The Daily Show: Ears Edition - AI Leaders Sign Trump's "Self-Policing" Pact & Eric Schmitt's Ambush Backfires | CMAT

Episode Date: October 1, 2026

Jordan Klepper breaks down the headlines, including an AI summit in Washington that left us with exactly the same amount of federal AI regulation (read: none). Plus, former Trump prosecutor Jack Smith appears before the Senate to answer questions about his “misconduct,” and Republican Sen. Eric Schmitt falls on his proverbial ass on live TV when his ambush of Smith backfires spectacularly. By the way, did anyone see that Atlanta Hawks game? Neither did Jack Smith. Irish musician CMAT joins Jordan to discuss her acclaimed third album, “Euro-Country.” They talk about how she weaves profound lyricism with Western melodies, what it means for her music to embody “funeral humor,” why the Irish psyche loves country music, and how the title track examines the repercussions of politicians’ actions. --To get simple, online access to personalized, affordable care for ED, Hair Loss, Weight Loss, and more, visit https://Hims.com/dailyshow -- The Daily Show airs weeknights at 11/10c on Comedy Central. Stream full episodes on Paramount+ Follow TDS: YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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This is The Daily Show with your host, Jordan Klober. Trump makes a pinky promise with his fingers crossed. The Atlanta Hawks get embarrassed yet again, and later on, C-MAT. But first, let's check in on the incredible technology that's on everybody's mind in our new segment, our exciting utopian AI future. Yesterday, after weeks of alarming headlines

about artificial intelligence, Trump hosted all the major tech CEOs at the White House. It was like the Last Supper, if everyone there believed they were the son of God. And I, for one, am glad they had this summit because I assume it means we'll finally be getting federal guardrails on AI. There will be no federal guardrails on AI.

President Trump declaring AI leaders should police themselves. You want them to police themselves? Zuckerberg can't even police my aunt from commenting on all of my pictures. This is not a text message, Aunt Diane. You're on my Instagram page. Everyone can see this.

So, if there aren't going to be actual regulations, what did they come up with instead? Instead, several companies have signed a voluntary joint agreement, suggesting industry leaders should implement internal measures to monitor and check their own AI models. Is it binding in any way? I think it's morally binding. Oh, morally binding.

Sure. We don't need laws. I'm sure we could trust these guys, you know? Well, no, no, not... Not him. Okay, not him either, but, well, I... I don't really know who this guy is, so... Let's entrust him with the future of humanity.

I'm sure he's not a monster. This guy is a monster and nobody does. Damn it! Damn it. I'm not saying that this self-policing document they signed is bullshit that they barely bothered to read, but I will say they did. misspell United States. You know what? It doesn't matter, because Trump has a greater

concerns about his new technology. The president signing an executive order mandating federal agencies rebrand AI as SI. It's been officially changed to superintelligence or SI. Who should be held accountable when the AI agents committed a crime? It's not AI, it's essay. That's the other thing. We've changed the name officially. today. We've changed

the name Steve officially to SI. Okay? SIE, like, sigh. SIE indeed, sir, sigh indeed. Also, just a reminder, the question was, who should be held accountable when AI

commits a crime? And Trump's response says, uh-uh, uh-uh, uh, it's S-I that shut off your town's water. S-I. I mean, I know Trump loves renaming. things, but these are some of the richest, most powerful people in the world. They're not going to change the name of their entire industry just because he told them to.

That would be too humiliating. As you know, we want to advance AI, advance SI. I'm going to get good at this. We are bringing those well-known best practices to the development of super-indulogy. Well, I think it's worth highlighting the positive benefits of AI, which will... SI, pardon me. Thank you. We're all f***ed.

So, you know what? Let's move on. Because while Trump was doing his best to screw up the future, the rest of his party was endlessly litigating the past. Yesterday, Senate Republicans

hauled in Jack Smith, the special prosecutor who investigated Donald Trump for trying to overthrow the election. And they made their feelings about him pretty clear. The American people were disgusted at your willingness

to abuse power. in partisan ends. Javert from Le Miz would look at you with astonishment. What a disgrace to our justice system. You will go down as a total dirt bag. You make me want to throw up in my mouth. He makes you want to throw up in your mouth? Like it's an act of choice you're making?

