they want their comedy

Stewart and Colbert back on the air. One thumbs-up and one thumbs-down:

It’s not unusual, when a problem or subject consumes us, to assume everyone is as consumed as we are. But when you’re being paid to entertain, the least you can do is put some effort into making your obsessions amusing.

Stewart’s goal, instead, was to educate us on the union’s goals, with a side lesson on what he apparently sees as the union’s unfair treatment of The Daily Show. Even if viewers were interested — and my guess is most viewers have no great interest in the strike beyond “when will it end?” and “what’s going to happen to 24?” — couldn’t it wait until after the primary was over?

Generally, The Daily Show is the better of the Comedy Central duo, but last night, the prize went to The Colbert Report.