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Jon Stewart’s Satire on N. Korea goes Viral in China (Fisher)

Juan Cole 04/09/2013

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The intrepid Max Fisher of WaPo reports that Jon Stewart’s Daily Show satire of North Korea’s menacing statements went viral in China, garnering 2.3 million hits!

This news seems to me wonderful in every way. That Chinese youth know where to get real news is most excellent. That China’s new President Xi Jinping allowed the satire to become so popular is a good sign; humor and authoritarianism don’t usually mix, as Egypt’s President Muhammad Morsi is demonstrating in bothering Egypt’s version of Jon Stewart, Bassem Youssef. China has a poor record on freedom of speech, but one always hopes for positive change from a new generation. And that Kim Jong Un is widely treated with contempt and mirth rather than the respect and fear he covets is all to the good.

This is the Daily Show episode that went mega viral:

The Daily Show with Jon Stewart
Get More: Daily Show Full Episodes,Indecision Political Humor,The Daily Show on Facebook

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About the Author

Juan Cole is the founder and chief editor of Informed Comment. He is Richard P. Mitchell Professor of History at the University of Michigan He is author of, among many other books, Muhammad: Prophet of Peace amid the Clash of Empires and The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam. Follow him on Twitter at @jricole or the Informed Comment Facebook Page

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