The Daily Show executive producer, Ben Karlin, spoke at Helen C. White Library Monday morning about his experiences as a writer for Comedy Central’s mock newscast.
Karlin, a University of Wisconsin Communication Arts graduate, was head writer of the Daily Show from 1999 to 2002 before becoming executive producer.
As an undergraduate, Karlin wrote for the Daily Cardinal before becoming involved with the satirical Onion. As editor of the weekly newspaper for two years, he helped bring The Onion to a national level.
The Daily Show did not become instantly popular, but gained a larger audience when John Stewart took over as host for Craig Kilborn in 1999. Karlin said he and Stewart decided to take the show in a new direction.
Karlin described the 2000 election as a “watershed moment” for the show.
“That was a time when the media really kind of dictated what the story was going to be and what it was going to be about,” Karlin said. “It was a really fascinating time for us to watch. That’s when we really started hitting our stride.”
Since the 2000 election, world events like the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, the war in Iraq and now the 2004 presidential election has given the show plentiful substance, according to Karlin.
“People are so much more attuned to what is going on politically and world events-wise … the show depends somewhat on people being informed,” Karlin said. “If you didn’t know something coming into watching our show, you wouldn’t understand.”
Karlin said the show won two Emmys this year for Best Series and Best Writing for a Variety, Music or Comedy, but he takes the awards in stride.
“What’s happening is critics and people who vote on awards … are really saying, 'We are so disappointed in other media we are going to give an award to these people,'” Karlin said.
Karlin responded in typical Daily Show fashion when asked about the interviewing processes he went through before being hired.
“[The interview] was basically just about a drug test — I had to prove that I take drugs,” Karlin joked.
On a serious note, Karlin explained his meeting with Stewart.
“They flew me to New York … and [Stewart and I] went out to dinner — I had pasta,” he said. “It was basically just a conversation … we just talked about sensibility, what we liked about the show and what we didn’t like.”
Carlin said The Daily Show, which airs four nights a week, is different from many news programs in terms of censorship it faces because it is on cable.
“We face zero censorship. That is the amazing thing about being on Comedy Central [and] basic cable,” Karlin said, adding they are a show that is very reputable and respected, as their website claims the show is “the most trusted name in fake news.”
“The network shows are much more fearful of alienating viewers … The [Daily] Show, as it is now, could not be on any network.”
Marc Levy, a UW sophomore and avid fan of The Daily Show, said he found the program’s writing was great and “extremely funny.”
“It’s a fake news show, but it’s so informative,” Levy said, adding making fun of the norm is what gives it its uniqueness.
—Matthew Dolbey contributed to this article
