The Daily Show: Ears Edition - After the Cut - 2025 Part 1

Episode Date: May 3, 2025

Check in with The Daily Show hosts as they connect with the studio audience after the cameras cut. Except for the part about the cameras cutting. They never cut. We're always watching... Jon Stewart shares about the humiliation of losing a Super Bowl bet. Ronny Chieng is visited by Bill Murray to celebrate getting American citizenship. Michael Kosta explains why he's hobbling around the set, and opens up about his road to hosting The Daily Show. Jon bleeds for comedy... again. Jordan Klepper talks about finding common ground with Trump Supporters. And Jon digs in on why the F-word (fascism) matters, and offers some words of wisdom from his years at the desk.   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

You all saw the heiress tour. Now it's time to go backstage. Discover the story behind the phenomenal heiress tour in Taylor Swift, The End of an Era, on Disney Plus. This illuminating docu-series lifts the curtain on Taylor's life as her tour made headlines and thrilled fans around the world. Experience never-before-seen footage in this streaming event for the eras, including the final show in Vancouver.

Taylor Swift, the end of an era. Streaming now only on Disney Plus. Get to know yourself and your roots better with Ancestry DNA. Want to know where your family comes from in northern France? Maybe you'd like to see how your genes influence certain traits like diet, fitness, and allergies. There's so much of you and your heritage to discover. Visit Ancestry.ca and get started with an AncestryDNA kit today. You're listening to Comedy Central.

Was there a moment of empathy that stuck out with you at one of those rallies? A moment of empathy? Yeah. That stuck out with me? Something like time. No, that is a good question. You know what? There is one of the last route, well, not even left, this last election cycle.

cycle. I went to a rally in Green Bay, Wisconsin. And it was terrible weather. We were talking to people in the morning. And as I was talking to people, there's this guy who dresses in a brick suit suit. It's a bespoke suit that looks like Trump's wall. And he has a handlebar mustache and he dresses like the wall. And he's one of the first people in line. And Trump often brings him up on stage. So he's a mini celebrity there. And he started hounding us at this rally. And he was live streaming and he was saying fuck these guys don't talk to these guys these guys are fake news and to be fair he's right but he sort of trolled us for for hours that day he literally took out a phone and he stuck it into a wall he's obsessed with walls to try to capture something our crew was

on a smoke break and he wanted to try to capture something to get them in trouble and it was a long hellish day of filming and it was a snowstorm and so we rushed to the airport and we got snowed into Green Bay, Wisconsin for the night, because we usually try to leave. And so we stay in Green Bay. And the next day, we all leave on different flights. And I go to the airport alone, and I show up at the airport, and my flight is delayed three and a half hours.

And who is there? But brick suit, man. And this is the Green Bay Airport, so nobody else is there. And he looks at me, and he says, do you want to talk? And obviously, I'm like, no, I don't want to talk. This is a nightmare. And this is before I'm traveling with four security guards. And Real Talk Security Protocol has changed since the story.

But I sat down with him. And for the first half hour, we're all sort of feeling each other out. But then once we got past this fear, his fear that, like, I got a camera crew trying to catch him. And my fear that he's trying to have some sort of gotcha moment with me as well. We started talking about shit. I started to learn about him. He started to learn about me. I asked him about things I thought were BS about Donald Trump.

He was open and vulnerable about the things and the weaknesses he saw. saw in Donald Trump, like, there wasn't a middle ground that we found, but there was a softening in those relations. And I'd like to tell you that, like, brick suit guy was crazy, and he's not. He was a smart guy. He was an ideological guy. He was a conservative guy, more libertarian, loved to be a shit poster on the internet, but he wasn't an idiot.

We talked for three and a half hours. And as we walk, we literally get on the plane. We walk, we're talking all the way up to get on the plane, and I show my ticket to the ticket take her. And she goes, oh, you're in an exit row. And I'm like, oh, and I'm like, she says, do you accept the responsibilities to be in the exit row? And I say, yes, I do. And then I turn to a brick suit guy and I say, I hope this f***inges you out. And then you know what happens? He laughs. And to me, that is, that is the whole thing. Like, he wasn't offended. He didn't take it personally. He found humor in that moment. And I'm like, I find optimism in that. I don't know.

how to recreate three and a half hours in a Green Bay airport with a nemesis of yours. But I know that, like, there's a softening when you remove the cameras, when you move the fear, that this conversation isn't just transaction for a got you moment, but an actual conversation about the things that you care about and things you're unsure about. I think that kind of vulnerability, that kind of uncertainty is paramount in any kind of situation that you hope to find any kind of humanity or common ground. And so I think that is there. I don't think we live in a media environment

that cultivates that situation. But I think we are humans that necessitate it. And so that has not been erased by Donald Trump, but it has been pushed to the sides of the conversation. And so if we can find a way to allow that conversation to not exist only on the periphery, but somewhere in our own lives, I think we're going to get through that. Cool?

