Welcome to RantCrush Top 5, where we take you through today’s top five controversial stories in the world of law and policy. Who’s ranting and raving right now? Check it out below:

Will the New Health Care Bill Pass?

Republicans are set to vote on the revised version of their health care bill today, but it is still unclear if it will pass this time. The last version of the bill failed “bigly,” but this time House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy says the GOP has enough “yes” votes to pass the bill. Recent changes to the bill would allow states to get waivers to redefine essential health benefits required in insurance plans, like mental health care or maternity care. Waivers would also allow insurance companies to charge more for people with pre-existing conditions, potentially pricing them out of the insurance market.

As late as Monday, some Republicans were still undecided, especially because of the pre-existing conditions part. But then yesterday, the GOP decided to add $8 billion to the bill to help cover people with pre-existing conditions, and some Republicans that had been undecided threw their support behind the bill. While $8 billion may be enough for the bill to pass in the House, it won’t be enough to cover Americans with pre-existing conditions.

The American people should understand that what Republicans are trying to do to health care today is a disgrace. https://t.co/rhAzY3udVL

— Bernie Sanders (@SenSanders) May 4, 2017

Emma Von Zeipel

Emma Von Zeipel is a staff writer at Law Street Media. She is originally from one of the islands of Stockholm, Sweden. After working for Democratic Voice of Burma in Thailand, she ended up in New York City. She has a BA in journalism from Stockholm University and is passionate about human rights, good books, horses, and European chocolate. Contact Emma at EVonZeipel@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post RantCrush Top 5: May 4, 2017 appeared first on Law Street.

Man Detained After Stalking Malia Obama

A longtime stalker of President Barack Obama’s oldest daughter Malia has been arrested in New York after he showed up at her internship. Jair Nilton Cardoso, of Brooklyn, had already tried to get into the White House several times in the past. He recently showed up in the Tribeca building where Malia interns for moviemaker Harvey Weinstein, holding a sign outside an office window begging her to marry him. Secret Service agents asked him to leave her alone, but he didn’t get the message. Two days later he followed Malia when she exited a building in the West Village. After the agents interviewed him they concluded he clearly has mental issues and reported him to the police. No charges have been filed.

She’s only 18…not that it would make it better if she were older, but she’s a kid. Jesus. https://t.co/HPkhbHlakQ

— Yashar (@yashar) April 19, 2017

Emma Von Zeipel

Emma Von Zeipel is a staff writer at Law Street Media. She is originally from one of the islands of Stockholm, Sweden. After working for Democratic Voice of Burma in Thailand, she ended up in New York City. She has a BA in journalism from Stockholm University and is passionate about human rights, good books, horses, and European chocolate. Contact Emma at EVonZeipel@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post RantCrush Top 5: April 20, 2017 appeared first on Law Street.

Today is inauguration day, and Donald Trump is officially our president. But that doesn’t mean that everyone is on board–Trump remains divisive on many issues, including climate change. Now that it’s official that 2016 was the warmest year on record, hopefully Trump and company will start listening to the scientists on this one. Read on for the last rants of the week!

Welcome to RantCrush Top 5, where we take you through today’s top five controversial stories in the world of law and policy. Who’s ranting and raving right now? Check it out below:

Today’s the Day…

Today is the presidential inauguration of Donald J. Trump. Almost 1 million people are there to witness the transfer of power and there have already been clashes between protesters and supporters. Last night police had to use pepper spray to keep protesters at bay as they filled up the area outside the National Press Club, where the pre-inaugural ball, nicknamed the “DeploraBall,” took place. There were at least four fights between protesters and guests attending the ball and people threw water bottles and debris.

Powerful Movement for Black Lives has kept this #inauguration access checkpoint shut down for hours. pic.twitter.com/7FvsAu3u9u

— #DisruptJ20 (@DisruptJ20) January 20, 2017

Trump spent the night in the Blair House, located across the street from the White House, and went to church in the morning for a short prayer service. The inaugural program started at 11 a.m. At 3 p.m. the inauguration parade will begin, which is expected to last for about 90 minutes, making it the shortest one on record. Overall, the affair may end up being notably low key. Trump has had a hard time finding artists to perform at the ceremony itself, and Trump’s team has aimed to keep the prices of inaugural ball tickets low so that they’re accessible to working class people.

It all begins today! I will see you at 11:00 A.M. for the swearing-in. THE MOVEMENT CONTINUES – THE WORK BEGINS!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 20, 2017

Anneliese Mahoney

Anneliese Mahoney is Managing Editor at Law Street and a Connecticut transplant to Washington D.C. She has a Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs from the George Washington University, and a passion for law, politics, and social issues. Contact Anneliese at amahoney@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post RantCrush Top 5: January 20, 2017 appeared first on Law Street.

On Wednesday morning, writers’ rooms were probably frantically trying to re-write many of their planned monologues and sketches in line with election night’s unexpected results. Many of them probably struggled with what tone to approach the news with, as the man who had been their main source of comedic material for the past 18 months is not a joke anymore–he’s now our president-elect. While these hosts were more somber than usual, they still brought the laughs, and demonstrated that not all hope was lost.

If the election results have you stressed, hopefully these late night hosts can offer you the comedic comfort food your soul needs.

