWIW, DVDs, web streaming and TIVO are threatening these 2 legged lampreys, and I for one hope the sooner the axe falls for these idiotic parasites, the better.

Edit: It was interesting to note on tvbythenumbers.com that "WWE Raw" was week by week one of the highest watched shows. What is better than raw muscle, sex and violence all wrapped up in one format? So, when I compare the fake drama of "Stewart vs Cramer" to the WWE, you can see what we are dealing with.

Look, Stewart vs Cramer was not Nixon vs Frost. But the kernel of the episode, was not a showdown between the two. To reduce it down to 'oh it's just fake drama like WWE', is to overlook what the episode was really about. Besides, Cramer's pythons would not qualify him in Wrassling anyway, though he'd make a great manager archetype. Stewart probably couldn't cut it either, in or out of the ring. Now Colbert on the other hand...