NEWS YOU CAN USE: Don’t Ever Appear On The Daily Show.

It’s unacceptable to lie to interview subjects — especially members of the public, who probably do not have PR flacks and image consultants to assist them.

This appears to be something of a standard practice for “The Daily Show” when interviewing its ideological opponents. It is not good journalistic practice, which is why so many millennials should take Jon Stewart at his word and not treat the show as news. However, I’m sure millennials will continue to do so, and the show’s producers will continue to supply them with dubious antics, so here’s a guide for people who do not share the show’s politics but are considering going on it anyway:

Don’t.
If you must, bring two tape recorders, a video camera and a witness. Announce at the beginning that you are going to record this and reserve the right to release the entire recording to the public. When they tell you that they will not do the interview under those conditions, prepare to leave. There is no ethical reason that a reporter requires the ability to ask you questions without having those questions recorded. The reason they don’t want unedited audio is that you might release it and be revealed as a normal decent person, rather than a horrible fool.

They may attempt to get you to stay by explaining that recording will interfere with their equipment. This is the point where you whip the video camera out of your bag and helpfully offer to videotape the interview instead. Do not, under any circumstances, allow yourself to be alone in a room with the producers and no recording device.

Seriously, don’t go on “The Daily Show.” They control the format, the questions and the editing process.

Yeah, also don’t watch it. And buying from their sponsors is a dubious proposition. Stewart is a Democratic operative masquerading as an entertainer. No more, no less. And, as with Stephen Colbert, his audience is dwarfed by Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. “So on a good day, maybe 1% of the American people watch those who have been crowned ‘America’s Satirists.’ The only thing is that this whole ‘America’s Satirist’ thing is a hustle — a false reality created by the elite media around a couple of elite, millionaire, speech-policing leftists; and it has nothing whatsoever to do with … the people.”

Related thoughts from Ed Driscoll, who also notes that I was ahead of the curve on this bring-your-own-camera stuff.