“Last Week Tonight” with John Oliver

John Oliver’s last show of the year issued some pretty serious messages and dire warnings in between its laughs. John Oliver urged viewers to “actively stand up for one another” by supporting organizations such as The Trevor Project, Planned Parenthood, the International Refugee Assistance Project, and a myriad of others. He also advised that we constantly remind ourselves that “this is not normal” with regard to a Trump presidency. Oh, and he also “blew up” 2016 at the end, because this year has been all-around awful.

“The Daily Show” with Trevor Noah

This election cycle was seriously missing the voice of Jon Stewart, but Trevor Noah delivered on Wednesday with material that could make a viewer want to laugh and cry at the same time. Particularly moving was a bit by Hasan Minhaj, in which he almost broke down in tears while telling the story of his mother, who is currently abroad and can’t return to the U.S. until February, but wasn’t entirely sure whether she’d be let back in under Trump’s confusing and ever-changing “Muslim ban.” He needs her…and she also owes him $300.

Another moving moment from this week’s show was when correspondent Michelle Wolf also simultaneously laughed and cried as she discussed the absurdity of Trump’s win and its depressing implications for American women.

In the 2016 election, 42% of women voted for Donald Trump. @MichelleIsAWolf responds: https://t.co/lU43mqpyPz pic.twitter.com/BJZCxetT5s

— The Daily Show (@TheDailyShow) November 10, 2016

“Late Night” with Seth Meyers

Seth Meyers just might be the man to blame for a Trump presidency: in 2011, he delivered scathing jabs at Trump for his “birther” comments about President Obama. He also laughed off Trump’s interest in a campaign for the presidency at the time, while cameras showed Trump was in the audience silently seething and accepting the challenge.

Despite that, Meyers received praise for his election coverage, with his “Closer Look” segments. His post election remarks were somber, hopeful, and humorous at the same time, and had Meyers himself on the verge of tears.

“Full Frontal with Samantha Bee”

The central message of Bee’s show? We need to get to work. Bee was definitely angry with the results, blaming the large white voter base that voted for Trump. Bee also shushed white people who didn’t vote for him, and said “if Muslims have to take responsibility for every member of their community, so do we.”

But Bee wasn’t just angry, she was also hopeful for the “nasty women” of the future that need to step up so that we can have more and more women representing us in office.

“The Late Show” with Stephen Colbert

Another character who was sorely missed this election cycle was Stephen Colbert’s “Colbert Report” persona. But even though we didn’t get to hear from his alter ego, the man himself was there to support us through the tough Election Night and into the next day.

Stephen Colbert’s live election night coverage on Showtime ended before Trump’s victory was announced, but at that point it was already clear that a Clinton win was unlikely, so the night ended on a somber and uncertain note. But the next morning, after it was official, Colbert captured the nausea-ridden hangover that overcame much of the country the day after the election. Colbert was blunt about his feelings (“This suuuucks”), but if you’re feeling down, I guarantee that watching Colbert put on cat ears and pretend to be a “sexy kitty” will definitely improve your day.

Mariam Jaffery

Mariam was an Executive Assistant at Law Street Media and a native of Northern Virginia. She has a B.A. in International Affairs with a minor in Business Administration from George Washington University. Contact Mariam at mjaffery@lawstreetmedia.com.

The post Here’s How Late Night Hosts Reacted to the Election Results appeared first on Law Street.

What’s Wrong With the Original?

Twitter is a force to be reckoned with. Marvel was basically forced to pull its character Riri Williams as the new Iron Man after sharp criticism from Twitter users and The Mary Sue. People claimed that the character, a fifteen year old, was being sexualized, and that she was drawn in a manner that did not match that of a teenage girl.

Riri Williams is 15 years old. Unfortunately, it seems some comic artists have never laid eyes on a young teenager… pic.twitter.com/hUxKhaGbxc

— Donna The Dead (@MildlyAmused) October 19, 2016

The artist, J. Scott Campbell, told the Twitterverse he was simply trying to portray “a sassy, coming-of-age young woman” and did not expect this reaction. Now his Riri Williams is being replaced with a new version.

.@Marvel pulled the controversial #RiriWilliams variant cover & released these teaser sketches of #InvincibleIronMan https://t.co/BkghwthWoo pic.twitter.com/T0yFnTbRTE

— The Mary Sue (@TheMarySue) October 21, 2016

Rant Crush

RantCrush collects the top trending topics in the law and policy world each day just for you.

The post RantCrush Top 5: October 21, 2016 appeared first on Law Street.

It appears that Stephen Colbert doesn’t own “Stephen Colbert.” Rather, Colbert, the host of CBS’s “The Late Show,” doesn’t own the rights to the character he developed and played for almost 20 years on Comedy Central.

On Wednesday, Colbert announced on his show that the “Stephen Colbert” character from “The Colbert Report” is the intellectual property of Viacom, Comedy Central’s parent company, and would “never be seen again.” In response to disappointed “boos” by the audience, he responded, “I understand, but what can I do? The lawyers have spoken. I cannot reasonably argue I own my face or name.”

Last week, he brought back his former alternate persona in order to make sense of the Trump nomination, using one of his signature bits called “The Word.”

After the show aired, however, “corporate lawyers” from Colbert’s former network allegedly reached out to claim their IP over the character. “Stephen Colbert,” the faux-conservative newsman, was a feature on Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show” before receiving his own show on the network in 2005. Last year, Colbert retired the character after taking over for David Letterman on CBS.