Let's do some end. Now, I'm going to bring out somebody right now who has also been through a lot. He is a correspondent on the show, but he heard his foot. Yeah, he heard his fee-fi. He tripped on a curb. So I'm going to bring him out now very slowly, but I want you to give him encouragement. Michael Costa, ladies and gentlemen. All right, thank you,

All right, hold of it. All right, hold on. You want to see? Here's my favorite thing about this. His crutches are my height. I'll tell you what, I mean. How you feel? I really did a number on my ankle.

Do you want to tell them the, so can I, can I tell, Michael is like an actual, like, real kind of world-class athlete, to be honest, like, it's kind of unusual for comedy. Like, he has a functioning body and face. So when he came in, I thought this was, Michael was, like, a world-class tennis player. And so I thought it was that. Yeah. And it was. I fell off a curve. My wife and four-year-old went skiing.

I was in charge of the two-year-old, so I took her to a water park. No one else got injured except for me. I was the only one not doing anything, and I fell on a curb, and I'm at that age, John. I'm at the age where if I had fallen on a curb, I would no longer be working in show business. Well, and also, selfishly, people came over to check on me. I thought they're really checking on my child. So. You had your child with you.

I had my child with me. And she was crying, but she was more crying like, how did you f***ing fall on the curb? Anyways. It was a cry of disappointment. But you're okay now. Are you x-rayed? Is it broken? I'm not x-rayed.

I know. It's super swollen. I also have to host this week. And I just, I get annoyed that you get so much attention on Monday. days. Yeah. So I wanted to hurt myself. But you, you play collegiate soccer. I did play collegiate soccer, but I will not to be self-effacing. It was in the 80s when soccer, I mean, the level of, we could still use our hands. It was really, at that, at that point, American soccer was more like elevated kickball. Most of us know we should take control of our finances, but

It's hard to know where to start. Rocket Money gives you the clarity and confidence to take that first step, helping you cut wasteful spending and take meaningful action towards your financial goals. Rocket Money is a personal finance app that helps find and cancel your unwanted subscriptions, monitors your spending, and helps lower your bill so you can grow your savings. If you've got a goal you'd like to save for, Rocket Money can analyze your accounts to find the best time each month to put extra money aside. Rocket Money has saved users over 2.5 billion, including over 880 million in cancel subscriptions alone. Their 10 million members save up to $740 a year when they use all of the app's premium features.

Cancel your unwanted subscriptions and reach your financial goals faster with Rocket Money. Go to rocketmoney.com slash daily show today. That's Rocketmoney.com slash daily show. Rocketmoney.com slash Daily Show. So I made a bet with a gentleman by the name of Jalen Brunson. He's a basketball player for the, we call him New York Knickerbockers. He's a point guard for our New York Knickerbockers. He and I made a bet about two months ago. His bet was if the New York Giants lose to the Philadelphia Eagles in the regular season,

I have to wear a Sequin Barclay Eagles jersey to Madison Square Guard. I accepted this bet, even though this bet is in inevitability. Like, the Giants suck. Like, the Giants won three games this year, and the Eagles earned the Super Bowl. And it's not like that surprised me. It didn't sneak up on me. Like, when he asked me, I was thinking in my head, like, but the Giants suck. But I didn't say, like, give me points.

I just went like, okay. And so Saturday night. This Saturday night, I went to the Knicks game in a Saquan-Barkley Eagles jersey and an Eagles bucket hat. And I was in my home arena booed relentlessly. And by the way, like not just in the arena, on the street. Like walking by pretzel guys who were like, you fuck soog! So that was my weekend. So good luck in the Super Bowl.

What made you want to do entertainment like in the Super Bowl? Well, there's like the bullshit answer of, you know, it's important to question societal's rules. And there's the real answer, which is I'm the youngest of, four kids. I'm still trying to get my parents' attention. My mom tells this story that we would sit at this dinner table in Michigan, and when the sun would go down, the glass door would become reflective. And I could never sit in this one seat because I would just stare at myself the whole time. And I was like, well, yeah, that's because you guys never looked at me. So I had to stare at myself.

I love comedy. Holy shit, do I love comedy. We get to make people laugh once your guard is down. We can maybe sneak an important message in. Maybe not. It feels good to laugh. For once, you feel present moment when you're laughing. There's very few rules in comedy.

