Jon Stewart fans, this blog post is for you. In case you missed The Daily Show this past Monday, June 15, take note. The show ran a Samantha Bee segment on the idea of Long Island becoming its own state.
After telling the audience that Long Island is located "10 miles from Manhattan or three-and-a-half hours by car," (while showing a shot of LI traffic), Samantha Bee interviewed Suffolk County legislator Edward Romaine, New York State Senator Carl Marcellino and three muscle-bound men in a Long Island bar.
Some people find the segment to be extremely funny, but others may be offended by what they consider condescending tones and an attempt to brand Long Islanders as less than intellectual.
What do you think? If you haven't seen the segment, go to Jon Stewart's The Daily Show and then leave a comment here.
Comments
Hi Linda.
It’s just another reason for seceding from the disgraceful United States.
In the latest skit by The Daily Show, it appears that Samatha Bee knows as much about Long Island as the three matriotic studs she maligned at a bar. Interestingly enough, I was contacted by The Daily Show as well, but they never called me to tape anything. I think they chickened out with me because in the telephone conversation they realised I wasn’t an idiot, and one of the articles I wrote, and that was mentioned in that conversation, probably gave certain clues about that. I would have never put up, for instance, with Samatha Bee’s anti-Long Island rhetoric like the Long Island politicians did. Actually I’m surprised they even allowed the uttering of profanities, and about their very constituents, in their public offices.
The way I see it, this is even bad comedy, because besides being scurrilous, it also takes pot shots at only 7.6 million people.
Never mind the fact that Long Island has produced a recent Nobel Prize winner for economics. Never mind the fact that 11 out of 40 US 2004 Westinghouse Finalists were from Long Island. That’s not in the “marinara sauce” according to Samatha Bee.
And these pot shots are not coming only from Americans or Manhattanites, by the way.
Another reason for completely seceding from the United States was provided recently by the Canadian newspaper The Globe and Mail. In an article of 18 May 2009 entitled “If Long Island secedes, we’ll miss the Gotti jokes”, Simon Houpt reads like Victoria Gotti represents all Long Islanders. We already have a serious problem with taxation, and virtually no representation, but does Victoria Gotti represent you and you family? Did we vote for her? Do you believe this is a fair characterisation of all Long Islanders, or is this racism?
If a similar characterisation had been printed in the Canadian paper about the French, do you believe France would have responded by sitting on its fanny, as Washington in fact does, who takes our money and then shows no accountability for its use, or do you believe they would have called the Canadian Ambassador in Paris to vigorously protest? I think the answer to that question would be obvious to anyone.
Thanks for your insightful comments, Cesidio. I do tend to think the skit characterized all Long Islanders as beer guzzling and uninformed –albeit in the name of humor.
Does anyone else have an opinion on the skit on The Daily Show? Did anyone laugh along, or did you feel offended?
We’d love to hear your opinion.
Linda
I think it was all done in good fun, we can’t laugh when they make fun of southerners and red state’ers then get bent out of shape the one time they pick on us. I’ve lived on long island most of my life and like most americans know its an affluent very well educated population. More so than brooklyn, queens, staten island and the bronx. I guess when you’re parked 10 miles away from the greatest metropolis on earth (Manhattan) you may occasionally be the butt of a few jokes. Lets not take it so seriously.
Good point, John. You’re right, the Island does have an affluent, well-educated population, as you said. And Jon Stewart’s show does tend to be about wild satirical stereotypes.
Anyone else think this was funny or just over-the-top insulting?
Linda
The whole discussion of secession, whether from the State of New York, or the United States, is silly hypothetical musing. First, state boundaries are ultimately determined by the U.S. Congress, and they would never approve a split-up. Nevermind the additional fact, that Long Island as a separate state is just not viable from either an economic or political perspective. Second, no state may secede from the Union. We had a Civil War long ago, which settled that question. If the “educated” Long Islanders want to fight another Civil War (Gee, it’s starting to sound like scary backwoods Texas or Alabama with some of these crazy Long Island secessionists), they are welcome to do so. They will be crushed by the U.S. Armed Forces and blown to bits. Instead of engaging in political theater and saber rattling, how about participating in the political system and pushing through whatever reforms are necessary. I know, THAT actually takes real work, while making idle threats to secede is done rather easily. I have family on Long Island and know many lovely people who live there, fortunately, these secessionist nut-jobs do NOT represent the majority of people on Long Island.
I thought it was absolutely hysterical. Samantha’s gestures and facial expressions were hilarious.
I was born and raised on Long Island, however have lived elsewhere for the last 20 years.
Lighten up New Yorkers – it was a funny skit!!!
(ps – I am very proud of my Long Island roots)
Maria,
Thanks for your comment. I do know that a lot of people love Long Island, yet found this spoof very funny.. and apparently, you’re one of them. Sometimes it’s a good idea to step back and laugh at ourselves.
Thanks again!
Linda
It was a funny skit, though seriously outdated stereotype. Looking at blog comments on other sites, people think that way about most of Long Island. Maybe they would be nutty if they had to pay 10K+ taxes a year to leave in a 70 year old 2br house with no backyard? We pay just under Manhattan’s taxes and real estate values (the other boroughs pay 2-4 grand a year so they can’t whine), yet Long Island has no respect. Imagine if we all stopped paying – NYC and Upstate New York would be finished in 3 months!
Of course I’m just a Long Islander, I could be wrong…
Jon…I adore your show…you’re too good to waste your talent on t.v. ; howerer , I would otherwise be deprived of your presence…I felt the necessity to point out to you the absolute pleasure of observing our President on february 25 th during the health summint when he engaged John McCain and then he dismissed him…I would so love to see you do a bit on this…no one could do it better