While this may be sad news for the “Colbert Nation,” don’t fret just yet: Colbert may have found a suitable alternative. After announcing the end of “Stephen Colbert,” he introduced “Stephen Colbert’s identical twin, “Stephen Colbert,” who may be a worthy replacement. He also introduced his new segment “WERD,” which bears only a slight resemblance to “The Word.”

So far, there is no news on whether Viacom’s legal team has fired back to challenge the eerie similarities between the new “Colbert” and his retired cousin.

The Hollywood Reporter notes the legal complexities surrounding this case, and explains why “Stephen Colbert’s identical twin cousin” may avoid copyright infringement claims and may actually be able to qualify for its own copyright. However, the article notes that if the new character earns a separate copyright, it would probably be owned by CBS rather than Colbert himself. So, let’s hope that Colbert stays where he is, otherwise, he may need to pull out another extended family member if he wants his satirical alter-ego to live on.

While Colbert himself may have abandoned his Comedy Central show last year, it appears he hasn’t let go of the character that millions have grown to love.

Mariam Jaffery

Mariam was an Executive Assistant at Law Street Media and a native of Northern Virginia. She has a B.A. in International Affairs with a minor in Business Administration from George Washington University. Contact Mariam at mjaffery@lawstreetmedia.com.

The post Stephen Colbert Doesn’t Own His “Colbert Report” Character appeared first on Law Street.

We’re nearing the end of the Republican National Convention, and the seriousness of Donald Trump potentially taking over the Oval has us all in desperate need of a bit of humor this week. From Michelle Obama singing Carpool Karaoke with Missy Elliott, to Stephen Colbert crashing the RNC, here are some of the best funny political clips of the week:

Michelle Obama Gets Her “Freak On” During Carpool Karaoke

James Corden, host of the hilarious “Late Late Show,” stopped by the White House for his latest edition of Carpool Karaoke, and wound up with First Lady Michelle Obama in his passenger seat. How he got past the Secret Service, I’m not sure, but the private tour was legendary.

Corden and FLOTUS drove around the grounds and rocked out to songs like “Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I’m Yours)” by Stevie Wonder (Michelle’s favorite artist) and  “Single Ladies” by Beyoncé. Missy Elliott also made a surprise appearance, joining the pair for a rendition of Michelle’s charity anthem “This is For My Girls” and “Get Ur Freak On”–I think it’s fair to say Michelle Obama is the coolest First Lady ever.

Kate McKinnon Dresses Up as Notorious RBG to Mock Trump

“Ghostbusters” star Kate McKinnon dressed up as Ruth Bader Ginsburg at the Republican National Convention to respond to Trump telling Twitter, “Her mind is shot–resign!“

A robed McKinnon said,

If my mind is shot then Donald Trump’s mind is shot, stabbed, strangled, put in a vat of wet cement and dumped in the Gowanus Canal. His mind is sleeping with the fishes, but it’s waking up to a Ginsburn.

Trump’s tweet came after the real Notorious RBG recently made headlines for calling Donald Trump “a faker” in a recent interview. The 83-year-old Supreme Court Justice said, “I can’t imagine what this place would be–I can’t imagine what the country would be–with Donald Trump as our president.”

Stephen Colbert is Hungry For Power Games at RNC

On Sunday, Stephen Colbert crashed the Republican National Convention for another edition of  the “Hungry for Power Games” that was later streamed Live on Monday night’s “Late Show.” A blue-wigged Colbert showed up to the RNC as Julius–his best impersonation of “The Hunger Games” host Caesar Flickerman–and toured Cleveland’s Quicken Loans Arena with his fake pet weasel, Caligula, in hand.

Colbert’s mocked New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, North Carolina’s bathroom laws, and Trump’s immigrations plans before later seizing the stage to make fun of Donald Trump’s running mate Mike Pence–which ended with him being escorted off stage.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WFjDBvRxcbM

Alexis Evans

Alexis Evans is an Assistant Editor at Law Street and a Buckeye State native. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and a minor in Business from Ohio University. Contact Alexis at aevans@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Funny Political Clips of the Week: FLOTUS Singing, SNL x RBG, & Colbert appeared first on Law Street.

Following Donald Trump’s win in Indiana’s primary Tuesday, Ted Cruz finally did the inevitable and announced he’s dropping out of the presidential race. We really aren’t all that sad to see “lyin Ted” go, but we are bummed that we officially have to acknowledge Donald Trump as the Republican party’s presumptive nominee.

But wait, isn’t someone else still chugging along in the GOP primaries? What’s his name again?

Oh yeah, John Kasich!

Granted it’s kind of hard to remember the Ohio governor when he’s lost every state except his home state and still trails Cruz and Rubio, who both value numbers and logic and have dropped out.

Stephen Colbert couldn’t help but make light of this during Wednesday’s episode of the “Late Show.”

Colbert mocked Kasich’s mathematically impossible odds, as well as a recent video released from a pro-Kasich Super PAC imagining Kasich winning the nomination. In typical Colbert fashion, the comedian crafted his own heavily photoshopped ad imagining a world where Kasich is in fact president…and a five-term one at that!

In Colbert’s fantasy, President Kasich prompts Obama to resign early to make way for him, defeats ISIS, balances the budget, and defeats spider beasts from space. And we can’t forget to mention that he also throws the winning pass in the Super Bowl with three seconds left to, who else, John Kasich!

Sadly Kasich will likely never do any of these things, but it still makes us laugh.