If I say something brilliant, it's like, holy shit, he's an excellent journalist. If I say something stupid, it's like, relax. I'm a comedian. It's like, it's amazing that people get mad when comedian say things that are truthful and not as mad when politicians do. This is just such a wonderful I grew up in Ann Arbor, Michigan, which is a wonderful Midwest town of sensibilities of both sides, very educated. And I just think it just fits perfectly for me. And I'm thankful for that. And also, how I ended up here, holy shit. This is like, there's very, there's very few places like

this. I love late night. I told you when we first met, we came in today. There's no show. There's no show. There's a blinking cursor on a blank computer, and we create the show. We, meaning me. I write the show. No, there's two. There's a lot of people, but it's very fun. And here's the thing it's also fun, is that no matter how today went, tomorrow there's a show too. So we'll be back. What do you say to your critics who are saying that you're being white on the fascist message recently? Oh, I tell my critics, shut up. You're a fascist. No, so I do appreciate that because I understand the desire, but like, I'm very big on, and I know it's annoying, but specificity and nuance. And I think if you cry fascism at every administrative overreach, even the ones that are constitutionally okay, you will find yourself out of fascism bullets.

when the time really comes to remind people of, because you will, I think what the media has done over the last 10 years is cry wolf, to the point where they numbed everybody. It was an anesthetic, and it got to where, what was the thing they litigated throughout this campaign? He's a fascist, he's a terrible person. Democracy is on the ballot.

Guess what lost at the ballot. If you told us democracy's on the ballot, well, democracy got its ass kicked. by a majority vote. So I'm very cautious about when to know, like, yeah, hopefully I won't do it the night after Crystal Knocked. I'll get it like, but it's like, when do you put your dog down? Like, it's one of those things.

Like, you're not quite sure. But I do understand how annoying that is. According to the National Institutes of Health, as many as 30 million men in the United States experience erectile dysfunction. It's more common than a bad night's sleep. The good news? HIMS makes getting access to treatment simple so you can feel like yourself again

without the stress or awkwardness. HIMS offers access to erectile dysfunction treatment options ranging from trusted generics that cost 95% less than the brand names to hard mints if prescribed. This isn't a one-size-fits-all care that forgets you in the waiting room. It's your health and goals put first

with 100% online access to personalized treatment plans and with real medical providers making sure you get what you need to get results. To get simple online access for personalized affordable care for erectile dysfunction, hair loss, weight loss, and more. Visit hymns.com slash daily show. That's hymns.com slash daily show or your free online visit.

Hymns.com slash daily show. Actual price will depend on product and subscription plan. Featured products include compound and drug products which DFDA does not approve or verify for safety, effectiveness, or quality. Prescription required. See website for details, restrictions, and important safety information. This holiday season, comfort is sharing cozy mornings with the people you love. Avocado products transform your home into a peaceful grounding retreat, made with certified

organic and sustainably sourced materials. From breathable bedding to handcrafted mattresses, avocado is all about true comfort, so you can rest, recharge, and wake up refreshed all season long. Every product is thoughtfully made with the planet in mind, so you can feel good about the comfort and quality you bring into your home. Prioritized rest and recharge with avocado's organic comfort. Head to Avocadogreenmatress.com today to create your natural oasis and save big during their holiday sale.

Avocado, dream of better. Got a question over here in the back? Yeah, over there, yeah. How did you find your interview character? Some guy just like skid on the floor when you were singing. What do you say? Oh, what are you doing? This never happens, by the way.

So I just walked backstage. I'll speak loudly because I'm not wearing a mic now, but they said that you're very excited today because today you just found out that you have become an American citizen. All right. Thank you all much. Thanks so much. It's a crazy day.

Thanks, very, thanks so much. Thank you, thank you. You're the best. You're the best. All right. All right. ever. Just wouldn't leave.

Yeah, it is a crazy experience to become a U.S. citizen the same day you're supposed to interview Bill Murray. So I guess that's a... It's been a long day. I had to go for the interview. They asked you like 100 questions. It's questions which I bet none of you could fucking answer.

And I had to memorize how many colonies there were and there was like a state and who's the president right now. It was very difficult. Because we've already paid for him with our subsidies. I'm fucking safe. Come on! I'll be going to the hospitals. You know, it's important to remember who the real heroes are.

My favorite thing out of all that sort of Indy 500 pit stop trying to keep the car on the road was, and I'm not even sure who said it, but they just go, you want some duct tape on that? Old electricians. Old electricians trick. I'm like, sure. For those of you who watched the show for many, many years, you will know this is the second time that I have going for physical comedy cut myself to the point where I need stitches. when did we do it the last time it was a margarita blender with me and oliver and i hit it down and like she just drew blood and oliver couldn't have been happier i'd never seen anything like he sat there gleefully watching and that was more of an artery i was just spurting everywhere and at one point he yells at me it's just a flesh wound Stop making such a big deal of it. That's not good.

I'm probably going to need to go to the hospital. And as for you, Stuart, and you're visibly injured hand. That's a genuine problem. That's a genuine problem. Don't, that's, that's, that's, yep. We better hurry up this bit because I am bleeding out, mother, that's it.

