The Daily Show: Jim Cramer and Jon Stewart Interview (Article Sample)

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The Daily Show: Jim Cramer and Jon Stewart Interview
The Daily Show is one of the most prolific, popular, visible, comic and controversial shows that have premiered in Comedy Central, in cable channel, in United States. The show started in 1996 with Craig Kilborn as the host and dwelt on American’s pop culture only. The show was later revamped and renamed, The Daily Show with John Stewart, in 1999. The show gained much popularity as Jon Stewart was a well-known standup comedian, talk show host and TV personality. According to Bartlett, the show airs on Comedy Central on every Monday through Thursday at 11pm (p.12). Stewart steered the focus of the show towards current affairs, pop culture, media, politics and ends with a guest interview. Stewart’s immense use of satire and humor has created a great effect on viewer coverage and has generated a well-established presence on American television for many years running. He has a way of pulling his audience and getting their attention towards what he is supporting or against using. This has led to increased viewership, and the show is regularly the subject of academic and media commentary.
In many occasions, he has succeeded in forming a news-style program that makes Americans laugh at themselves due to their engagement in one way, or another. His analysis, critiques, recommendations and interviews have been the basis for the much-experienced growth in his show. However, not every show that Stewart conducts has been successful. Many heated debates have emanated from his shows that depict questionable behavior and professionalism on his part as a media personality, especially on serious matters that do not require a comic approach. Some guest interviews have ended up in feuds, such as the one controversial interview between him and Jim Cramer on March 12, 2009, on The Daily Show. This paper discusses the ethical issue surrounding the controversial interview and outlines Jim Cramer’s ethical responsibilities. It also seeks to illustrate whether Stewart’s anger and his lashing out to Cramer were justified, and recommend the necessary actions that Cramer could have done when the interview went all wrong.
The main ethical issue that emanated between Stewart and Cramer is the responsibility and the role of the financial press in recommending stock to an average American investor. According to Peavler, Stewart thought that the financial press had overstepped its mandate in making stock recommendation for companies that American investors wanted to place their money into (n.p). Stewart’s move seemed like a way of getting back to Cramer since his call-in show, Mad Money, which he did every night focused on that path. Cramer had the ethical duty of being honest with his audience. Since he provided financial news, Cramer could have provided well-researched information in the financial interest of his audience, something that he failed to do. The fact that he was in control of his show holds him responsible for the misleading information that led to the loss of investors’ money and he repeatedly did it over a long time, which makes him ethically culpable.
Stewart’s anger became clearly evident and personal when he called Cramer a “snake oil salesman” on live television. He quickly accused him of being the cause of bring down financial security of many innocent American investors. His stinging criticisms, puns, humor and sarcasm gradually gave rise to strident angry tone that caused him to lash out. His anger towards Cramer was justified, but he could have controlled himself and not allow emotions take a toll of the interview. Stewart had earlier lashed out at Cramer claiming, that as an entertainer, he was not supposed to offer stock recommendations to the members of the public.
The lash out was not well received by Cramer leading to both lobbing salvos at each other in different avenues of media including television and radio shows, magazines and newspaper columns. In fact, the interview was a platform for Cramer to clear the atmosphere surrounding the issue that had begun some weeks before the interview. In addition, when the interview began, the two were polite towards each other and displayed immeasurable professionalism and confidence. However, the atmosphere changed when ...