Not narrated by the interviewees

This book is odd. Instead of using the audio from the interviews of the Daily Show staff, the interviews were written down and read by a cast of voice actors. This audio book is like listening to a weird Daily Show cover band.

Moreover, the voice actors don't always do a good job of communicating sarcasm, and names are frequently mispronounced. For example, Moe Rocca is constantly referred to as Moe Rowca.

The book itself is a great behind the scenes look, but the production of the audio books was bizarre.

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74 people found this helpful

Worst. Narrators. Ever.

Would you consider the audio edition of The Daily Show (the AudioBook) to be better than the print version?

Any additional comments?

Many moments in the audiobook are actual scenes from the show. Now, sure, I understand that they probably tried - but couldn't - get the audio rights to play the clips. But the way it is handled is not only done poorly, it completely ruins any sense of comic timing or enjoyment of the material. I find myself wincing every time.

When there's a skit, the producers decided to let the worlds. most. precise. and. slowest. talking. narrator. read. the. name. each. time.

So, it goes like this:
....STEPHEN.... COLBERT....
Tonight's topic, Islam vs. christianity, which is right?
..... STEVE .... CARELL...
Islam.
.....STEPHEN.... COLBERT...
Christianity
......STEVE ... CARELL...
Islam.

It's jarring, pointless and the antithesis of what anybody who likes fast-moving, intelligent comedy (ie: fans of the Daily Show) would enjoy.

I love the subject and I'm an avid consumer of audiobooks, but this one has a negative enjoyment factor in it's audio book form.

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64 people found this helpful

Weird choice for an audiobook

I eventually got used to the way this book was structured, but it was really hard to listen to it at first. The problem is that it is not one continuous narrative. It is a whole bunch of people, including John and Steven and every correspondent and writer and producer that has ever worked at the show. So when you are listening to the narrative, it is constantly interrupted by the reader saying the full name of the person who they are about to speak for

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42 people found this helpful

Good Book - Wish Jon would have read for it.

Would you consider the audio edition of The Daily Show (the AudioBook) to be better than the print version?

No - the narrators performed fine BUT it would have been MUCH better if some (Jon in particular) of the folks featured could have narrated their parts, in their voice. I was longing to hear Jon and Stephen and Steven and Sam (etc.) speak for themselves. I understand that would have added incredible complexity to the audio version of the book but this is the first case I have had with an audio book where it would have made a BIG difference.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Daily Show (the AudioBook)?

Hearing from some of the critics of the program - like Glenn Beck and Tucker Carlson.

What about the narrators’s performance did you like?

The storyline and arc of the narrative was great - well done editing!

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25 people found this helpful

For Die-Hards and Left-of-Center Uninitiated

First, the narrators. I just had to ding them for the fact that they are NOT the individuals--Jon Stewart, the many Correspondents, themselves. Sooo very disappointing. But what can you do? They do okay jobs.
What's fun are the many stories I remember from watching the show, hilarious highlights... as performed by narrators. Plus, here we get what happened behind the stage lights, and some of it's not so nice. Interesting.
If you didn't get a chance to see the show all that much, you'll appreciate this. If you saw the show and want to reminisce, you'll appreciate this. If you're open-minded right-of-center? Heck, you'd probably appreciate most of this.
It was nice to revisit the gang

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13 people found this helpful

How respect can great an environment for great work

I've had the pleasure and opportunity to work with groups across the world, and while Jon and the team who out this terrific work together might not have meant it to be this way, this work stands out to me to be a heartfelt story of the struggle to create an environment for learning, growing, and having fun along the way. That it created some of the best moments in our cultural history and developed the talents of so many performers, writers, and back office staff is the icing on what I always saw to be a delicious cake.

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6 people found this helpful

The Truth was Hard to Come By

For several very busy years, when I was working and running kids to and from school, soccer practice and band, my only source of news and entertainment was Jon Stewart’s “The Daily Show.” In a half an hour, after dinner and before baths and reading, I got to hear the major national stories, keep up on politics, and had some laughs. It was my touchstone to an adult life.

I enjoyed listening to “The Daily Show (the Audio Book) An Oral History as told by Jon Stewart, the Correspondents, Staff and Guests” (2016) and learning about how the show developed. I loved the behind the scenes of some major coups that made the show what it became. I was vaguely aware that Senator John McCain appeared as part of his campaign, but I didn’t realize that his appearance took “The Daily Show” from satirical pranksterism to genuine political reporting and commentary.

I’d forgotten some of the reporters/correspondents who appeared over the years. Sure, there are the incomparable and irrepressible Stephen Colbert and Samantha Bee - but I’d forgotten Steve Carrell and the amusing Al Madrigal. I never even knew that Mo Rocca, who I adore on NPR’s “Wait! Wait! Don’t tell me . . .” was a regular. Listening to the Audio Book was a little like going to a reunion of bitingly funny classmates.

I was surprised about how much work went into - and still goes into - the show, especially the admirable amount of fact checking. It would be easy enough to pass off an incorrect story as a comedy skit, but that just doesn’t happen.

I was surprised that the book didn’t particularly work well as an Audio Book. Jon Stewart didn’t read his part, and neither did the other correspondents. That was a little disappointing, but not insurmountable. Where the real problem came in is that there were a lot of direct quotes - it was an oral history, after all - but there wasn’t a way to know from the listen whether someone was being quoted and who it was until the end of the quote. If I’d seen the written version, I would have known from indents and italics; and I could have looked at the end of the quote for the name when I wanted to know ahead of time who was talking. And the aforementioned Mo Rocca? Well, either WBEZ and NPR mispronounce his name every week, or this Audio Book got it wrong when they pronounced it like Almond Roca instead of like “rock-a-bye”.

The title of the review is a quote from Chapter 10, and refers to information provided (or not provided) about the Iraq War.

[If this review helped, please press YES. Thanks!]

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5 people found this helpful

The dirt on Jon Stewart

Pre-review Spoiler: He is just what he seemed to be.

The Daily Show is what I would refer to as "the news". This was a good audio book that was easy to follow and dug into the behind the scenes that I never saw. I found it funny how many times they would talk about an episode and I could replay it in my head. I did miss a few episodes and will probably be to go watch them for better context/more laughs.

The reading was well done and many of the parts were given to appropriate sounding readers. At one point, it actually sounded like Jon Stewart was talking to Samantha Bee. The John Oliver part was less convincing, but it was still well done and nowhere near distracting.

This may actually be the first audiobook that I will listen to more than once.

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5 people found this helpful

Loved it!

Listening to this book was like having a drink with a best friend you haven't seen in years. Well structured and great insight to a great show that changed our society for the better.

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4 people found this helpful

A view inside the Daily Show Machine

An insightful examination of The Daily Show under Jon Stewart's leadership. For 16 years Jon helmed one of the most poignant satires on TV, but he also helped Americans realize that it is their responsibility to question corporations and politicians and hold them accountable. My only wish is that Jon helmed the show for 2 more years. Maybe then the White House would have a different occupant!!

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4 people found this helpful