Jon Stewart, ISIS and One Direction

[TerranceL]

They are a violent drug cartel, I'm pretty sure the government classification of the organization is irrelevant to their victims. Resorting to an emotional, pulling at the heart strings response does not take away from the fact that they are not a terrorist organization. While a gang or drug cartel can terrorize their victims, that does not make them a terrorist organization, no more than a terrorist organization that funds their attacks with drug money are a drug cartel.

Why are you acting as if the labels are mutually exclusive?

They use terrorism for political gains that's the definition of a terrorist. That they are concerned with their drugs doesn't change that fact.

A group doesn't mystically become a terrorist one just because the government calls them one.

 

[SummerMadness]

Why are you acting as if the labels are mutually exclusive?

They use terrorism for political gains that's the definition of a terrorist. That they are concerned with their drugs doesn't change that fact.

A group doesn't mystically become a terrorist one just because the government calls them one.

They use terrorism, but they are not a terrorist organization as they do not have a political goal. For example, Los Zetas are not like FARC, that's why there is a distinction between the two.

 

[PreachersWife2004]

I just watched it... no one implied that a Pakistani is a terrorist. Those One Directioners on twitter are just morons who didn't get the joke. The joke was about One Direction in general, not a specific member. They said one member of each because they were talking about groups splintering off to create new groups.

I assume you are also then saying that the member of OneDirection himself is a moron, since he was also offended?

If the wrong comedian joked about a black person in a group, some of the people brushing this off would be having a hissy fit.

Crap, look at the people that crawled all over Fox's morning show (which while they may not be labeled comedians in the same way that Stewart is, their show is basically the same) for making an elevator joke after the incident with Ray Rice! "TOO SOON!" people screamed. "TACTLESS!" people railed. Yeah...

This isn't "a comedian made a joke" because we know that it's not always appropriate even for comedians to make jokes about stuff. But it seems that because he's the left's golden boy that it's okay that he insulted someone, and that's it's okay because it was someone from One Direction.

What's worse is that the golden boy's show is claiming ignorance:

Dear 1D fans: We didn't know the band members' names, religions, hobbies, etc. Just knew they were popular. But not THIS popular. #whoa.
​

It was just a mere coincidence.

 

[Joykins]

I can just see Jessica Williams now, shaking her braids, and complaining that SHE made the joke and not Jon Stewart, why do people always see the white man and not the black woman, HELLO PEOPLE I'M RIGHT HERE?

She is probably the funniest woman comedian they've had as a correspondent on the show.

 

[TLK Valentine]

I assume you are also then saying that the member of OneDirection himself is a moron, since he was also offended?

If the wrong comedian joked about a black person in a group, some of the people brushing this off would be having a hissy fit.

Was he mentioned by name?

 

[SummerMadness]

There seems to be cognitive dissonance with people looking to be angry because it's "teh left." The joke was not about a specific person in One Direction, so comparing this to a joke about a specific person is just plain stupid. Someone mentioned a black person, this would be an equivalent joke: the joke refers to putting people on the auctioning block, they make a lost limb reference and then rattle off a list groups/organizations, one of these groups is a music group. It just so happens that one group member is of African ancestry who had a relative who lost a foot during slavery. Unfortunate coincidence? Yes. Malicious joke about that group member? No.

I didn't find the joke funny, but this is equivalent to the outrage over Sarah Silverman's jury duty joke. The target of the joke was not the specific member of the group, you're reading into that deliberately if you believe otherwise.

 

[cow451]

Fox's morning show (which while they may not be labeled comedians in the same way that Stewart is, their show is basically the same).

No, Fox actually presents its morning show (and other pregramming) as "news". Yes, it is funny, but not on purpose.

 

[cow451]

I'm more surprised that a fan of one direction watches Jon Stewart than Stewart making a stupid joke.

And, on a school night, no less!!!!!

 

[PreachersWife2004]

Was he mentioned by name?

C'mon, seriously?

He's the only Pakistani in the group. You aren't going to be THAT disingenuous are you? Even HE was offended by it, and he gets that Stewart is supposed to be funny/sarcastic.

Love how the shoe doesn't fit on the other foot quite as nicely, though.

 

[PreachersWife2004]

No, Fox actually presents its morning show (and other pregramming) as "news". Yes, it is funny, but not on purpose.

Yes, but people post "serious" political discourse from Stewart as well, so like I said, they're pretty much the same.

 

[cow451]

Yes, but people post "serious" political discourse from Stewart as well, so like I said, they're pretty much the same.

Pretty bad when a comic provides better analysis than the "number one cable news network".

 

[SummerMadness]

C'mon, seriously?

He's the only Pakistani in the group. You aren't going to be THAT disingenuous are you? Even HE was offended by it, and he gets that Stewart is supposed to be funny/sarcastic.

Love how the shoe doesn't fit on the other foot quite as nicely, though.

Was the group chosen because of its ethnic makeup or because it was a popular boy band? I'm pretty sure you didn't know who Zayn Malik was before this whole flap and I'm pretty sure the Daily Show didn't know either. You're trying to equate this to Fox News (which is kind of funny, comparing a comedy show to a news network ), but they're not the same.

 

[Paradoxum]

I assume you are also then saying that the member of OneDirection himself is a moron, since he was also offended?

Yes. This how issue is absolutely moronic.

If the wrong comedian joked about a black person in a group, some of the people brushing this off would be having a hissy fit.

No one made a joke about race here. The joke was about the group.

