The Stewart/Colbert Effect: Essays on the Real Impacts of Fake News

by Amarnath Amarasingam (Editor)

The Daily Show with Jon Stewart and The Colbert Report have attracted much interest in recent years from popular audiences as well as scholars in various disciplines. Both Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert have been named on Time magazine's list of the most influential people in the world. The ten essays in this interdisciplinary collection explore the issues engendered by the popularity of entertainment news, including the role of satire in politics, the declining level of trust in traditional sources of media, the shows' cathartic or informational function, and the ways in which these shows influence public opinion.

"Today's political establishment is worthy of satirization, and, as a result, the study of political satire is necessary in order to understand our core democratic processes. Essays on Fake News advances our understanding of who is consuming political TV satire, the messages being provided by Stewart and Colbert, and the democratic effects derived from watching these important political information outlets." - R. Lance Holbert , The Ohio State University, co-author, Political Communication in the 21st Century

"Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert are not only funny, they are significant forces in the contemporary practice of American politics. This volume offers an excellent study of how and why their presence matters and deserves serious scholarly attention." - Jeffrey P. Jones , Old Dominion University, author, Entertaining Satiric Television and Political Engagement

"For millions of people, The Daily Show and The Colbert Report have become a favorite source of news, information, and political commentary. The contributors to this collection help us both to better understand why, and to think through the potential effects of so many people's fascination with Stewart and Colbert. The result is a thought-provoking book that any student, fan, or skeptic of the two shows should have on the shelf." - Geoffrey Baym , University of North Carolina, Greensboro, author, From Cronkite to The Evolution of Broadcast News
"This is an essential collection of articles, with lots of data, for anyone interested in how fake news works and what it does to people." - John Morreall , College of William and Mary, author, Comic A Comprehensive Philosophy of Humor .

Genres: Politics, Nonfiction

208 pages, Paperback

First published May 4, 2011

Reviews

[Shant · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was more on the academic side. I read it with a gap between the first two chapters and the rest of the book which kind of took away from the experience but that's on me. I liked part two because it was a little easier to understand. I'd like to see an updated version address issues like diversity or stuff that made people kind of more critical of these two shows, although the last chapter did a good job of covering how Stewart, at least, wanted to have his cake and eat it too.

[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is one of the only books out there that is truly dedicated to "The Daily Show" (TDS) and "The Colbert Report" (TCS). This book takes a scholarly look at these two shows and if they contributed to the decline of political discourse (pg 4). The book is broken down into 2 major parts, each with 5 essays. The book is well organized and the preface & introduction really help the reader understand where this book is going to take them.

Since this book is taking a much more scholarly approach to examining what effect, if any, TDS and TCS have on politics and the political discourse of the nation, it is a bit dry. Each essayst really does attempt to prove their argument and I feel with 10 different small essays, it really gives the reader a good deep look into the two shows and the whole phenomenon.

This is a great book, however, I would only recommend it to readers who are truly interested in getting down to a more scholarly look at these two shows and how it is affecting the things around them. It can be somewhat dry at times and a slow read considering how small of a book it is, but I did feel that I learned more about the shows and their influence on the public and politics.

[Robert Campbell · Rating 4 out of 5]

While dealing with an inherently interesting and entertaining topic, the introduction and the essays in the first half of this book will perhaps prove to be a bit too scientific (dry, lifeless, objective) for the taste of many readers who would otherwise be attracted to this work. The essays in the second half are more speculative and theoretical, and therefore much more compelling, intriguing, and enjoyable to read. This is especially the case with Julia Fox's analysis of Stewart and Colbert within the context of the history and significance of court jesters.
Overall, a very well-written and important book for those interested in current affairs, media studies, info-tainment, and the excesses and foibles of American popular culture.

[Linda Benedict · Rating 2 out of 5]

Supplemental communications textbook.

[Noelle · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very interesting from an academic perspective, but would have preferred less technical language and more human analysis/commentary.