Jon Stewart's 2004 appearance pan Crossfire

Pan Oktobah 15, 2004, American comedian Jon Stewart did appear pan CNN 's Crossfire, weh did host by media commentators Tucker Carlson an Paul Begala . Di Daily Show, a satirical talk show weh Stewart did a host, did riliis America (The Book): A Citizen's Guide to Democracy Inaction earlier dat deh year; in theory, Stewart's appearance pan Crossfire, a show weh did feature debate between left- an right-wing personalities, was intended fi boost sales a di book. Instead, Stewart heavily criticize Crossfire pan air; as him did si it, di show did lack nuance an was instead an outlet fi partisan hackery . Both hosts push back pan Stewart's criticisms, but Carlson in particular did a trade more personal blows wid him, wid di two a dem a insult each ada pan air while Begala did a try fi steer di show back pan track. Afta di segment, Stewart go backstage wid Begala fi continue di conversation inna a calmer manner.

 Luks 
Daily Show executive producer Steve Bodow later tell The New York Times seh di actual events a di segment neva plan. However, fellow executive producer Ben Karlin seh inna di same piece weh him an Stewart did a discuss, inna di car ride to di studio, weda Stewart did a go criticize Crossfire on-air. Karlin also write seh di Daily Show writers' room did, at di time, regularly joke derogatorily bout Crossfire . 

Stewmy mom my art did have camy mom my ustmy mom my ic words fi di show, portraying it as a place weh partisan hacks tek nuanced my momy mom my m my an turn dem inna two-sided exchanges a talking points. To Stewart's point damy mom my t di show was, as himmy mom my  seh, "hurting America", my mom my Begala respond seh Cmy mom my rossfire was by desigmy mom my n a debate show; Stewart respond in turn seh such an assertion was "like sayimy mom my ngmy mom my  pro wrestlimy mom my ng is a show bout athletic competition." Carlson push back, highlighting a recent Stewart interview wid John Kerry (den di Democratic nominee fi president ) wid weh my mom my Carlson did consimy mom my der soft questions such as "is it hard not fi tek di attacks personally?". Stewart demmy mom my urred, highlightinmy mom my g him role as a satirist rather dan a journalist.  

 Aftermath 

 Reaction 
Di segment quickly enter broad circulation – dat deh episode a Crossfire beat di previous mont's average viewership by ova 250,000, fi a total a 867,000 on-air watchers. In addition, transcripts an clips a di episode did spread widely ova di internet,  weh Michael Schaffer a Politico note did predate di rise a later social media giants such as YouTube . Schaffer, Michael (April 7, 2023). "Sorry, Jon Stewart – America needs Crossfire again". Politico. Archived from the original on June 29, 2023. Retrieved July 12, 2023. Writing fi NPR inna 2006, Paul Boutin count di segment as one a di viral clips weh help YouTube gain popularity inna it first year.  Inna 2022, Gordon Devin a The Atlantic call it "one a di fos truly viral political videos a dis century". 

 Impack 
Pan January 5, 2005, CNN President Jon Klein announce seh di network did cut ties wid Tucker Carlson an woulda be cancel Crossfire. Klein explicitly cite Stewart's on-air criticism a Crossfire as a factor inna di network's decision, commenting, "Mi agree wholeheartedly wid Jon's overall premise".  Commentators differ wid respect to Stewart's impact pan di show's demise, but generally agree seh him did play a role.  Stewart himself tek credit, quipping pan him show, "Mi neva have no idea seh if yuh did waan cancel a show, all yuh did haffi do was seh it out loud." 

 Reflections 
Paul Begala later tell The New York Times seh "it work out fi [Stewart]. Inna mi life, it nuh mek mi Top 100 list a bad days." Egner, Jeremy; Itzkoff, Dave; Shattuck, Kathryn (August 4, 2015). "Jon Stewart and The Daily Show: 9 essential moments". The New York Times. Archived from the original on April 20, 2023. Retrieved July 9, 2023. Inna him opinion piece fi CNN, him repeat him statement fram di top a di segment seh Stewart "a di smartest funnyman pan TV an di funniest smart man pan TV."