Posted: Thu., Jan. 15, 2009, 1:51pm PT

The Comedy Writer: Rob Kutner

What if 'BSG' had a 'Daily Show'?

By

Kutner
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THE DECIDER: BSG's hapless president Baltar was spared satire.
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There are numerous reasons why the "Battlestar Galactica" crew is appealing to a "Daily Show" writer. We, too, are always looking ahead, obsessed with sexy robots, and work under spotty fluorescent lighting. But mostly, we have each spent the past few years gazing into a dark abyss and trying to make sense of it.

As thorny topics like national security vs. liberty, terrorism, bioethics, and religious horndogs with great hair have filled the airwaves, Ron Moore & Co. have repeatedly found ways to attack them in a sidelong fashion -- the same way we try to do so. Granted, we're a bit more direct, but ultimately, our common goal is not to preach or teach but to entertain -- with the real world as the throbbing veins beneath. And I do mean "throbbing."

In fact, sometimes when I'm tripping hard on chamalla and ambrosia, I wonder what would happen if our shows collided. If, say, there were a specially designated political satire ship in the Colonial. Let's call it "The Aristophanes." Imagine what they could do with the Baltar administration. Under a title "New Caprican't," the fake news anchor (who, to fully commit to the idea, could actually be a Cylon) announces that, due to rationing, all chemicals for the colony are to be channeled directly into the president's veins. "In other news, Starbuck is now entering her fourth month being immobilized by #2. It's called bran, Kara. Look into it."

On second thought, maybe it's better we keep our worlds separate.

Rob Kutner is a writer for "The Daily Show With Jon Stewart."