THANKS DONALD TRUMP

"No problem TC"

No, really, if it wasn't for Donald Trump and his stupidity and disastrous presidency I wouldn't have rediscovered American news television.

"Well fuck you TC!"

Years ago I liked the way that the Americans covered the news. We often saw great news coverage of world events (admittedly the world according to America's view) on our local TV screens. Ground-breaking programmes and clips from ABC, CBS, NBC and others were included in our local (once good) TV One and TV Three news programmes.

Then there was the decline brought about by the popularity of the internet, collapse of traditional newspapers and traditional media and I guess the rise of 'social media'. FOX news, that aberration brought about by the same little gnome who brought about the decline of journalism in the UK took over the popular viewing in USA and Canada and triggered spin-offs of equally bad television journalism from start-up channels and, in New Zealand accelerated the decline of our once proud news services. Kim Kardashian's boobs and big fat arse were considered to be more interesting and important than the reporting of genocide, natural disasters and social upheaval in Africa, Asia and other 'uninteresting' parts of the planet.

This decline went on for about twenty years.

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Then along came Donald

This bloated, narcissistic, poorly educated, racist, xenophobic and unashamed capitalist somehow got to be president of the USA. He had been in the news for years as a bloated, narcissistic, poorly educated, racist, xenophobic and unashamed capitalist but a minority of voters thought he would be the man for them and - due to the totally fucked-up American electoral system - managed to gain the number one spot.

From a New Zealand perspective the American newsworthiness suddenly took an upwards turn. The anti-Trump faction has the 'voice' of the good media - print, radio, television and internet - regardless of the 'Fake News' chant of Trump and has been given a real boost over the last 10 months in having not a windmill to tilt at but a real dragon. It's been really interesting following this (I do it on-line) as both the right and the left attack each other and feed off each other daily fuelled by the ridiculous input from Donald Trump and his ill-advised advisors.

I enjoy watching and reading of the latest disasters on CNN, MSNBC, CNBC, NYTimes, The Guardian and lots of other 'traditional' media.

I also enjoy watching  the satirists who dissect the latest news and re-present it in a funny form.

My favourite is John Oliver:

JOHN OLIVER

Followed by Trevor Noah:

TREVOR NOAH

Then Stephen Colbert:

STEPHEN COLBERT

And then Bill Maher:

BILL MAHER

And lastly Seth Meyer

SETH MEYER

Oliver is the best as he is clever, funny, witty and writes most of his own stuff.

Noah also is clever and witty and if he doesn't write all of his own stuff at least controls it.

Colbert is very funny, clever and witty but on a bigger show is obviously controlled by the producers who insist on the stupid format of previous 'tonight show' programmes.

Bill Maher is sharp and funny but has allowed himself to be 'captured' by a dull format.

Seth Meyer is funny but his writers are crap and default to that 'lowest common denominator' American humour.

All are worth watching though and I try and keep up with all of them while balancing it out with coverage from the 'serious' news reporters.

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For a real laugh though you need to check out FOX news, the alt-right channel that Donald Trump believes in and which spews out the most diabolical untruths and stupidity second only to what christians espouse.

FOX CRAZINESS