Count Paul Ryan among the legions of Jon Stewart admirers in the U.S. While it’s unclear just how much Ryan actually watches “The Daily Show,” what is clear is the vice presidential contender is on the record as having called Stewart the funniest man in America. At least, he said that in 2011 when he was asked to name who he thought was the funniest person in the country.

Said Ryan: “This may sound funny coming from me, but I’d say Jon Stewart.” The Wisconsin congressman added that he thought jokes at his expense were “tastefully” done. (Like, perhaps, this clip from April 2011 when Stewart suggests that Ryan’s budget plan would decrease Medicare spending by using machines to bludgeon elderly people to death with Ayn Rand novels.)

So Paul … does this mean we can expect a visit to “The Daily Show” and a sit-down interview with your favorite funny man in the near future?

— Posted by Tracy Bloom.

The Huffington Post:

Although he is known as an extremely conservative politician, Ryan has gotten off relatively easy by “Daily Show” standards. In episodes where Stewart joked about Ryan’s budget plan last summer, he also poked fun at the media fawning of Ryan’s good looks, calling him a “Wisconsin dreamboat” and the head of the “Hunk Budget Committee.”

Ryan has yet to go on “The Daily Show,” but hopefully, we’ll see him as a guest on his favorite comedy show during this election season.

Read more

Your support is crucial…

With an uncertain future and a new administration casting doubt on press freedoms, the danger is clear: The truth is at risk.

Now is the time to give. Your tax-deductible support allows us to dig deeper, delivering fearless investigative reporting and analysis that exposes what’s really happening — without compromise.

During this holiday season, stand with our courageous journalists. Donate today to protect a free press, uphold democracy and ensure the stories that matter are told.

SUPPORT TRUTHDIG