JSEB NEWSLETTER
October 06, 2001

===============

Contents:

Hi, by Annie-Wan
The Members Speak, by The Members
Jon Events

===============

Hi
by Annie-Wan

I got some terrific responses to my request for comments on Jon's September 20th speech. Since I don't consider myself superior to any of you (with the exception of my amazing brilliance, spectacular beauty, and unrivaled sense of modesty), my own response to Jon's speech is mixed in with the rest. The comments appear in random order based on closing my eyes and poking at the computer monitor with my index finger. That explains why some of the comments are very short. For example, "Recycle Bin" is not a very helpful comment, nor is "Shortcut to Annie's Porn collection." The other comments, however, are excellent.

For those of you who want tapes of the September 20 show, please e-mail me and I will match you up with people who have offered to make one. I am still taking volunteers to make tapes, so please let me know if you are willing to make copies and how many. My own copy is quite poor, so I will make copies only if the supply dries up. I have decided to not post the addresses of those making tapes so to avoid anyone being swamped. Please note that I am only the matchmaker and cannot take responsibility for any problems that occur. So please be prudent, reasonable, and careful, everyone.

Don't forget to root for TDS on the Emmys tomorrow night.

Next newsletter: A new senator. And Annie might get back to her poetry.

Annie-Wan, President
annieJS@earthlink.net

===============

The Members Speak
by The Members

THE VIEW from my kitchen and high school on Long Island was also the World Trade Center. My heart grew stronger as I heard Jon's speech. I just watched him struggle with emotions that so many are feeling and he expressed himself in such a way that . . . it was just phenomenal. His images were powerful and his intellect and humanity really came through.
~ Joanna, saneroz@aol.com

I WAS able to catch the famous speech on Monday at 6 pm. I thought the speech was moving, touching, poignant, and it made me love Jon even more than before. My husband was watching too, and I know now he will never again give me grief about my Jon-lust. I think Jon is doing a wonderful job setting the tone for the show in this post-attack time. Since he is a thoughtful, intelligent, caring human being and not just a funny guy, it does not seem out of place for him to take a slightly more somber approach. It seems entirely appropriate.
~ Elise, elisequilts@hotmail.com

[This next comment started out as a private e-mail exchange with a JSEB member. My e-mail mentioned that fact that I couldn't bring myself to watch Jon's speech again. I have reprinted the response to that e-mail with permission.]

AT COMMERCIAL after Jon's monologue Thursday night, my heart felt so close to bursting that I hardly had the energy to move -- I smiled through tears while watching, but I didn't think I could bring myself to ever see it or hear it again. I guess the thing is, what I've appreciated most about Jon's irony since the day I became ardently Stewart-centric, is that unlike most comedian's "everything sucks" brand of cynicism, I got the sense that he so sincerely loved and believed in the beauty of our system that to see stuff like hypocrisy and petty bickering within it just frustrated him and struck him as laughable. And that's part of why I adore him, what's always made him so much more than just a brilliantly funny wiseass -- that peculiar idealism, that apparent faith fueling his mockery of its failings and absurdities. And I can't imagine any more of a beautiful, brave, poignant, soulful expression of that impassioned faith than Thursday's monologue. I closed the door to my room and just cried my eyes out after the show ended that night because, well . . . because the sadness isn't going any time soon.

But what he said lingered in my thoughts, and I bizarrely found myself listening to it over and over during the next couple days when I could absorb his meaning without being overtaken with emotion. It wasn't even just that it was him specifically saying those heartwrenchingly inspiring words, although maybe raw humanity and sincerity in a voice when they're unexpected are even more stirring -- the message was just really timely, really needed, really meaningful. I know I'm incredibly blessed not to have been directly affected by the attacks, but struggling against despair still hasn't come all that easy these last couple weeks. Since Thursday night though, every time it starts to feel suffocating, I've literally heard "It's light. It's democracy. We've already won. They can't shut that down" ring in my head, and that unforgettable image of soot-covered firefighters raising the flag flashes in my mind, and (forgive me, I know I sound ramblingly theatrical) a twinkle of hope is renewed . . . enough, at least, to get me through the moment. And at a time like this, maybe that's the best you can ask for.

