A Personal Experience Regarding Jon Stewart

[mattclearing]

or, "Jon Stewart Once Bought Me a Drink, Because He Is a Stand-Up Guy"

So about two years or so ago, the girlfriend and I had tickets to see Jon Stewart in Baltimore at the Meyerhoff Concert Hall. We were looking forward to it, so when it began snowing, but the theatre said the show was still on, we decided to make the trek from DC.

So we get there, and shake the snow off, and go to our seats. And we waited. And waited. And waited.

Finally, a woman walked onstage, took the microphone and addressed the crowd. She let us know that Jon's flight had been delayed, and had just recently landed at BWI, and that we would be there as soon as possible.

So we waited longer. It was about 10pm at this point.

The woman returned to the microphone with a cell phone to relay Jon's words from the limo en route. He said that he was terribly sorry for the delay, but that he hoped to be there soon, and that everyone was welcome to a drink on him.

So of course, approximately 2/3's of the audience (at least a 1000 people) cleared out to go get their complimentary drink on Jon. It was a symphony hall, so it was mainly wine, Heineken, or selected cocktails. I opted for the house red.

Sadly, after everyone got their drink, Jon and the venue agreed to postpone the performance, because the snow was ongoing, the show would go incredibly late, and the safety of all involved was an issue.

The rescheduled date was bad for us, so we actually ended up opting for the refund. Anyone who has ever attempted to get a refund from Ticketmaster can attest to the extent of the difficulty I went through to get the money back.

But the fact that Jon Stewart shelled out at least $5000 in cash to buy his fans a drink because he was late in a snowstorm says to me that he is more than just a comedian, another gifted smartass, or even a decent-to-great fake news reporter.

He is a stand-up guy who really does care about his fans, and I think that shows from the work he does on the Daily Show.

After watching him go toe-to-toe with Bill O'Reilly last night, I remembered this, reflecting about how I loved his MTV show, cringed when I heard he had the unenviable task of following in Craig Kilborn's footsteps at the Daily Show, how Craig Kilborn has been all but totally forgotten in his wake, and his phenomenal single-handed takedown of Crossfire, one of the most irritating shows of all time.

Reflecting on all these things, I figured I should tip my hat to the man here. Thanks for everything you do Jon. You are appreciated.

[SpiralHawk]

1. Attaboy, Johnny

You're doing a heckuva job. For real.

[tk2kewl]

2. A beacon in the darkness!

:thumbsup:

[meganmonkey]

3. That's a great story!

I went to see Jon last Spring at the Detroit Opera House, newly renovated, incredibly beautiful venue. I got tickets so I could take mistermonkey there for his birthday. Mistermonkey doesn't really like big crowds, concerts, that kind of thing, but there was no question in my mind that he would brave all that for Jon Stewart, and he did and it was wonderful!

I am so sorry you didn't actually get to see the performance, because he puts on a hell of a show (I laughed, I cried, you get the picture) but you have such a great story to tell instead!


Jon Stewart, we love you!!! :loveya:

[mattclearing]

11. Yeah, it would have been great to see the show.

But it's hard to feel that bad about it when he's on TV damn near every night.

[Wickerman]

4. great post

for a great human.

[SteppingRazor]

5. I interviewed him once before an appearance down here...

in South Florida. He's a standup guy (pun intended). But seriously, he was just as funny and thoughtful when put on the spot, as on the show. Great guy.
To Jon!

:toast:


On edit: Here's a link to the interview, if you're interested:
http://www.newtimesbpb.com/issues/2003-02-27/calendar/nightday3.html

[GreenPartyVoter]

6. Aw.. I am so sorry, though, that you didn't get to see him. *hugs*

[mattclearing]

12. Yeah, it would've been great.

But I got a drink on the house, and a good story out of it. New claim to fame: "Jon Stewart bought me a drink!"

:D

[johnnie]

7. That's cool of him to do that

When my band had our first CD release party we bought the first 100 people who came through the door a drink. I know how expensive that even was. I think Jon's a pretty good guy.

[Loonman]

8. Old roommate of mine worked on the "Jon Stewart Show"

Said he was a nice guy. Sorry, no gossip or anecdotes.

[Lisa]

40. that's enough of an anecdote, in itself ...

I always brace myself before "celebrity encounter" stories, especially when it's someone I admire -- because I know that everybody has off times, and particularly in day-to-day life people won't be like they are on-camera. And of course "showbiz" people have a reputation for being obnoxious (even to fans, let alone those whose jobs depend on them).