I'm going to swish it around a little bit, show on the chunks. We call that. Louisiana Listerine. This hearing was another over-the-top performance by Republican senators to show their fieldy to President Trump by going after one of his enemies, who had the gall

to prosecute him just because he committed crimes, which in today's Congress is just another Tuesday. But what made yesterday special was when Missouri Senator Eric Schmidt didn't just come with harsh insults. He had prepared a trap for Jack Smith. He was going to prove that Smith

had colluded with another Trump hating prosecutor when they were both together in Atlanta, Georgia. And Eric Schmidt brought the receipts. Republican Senator Eric Smith claiming to have text messages proving Smith attended a Hawks basketball game in Atlanta in 2024. During the time Georgia prosecutor Fannie Willis was investigating Trump. Aha. Classic perjury trap.

You get Jack Smith to say he wasn't in Atlanta. Then you reveal text messages proving he was at an Atlanta Hawks' game. It's a perfect plan. Assuming it was the Atlanta Hawks, you're sure it was an Atlanta Hawks game, right? But it turns out the text messages obtained by Schmidt were not about the Atlanta Hawks NBA game, and Smith was not in Atlanta. He was in Maryland at an Iowa Hawk Eyes college game. He confused Atlanta Hawks with the Iowa Hawk Eyes. That's like mixing up NASA and NASCAR. Hart Jr. were you or were you not on the moon in July

1969? Yes or no? So basically, the senator tried to spring a perjury trap on Jack Smith with evidence that proves that Jack Smith was right. And guys, just watch how excited he was to spring this trap. Did you go to an NBA game between the Golden State Warriors and Atlanta Hawks on February 3rd, 2024? I'm sorry, could you say that again? Did you go to an NBA game between?

the Golden State Warriors and the Atlanta Hawks on February 3rd, 2024. What city would that be in? Atlanta. No. Okay. Look at that smirk, you know? He's got that Chris Hanson swagger. You see how this looks, don't you?

He probably told his wife, make sure to watch me on TV today, honey. In fact, you know, keep the kids home from school so they can tune in to C-SPAN. They're going to see Daddy's Not the loser they think he is. And obviously, Jack Smith was like, I have no idea what you're talking about. To which Schmidt replied,

but what if you did have an idea of what I was talking about? Boom! What would you say if I had a series of text messages from your team that said you were in Atlanta at a Warrior Hawks game on February 3rd, 2024, the day after Willis and Wade announced their affair? We need a copy of the actual text. Oh, God.

They memorialized their mistake on a giant poster board. You know, the guy at Staples was probably like, you know what? I know it's not my place, but you guys, you guys double-checked all this info, right? This is a big swing. It's a big swing. Look how happy Schmidt is. And look at Kennedy over here. They're so excited they want to throw up in each other's mouth.

I mean, you hate to see their bubble get popped. Let's see their bubble get popped. I recall going to a University of Maryland basketball games. where Caitlin Clark was playing right around that time. It was Maryland playing Iowa, I think, February of 2024. Could it then be that University of Iowa's the Hawkeyes? Could that be it? Could that be it, Eric?

Do you need me to explain that in poster form, Eric? I mean, I don't want to say you're embarrassing your Republican colleague, Senator Schmidt, but look at Senator Katie Britt's face while your Kate's face your case falls apart. I recall going to a University of Maryland basketball game where Caitlin Clark was playing right around that time and the Marshal Service was there with me. You could check if that was the exact date.

It was Maryland playing Iowa. Are you happy, Eric? It's formed Katie Bread into Mitch McConnell. So basically, Eric Schmidt thought he was Tom Hanks and the Da Vinci Code when in reality he's Tom Hanks and Forrest Gump. Shame on you, Eric Schmidt. It's so ironic you neglecting women's basketball.

And now Amy Klovencher gets to dunk on you. That might be the confusion over the names of the team, but perhaps you should have looked at it more carefully. Who's questioning is this, by the way, Mr. Chairman? Are you using your time, Senator? Is this what this is? No. Are we just having, like, an open session here?

