Thanks for keeping it classy, Jon Stewart

I like The Daily Show with Jon Stewart as much as the next guy. Heck, probably even more because more and more polls these days report that "the next guy" is a total moron. But anyhoo...

Last night I was watching Jon Stewart with my hubby and laughing as usual. Even though the humor is leftwingist and usually happily pokes fun at the latest Republican faux pas, its intelligently written and John and I enjoy watching it for the most part. We're only fiscally conservative. The rest we can laugh at. Topic change and Stewart starts "reporting" on the release of John McCain's recent medical records.

"First, the records were made available for three hours, and could not be taken out of the room. Second, no internet or cell phones were allowed. Third, if you left the room for anything but a bathroom break, you were not allowed to return. And fourth, well, I think that's entirely reasonable [on screen: rule #4: No Masturbating]. I think that, actually, that one was necessary. I'm looking at you, Brit Hume."

Okay...taking a jab at notoriously teflon reporter Brit Hume was pretty funny. Genius, really. He goes on to make fun of the various items McCain was treated for in the last eight years. Ha ha, we're still laughing along. But this is when it got weird for me.

Stewart reaffirms his respect for the Senator, then starts in on McCain's "unremarkable buttocks," which is what a dermatologist calls an area of skin where there are no problems. Stewart goes on and on about how McCain's buttocks are indeed remarkable, shows doctored clips of McCain slapping his ass while on the show, Stewart pulls out a ginormous drawing of a pink butt--in watercolor I presume--and starts drawing freckles on it...it just went on and on.

I know some of you are snickering at the thought of this, or maybe you saw the show and thought it was pretty darn funny, but it literally made me very sad for a myriad of reasons. First, I know Jon Stewart and his writers are far better at writing The Funny than this. Second, I always considered The Daily Show to be in a more cerebral niche than the low brow humor it was at this moment. It also made me very sad to think that they were making fun of someone's medical documents who just happened to be a P.O.W. for years, who served this country and should have the genuine respect of all of us Americans...whether you end up voting for him in November or not, he's earned that respect. Period.

Maybe I wasn't in the mood for this type of base Howard Stern-type antics. I just wanted something amusing but intelligent so my brain doesn't totally go to mush talking about Spongebob to pre-schoolers all day. I thought Jon Stewart had that covered for me. I shouldn't have assumed so much. Because you know what happens when you assume...