General

Re: Top Shills on TV

Jargon — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 01:08:56 GMT

i would actually say that Glenn Beck and Cenk Uygur are not shills. GB's got a boner for Israel, only out of normalcy bias methinks, and Cenk is warming to Dr. Paul. I also would say that Neil Cavuto is not a shill. Chris Wallace... worst type of shill.

Re: Top Shills on TV

Bert — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 00:37:39 GMT

As far as comedians go most of them (the ones who's name gets known outside of touring comedy clubs) generally have a left leaning attitude (with the exception of Dennis Miller who's simply a neo-con). People like Jon Stewart, Jay Leno, David Cross, and even Stephen Colbert (who's just the conservative spin off parody of Stewart) are more likely to sugar coat the truth with leftist (or even corporate) rhetoric in their act.

As far as big time stand up comedians go who'll touch on social/cultural topics Louis C.K. is the only [contemporary/living] one who really stands out to me. The greats like George Carlin and Bill Hicks generally had the anti-establishment stance (only time Hicks got "statist" was on his gun control bit).

I generally cringe when a comedian gets political now and actually tries to form a serious position on stage.

Re: Top Shills on TV

John Ess — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 17:52:19 GMT

"Jay Leno isn't a shill either. Comedians can't afford to be."

As Bill Hicks said, he was a shill for Doritos, NBC, and the whole attitude of dumbing America down for money and the elites.

He used to be a totally different comedian in the early eighties and late seventies; in fact, one of the top comedians. No more. Today is just total lowest common denominator stupidity.

Re: Top Shills on TV

FascistSoup — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 16:36:13 GMT

Anderson Cooper is a CIA asset.

Re: Top Shills on TV

John James — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 15:24:11 GMT

Libre:

What is "critical partisanship"?

The pundit is often critical of their side. For example, an uncritical columnist would be Paul Krugman, unfailing support for the Democrats.

I don't quite see how simply sometimes being critical of a political party you essentially completely agree with makes you "definitely not" a salesman for that party. But Marko makes the larger point.

Either way it makes me cringe to see the names "Anderson Cooper" and "Jon Stewart" under a heading that says "Definitely Not Shill". In my view it discredits the whole project.

Re: Top Shills on TV

Libre — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 15:23:11 GMT

You pressume you can only be a shill for the Democrats or the Republicans. But actually you can be a "critical partisan" and stil shill for the warfare-welfare state.

Au contraire, you presume that I presume. This thread is solely concerned with self-professed Democrats and Republicans. Of course you can still be a shill for anything and not be a Democrat or Republican, but this isn't what this thread is about.

Re: Top Shills on TV

Marko — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 15:11:24 GMT

You pressume you can only be a shill for the Democrats or the Republicans. But actually you can be a "critical partisan" and stil shill for the warfare-welfare state.

Re: Top Shills on TV

Libre — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 15:10:11 GMT

What is "critical partisanship"?

The pundit is often critical of their side. For example, an uncritical columnist would be Paul Krugman, unfailing support for the Democrats.

Re: Top Shills on TV

James — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 14:52:58 GMT

Sorry, I meant good comedians.

Re: Top Shills on TV

John James — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 14:43:59 GMT

What is "critical partisanship"?

Re: Top Shills on TV

Praetyre — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 13:43:00 GMT

Uygar and Coulter, in all fairness, have been warming up to Ron Paul as of late. I would also add Stewart and Leno to the non-shill Democrat list, though I'm not a regular watcher of either, so perhaps what I've heard secondhand from fans has given me a false impression. Glenn Greenwald and Gabriel Kolko aren't so much Democrats but radical left wingers, but they definitely aren't shills either. Much as I hate to give them publicity, you might want to mention Neal Boortz and Larry Elder under the Republican shill category as well, and Dan Rather and Rachel Maddow for the Democrats.

Re: Top Shills on TV

Libre — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 12:52:28 GMT

Comedians can't afford to be.

Very good point. That's why Bill Maher ain't a comedian.

Re: Top Shills on TV

James — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 12:50:07 GMT

Put Jon Stewart on the 'not a shill' list.

In the court of the damned, only the jester gets to tell the truth.

Jay Leno isn't a shill either. Comedians can't afford to be.

Re: Top Shills on TV

Libre — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 12:30:53 GMT

Done, but I don't think I can put Stewart in either Democrats or Republicans. I don't think he is particularly partisan.

Re: Top Shills on TV

Evilsceptic — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 12:26:42 GMT

Put Jon Stewart on the 'not a shill' list.