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It's not easy being a fake newsman in 2010: reality keeps stealing your best material. Take, for example, the argument that Campbell's new line of halal soups is a sign that Shari'a law is infiltrating the U.S. Funny, except that it's an actual argument, made by real-life political bloggers, including the group Tea Party Nation in early October. On the Oct. 11 Colbert Report, faux pundit Stephen Colbert ran with the idea of hostile Muslim food: "Is it any coincidence that bananas are crescent shaped?"

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Faux News

Out of late-night comedy, Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert have emerged as potent voices of social commentary in a media landscape where reasonable discourse is often overshadowed by partisanship and sound bites. In an effort to appeal to moderates, the two fake-news anchors will co-host rallies in Washington D.C. on October 30, 2010, with Stewart hosting the "Rally to Restore Sanity" and Colbert to host the "March to Keep Fear Alive," concurrently at the National Mall.

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Stewart vs. Crossfire

On October 2004, Stewart appeared as a guest on CNN's current events debate show Crossfire and voiced his concerns for the program. "It's not so much that it's bad, as it's hurting America...stop hurting America," Stewart said in reference to the "partisan hackery" that he criticized Crossfire for perpetuating. With Stewart commandeering the live broadcast with his increasingly critical comments, Tucker Carlson, the conservative host for the program, said, "I thought you were going to be funny, come on, be funny." "No, I'm not going to be your monkey," responded Stewart. In January of 2005, CNN cancelled Crossfire in part due to Stewart's on-air criticisms of the program.

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Colbert's Stand

Stephen Colbert is a former "correspondent" for Stewart's show who received his own spin-off series The Colbert Report in 2005. On it he plays a satire of the personality-driven pundits that saturate cable television. In 2006, he was invited to provide entertainment at the annual White House Correspondents' Association dinner, but the guests and the President received more than they expected. In character, Colbert roasted the press corps for being uncritical of the administration and the President for staging photo ops. While Colbert only received uneasy rounds of muffled laughter at the actual dinner, the video of his performance became a viral hit online.

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Mad Times

Jim Cramer, the host of CNBC's Mad Money financial television program, expected a light ribbing during his appearance on The Daily Show in March 2009. Instead, he walked into an assault about his and CNBC's roles in the walk-up to the 2008-09 financial meltdown.

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Colbert Goes to Iraq
In June 2009, Colbert did a we
ek's show in character for troops stationed in Iraq aiming to call attention to an overshadowed war. Colbert's over-the-top personality was matched by the venue — one of Saddam Hussein's garish former palaces. However, despite Colbert's penchant for theatrics, no one ever expected him to have his iconic haircut shaved off by General Ray Odierno in an act of solidarity for the troops.

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The Stewart Factor

Jon Stewart has maintained, for years, a friendly rivalry with Bill O'Reilly, the host of Fox's The O'Reilly Factor, with Stewart repeatedly accusing Fox News of spinning a proconservative, anti-Obama narrative. The two hosts have appeared as guests on each other's respective shows on several occasions.

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