the buzz log

Well, that was awkward. "The Daily Show"'s Jon Stewart interviewed CNBC's Jim Cramer on Thursday night. The half-hour back-and-forth managed to be both incredibly uncomfortable and highly entertaining.

After a video introduction that mocked the anticipation of the interview, Stewart began hammering Cramer on his poorly timed financial advice. It only got worse for poor Jim, who looked like a deer in headlights. Stewart repeatedly put Cramer on the spot with clips of the "Mad Money" host in a 2006 interview. In it, the excitable host spoke about manipulating futures trades as a hedge fund manager. Stewart told Cramer that the video made him very angry. Fortunately for Cramer, Stewart did not rip off his shirt and turn into the Incredible Hulk.

As expected, the interview sparked a wave of Search activity. Lookups surged for many of the companies mentioned during the evisceration, with Bear Stearns leading the charge. Also seeing a rise: David Faber, a CNBC host who both Stewart and Cramer agreed was actually doing a good job of reporting the financial crisis.

Bloggers and newspapers had a field day with the interview. Business Insider wrote that Stewart "definitely got the better of his adversary," but noted that Stewart appeared overly serious. Gawker Media wrote that Cramer came across as "absurdly contrite" by "seemingly apologizing for everything CNBC has ever aired." Other sources within the Buzz agreed, writing that the conclusion to "the weeklong feud of the century" was won by the "Daily Show" host.

After the mauling was over and the two shook hands, Stewart closed the segment by turning to camera and saying that he hoped that the interview was just as awkward to watch as it was to partake in. It was, Jon. It really was.