Unfortunately, there has been lots of speculation that Kasich could announce he’s dropping out today, but that has not yet been officially confirmed.

Watch Colbert Imagine Kasich as President Below

Alexis Evans

Alexis Evans is an Assistant Editor at Law Street and a Buckeye State native. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and a minor in Business from Ohio University. Contact Alexis at aevans@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Stephen Colbert: “Quitters Never Win…but They Still Beat John Kasich” appeared first on Law Street.

Jon Stewart, the host of the “Daily Show” for 16 years, and a quintessential late night presence was spotted on a few other hosts’ shows this week. Stewart went to visit both the “Daily Show” and the “Late Show” to advocate for a bill called the Zadroga Act that would extend the health care benefits of 9/11 first responders. Stewart may be retired from regular late night, but that doesn’t mean that his appearances are anything but a welcome presence, and in this case, for an incredibly worthy cause.

The Zadroga Act–its full name is the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act–is named after a now-deceased 9/11 first responder. It was first enacted in 2010, but has since expired. Stewart’s narrative is that its reauthorization is being held up for purely political reasons.

First, there was Stewart’s appearance on the “Daily Show,” now hosted by his successor Trevor Noah. Stewart stopped by on Monday to argue in favor of  the Zadroga Act. The “Daily Show” then aired footage of Stewart and some 9/11 first responders wandering around Congress in an attempt to ask various senators why they aren’t supporting the bill. In addition to being pretty entertaining, Stewart’s efforts were sort of successful–Senator Rob Portman (R-Ohio) signed on to the bill the very same night.

Then, last night, Stewart dropped by Stephen Colbert’s new “Late Show.” It was also a natural partnership given that Colbert essentially got his start in late night TV by being a correspondent on the “Daily Show” during Stewart’s tenure. In order to get viewers’ attention on the push to reauthorize the Zadroga Act, Colbert encouraged Stewart to imitate everyone’s least favorite headline-grabber–Donald Trump. Stewart sported a wig and let Colbert smush Cheetos on his face to get that signature Donald-glow.

So far, Stewart’s strategy seems successful–his reappearance on the Daily Show garnered tens of thousands of shares on social media, if not more, and plenty of media outlets have picked up coverage of his Trump impression last night. It’s nice to see that Stewart is still using his soapbox (albeit one borrowed from other great hosts) for good.

Anneliese Mahoney

Anneliese Mahoney is Managing Editor at Law Street and a Connecticut transplant to Washington D.C. She has a Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs from the George Washington University, and a passion for law, politics, and social issues. Contact Anneliese at amahoney@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Jon Stewart Uses Late Night Connections for Advocacy Good appeared first on Law Street.

Bernie Sanders, presidential hopeful and Independent senator from Vermont, just won Time’s poll for “Person of the Year.” The poll is a separate feature from the magazine’s own choice, but does shed a light–although an imperfect one–on current American opinion and zeitgeist.

Sanders garnered just over 10 percent of the vote, the only choice to make double digits. Malala Yousefi came in second, at just over five percent. Pope Francis, President Obama, and Stephen Colbert received 3.7, 3.5, and 3.1 percent respectively–“refugees” were at three percent.

Sanders’ win is impressive, and it’s representative of the fact that he’s certainly had an amazingly influential year. His entrance into the 2016 Democratic primary shook up what many thought was going to be an open-and-shut victory for Hillary Clinton. Although Sanders still trails Clinton in the polls, his campaign is going strong, and he continues to attract fans.

In addition to Sanders’ win, there were some other noteworthy facets of the Time poll. One of the strangest options on the list was American Pharaoh, the first horse to win the Triple Crown since 1978, with 1.4 percent of the vote. But that’s actually a pretty strong showing compared to most of our presidential candidates. Carly Fiorina had .6 percent of the vote, and Ted Cruz and Jeb Bush each had .5 percent. Ben Carson fared a little better at 1.1 percent, as did Marco Rubio. Hillary Clinton was at 1.4 percent. That’s right, a horse either beat or tied six of our presidential candidates in Time’s poll for most influential person of the year.

But, despite the fact that Bernie Sanders won the poll, he’s not actually in contention to be Time’s person of the year. That short list has been disclosed by Time, and includes Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi, the ISIS leader; Black Lives Matter activists; Caitlyn Jenner; Travis Kalanick, Uber’s CEO; Angela Merkel, Vladimir Putin, Hassan Rouhani, and Donald Trump. It should be noted that Donald Trump is particularly qualified, given that he beat American Pharaoh by an impressive .4 percent on the online poll.

Time defines its criteria for choosing the person of the year as “the person TIME believes most influenced the news this year, for better or worse.” Time won’t disclose its choice until Wednesday morning, and it will be from that short list. Meanwhile, I’ll be rooting for #AmericanPharaoh2016

Anneliese Mahoney

Anneliese Mahoney is Managing Editor at Law Street and a Connecticut transplant to Washington D.C. She has a Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs from the George Washington University, and a passion for law, politics, and social issues. Contact Anneliese at amahoney@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Bernie Sanders Wins Time Person of the Year Poll, Doesn’t Lose to a Horse appeared first on Law Street.

It may only be Stephen Colbert’s second week in the “Late Show” chair, but that didn’t stop him from seriously quizzing Texas Senator and Republican Presidential Candidate Ted Cruz  Monday night on Ronald Reagan, gay marriage, and the Constitution.