But hearing that Jon Stewart is nice even when people aren't watching him -- that really brightens my day. And the fact that someone who knows him isn't dishing about him ... that says a lot about Stewart, and about your friend as well.

[The White Tree]

9. He did the same thing to O'Reilly he did to Crossfire

He basically said, why don't you go after the people that matter instead of the little guys (i.e. the Neo-Cons instead of Cindy Sheehan).

Of course O'Reilly hemmed and hawed, whined and complained and refused to acknowledge that is what he does. All the while Jon had a hard time not breaking down and laughing at the exchanges.

Best exchange:

O'Reilley: What about you guys, you add insult to injury.

Stewart: That's true, but you add injury.

The great thing about the Daily Show is that they don't have to apologize for doing what they do because the injury is so much worse then the insult. They are not laughing at America and the world, they are laughing with us because they recognize we're all in it together, even guys like O'Reilly. They accomplish that because they don't take themselves too seriously either.

Devoted fan-worshiping fawning off now.:D

[mattclearing]

15. The fun part about that was that even O'Reilly admitted to the injury bit.

And Jon's so nice, that even when he's killing someone, they have to just let it go.

[On the Road]

19. What a Great Extemporaneous Line!

There's no way that could have been scripted. It removes all doubt that Jon is quick on his feet.

[mattclearing]

35. Even better was the "When are you going to start?" n/t

[SlavesandBulldozers]

33. Jon was a cat pawing a crippled lizard OReilly.

OReilly didnt stand a chance and you could tell he knew that.

[spooky3]

22. That WAS fabulous. His mind is so sharp. If I were O'Reilly

I'd be scared to death to take him on. Game set match.

[LynzM]

10. Very cool of him!

We saw him from the nosebleed seats at a local Opera House... great show, laughed my ass off. Since he's free to use profanity in a live show, I think you see more of his true thought coming through, and man is it vulgar, brilliant, hysterical :) Nice to hear a celeb doing something nice like that for people!

[mattclearing]

16. Funny, I never really pegged him as the super-vulgar type.

But I guess if you're irreverent, the door is always open to utter vulgarity.

Recently saw the Aristocrats...that is a great study in vulgarity.

[MuseRider]

13. Very nice story.

I figured he was like that, it just comes through. I remember how he would keep me entertained when I was up with babies. He was either on the Tom Snyder show or I think for a while he had a small show on after Tom's? He was comfort for this tired, nursing mom.

I swear, of all the admirable people in the world who I would love to meet, Jon is on the tip top of that list. He is probably the only person in the world who would make me squeal like a little girl if I saw him in a crowd. Your story just confirms what I have always expected he was like. Cool guy, nice guy, smart guy, funny guy, brave guy.

Thanks for sharing that.

[mattclearing]

14. Anytime.

And yeah, it definitely comes through on the show.

I think Jon knows what he's doing, and people respond in kind. If anyone deserves the accolades they've gotten, it's him.

[wryter2000]

17. Love ya, Jon

Not only that, but he's sexy as all hell.

[shrike]

18. Really off-topic, but I heard a similar story

about Sammy Davis Jr.

Someone I know attended a show of his, many, many moons ago. It was in a club, of course, and Sammy was in poor voice, either tired, sick or a bit hungover. Finally, he stopped the show and said, "Folks, I'm doing a lousy job here, so I'm just gonna call it a night. You'll get your money back and dinner is on me (dinner and drinks were included). Thanks for coming tonight."

I always like to hear about celebrities who are at least cognizant of the fact that fans put them where they are.

[mattclearing]

20. That's awesome.

Even better, because most performers will slog their way through a bad night and take your money.

Nice that he admitted it and did the honorable thing.

[Cults4Bush]

21. One of a very few stars I actually wish I was friends with.

If it wasn't for Jon I might be even more "radical" than I am now.

He is humble, intelligent and kind... and funny as hell.

He totally dismantled O'reilly, and was still holding himself in check. I think he almost made a falafel comment at the end of the segment when he held up the shills' book.

I loved how he just laughed his ass off at Bill saying he holds the neo-cons acountable on his show! lol... I think Jon was trying to bait him up because Bill has said that when the left says something about neo-cons its anti-semitism because its code speak for Jewish politicos. Ha! I think Jon would have had him by the balls on that.

BTW I do know the origins of the Neo-cons in case anyone was tempted to school me. (Jewish founders not withstanding it is not a Jewish org.)

[progressoid]

23. Yeah, but will you love him in 2008 when he starts railing on our new

Democratic President and Congress?

