Jon Stewart, who hosts satirical news programme, The Daily Show, slammed former hedge fund manager and television financial guru, Jim Cramer, for talking up Bear Stearns shares just days before the investment bank collapsed.

Footage of Mr Cramer, who presents a financial advice programme called Mad Money, showed the expert a few days before the bank folded, exclaiming: “Should I be worried about the liquidity of Bear Stearns and get my money out of there? No, no, no – Bear Stearns is fine. Bear Stearns is not in trouble.” 

Mr Cramer responded to the clips of himself, claiming: “I could run tapes of Warren Buffett and make him look like a complete fool – this is a terrible market.”

However, the TV comic was not yet finished and called Mr Cramer onto The Daily Show for an interview, where he fixed the normally-spirited presenter with a series of angry and uncomfortable questions. “You knew what the banks were doing… For now to pretend that this was some sort of crazy, once-in-a-lifetime tsunami that nobody could have seen coming is disingenuous at best and criminal at worst.” Mr Stewart said.

The interview has been an online sensation, watched by millions, including President Obama, some reports say.

Jon Stewart has previously ridiculed financial gurus, comparing listening to their inside views on Wall Street to watching a weather report during a hurricane, with the presenters asking why it’s so wet and windy.