Reagan and his policies have been at the forefront of the Republican race following last week’s second Republican primary debate in the Reagan library. So much so, that candidates have begun comparing themselves in one way or another to the 40th president, despite their actual positions on key topics proving the contrary.

So when Cruz brought Reagan up, Colbert jumped at the chance to weed out another Reagan wannabee.

Here’s a clip from the interview below:

But if you either a. don’t have a pair of headphones handy, b. don’t have four and a half minutes to spare, or c. would prefer to read my attempt at witty commentary, enjoy some of the interview highlights below:

Colbert: “Reagan raised taxes, okay. Reagan actually had an amnesty program for illegal immigrants. Neither of those things would allow Reagan to be nominated today. So to what level can you truly emulate Ronald Reagan?”

Noting that Reagan worked across the aisle with Democratic Speaker of the House Tip O’Neil to get shit done, he continued:

“Isn’t that what people want more than anything else. Not just principles, but actions.”

Cruz:  Says no voter has told him that they want him to “give in more to Barack Obama.”

Colbert: Continued to press Cruz on whether or not he agrees with Reagan on raising taxes and amnesty for illegal immigrants.

Cruz: “No, of course not. But Ronald Reagan also signed the largest tax cut in history. He reduced government regulations from Washington, and economic growth exploded.”

Colbert: Quickly reminds Cruz that “when conditions changed in the country, he reversed his world’s largest tax cut and raised taxes when revenues did not match the expectations, so it’s a matter of compromising.”

(Did you hear that Cruz? Successful government requires compromise, not forced shutdowns.)

Cruz: Steers the conversation to his platform, telling Colbert that in a nutshell he thinks the country should “live within our means, stop bankrupting our kids and grandkids, and follow the Constitution.”

Colbert: “And no gay marriage?”

Cruz: “Well no , let’s be precise: Under the Constitution, marriage is a question for the states.”

Colbert: “It doesn’t mention marriage in the Constitution.”

(Oh snap.)

Cruz: “The 10th Amendment says that if the Constitution doesn’t mention it, it’s a question for the states. … I don’t think we should entrust governing our society to five unelected lawyers in Washington.”

Colbert: Has to silence the audience’s boos for Cruz.

Cruz: “If you want to win an issue, go to the ballot box and win at the ballot box.”

Touche, Cruz. So how about you get back to me after you win at the ballot box. But right now i’m awarding this political showdown Colbert-1, Cruz-0.

Alexis Evans

Alexis Evans is an Assistant Editor at Law Street and a Buckeye State native. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and a minor in Business from Ohio University. Contact Alexis at aevans@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Stephen Colbert Owns Ted Cruz on Reagan, Gay Marriage, and the Constitution appeared first on Law Street.

Jon Stewart chose to break my heart just a few days shy of Valentine’s Day when he announced Tuesday that he would be leaving his post on “The Daily Show” after over 16 years as its host. First Colbert leaves and now Stewart–come on Comedy Central, this is too much!

Stewart let it slip that he would be retiring during Tuesday’s show taping, and the network was quick to confirm, writing a touching farewell that can be read below. The message hinted that this isn’t the end for “The Daily Show.”

JUST IN: @ComedyCentral says Daily Show host #JonStewart to step down at end of year pic.twitter.com/caKNLrzCg7

— WTTE FOX 28 (@fox28columbus) February 10, 2015

Before I put a countdown in my iPhone to track Stewart’s remaining shows as they tick down down to zero, let’s take a minute to reflect on what made us fall in love with Stewart in the first place. Maybe it was his perfectly coiffed salt and pepper locks or his piercing blue eyes. But in all seriousness it was probably his sharp edged political commentary laced with hilarity that had us hooked. Stewart said what we were all thinking, and we thanked him for it.

He was also among the first to make that type of satirical commentary big before others like Stephen Colbert, Larry Wilmore, and John Oliver hopped on the funny news wagon. Many millennials even regard Stewart’s show as real news, with more Americans — 8 percent — saying they trust the fake news program than MSNBC. In January, fellow Law Streeter Noel Diem wrote a piece on where Americans are getting their news and found that:

His [Stewart] show averages 2.3 million viewers per episode, putting him far ahead of others news outlets in not only viewers, but also in that 25-54 range. In fact, The Daily Show is consistently ranked the top late-night news show among the key demographic.

So, who will replace Stewart?

Since the world has already begun speculating on potential Daily Show replacements, I might as well tell you who my top two front runners are–both of them having the last name Williams was not a requirement but just a weird coincidence.

Jessica Williams –She’s clearly mine and many others’ number one choice! Williams has been a correspondent on “The Daily Show” since 2012, and applies her youthful, sassy, and sharp-witted comedy to topics like feminism, racial equality, and youth culture. When I read in Wired’s January 2015 issue that she wants to create a smart gossip site with cultural celebrity critiques, I couldn’t help but think that this girl is exactly what comedy needs. The type of site she’s envisioning could be exactly the kind of fresh new vision “The Daily Show” will require after Stewart’s departure. Bonus point: she also already looks pretty good in his chair based on the pic below.