I know I will!!

He and this thread need another vote.

[Lisa]

37. he'd be the loyal opposition ...

And I know we could count on him to go after the important stuff, and not the petty personal vendettas that certain politicians and commentators indulged in, when they didn't control the government.

[andyhappy]

24. he is the new mark twain

thank god for stewart!

[dalloway]

25. Great story. Got 4 tickets to Colbert's taping tomorrow night--

my husband and are are only using 2 if some DUer wants to join us.

PM me.

[mattclearing]

27. That show was soooo funny Monday.

I missed last night. I hope it's consistent, cause the premise is brilliant.

[Fleshdancer]

26. I would give anything....

to just be able to sit quietly in the corner when the writers of The Daily Show are bouncing around ideas.

I love the show and have a great deal of respect for Jon Stewart's intelligence. Thinking about him on Crossfire still makes me smile.

[spuddonna]

28. Jon's verbal destruction of Hitchens was like mental foreplay...

So was his interview with Bernie Goldberg... Bernie looked like he was going to wet his pants. :D

I think Jon is an incredibly talented, intelligent and sexy man!

[mattclearing]

29. Hitchens was totally humiliated on that show.

He couldn't even remember what he was talking about. It was depressing to watch...like how can anyone take this drunken moron seriously?

[spuddonna]

31. Exactly!

Hmm, if Hitchen's is supposed to be the 'World's 5th Leading Intellectual', where does that leave Jon is the running? ;)

[mattclearing]

32. Just goes to show that being an intellectual is never as important

as having common sense.

[lostnfound]

30. Amen! We know we don't own ya, JS, but we love you all the same..

or maybe even a bit more.

***
He's such a human being.

[helderheid]

34. I'd vote for him :)

[Monkey see Monkey Do]

36. We started getting 'The Daily Show' the UK last week

and I'm loving it! Some of the American references confuse the hell out of the people I watch it with, but Stewart's humour shines through. His Bush creepy laugh impression is spot on. Also love Lewis Black and the O'Reilly interview was a joy (I've only ever seen him before in the documentary 'Outfoxed').

[Lisa]

38. his Bush impression is really excellent ...

I think he's got a better grasp of Dubya's mannerisms and character than the guy who impersonates Bush on Jay Leno's show, in elaborate prosthetic makeup (and gets thousands of dollars per appearance). Here's a link to some clips, if you haven't seen this yet.
http://www.nbc.com/nbc/The_Tonight_Show_with_Jay_Leno/highlights/highlights_page2.shtml
http://www.stevebridges.com

[mattclearing]

39. His "Heh-heh-heh" is great. n/t

[Monkey see Monkey Do]

41. Thanks; we don't get Leno

(although having listened to Bill Hicks' rants for several years, my impression of him isn't particularly favorable.)

I think it was yesterday's Daily Show that took the piss out of the staged teleconference with the troops. It was the first time I'd seen Bush au natural for a while & he's really become a parody of himself. Stewart did him brilliantly.

[Lisa]

46. I loved Stewart's observation that Bush needs rehearsal more than ...

... the troops do!

No doubt Jon has noticed that Bush cannot even tell a joke without snortling partway through and messing up the punchline!

[Eric J in MN]

42. Was that a TV Guide cover? (nt)

nt

[mattclearing]

47. I got it from a Google image search, but I'm assuming it was.

Probably around election time.

[blue neen]

43. Great story.

Nice post, tasteblind.

[mattclearing]

48. Thanks.

Hopefully I can find time to make more substantive posts in the future. So much of what I post is piling on to others' posts.

[FreedomAngel82]

44. I just love Jon

He's truly a hero for our times. Someday I can remember him to my future children and grandchildren. *sigh* He's such a wonderful person and this personal story proves it even more. And yes it's amazing he spent money on his fans like that. :) :loveya: I'm sorry you didn't get to see him live and I hope you do someday.

[mattclearing]

49. Me too, thanks.

Even so, he's on TV so often that I never have to go without.

[Generator]

45. I met him once. He was a dick.

Kidding folks! (I think Jon would like that joke)

His hillarious outrage at the world has kept me sane-no small task I can tell you!

[mattclearing]

50. Good one.

:D

[Cha]

51. I couldn't image that..

he's being pretty funny tonight on the miers nomination.

He has The Rock on tonight after he's been bashing bush all night. I remember The Rock was at the 2000 repuke convention..I hope he's gotten his sanity back by now.

[Kurovski]

52. Thanks for the story. I'll throw in my appreciation as well.--n/t