Crap, look at the people that crawled all over Fox's morning show (which while they may not be labeled comedians in the same way that Stewart is, their show is basically the same) for making an elevator joke after the incident with Ray Rice! "TOO SOON!" people screamed. "TACTLESS!" people railed. Yeah...

I'm not sure what this has to do with anything.

This isn't "a comedian made a joke" because we know that it's not always appropriate even for comedians to make jokes about stuff. But it seems that because he's the left's golden boy that it's okay that he insulted someone, and that's it's okay because it was someone from One Direction.

A specific person wasn't insulted... it was about the whole group. What you're moaning about didn't even happen.

What's worse is that the golden boy's show is claiming ignorance:

It was just a mere coincidence.

There isn't even any coincidence... there was no comment about race. Sometimes people of other races are in popular bands... stop being so race obsessed. If anything it's racist that people think a terrorist reference must about a Middle-Eastern person.

I totally believe that he didn't know about the race of everyone in One Direction. I didn't know... I bet most people don't know.

You know people make similar jokes about Justine Bieber right? In the same way it makes sense to make jokes about a popular boy band.

(By the way, it was the woman who made the joke, not Stewart).

 

[MikeCarra]

Gosh this is a great thread!

I never realized:

1. That there was a person of "Pakistani descent" in One Direction

2. That the entire joke structure playing of "supergroups" and other standard music industry memes was so hard to "get" that the only explanation COULD be racism

3. Conservatives LOVE One Direction (which might make sense when you remember the fact that only Tweens get this worked up over them, and given the general rhetorical skill of most Conservatives...well....)

This is just fascinating!

 

[Joykins]

FWIW, I enjoy the musical stylings of One Direction from time to time (I have a daughter in the target demographic), and I was completely unaware they have a Pakistani band member. Not that he shouldn't take offense or anything; it's a free country, at least here

 

[Paradoxum]

C'mon, seriously?

He's the only Pakistani in the group.

What has him being Pakistani got to do with it though? They didn't mention Pakistani people. You understand this right?

Here's an explanation of the joke:

The Daily Show’s “correspondent” Jessica Williams did her typical faux reporting to Stewart in studio. She discussed “some new terrorist groups Americans may not know about.” Williams then joked, “Just as you were talking, a new terrorist group formed, with one member each from ISIS, al-Nusra, Al Qaeda, Hamas, One Direction and the Zetas drug cartel.”

As far as I know, the Zetas drug cartel is Mexican. Mexican, not Middle-Eastern. Mexican.

The joke is comparing One Direction to terrorists. The said to take one person from each group to create a super-terrorist group (this sounds better than merging the groups, or taking a random number over 1). There's no reason to assume this refers to a specific Middle-Eastern person in One Direction, just like it makes no sense to assume it refers to a specific Middle-Eastern person in the Zetas drug cartel.

Also, similar jokes are made about Justin Bieber (comparing him to something evil).

 

[PreachersWife2004]

Like I said, it's interesting to see when the shoe is on the other foot.

I kinda figured some of the people here wouldn't have a problem with this. I was pretty much right on target, too, as to who it would be.

I'll remember that the next time one of you gets offended at someone for a joke and I will point you back here.

FWIW, I REALLY love how suddenly it's those who were offended that are now racists. That made me chuckle.

 

[TLK Valentine]

C'mon, seriously?

A simple "no" will do.

He's the only Pakistani in the group. You aren't going to be THAT disingenuous are you? Even HE was offended by it, and he gets that Stewart is supposed to be funny/sarcastic.

Obviously he thinks he was being singled out -- why do you think it?

 

[cow451]

Like I said, it's interesting to see when the shoe is on the other foot.

I kinda figured some of the people here wouldn't have a problem with this. I was pretty much right on target, too, as to who it would be.

I'll remember that the next time one of you gets offended at someone for a joke and I will point you back here.

FWIW, I REALLY love how suddenly it's those who were offended that are now racists. That made me chuckle.

It would've been interesting to have used Franklin Graham instaed of One D. However, this joke was built around a demographic that would know who One D is. Satire is meant to be edgy. If nobody gets offended, it's probably no funny.

 

[Paradoxum]

Like I said, it's interesting to see when the shoe is on the other foot.

I kinda figured some of the people here wouldn't have a problem with this. I was pretty much right on target, too, as to who it would be.

Here's an explanation of the joke:

The Daily Show’s “correspondent” Jessica Williams did her typical faux reporting to Stewart in studio. She discussed “some new terrorist groups Americans may not know about.” Williams then joked, “Just as you were talking, a new terrorist group formed, with one member each from ISIS, al-Nusra, Al Qaeda, Hamas, One Direction and the Zetas drug cartel.”

As far as I know, the Zetas drug cartel is Mexican. Mexican, not Middle-Eastern. Mexican.

The joke is comparing One Direction to terrorists. The said to take one person from each group to create a super-terrorist group (this sounds better than merging the groups, or taking a random number over 1). There's no reason to assume this refers to a specific Middle-Eastern person in One Direction, just like it makes no sense to assume it refers to a specific Middle-Eastern person in the Zetas drug cartel.

Also, similar jokes are made about Justin Bieber (comparing him to something evil).

I'll remember that the next time one of you gets offended at someone for a joke and I will point you back here.

You know that wouldn't be at all convincing, right? The point being made here (by me anyway) is that the joke wasn't about race. So if I said a racist joke was wrong, this thread would be irrelevant to that subject.