Even The Daily Show easing back into comedy the past couple nights sort of moved me. That's gotta take strength . . . strength which I'm drawing on. Not to mention that it's been damn funny, and as a person who's presently finding herself flinging a barrage of melodrama at someone who doesn't even know her, I think funny really hits the spot right now . . . .
~ sro625@lulu.acns.nwu.edu

I WONDERED if anyone else noticed the irony of the President Bush piece on 9-10-01 about his having a plan to create more jobs for Americans and then the terrible tragedy of the next day. What a shame for this to happen to Jon, my favorite all time talk show host. I thought that maybe that was the reason they did not come back on that week. Any thoughts from anyone else?
~ Liz

WHAT COULD I possibly say that will give my feelings justice? On September 11 at 8:30 in the morning, I was on a train from Waterbury, Ct, heading to NYC to go see a taping of The Daily Show. We never made it. We found out what happened and came home and watched about an hour of TV. That was all that we could take. But since that day I have watched and read many things about was happened. They all affected me. But they always seemed to be missing something. I tuned in to The Daily Show every night for that much needed repeat laughter. But to my surprise, Thursday night, a different theme song greeted me. Then Jon came on and begin to talk. And the words that he said and the look in his eyes and the feeling in his voice got to me. He said the most beautiful thing that I have ever heard. That this is a "dream realized." For the first time, someone understood how I felt. For the first time, I cried over what happened to this country. I sat at the edge of my bed captivated by his amazing speech, and I cried. I almost lost it when I heard him say that the view from his apartment was the World Trade Towers.

Every show since then has been great. He is doing what all of the other stations should be doing. He is asking all of the right questions. He is trying to help himself and all of us understand and cope with this tragedy. I cannot wait to go to another taping of The Daily Show. To go watch Jon do what he does best and to Thank him from the depths of my heart for everything that he said that night and all of the shows since. It is what our country needs right now.
~ Sarah, sweet_sasafrass@hotmail.com

ALTHOUGH I wish there had never been cause for Jon to make such a speech, it was the most beautiful thing I have seen him do. As he said, it's not easy to be humorous in the face of the events of the past three weeks, but I believe he did the most wonderful job of initiating that transition. Even as a mock newscaster, Jon had to acknowledge what occurred and its effect on the nation and the show. He could have attempted to gloss over it as much as he could, because it *is* a comedy show and not the depressing local news. However, doing so would have been selfish, which he, apparently, is not. Instead, he took the sadness and despair that many of us are feeling, and tried to make us look past it to some of the beauty that has arisen. I was very touched by the way he dealt with his emotions on the show; he didn't ignore them, nor did he allow them to interfere with hosting the show. There was only one part of Jon's speech with which I disagreed. To a certain extent, Martin Luther King's dream has been realized, if only for a little while. Yet even as Jon spoke those words, I thought of all the people of Muslim faith and Arabic descent in the Unites States who have recently suffered persecution due to the narrow-mindedness and intolerance of some of their fellow Americans. Still, the point of Jon's speech was not to show what has gone wrong; of that we are painfully aware. The point was to shine some kind of happy light in the midst of the darkness in which we find ourselves, and he succeeded. What more could we ask?
~ Lanai, suniflower14@hotmail.com

I HAVE never been more impressed with anyone's speech than the one that Jon gave last Thursday! The genuineness, sincerity, and heartfelt emotions he displayed, along with his indomitable spirit and humor were very touching and uplifting. I wish I could tune in to TDS "daily" (7X@wk) just to hear his sincere and genuine feelings; but that's not what they pay him for, is it?! We already know he is an extremely funny and intelligent guy, and I get hysterical watching his antics with fellow "correspondents," along with his extraordinary vocabulary (hey, that rhymes!), interesting interviews and constantly creative forms of humor (visual and nonvisual - but those visuals are FUNNY!). Those punnies are also very funny!

I almost DIED with no TDS show to watch after Sept. 11! They could have just stared at the camera and said nothing (to be respectful), and it would have been a hilarious show! At the very least, it would have made people smile (and I know that I would have found comfort in something that has become very familiar and entertaining to me at a time when something very unsettling was occurring in our country).

I'll end with a limerick:
There once was a man of "small" stature
Whose jokes created such laughter
His television show was so funny
It was nominated for an Emmy
And he became extremely successful thereafter!
(OK -- so he already was extremely successful, so he became more popular!)
Good luck on Oct 7!
~ Debyouare@aol.com

[This next comment was originally part of a longer humor newsletter by Tristan. E-mail him directly to subscribe, or read the newsletter at his site (see end of comment for e-mail and URL).]

