Remember that scene in Wayne's World where Wayne makes fun of his TV show's corporate sponsor on camera? Jon Stewart just did that very thing with one of his Daily Show advertisers. Only this is real life, not a movie.
Of course, it helps that this particular advertiser is one of the most controversial mega-corporations in America. The Koch brothers (it's pronounced like "Coke"), the owners of Koch Industries, are notorious for making, what some see as, "shady" political donations. The company was also a recent finalist for "Worst Company in America."
The ad that's been running on various TV networks is believed to be the first time that Koch has ever advertised itself nationwide. On The Daily Show, Stewart offered the Koch brothers a "welcome to the family" message, proposing that their sudden interest in television ads must be part of a campaign to improve their public image.
"Even though you've heard certain things about the Koch brothers, how bad could they be?" joked Stewart. "If they were evil, would a baby agree to appear in their advertisements?" He then went on to show a revised version of the Koch Industries ad, rewritten and edited by The Daily Show staff.
Here's the entire segment.
Yeah, it's funny. And there's plenty of truth in all those jokes. But the fact remains that The Daily Show just blasted one of its own advertisers on national television. Jon Stewart and his crew are no strangers to controversy, but might this have been a step too far.
