New data reveals why no one in Alabama cares when The Daily Show ridicules the state, and it is because no one is watching. An analysis from The New York Times examining America’s cultural divide examined the most and least popular markets for specific television programs, including the Comedy Central mainstay. According the the numbers, The Daily Show is least popular in Alabama and most popular in San Francisco, Calif.
To draw their conclusions, the analysts at the NYT looked at how many active Facebook users in a given ZIP code “liked” certain TV shows and compared the numbers to different regions throughout the country.
“The Daily Show, Comedy Central’s news satire and talk show, typically has a politically liberal point of view,” the Times’ report reads. “It’s most popular in cities and other more liberal-leaning areas along the coasts. Peak popularity is in San Francisco; it’s least popular in Alabama.”
It is no surprise that Alabama viewers do not tune in to watch TDS. The program, now hosted by Trevor Noah, has an extensive track record of ridiculing and belittling the state for its culture and politics. While Alabama’s liberal sports blog swoons over each insult, Yellowhammer writers have turned down interviews with TDS because the show is simply irrelevant in the state.
TDS’s Alabama bashing has an extensive history, but here are some of the “greatest hits.”
• In 1999, John Stewart jabbed at Alabama’s past by saying “Under [Bill] Clinton’s new budget, Alabama’s waterways would get $95 million dollars. Water has become a crucial issue in Alabama, now that everyone is legally required to drink from the same fountains.”
• In 2003, when the state faced a budget crisis, Gov. Bob Riley (R) made the decision to cut spending instead of raising taxes. While mocking Alabama for being fiscally responsible, Stewart congratulated Alabama for being “first in shoelessness.”
• After it successfully proved to The U.S. Supreme Court that the preclearance mechanism in the Voting Rights Act of 1965 was unconstitutional, Stewart slammed Alabama in 2014 and compared the state government to a sex offender who should have to get approval before moving near a school.
• Stewart made fun of Alabama Congressional Candidate Will Brooke for his ad where he literally shot holes in ObamaCare during the 2014 Republican AL6 Primary. “I wonder if we’ll see any new bill-shooting ads that will out bat-s*** the previous ones?” Stewart asked rhetorically.
• In a segment covering Alabama’s numerous political scandals in 2015, new host Trevor Noah interviewed Roy Wood, Jr., an Alabama native, who said, “Finally, there’s bad news coming out of Alabama, and black people aren’t involved!”
The Daily Show is not alone in poking fun at Alabama. Saturday Night Live recently aired a sketch where an unintelligent Alabama Football player was given preferential treatment by the University because of his on-field value. In reality, athletes for the Crimson Tide perform incredibly well in the classroom, as does the student body in general.
