Earth to Stewart: Don’t go soft

Paul Giamatti was on “The Daily Show With Jon Stewart” the other night. M. Night Shyamalan, who directed Giamatti’s latest starring effort, “The Lady in the Water,” was on just a few days ago.

Both segments were … disappointing.

Not that Stewart isn’t above shilling for Hollywood. Politics aside, he is an entertainer first.

It’s just that I don’t like it when he ignore politics. Sad as it may be, “The Daily Show” is about the only popular answer to Fox News and right-wing radio that exists. So it’s nice when Stewart interviews authors and polticians, even the conservative ones he tends to coddle. Or worse.

With Colin Powell, for example, Stewart seemed intimidated. With Rick “ ‘man on child, man on dog’ sex” Santorum he simply choked.

With others, though, he comes across as quick, smart and prepared. And he’s pretty good at spotlighting hypocrisy, not to mention outright dishonesty, for what it is, whether the person in his sights is from the right, left or whatever direction the wind is blowing.

Anytime he clowns around with the likes of Giamatti, it’s an opportunity wasted.