Jon Stewart returned to The Daily Show early to helm the Comedy Central show’s first episode following the suspension of fellow late-night host Jimmy Kimmel.
Returning to the show (video below) several days before his usual Monday slot at the desk, Stewart threw his audience a curveball: Showing what The Daily Show would be like in a President Trump-controlled media world. The set’s background changed to a gaudy gold, Stewart played the role of an obsequious and cowed host who is terrified of saying the wrong thing on air (not entirely unlike how his former TDS colleague Stephen Colbert would play a right-wing character on the show).
“We have another fun, hilarious, Administration-compliant show,” Stewart said. “We’re coming to you tonight from a real shithole, the crime-ridden cesspool that is New York City. It is a tremendous disaster like no one’s ever seen before. Some of the National Guard should invade this place, am I right?”
Stewart later turned to the topic of Kimmel, though avoided saying his name properly as if not allowed to speak it.
“Now, some naysayers may argue that [the Trump] Administration’s [free] speech concerns are merely a cynical ploy, a thin gruel of a ruse, a smoke screen to obscure an unprecedented consolidation of power and unitary intimidation; principle-less and coldly antithetical to any experiment in a constitutional republic governance,” Stewart said. “Some people would say that. Not me, though, I think it’s great.”
Rather than attacking Disney/ABC for their decision to suspend Jimmy Kimmel Live! over Kimmel’s (rather difficult to precisely interpret if you really look at them) comments about suspected Charlie Kirk assassin Tyler Robinson, Stewart instead focused on pointing out the ways in which conservatives have been hypocritical on the subject of free speech and treating political rivals kindly.
“Even before this ‘Jason Kringle’ situation at ABC, there were plenty of other people in America exercising their free speech incorrectly,” Stewart said. “So here’s some examples of things you cannot say about your political opponents.”
Stewart then played a series of clips of right-wing figures saying how you can’t call your political rivals Nazis and fascists and “enemies of the state” and view people as being “less than human.” Then Stewart played Trump calling people fascists, “enemy of the state” and calling people “animals.”
“You know what?” Stewart then said. “It’s not really about the specific words. It’s about having a basic sense of humanity.” Stewart showed a clip of vice president J.D. Vance declaring, “People on the political left are much likelier to defend and celebrate political violence, this is not a both sides problem.”
Then Stewart played clips of conservative figures and Fox News hosts mocking Nancy Pelosi’s husband for being assaulted with a hammer in 2022. One of the Fox News pundits was future Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. “There were consequences [to saying that]!” Stewart said. “This gentleman had to leave television. I’m not sure where he went, but I’m sure it’s not some prestigious, consequential position he’s not remotely qualified for.”
Check out Stewart’s monologue below. If it seems a bit of a slog and less funny and barbed than usual, well, that’s probably the point.