Can Stephen Colbert Break the Late-Night Mold? Can Stephen Colbert Break the Late-Night Mold?
With his version of The Late Show debuting Tuesday, will Colbert stick to the talk-show script or push the boundaries of a tired genre?
Sep 4, 2015 / Geoffrey Baym
Jon Stewart as a Debate Moderator? Yes, Please! Jon Stewart as a Debate Moderator? Yes, Please!
We need more primary and general election debates, featuring more candidates, more issues and bolder moderators.
Aug 21, 2015 / John Nichols
An Epic On-Air Debate 40 Years Ago Marked the Downfall of Television News An Epic On-Air Debate 40 Years Ago Marked the Downfall of Television News
The new documentary The Best of Enemies tells the story of the matchup that spawned the genre of “infotainment.”
Aug 19, 2015 / James Carden
Jon Stewart Showed Us He Could Grow—and America Could, Too Jon Stewart Showed Us He Could Grow—and America Could, Too
He’s spewed false equivalencies, he told Wyatt Cenac to “fuck off” for questioning him on race, but the almost-former host of The Daily Show has shown he can learn.
Aug 6, 2015 / Leslie Savan
Comedians Debate: Is Amy Schumer’s ‘Trainwreck’ Sexist, or the New Feminism? Comedians Debate: Is Amy Schumer’s ‘Trainwreck’ Sexist, or the New Feminism?
The feminist comedian and filmmaker is everywhere—and her fans’ expectations are mounting.
Aug 6, 2015 / Katie Halper
Why I’m Going to Miss Jon Stewart Why I’m Going to Miss Jon Stewart
And how will we watch the GOP debates without him?
Jul 28, 2015 / Editorial / Katrina vanden Heuvel
Serena Williams Is Today’s Muhammad Ali Serena Williams Is Today’s Muhammad Ali
As a political symbol and an athletic powerhouse, Serena Williams is “the greatest” in her sport.
Jul 14, 2015 / Dave Zirin
In the Wake of Charleston, Fox News Is Perplexed on Just What the Confederate Flag and the N-Word Mean In the Wake of Charleston, Fox News Is Perplexed on Just What the Confederate Flag and the N-Word Mean
Are civil rights just an exercise in symbol management?
Jun 29, 2015 / Leslie Savan
‘Orange Is the New Black’ Is Dead Wrong About Disability ‘Orange Is the New Black’ Is Dead Wrong About Disability
Media portrayals that reinforce negative stereotypes about social programs and the individuals helped by them sow the seeds for damaging cuts.
Jun 24, 2015 / Rebecca Vallas
What the Fox Is Going On Between Roger Ailes and Rupert Murdoch’s Sons? What the Fox Is Going On Between Roger Ailes and Rupert Murdoch’s Sons?
Could shifts in Murdoch’s empire mean a kinder, gentler Fox News?
Jun 22, 2015 / Leslie Savan