I will begin my questions. I just, I'm just being shocked. Well, I'm glad you're trying to rehabilitate the witness, but it's not your time. When you are calling a witness a dirt bag? I presented him with. text messages about him wanting to meet with people that could have obviously been related to the prosecution

that was coordinated with his office in Atlanta. Look how red he's getting. There's a world where this worked, okay? Obviously, Senator Schmidt spent the rest of the day running away from the news media. But because this is 2026, he could always go to the right-wing media where everyone can pretend he did a great job.

Dang. So you had text messages from his team, confirming that he was going to a hawks game, and he sat there acting dumbfounded and completely clueless. Senator Schmidt, you did a great job. So got to give you some flowers here, sir. Jesus Christ. It's like telling the captain the Titanic,

great job, that iceberg, bro. Number one. So the most depressing thing about what happened yesterday is that two things happened yesterday. In one reality, the Republicans are so desperate to punish Trump's enemies that they embarrass themselves in front of the world. Well, in the other reality, a heroic senator proved that Trump's prosecutors are evil liar. If we're going to be this willing to live in such separate realities, then you know what?

I don't know, guys. Maybe we should be ruled by AI. It's not AI. It's S-I. My Bad. When we come back, C-MAT will be in the studio. Don't go away. album is called Euro Country. Please welcome C-MAT. Daily Show. Thank you. I am so excited to hear.

I got to meet you and see you at the Newport Folk Festival this year. Yeah. And that is such a, it's such a beautiful festival. But what's amazing about that festival is it sells out before they know who's performing. So the audience is there just to see music. Yeah. But they don't necessarily know what they're going to see. Yeah.

And watching you walk out on that stage and just own all of Newport was incredible. Kudos. Thank you. Yes. I want to know what is it? You've, you're embarking, you've been on an international tour. Who has the worst audience? Is it America?

No, no. Americans are amazing. Yeah. America's never let me down, except for Los Angeles sometimes. Except for Los Angeles sometimes. You know, to say a crowd is bad is not a very nice thing. So I don't want to say bad, but maybe the crowd that I have the most difficulty with is Sweden. Is that right?

Yeah. What are the Swedes? Are they... They see... So whatever about a festival, right? At a festival, people are paying for the festival. They're not there to see you. So if I'm like, let's do a little two stuff, let's do the other thing.

And they don't react. I'm like, okay, fair enough. You want to see someone else. You want to see someone else. But, you know, in Stockholm, they're paying to see the CMA show, and they're paying for the headline show. And they look angry that I'm there almost the entire time. They're kind of like this.

And they're like, you meet them afterwards, and they're like, that was the best show I ever saw my life. To be fair, in Sweden, it's a very cold country. They might just be paid to be inside for a lot of these concerts, right? It's not against you. They just need warmth, right? But they're fabulous. You know, this is the thing.

It's like, that's a very different culture than what I'm used to coming from Ireland. So different. And, you know, everywhere you go is different. And I think America is amazing. I think, like, the fans are so good here, but also, you know, we're talking, there's 20, 30 different cities that we play regularly here, and they could all be their own country the way that they go on. It's, you know, it's very different. Playing a gig in Chicago, which is probably my favorite city to play in America. Is that right? Yeah, yeah.

You even slid into the Chicago at all, yeah. I love playing Chicago. They're amazing crowds. They're very music city. Playing Chicago is just so different to playing in, like, you know, Pioneer Town in California. Those are two, that's two entirely different types of people. I didn't even know that was a town in California. Pioneer Town? Is it like a Wild West? Were you playing? Was that Epcot Center? Were you at Epcot? It was, Pioneer Town is a fake Western village that was built in the 1930s because I think Gene Autry paid to build it

because they were filming so many Westerns at that time. They were like, well, we'll just build a functioning town. that works as a set, that's a two-hour drive from LA. And the people live there now, because all the actors are gone, and the mayor is a chihuahua that wears a cowboy hat. Okay, now, let's see, Matt. Now, I don't think you should be mad at Pioneer Town.

