John Stewart was particularly miffed how the U.S. morning shows went berserk on Julia Roberts -- followed by NBC's broadcasting of some seven-year-old Lady Di tapes.

He was especially amused when the networks credited People Magazine with "breaking the story." (the on-screen graphic for it was Human Gives Birth!). All three major networks managed to get People to provide editors to explain this landmark journalistic achievement.

"All they had to go on was a note from Roberts' publicist and moxie," he deadpanned.

Later, in conversation with NBC anchor-to-be Brian Williams, Stewart wondered how they broke the story: "Did they have an embed in her vagina or something?"

"We don't use the v-word," was Williams' response. He was an amusing guest and was certainly quick on the uptake.

He's also a team player, standing up for NBC spending some of Dateline NBC's time on the lost Lady Di tapes (the on-screen graphic on the Daily Show was Di Another Day - geddit?).

Williams wasn't asked to comment on the irony of Dateline asking the guy who made the tapes available if he felt he was exploiting Lady Di, noting she never gave permission for them to be released.

"Well, she didn't know she was going to die!" he said.

"Well, not that day, anyway," was Stewart's wry observation.

Lady Di fans will be pleased to note that NBC will be back with more Lady Di on Dec. 6!!

Expect them to follow up on stunning revelations like she wasn't that happy with Prince Charlie.

Dateline had last done a Lady Di blowout in late June.

I really do have to get cable. :)

Boo for the Daily Show

On Monday, Stewart and company took on the situation in Ukraine. They tried to play it like ignorant Americans who know nothing about a place and so they make fun of it.

Unfortunately, rather than producing amusing satire, they came across as ignorant pinheads who know nothing about a place and so they make fun of it.

Not one of their better moments.