I AM so angry because I like the World Trade buildings, I was conceived in the world trade building and I have emotional attachment to it. I sure as hell don't want to see it go, where will I return to when spawning? I also was looking forward to seeing the move Collateral Damage with Arnold Scwhaanegger and now that isn't coming out. What the fuck am I going to do?

In all seriousness I would like to offer my condolences to anyone who may have known someone who perished in the attacks and everyone else out there. Yes, this is a time of crisis even though I poke fun at it. It is meant only to entertain and not to be taken too seriously, even if you don't find it funny, that is its intention. I usually don't find anything I say funny either. I'm sure you have heard the same thing thousands of times this week and I'm just the last to add my words. On Thursday, Jon Stewart gave a speech on The Daily Show that was probably the best that I have heard. It was the only thing I've heard through all of this that actually did bring a tear to my eye. I cannot say anything as eloquently as he has so all I will do is once again offer my support to any of you who may need it and my condolences once again. All of those who perished and their families will be in my prayers. In hoping that I can at least make you smile for a little while I do mention some things about Osama that may not be at all malevolent and it is not in truth that I say this. Please just try and take me lightly. I'm just trying to make those other sick individuals smile for a moment in time.
~ Tristan, ThaGCode08@aol.com, Random Thinking, http://www.geocities.com/foo3081/

I AM a weepy person. I admit it. Remember that scene in Dumbo when Dumbo's mom is locked up for attacking people when they picked on Dumbo, and Dumbo sneaks away to be with her and she cradles him in her trunk through the bars of her cage? Just thinking about that scene makes me well up. In fact, I'm welling up right now. (Give me a moment . . . okay.) I got teary when I saw Letterman's speech. I choked when I saw Peter Jenning crack during his coverage during the ABC September 11 evening coverage. I wept when I saw all that terrible footage for the first time. I have gotten misty every morning in my car listening to NPR. But no matter how weepy I am, nothing compares to how I cried after Jon's September 20 speech. I lay on my couch and bawled. Tears streamed down my face. I couldn't breathe. I was almost wailing.

I was the living embodiment of Jon's dream job at the time -- "There were no jobs available for a man in the fetal position under his desk crying, which I would have gladly taken." That was me -- only I'm a woman, I was on a couch, and I was more prone than fetal. I didn't think I would ever cry like that again until I re-watched the wonderful movie, The Iron Giant, last week. I bawled like a baby all over again. The movie was suddenly imbued with a deeper meaning -- a meaning I understood before, but not at such a fundamental level.

For those of you who are old enough to buy stock, at this time I would recommend Kleenex. Jon has been the biggest Band-Aid on my pain so far. Yet strangely enough, I'm still crying.
~ Annie, annieJS@earthlink.net

===============

Jon Events

All times Central. Not liable for emotional distress resulting from incorrect listings.

• Jon is in a new book called MTV Uncensored. I have no idea how much he's in it, but he's in it. Thanks to Lori.

• Oct 7, 8 pm EST, CBS -- 53rd Emmy Awards. Due to the cancellation of the original broadcast date and a planned change in the tone of the show, it is unclear whether Jon will still be presenting. TDS has been nominated for Outstanding Variety, Music, or Comedy Series and Outstanding Writing for a Variety, Music or Comedy Program.

• Oct 11, Wed, 7:30 pm & 10:30 pm, HBO Plus -- Larry Sanders: Everybody Loves Larry.

• Oct 23, Tues, 8 pm, &
• Oct 24, Wed, 7 pm, &
• Oct 27, Sat, 8 pm, &
• Oct 28, Sun, 5 pm, USA -- The Faculty: Jon plays a science teacher.

• Oct 27, Sat, 5 pm, PBS -- Political Literacy: Sifting Thru the Spin. Not sure if this will air in your location. Check local listings!

• Mon to Thurs, 9 am, 6 pm, 10 pm, 12:30 am (same night) &
• Fri at 9 am & 6 pm, Comedy Central -- The Daily Show with Jon Stewart.
• See the Late Night TV Page for guests at http://www.interbridge.com/lineups.html#DS

Movies currently airing on television:
• Big Daddy -- Cinemax channels.
• Committed -- FLIX & STARZ channels.
• Office Party -- Cinemax & HBO channels.
• Playing By Heart -- STARZ channels.

All news contributed by Annie of the SSS unless otherwise noted.
Stewart Supremacist Site: http://home.earthlink.net/~jonstewart/
Join the SSS list for immediate updates and last-minute events.