RT if you think Jessica Williams should be given Jon Stewart’s job after he leaves! #TheDailyShowWithJessicaWilliams pic.twitter.com/Gqdx2Z4h34

— Bhavik Lathia (@bhaviklathia) February 11, 2015

Brian Williams–Brian might be currently shopping for a “fake news” gig, especially after his reporting ethics were called into question after repeated misrepresentation of events surrounding his coverage of the Iraq war. The controversy resulted in him being suspended from the “Nightly News'” for six months without pay. I don’t know who I’m sadder to see leaving the air: Williams or Stewart. Who knows though, Stewart’s departure could all be one big Illuminati plot to get him back in the anchorman chair. At least Stewart’s still on Williams’ side:

Most important picture today: #JonStewart on Brian #Williams. pic.twitter.com/aURDuavPUY

— King سميرة (@SamiraaSR) February 11, 2015

Even though Jon Stewart adamantly swore during his 16 year career at the helm of “The Daily Show” that what he did wasn’t journalism, his absence will still leave a void in the realm of news. Whoever Comedy Central ends up picking has big shoes to fill.

Alexis Evans

Alexis Evans is an Assistant Editor at Law Street and a Buckeye State native. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and a minor in Business from Ohio University. Contact Alexis at aevans@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Jon Stewart is Stepping Down: Who Will Take Over The Daily Show? appeared first on Law Street.

With the end of the Colbert Report, so ended an era. Facebook and Twitter were full of people lamenting the end of Stephen Colbert and his late night character, saying things like, “Where am I going to get the news now?” and “Who can I trust to tell the truth once he’s gone?” Surely, it’s a good mix of people who understood the characters Colbert played and those who honestly felt like his show was reality. Where exactly are Americans getting their news, and what impact does it have?

When it comes to politics, Americans watch CNN, MSNBC, and Fox News more often than they watch traditional or local news. But what does it mean for the future of comedy news, news in general, and the way we react to it?

Where do we get our news?

Even at a time when television viewing numbers are falling due to an increase in streaming sites and a general lack of traditional watchers, most Americans get their news from television or television-backed news sites.  Pew Research Center analyzed Nielson data and its findings showed a lot about the television landscape, but even more about the people who watched it. These are the findings:

Almost three out of four U.S. adults (71 percent) watch local television news and 65 percent view network newscasts over the course of a month, according to Nielsen data from February 2013. While 38 percent of adults watch some cable news during the month, cable viewers—particularly the most engaged viewers—spend far more time with that platform than broadcast viewers do with local or network news.

While it is interesting to note how many people watch the news, it is more poignant to look at what news people watch, as simply watching news doesn’t mean too much in the age of bias and deep-pocketed politicians. Take a look at that study for a more in-depth view of what exactly people are watching.

Cable

Fox News

Fox News has been getting a great deal of negative publicity in the last few years, even more so than before with the growing popularity of internet memes and altered videos. As such, Fox News attracted an average of 264,000 primetime viewers in that key 25-54-year-old demographic, a number so low that the network hasn’t seen it since 2001. One of the biggest draws to the station is Bill O’Reilly, host of The O’Reilly Factor as well as an author, syndicated columnist, and political commentator. His audience remains at over 2.1 million viewers per episode, but once again, the number skews toward the older crowd.  Still, the Daily Kos points out that, “every Fox program in primetime dropped by double-digits, with Bill O’Reilly taking the deepest dive. Sean Hannity posted some of his lowest numbers ever in his new 10:00 pm time slot.” Things are not looking good for the company unless it can swing in some newer, fresher hosts and programming.

According to the Daily Mail, the average viewers at MSNBC and CNN are 60, and the average is 62-64 for the broadcast networks; however, the average viewer of Fox News is not quite the rich, white, Rush-Limbaugh loving man that the liberal bias would have many believe. In Frank Rich’s New York Magazine article, he paints a clearer picture of the typical Fox News viewer:

The million or so viewers who remain fiercely loyal to the network are not, for the most part, and as some liberals still imagine, naïve swing voters who stumble onto Fox News under the delusion it’s a bona fide news channel and then are brainwashed by Ailes’s talking points into becoming climate-change deniers. They arrive at the channel as proud, self-selected citizens of Fox Nation and are unlikely to defect from the channel or its politics until death do them part.

So what does watching Fox News say about you? You lean conservative, you are probably older, and you are typically from a middle-to-upper class household. Still, the station has an audience–maybe not entirely from that coveted advertising swath, but it has one, which is more than some other stations can boast.

CNN

If Fox News is drowning, CNN is already dead in the water when it comes to that key demographic, with only 99,000 viewers in the 25-54 sector in May 2014, according to Politico. Anderson Cooper 360 is still the top program on CNN with an average of 452,000 total viewers, and 145,000 in the key range.

The average CNN viewer, however, isn’t the type of person who will tune in for nightly news broadcasts or scheduled programming. Instead, it is becoming the go-to for hot topics and current events that interest people, such as the recent social justice protests, Ferguson special reports, Ebola, weather emergencies, and presidential addresses.

Still, the station has been doing some reshaping lately to help its numbers and push forward into the next era of broadcast. Brian Stetler explained:

Now, there is some overall shrinking going on. But the better word for what’s happening in media today is “reshaping.” Through layoffs, through cuts, through new investments, “reshaping” for the digital future that really feels more like the digital present. It’s already here. None of this context makes it any easier to say goodbye to our colleagues. In fact, it may make it even harder, because the fact of media, THE fact of media in 2014, is that reshaping of all kinds is going to continue.

