TV Guide

Two cheers for satirical media: Julian Sanchez gives props to Daily Show correspondent Mo Rocca, and Brian Dunaway pronounces Jon Stewart brighter than Richard Perle. In other comedy news, Bill Maher’s demotion to pay cable has made him much easier for those of us in the paycheck-to-paycheck crowd to ignore. (By the way, Justin’s ode to Politically Incorrect is funnier than anything you’ll ever hear Maher say.)

Unfortunately, the universe’s drive toward equilibrium has brought Dennis Miller back from the dead, if CNBC counts for resurrection, anyway. His “decidedly intellectual brand of comedy” consists almost entirely of references to sports, ’70s television, B movies, and books you should have read in high school, but don’t worry: he won’t pull his allegedly razor-sharp wit on Dubya.

In case you’re wondering in what cultural context Miller passes for genius, take a look at Comedy Central’s Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn. Quinn, a brain-damaged tough guy who can’t read cue cards, leads a panel of stand-up “comedians” in nightly discussions of world events. Imagine Politically Incorrect with four cokeheads instead of the standard three. Or National Review‘s The Corner minus the prep school finish.

That’s your television roundup. Now quit thinking and turn on that tube! Don’t let the terrorists win!