I think you should be mad at your booker. I think your Booker is at Fall Tear. I love it. I've played one of the best shows of my life at Pioneer Town. I love it there. I'm not giving it out. And Lawrence, Kansas as well. You know, it's like, I mean,

I've seen a lot of this, I've seen every nook and cranny of this country, so I'm kind of on the ground all the time and experiencing how different everyone is to each other. And it's fabulous. Like, I don't have a bad gig here, honestly. I mean, you grew up in Ireland, but you had images of, like, American pop stars

as sort of what you'd hope to be. Is that correct? Yeah, I thought it was going to be Britney Spears. Yeah. I just thought it was going to be Britney Spears. I had, like, stickers over all over my window, and I was like, yeah, great, that's what I'm going to be, obviously,

when I grow. And, you know, my family were like, you're delusional. And they were actually right. They were actually right. They're actually right. But you're not far off. You've achieved some pop stardom here. Yeah. On a on a D-list level, I reckon, for now. But, you know, we'll see what happens. But you're getting gosh darn close to what this dream as a kid is. How does it compare to what you imagine it to be when you were little? I mean, when I was small, I assumed I was going to be singing and dancing and doing all these things really well. And then I became obsessed with country and western music.

As a lot of people in Ireland actually are, like, we really love it and we really take to it. Why is that? I think depression. Okay. Yeah. That's right. That cracks? Okay. I think, you know, and also we love stories and we love storytelling and we love a song that's like the man walked down the road one day and then got shot by his wife.

Like, that's the best. That's whatever song that is, I don't know, maybe. I think that's every country song. It's every country song. You know, I think there's something in the psyche that really likes. to read and hear a story and listen to someone, talk about something from a very specific point of view. And what I love about country and Western music

is it is so simple. Like it's three to five chords maximum. Anything else is overdoing it because the only information we actually want is the lyric and the lyrics, right? And so yeah, I just, I don't know. I became unhealthily obsessed with Johnny Cash when I was like, not. I thought he was...

In my head, I thought Johnny Cash was A, still alive and B, that he was gonna like, I don't know, turn up and play the jingle bell ball or something. I don't know, like, I thought he was a contemporary of Justin Bieber at some point of my life. I don't know. Because you don't, you know, when you're... The education system in Dublin, not strong?

Not. Not. To weigh in on that. You don't have to weigh in. I'm saying none. I'm saying, no. You talk about the lyrics being very important. What's so interesting about your album and your performance is your lyrics are great, but they're also subversive. I feel like you use this pop sheen and performance mixed with these country melodies, but also the lyrics.

You don't shy away from political topics, emotional topics. How is that balance? I think that that is a part of my own personality that has then been extended out through my songwriting. I don't think it's like a choice that I ever made. I don't think I was ever sitting down going, I know what'll get them. I think that in general,

when you're very sad about something or when something terrible happens, you don't want to double down on the misery. And I think funeral here, humor is like a really big part of my whole songwriting process. You know when you're on a funeral and it's absolutely the worst thing ever and you're absolutely devastated and then somebody farts. And then the whole place is like, ah ha ha, ha, ha.

That's what songwriting is. You have that song that's just a long fart on this album that I thought was a very bold move called, and it's called funeral dirge, I believe. There's something in the body. in the human psyche that wants to get through hard times. And I think humor is one of the roots, right? So it's like, yeah, it feels... I don't want to be the type of musician

who doesn't say anything and doesn't have anything to say. I think I'm a very loud, gobby and opinionated ginger woman. And so if I wasn't expressing myself through music, I would be lying. But at the same time, I don't want... want to be standing on a soapbox every single show and be like, let me tell you how things are supposed to be. I think I want to wrap it in this accessible, beautiful melodic

forum that is, you know, country pop, alternative, whatever the genre of music I make is, I don't know, actually. Whatever it is. I think it's country music. And then I come over here and they're like, it's not country music. That's not what that is. That's not this.