So the viewership of CNN is changing, but it’s typical audience remains the same. Mostly liberal, younger but not too young, and transient people who don’t often sit and watch the news on a nightly basis. Still, take a walk around your local mall, sit at the dentist, or walk through an airport, and it is the station you are most likely to see.

MSNBC

MSNBC is one of the newer news channels, founded in 1996, and dedicated to broadcasting news programs 24 hours a day. It is owned by NBC Universal (82 percent) and Microsoft (18 percent), and its sister channels range from CNBC to The Weather Channel. What you see on MSNBC, however, is very different from what you see on the other stations.

One of the more famous programs, The Rachel Maddow Show, is seeing some pretty low ratings this season. The push now is to bring in younger viewers to round out the audience that is growing older fairly quickly. Still, it is considered the go-to network for those who consider themselves politically progressive.

MSNBC is constantly changing, more so than many of the other news stations. It works with viewers, though stays pretty close to its ideals, which many critics say lean too left. Some say that the network is setting itself up as the antithesis of Fox. Most recently, the network has taken a bit of a tumble in the ratings. According to the Huffington Post, MSNBC was down across the board, including declines in the key viewing demographic of nearly 20 percent, and president Phil Griffin vowed to make changes in 2015.

Still, shows like Morning Joe and Hardball with Chris Matthews finished ahead of their time slot competitors on CNN.

News Competitions

Another interesting revelation from Pew:

In one finding that may seem counterintuitive in an era of profound political polarization, significant portions of the Fox News and MSNBC audiences spend time watching both channels. More than a third (34%) of those who watch the liberal MSNBC in their homes also tune in to the conservative Fox News Channel. The reverse is true for roughly a quarter (28%) of Fox News viewers. Even larger proportions of Fox News and MSNBC viewers, roughly half, also spend time watching CNN, which tends to be more ideologically balanced in prime time.

So what does this viewing mean? Here are just a few more statistics from that study to keep in mind as we delve deeper into the individual stations:

• “More than one-quarter (28 percent) of the people who watch Fox News also tune in to MSNBC. An even higher number (34 percent) of MSNBC viewers turn on Fox News.”
• “There is even more crossover viewing when it comes to CNN. Slightly more than half (54 percent) of MSNBC viewers watch CNN, while 44 percent of Fox News viewers tune in to CNN. Healthy segments of the CNN audience also watch Fox News (39 percent) and MSNBC (38 percent).”
• “Overall, five percent of the adult American population watches both MSNBC and Fox News. That is slightly lower than the percentage that watches both CNN and Fox (8 percent) or CNN and MSNBC (also 8 percent).”
• “Despite some crossover, there are also viewers who watch only one of the three cable channels: Fox News Channel narrowly has the largest singularly dedicated audience. About one-quarter of American adults (24 percent) watch only Fox News, 23 percent watch only CNN and 15 percent watch only MSNBC.”

What about local news?

Local news, whether it is for a region or a smaller community, has also taken the backseat when it comes to key viewers. Airtime is a big factor in these problems–local news is often shown when people are coming home from work or sitting down to eat dinner. Fewer people are tuning into these broadcasts–even entertainment ones–choosing instead to watch reruns of other popular shows that air at the same time. Local news, as a rule, reports more on local activities and not just big political events, so those who are tuning in to see that information will go to bigger channels.

News Through Comedy: The Daily Show and Beyond

It may seem obvious that a “replacement” news source for Stephen Colbert would come from his “rival” and the person who preceded his time slot. In fact, he needs no introduction, as Jon Stewart is one of the most trusted faces in media, and his program, The Daily Show, is where Stephen Colbert got his start in the genre. His style takes a bit of getting used to, but give him a second chance before leaving Comedy Central. His ratings are higher than most of the other news outlets, and he does it all with a little bit of humor that “real” news stations cannot get away with. According to the Daily Mail, his show averages 2.3 million viewers per episode, putting him far ahead of others news outlets in not only viewers, but also in that 25-54 range. In fact, The Daily Show is consistently ranked the top late-night news show among the key demographic.

In 2012, a study even found that people who watch The Daily Show are more informed than people who watch Fox News. This could be because the face of The Daily Show isn’t the only person who reports on the show–there are a bevy of people who do humorous investigations. The Daily Show viewers tend also to be more educated, younger, and far more liberal than the audiences of other news sources.

There are other similar shows that have been picking up momentum lately. Most notably, Last Week with John Oliver on HBO has been breaking boundaries and bringing in more and more viewers. Of course, Oliver was a correspondent on The Daily Show, so his segments sometimes emulate Stewart’s, somewhat like Stephen Colbert’s did. In fact, Matthew Jacobs of the Huffington Post named Oliver’s program as 2014’s best television show, stating: “The year’s most surprising contribution to television is a show that bucked conventional formats, left us buzzing and paved the way for a burgeoning dynasty.” Gawker’s Jordan Sargent claimed Last Week Tonight is “the new Daily Show,“ while simultaneously criticizing The Daily Show for abandoning those “who have moved on from caring about Fox [News] and Republicans.”

So what can take the place of Stephen Colbert? Not much. When Stephen signed off, he wasn’t just leaving Comedy Central and satirical news behind, he was leaving behind a character that informed us while making us laugh. Time will only tell; so few thought that Jay Leno could be replaced, but his successor, Jimmy Fallon, has hit his stride to great success.