Toss it in. He can swab himself down. You're fine, you're fine. Thank you all very much. It's really, there's no dignified way to do this, really, is there? And by the way, the story that I'm going to tell my wife and children when I get home, very different than the one that, uh, there I was on 54th and 10th. An old woman being hounded by thugs and vulgarians, I swung my fist.

Hey, what's up y'all, Kelly Clarkson with Wayfair? My favorite thing about the holidays, decking out my whole house. It's not a competition. was, well, I'd win the season with Wayfair. Outdoor inflatable Santa? Got it on Wayfair. Trees, lights, and ornaments? Wayfair. Hosting must-havs like dining sets, beds, sheets, and towels, Wayfair. For everything in your style delivered with fast and free shipping, visit Wayfair.com or the Wayfair app to win the season. But again, it's not a competition. Wayfair, every style, every home. One of the hardest parts of getting older is feeling like something's off in your body, but not knowing exactly what. It's not

just aging. It's often your hormones, too. When they fall out of balance, everything feels off. But here's the good news. This doesn't have to be the story of your next chapter. Hormone Harmony by Happy Mammoth is an herbal formula made with science-backed ingredients, designed to fine-tune your hormones by balancing estrogen, testosterone, progesterone, and even stress hormones like cortisol. It helps with common issues such as hot flashes, poor sleep, low energy, bloating, and more. With over 40,000 reviews and a bottle sold every 24 seconds, the results speak for themselves. A survey found 86% of women lost weight, 77% saw an improved mood, and 100% felt like themselves again. Start your next chapter feeling balanced

and in control. For a limited time, get 15% off your entire first order at happy mammoth.com with code next chapter at checkout. Visit happy mammoth.com today and get your old self back naturally. Yeah, up top. Do you ever get disheartened? Do you ever get disheartened? I'm dead inside, so that helps a general deadening. I mean, I get bummed out.

I expect a lot from this country. I want us to live up to those ideals that they taught me when I was 14 and 15. And it seems day in and day out that those are few and far between. We're farther away from those than I think we've been in quite some time. That being said, like, I do find hope in going out into the field. I talk to people.

I, like, this special, the last couple weeks I've been out and about. I've been talking to kids, 18 or 19-year-old. And to be totally honest, I thought going to talk to kids who are 18 and 19 who are in, like, the Magasphere at these UFC events and what have you, I thought that most of the people I would talk to would be die-hard, far-right. There'd be an element of cruelty. They'd be celebrating what's happening with the deportation. Like, what you're seeing at the highest level to me

is inherently cruel and inherently anti-American. And I thought that would be reflected in the youth of America. But when I talked to these kids, it wasn't. I was taken back by how kind and thoughtful they were. They were right-wing. They liked Donald Trump for the reasons. A lot of people like Donald Trump. He gives them an identity.

He seems tough. But when I pushed them on stuff, what they cared about was the image and the attention around Donald Trump. They really weren't attracted to the crueler elements. And in fact, when we would go to the, to these campuses, they were reaching out to people in that sphere, the Charlie Kirk's, the older people who would come into those spaces and preach the cruelty of Maga. They were open.

And sadly, there was no left-leaning people who were in those spaces to speak to them. But they were kind minds. They were me when I was that age. I think of myself in college. I was listening to Christopher Hitchens. I was, I didn't. I wasn't left or right. I was contrarian looking for a tribe. And I see that. And so when you ask if I'm disheartened day in and day out, but every time I can go out and touch grass, touch kids, respectively, and connect with them,

like you realize the politics that we see on the news, the politics and the hyperbole we hear on Twitter or TikTok, like that is a warp perspective of the actual conversations that are happening out there. And not that there isn't cruelty that exists, it is there, but it is implanted on people who are looking for better things. So I just hope we can get to some of those people

and some of those better intentions can find their way into the conversation. Try to ask some advice if you can give to any young immigrants or young students saying how should they define their American dreams, how should they pursue their I'm going to have to plug that in the chat GPT. I don't have any. The dream doesn't die, man.

Here's the fucking thing I want to let everybody know. Like, we are in a moment of tumult, but you have to keep perspective. That is what the fight is. Nothing of value comes to you without a fight. But the lens of history, you understand this. Everybody understands this. Like, we went through Watergate in Vietnam.

They assassinated, like, every good person we had in, like, a decade span. Like, this has always been a fight. And even if the guy you wanted or the woman you wanted to be president, to get in the position, if you think it won't still be a fight, you're wrong. It's always the arc of the moral history is long, and it bends towards justice, right? But it doesn't bend by itself. It's not for fucking gravity. People have to bend it.

You have to bend it. And there's going to be other people trying to bend it the other fucking way. And we're not going to let that happen. Explore more shows from the Daily Show podcast universe by searching The Daily Show, wherever you get your podcasts. Watch The Daily Show weeknights at 11, 10 Central on Comedy Central, and stream full episodes anytime on Paramount Plus.