Farewell, Jon Stewart

I've thought long and hard about a possible poem for today, but in the end just couldn't bring myself to write one. The reason is...I am too sad. Why am I sad, you ask? Because Jon Stewart is leaving The Daily Show. This is devastating news. I have been an ardent fan of both The Daily Show and The Colbert Report for years. In fact, of all my TV watching (and I do more than is probably good for me), those are/were the two shows I most consistently watched. And it wasn't long after my introduction that I used them as my most trusted and comprehensive source of world news. On The Daily Show Jon Stewart skewers politicians and pundits with insightful and ridiculously witty comments and digs. On The Colbert Report my beloved Stephen would then make me laugh out loud with his ridiculously pompous conservative persona. It was tragic when Colbert left and The Colbert Report ended. I still have the final episode saved on my DVR in case I need one more run through. A kind of truthiness security blanket. But I consoled myself with the knowledge that I still had Jon. At least I wasn't completely abandoned. And Larry Wilmore was soon to begin a new show in Colbert's old spot, The Nightly Show. I eagerly awaited the start of this new show as I had always considered Larry Wilmore to be one of The Daily Show correspondents who could most easily hold up his own half hour program. After less than a month I can now say that I love Wilmore's new show. The round table discussions with people who hold varying perspectives on issues are fascinating and Wilmore does an amazing job of both keeping his guests on topic and keeping the discussions largely civil (no small feat when you're discussing obesity in America, Bill Cosby, and how we view war, just to name a few). I am quickly becoming a huge fan of The Nightly Show.

But I am not ready to lose Stewart. I was worried when I heard that Stewart and Comedy Central were still in "contract negotiations." And I was even more concerned when I went to see Rosewater, which Jon Stewart directed, and realized it was really good and he could make a viable career turn toward director. But I held out hope even as I expected the worst - that Stewart would leave us all to the whims of traditional nightly news pundits. Two nights ago Stewart brought down the hammer and announced that he was leaving The Daily Show. As I said before, it was devastating. Made even more so because I was given this news by my mother who called me at 9:00 pm to ask how I was doing and upon hearing I was ok, but a little blue, she said "Well, to make matters worse have you seen the news yet that Jon Stewart is leaving?" No, Mom, but thanks for making my night just that much worse.

I understand that Jon Stewart can't continue at his job forever. He has to move on to bigger and better things. And to be honest, I think it's been obvious for a couple of years now that he has been more frustrated and less able to see the humor in what he reports than in years past. As a viewer and average citizen I am tired of how ridiculous and ineffective our news media and politicians have become and it seems that every year they get worse no matter how much we plead for change and bipartisanship. I can only imagine how much harder it grinds on you when you do a job like Stewart's, being the actual voice for his viewers to those people with seemingly little to show for it in changes to the system. Jon Stewart deserves a break. But I wish he didn't! I wish that he could continue as the anchor and leader of The Daily Show forever. Unfortunately, it's not to be. He won't be leaving right away and we have him for at least a few more months, but now as I watch his show each evening (Monday through Thursday) it will be with a heart heavy with the knowledge that each episode brings us closer to the end. Now that Stewart has announced his plans to leave news outlets are awash with articles speculating on who could fill his desk. John Oliver did a phenomenal job of it when Stewart left to direct Rosewater and many of his other correspondents could pick up the mantle with aplomb (Jessica Williams would be fantastic). But the truth of the matter is that no matter who next sits at The Daily Show desk, they will never be Jon Stewart. I am positive that the new person will do a great job and I know that I will continue watching, but Jon Stewart is one of a kind. Whip smart, incredibly well read, and outrageously well-informed on seemingly every political and world-affecting topic, I just can't see how anyone can do exactly what he does. And maybe that's ok. When someone new sits at that desk, they should make it their own. Put their own spin and flair on it. But I will still miss The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. And I'll be savoring these last few months.

Changes

Changes, changes all around,
Up above and on the ground.
Sometimes I look around and see,
Everything is different, even me.
But then I think that I'm the same,
And it seems to be some strange game,
That others play and leave me out,
A game of chess where they move about.
But I'm still standing completely still,
And I don't understand how I will
Ever figure out this shifting world,
That seems so strange as it unfurls.
Does everyone fell like a leaf at times,
Battered and blown without reason or rhyme?
I wish that I could just yell "freeze!"
And take a moment just to breathe.
To feel like I can catch up a bit,
A moment to myself where I can just sit
And be me in this time and space,
Not constantly reacting with a brave face.
But the world and time offer no such breaks,
The clock ticks on and so I'll take
One deep breath and then one more,
Until I can accept feeling unmoored.
Tomorrow will be better, there's hope for today,
I'll just keep breathing until I find my way.

On the Subject of Reading

Now, instead of a poem this week you get a diatribe instead....I hope you enjoy.

Why don't people read anymore? I know this is a bit of an over-broad statement, but I think it holds true for a lot of people. People simply don't read much anymore. Why is this? I love reading. I own thousands of books. Quite literally. Books are stashed all over my house (bookshelf, closet, other closet, other bookshelf, under my bed - all the usual places for a true bookworm) and my books even cover the bookshelves in my parents' home (my Dad's books have all been pushed out to one lonely little bookshelf in the loft). But I find more and more that I am one of very few people who read more than 5 books a year. In fact, that's a statistic I recently read in a magazine article - the average American reads only 5 books per year. How is that even possible?? Reading is such a key aspect of life and everyone should embrace it. Reading can improve your life in so many ways. Reading can give you an escape from your daily life. It can teach you something new. Reading can offer you a new perspective that you've never considered before. And reading improves your mind - I always notice a difference in my vocabulary and even the way I think based on what I've been reading. So I can't understand people who say "I don't like to read." What does that even mean?? How do you get through life? Do you just watch TV and assume everything some pundit tells you is the entire story on the matter? You won't read an in-depth look at the history of North Korea that led to the current state of government? Ok, maybe that's not the best example (although it sounds like an interesting topic to me). But, really, how do you not like to read? Maybe the real problem here is that you haven't found your particular book genre yet. That's a travesty. But you shouldn't give up! Keep trying new books. Find a friend with similar interests and attitudes and ask them for a book recommendation. I am always willing to give you a helping hand to find a new book you would love. I can't imagine a life without books and the written word. It would be too dull to even contemplate. I hope all of you are big readers (the fact that you've stuck with this monstrosity of an email suggest you are). If you're not and you're one of those people who "don't like to read," please give books another chance. I promise you'll find something that will change your mind.