This is not Johnny Cash. No, it's not. No, no. It's curious you talk about, there's a big conversation that's happening right now with what happened with Ed Shearin and what musicians should do on stage and writing that line between being revolutionary in your performance and the things that you say there

and also being acceptable to play at Robert Kraft-owned facilities. Yeah. How do you see that playing out? Is that a pressure you have to deal with? I don't feel that pressure. I mean, I'm in a very different position to Ed Shearren. Look, I actually, my hot take is that I actually feel bad for the guy because I don't think he knew what he was getting himself into.

I think he could have absolutely said, no, cancel the tour then if you're going to cancel the tour. I want Maconmore to stay on as my sport act. And I don't think anything would have happened, right? I think you can be a very, very famous person and a very, very rich person and a very, very celebrated musician. And actually, I don't think you have to bow to those structures. But I think that people are surrounded, I think that famous people are often surrounded by a massive team of people who are making endless amounts of money off them that are putting loads of pressure on them to do the thing that upholds the capital value of their artistic product. So I think he was given really bad advice by someone with the Ferrius.

And I also think that maybe his problem was that he started identifying as Irish recently. Right. So, so he, because, and this is the point I want to make, I don't want to rag on him because I think everybody's been going from and I don't think it's like super fair. And the reason I say is this is like, this is a man who surrounded himself by Irish people, you know, his band was Irish, all his support acts were Irish, McElmore is even Irish, apparently. He is, he's from, where's he's from. The suburbs, I think.

He has a song called Irish Song or something, yeah. Oh, Seattle. Is he a Seattle? I thought he's maybe a West Coast guy? Yeah. Anyway, anyway, don't know where he's from. But, you know, I think that he wanted to identify as being Irish. He wanted to reconnect to his Irish heritage. And he wanted that to be a part of his personal brand

and a part of his music. So he hired all these amazing Irish musicians, was supporting Irish musicians, was really in there, like on the ground level in the Irish music scene, which was amazing. The problem then is that if something like this issue and if something like the issue of what I would refer to genocide happens, then, you know, Irish people are going to hold you to account for that.

What I think the actual issue is is that there are so many other musicians playing in massive stadiums that are not surrounding themselves with people that will hold them accountable so it doesn't get shown up. And I actually think that this is the problem. He's a guy that maybe got a bit unlucky by his choices. I actually think there's a lot of people who are doing much worse than him. And that's why I think maybe a lot of the criticism is a bit unfair. I think there's a lot of people who are not saying anything or doing anything to help the Palestinian people right now that are just not getting it in the neck because they refuse to be surrounded by people who would make it an issue for them. So you're saying the major problem is here he's hiring

Irish people so don't do that. That's your advice to the music industry. Okay, I think I'm the title track from Eurocountry? Yeah. Yeah. What do you love about this song? This song is, I promise it's really fun and good. But it's about the economic crash that happened in Ireland in 2008. And I was a kid when that happened and I was about 12. And it had a really, really devastating impact on the country. And I've been thinking about it a lot recently and I've been thinking a lot about how politicians, make decisions and we don't really feel the repercussions of those decisions until about 20 years later.

And you know, my generation of Irish people have all more or less emigrated because there's no work and no housing for them. And I think I was really ruminating on this around the time that I was making the record and I wanted to make a song about it but I really didn't want to be hand-fisted in it and I was I wanted to just be like, look, this was what I experienced as a kid. And I know that if we start making the right progress now, we start, you know, helping people with housing and helping people find employment and making the country a little bit more socialist, that in 20 years' time, we will reap the dividends. And there is still hope to be had and hope to be found.

And it doesn't have to be this big lost cause that everybody's making it out to be. So I really Yeah, I just wanted to have a song about how much I love Ireland I guess, I don't know It's a beautiful song It might be the most well-timed fart at a funeral home I've ever heard

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Hymns is not affiliated with or endorsed by Vietris. That was a who's who's who. I don't know if that's ever going to be assembled again, but that was a whosu of that world. And I think it's a very special day. You know, they almost viewed it as a separate kind of a constitution. And I think when they signed that, it meant a lot. 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. This has been a Comedy Central podcast. What does a sunny getaway with Air Canada sound like? Sunny Jamaica moves to its own rhythm. Rio comes alive, long after the sun goes down. Philippines slows everything down.

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