Thursday, October 29, 2009

Mustafa Barghouti and Anna Baltzer on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart

Say, what? A serious subject like equal rights for Palestinians on a high traffic mainstream US comedy show like the excellent Jon Stewart? On prime time US TV? This isn't just another media crack, it looks more like cracking the media.

Unfortunately the resulting video isn't available for viewing in this country (the UK), so frustratingly I can't watch it. If you're based in the US you can watch it here. Unfortunately the Horowitz post doesn't provide a transcript (which probably wouldn't do the event any justice). Here's part of his impression:

I don’t want to recount the whole interview, you can watch it. I have to say, I was blown away. Although I was laughing out loud for the first two segments, I was on the verge of tears throughout the interview. Here was a Palestinian leader demanding equal rights and an anti-Zionist Jew calling for boycott, divestment and sanctions to pressure Israel towards peace on The Daily Show and they were being applauded, while the traditional pro-Israel hasbara was being shown the door.

Palestinian equal rights was placed directly next to health care and the economy on The Daily Show’s progressive agenda and the audience was totally along for the ride. I could hardly believe my eyes, and yet it made perfect sense at the same time. Who can argue that it is necessary to deny people water? Who can argue against equal rights? The answer is increasingly no one, and if The Daily Show’s audience is any indication, the next generation will be leading this fight in a much different direction.

4 Comments:

At 9:29 AM, Blogger Emmanuel said...

It's available on-line to people from every country on The Daily Show's website. Here's the link to the first part of the extended interview (more than was shown on TV).

I'm trying to watch it now, but it's very slow. It keeps buffering every few seconds.

I love the Daily Show. It's the best late night comedy show and best satire in the States. Still, it isn't exactly mainstream. It's on a cable channel (Comedy Central) at 11 PM (not prime time).

 
At 12:28 PM, Blogger Gert said...

Thanks, Emm!

 
At 9:33 AM, Blogger Emmanuel said...

I finally got around to watching the interview. Other than the false claim that this is the longest occupation in modern history (unless you consider all of Israel an occupied territory) and the brief mention of BDS, I didn't see anything too controversial there. Most of it was stuff you hear on Israeli TV all the time.

I went into Anna Baltzer's website later. She really didn't present her more radical views, which are 100% in line with the Palestinian narrative on all issues, or even more hardline (it seems she supports a one-state solution).

 
At 5:29 PM, Blogger Gert said...

Zios and their nitpicking! ;-)

TBH, I've still not been able to watch it...

 

Post a Comment

<< Home