Jon Stewart responded to Wednesday’s attack on satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo that killed 12 on “The Daily Show,” offering a reflective response on what comedy should be.
“I know very few people go into comedy as an act of courage, mainly because it shouldn’t have to be that,” Stewart said. “It shouldn’t be an act of courage, it should be taken as established law. But those guys at Hebdo had it and they were killed for their cartoons.”
Stewart sent his condolenses to the families of the 12 victims: cartoonists, journalists, and police officers. As TheWrap reported, one suspect surrendered Wednesday night while two remain at large.
He then pivoted to the bigger picture that comes into focus after this type of attack on comedy and freedom of the press.
“A stark reminder that for the most part the legislators and journalists and institutions that we jab and ridicule are not in any way the enemy,” he continued. “For however frustrating or outraged the back and forth can become it’s still back and forth, a conversation amongst those on let’s call it ‘Team Civilization.’ And this type of violence only clarifies that reality.”
1998: Novelist Salman Rushdie received death threats after the publication of his book "The Satanic Verses," which was seen by some Muslims as insulting to Muhammad.
2004: Dutch filmmaker Theo van Gogh angered Muslims with his film "Submission," which was critical of the way women are treated in Islam. He was murdered by Dutch-Moroccan Muslim Mohammed Bouyen.
2005: The Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten published a number of controversial cartoons depicting the Islamic prophet Muhammad, leading to protests and violent demonstrations in some Muslim countries.
2011: CBS journalist Lara Logan was beaten and sexually assaulted while covering the celebrations in Egypt's Tahrir Square over the resignation of Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak.
2014: After being threatened by Israelis in Sderot, CNN's Diana Magnay caused an uproar by calling them "scum" on Twitter. Magnay was then pulled off of her assignment near the Gaza border and reassigned to Moscow.
2013: Al Jazeera journalists Peter Greste, Mohamed Fahmy and Baher Mohamed were arrested and later convicted in Egypt of aiding and abetting the Muslim Brotherhood, receiving prison sentences ranging from seven to 10 years. While an Egyptian court has accepted the trio's appeal, the journalists were not released on bail, meaning they'll remain imprisoned until their retrial.
2014: The theatrical release of the comedy "The Interview," which depicted an assassination plot against North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, was temporarily canceled after Sony suffered a massive cyberattack, in which North Korea reportedly played a part.
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From Salman Rushdie to “The Interview,” speaking one’s mind can be dangerous