“To do a debate would be great. But that’s like saying pro wrestling is a show about athletic competition. … You have a responsibility to the public discourse, and you fail miserably,” - Jon Stewart to the hosts of CNN’s Crossfire, October 15, 2004.
I was busy walking my dog several weeks ago, on my lunchtime Thursday break, preoccupied with the piece I was trying to write in my head. The phone rang and a frantic booker was on the line. Would I be able to get to New York tomorrow to do an interview with Jon Stewart on race? I literally laughed out loud.
“No I can’t. I’m on deadline and can’t really focus on anything until the Dish is done tomorrow. And why on earth would I do that anyway? Why would I go on a show just to be called a racist?” “No, no, no,” she replied. “Nothing like that would happen. This is not a debate. It’s just you talking one-on-one with Jon, and he’d never do that.” I said I’d think about it — especially since they seemed desperate with just 24 hours till taping — and later I called to say sure, if it’s just Jon. “I trust him to be fair.” I hadn’t had time to read the email invites, so I trusted the booker’s word.
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