Dowd: On Colbert, Comedy and Journalism

Last week, Op-Ed columnist Maureen Dowd stated her belief that comedy has its place in journalism. She delivered her remarks at the 2007 Theodore H. White Lecture on Press and Politics at the John F. Kennedy Jr. Forum at Harvard University. From The Harvard Crimson:

”Comedians working in the tradition of English satirist Jonathan Swift have a legitimate place in journalism too, said Dowd, describing an improbable visit to The New York Times newsroom by television satirist Stephen Colbert.

”News and comedy are just right for a new generation unsure about the details of political skirmishes, said Dowd. ‘It’s analogous to Harry Potter getting kids to read.”’

This week MarketWatch senior columnist Jon Friedman criticized Maureen Dowd for having ”beseeched” former Presidential aspirant Stephen Colbert to pen ”I Am An Op-Ed Columnist (And So Can You).” That column is presently the third most emailed opinion article on NYTimes.com.

(image via viacomlocalnetworks)

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