Conclusion

To get a well-rounded view of any political or social topic, it pays to do the research, find the facts from a variety of sources, and make your own decisions. Don’t shy away from Fox News, but also tune in to The Daily Show. The most important thing is that we consume news and current events through some medium. Sure, we have to understand the biases and we have to contemplate the “spin” on each story; however, it’s important to tune into news on television, as it is often the best way for us to visually learn about any given topic. How we receive our news has changed drastically, but now you can get it at the drop of a hat from many different sources.

Resources

Primary

Pew: How Americans Get TV at Home

Additional

New York Magazine: Stop Beating a Dead Fox

Daily Kos: Fox News Suffers Worst Ratings In Thirteen Years – And That’s Not Their Big Problem

CNN: Reshaping at Major Companies

The Wire: Fox Viewership is Getting Even Older

Politico: May Cable Ratings Spare No One

Media Bistro: October 2014 Ratings

Daily Mail: The average age of Fox News Viewers is 68 and a Majority of Them are Politically Conservative and White

Editor’s Note: This post has been revised to credit select information to Pew. 

Noel Diem

Law Street contributor Noel Diem is an editor and aspiring author based in Reading, Pennsylvania. She is an alum of Albright College where she studied English and Secondary Education. In her spare time she enjoys traveling, theater, fashion, and literature. Contact Noel at staff@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Comedy or Cable: Where Do Americans Get Their News? appeared first on Law Street.

Monday night I was watching Late Night with Seth Meyers  with the hilarious Bill Hader and Representative Nancy Pelosi as his guests. The House Minority Leader is no stranger to late night television, especially in recent months as she has been interviewed not just by Meyers but also by Stephen Colbert and Bill Maher.

One of the agendas Rep. Pelosi talks about in most interviews is her economic plan for women under the slogan, “When Women Succeed, America Succeeds”. I love this for several reasons, but most of all because we have the most powerful woman in American politics promoting equal rights for all genders. She shows that it is not only possible for women to succeed, but also that once they do, they have the platform to promote women’s rights on a larger scale.

My favorite quote of hers from the night was:

“Whether it’s about respect for women, a woman’s right to choose…equal pay for equal work… whether it’s protecting women from domestic violence, violence in the military, violence on the campus; all of it is about one word, and that is respect. The opposite is disrespect, and that’s what we have to fight.”

Nailed it!

Rep. Pelosi is not the only woman in congress promoting women’s rights, but as the first female Speaker of the House and current leader of Democrats in the House, she certainly has a larger following. According to the Center for American Women and Politics however, in 2014 women hold only 18.5 percent of the seats in Congress.

While 18.5 percent is leagues ahead of where women were 50 years ago, it is not very reflective of the American population. Women make up 51 percent of American citizens, yet we hold less than a fourth of the seats in the national government? No wonder women’s rights continue to simmer on the back burner!

The list of excuses for this imbalance is long and varied. Growing up in a conservative small town, I heard numerous insults thrown at women who dared to go for higher political office. They ranged from “Well, women just aren’t interested in politics” (FALSE) to, “If Hillary Clinton wins, I’ll see you all in Canada!” to “Think about what would happen when Aunt Flow comes to town!”

Yes, because every woman would be so emotionally unbalanced during her period days that she would no doubt get mad at some country for a minor slight and end up starting a war.

As silly as some of these sound, they reflect a long-running and deep-set opinion that women are somehow unfit to hold public office. We still see the disconnect between male leaders being “powerful” or “strict” to female leaders being “bitchy” or “emotional.” As Rep. Pelosi so sagely put: “All of it is about one word, and that is respect.“

Look at it this way. On the Forbes list of most powerful women, American politics are hardly represented. Rep. Pelosi shows up, as she should, along with former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and First Lady Michelle Obama.

Representative Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) Courtesy of Shawn via Flickr.

Hillary Rodham Clinton, Courtesy of World Bank Photo Collection/Simone D. McCourtie via Flickr.

First Lady Michelle Obama, Courtesy of Barack Obama/Christopher Dilts for Obama for America via Flickr.

Whether you agree with them or not, all three of these women have been fundamental in promoting women’s health and equality. It should also be noted that all three are part of the Democratic Party. There are definitely women who hold office as conservatives, but in a party notorious for blocking women’s rights, they cannot hope to rise very far.

Many other American women on the list are part of the entertainment, technology, or business industries, and foreign women in politics, including German Chancellor Angela Merkel who ranked number one, outrank American women across the board. Does this show that other countries, especially those in Europe, have a higher respect for women? Absolutely.

Disrespect for female leaders runs deep in American politics, but as those like Pelosi, Clinton, and Obama show, it is possible and necessary for women to keep fighting that disrespect. Our goal should be equality, because without it we will always be considered the lesser sex.

—

Morgan McMurray (@mcflurrybatman) is a freelance copywriter and blogger based in Savannah, Georgia. She spends her time writing, reading, and attempting to dance gracefully. She has also been known to binge-watch Netflix while knitting scarves.

Featured image courtesy of [Nancy Pelosi via Flickr]

Morgan McMurray

Morgan McMurray is an editor and gender equality blogger based in Seattle, Washington. A 2013 graduate of Iowa State University, she has a Bachelor of Arts in English, Journalism, and International Studies. She spends her free time writing, reading, teaching dance classes, and binge-watching Netflix. Contact Morgan at staff@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post It’s All About Respect: We Need More Women In Politics appeared first on Law Street.