The Daily Show: Ears Edition - Anti-Mask Hysteria in Utah & Trump's Indoor Rally in Nevada | Mychal Denzel Smith

Episode Date: September 15, 2020

Trevor covers disregard for COVID-19 health risks in the U.S., Dulce Sloan examines the history of Black hair in America, and Mychal Denzel Smith discusses "Stakes Is High." Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

You're listening to Comedy Central. When 60 Minutes premiered in September 1968, there was nothing like it. This is 60 Minutes. It's a kind of a magazine for television. Very few have been given access to the treasures in our archives. But that's all about to change. Like none of this stuff gets looked at. That's what's incredible. I'm Seth Done of CBS News. Listen to 60 Minutes, a second look on Apple podcasts starting September 17th.

Yo, what's going on everybody? Welcome to the Daily Social Distancing Show. I'm Trevor Noah. Today is Monday, the 14th of September, which means we are now just 50 days away from Election Day, which means you've got just enough time to build your bunker for when the post-election civil war begins. Yeah, make sure to include toilet paper. Anyway, on tonight's show, someone bought Abraham Lincoln's hair. Dulce Sloan digs into black hair,

and the anti-maskers want the government the government the government the government the government the government the government the government the government the government the government the government the government the government the government the government the government the government the government thekers want the government out of their hair. It's a special all-hair episode. So let's do it, people. Welcome to the Daily Social Distancing Show. From Trevor's couch in New York City to your couch somewhere in the world. This is the Daily Social Distancing Show with Trevor Noa. the West Coast. You know, the part of America that keeps Nevada from getting wet.

Extreme wildfires have been devastating the region for over a week now. And as if the natural disaster isn't bad enough, it's being made worse by some serious human stupidity. Raging wildfires in California, Oregon and Washington state are burning out of control of this hour. At least 35 people have died. Officials described conditions as quote, apocalyptic. As if the fatal, massive wildfires weren't enough to contend with. Well, now officials in Oregon are having to plead with residents to ignore a Q and on conspiracy theory that is quickly spreading online. The false claim says Antifa is to blame for starting the fires. A Clacomis County Sheriff's deputy has been placed on leave after a video went viral of him

falsely claiming that antifasists started fires in Oregon. Antifa, motherf-a-fo-fo-causing, okay? Right. And there's a lot of lives at stake, and there's a lot of people's property at stake, because these guys got some vendetta. Yeah, not only do officials have to deal with wildfires, they also have to deal with the only thing that spreads

faster than wildfires. Internet conspiracy theories. Which, let's be honest are the worst, because at least fires eventually get put out. Internet conspiracy theories? Man, they're harder to get rid of than those microchips that the government put in our brains using fluoride and impossible burgers. It's true.

Look it up. The only way we're going to get rid of conspiracy theories is if we take away our uncle's Facebook. And good luck with that's you try and take Facebook away from old people, they turn into Gollum from Lord of the Rings. My frenzies! And you know what, really doesn't help in this situation is that while the Sheriff's Department is saying, don't believe the conspiracy theories, one of the Sheriff's deputies is spreading the conspiracy theory. It's like if you saw Smoky Bearer, now, thiaiaiaiaia th th th th th th th th th th th th th thuuu-n, thu-n, thu-n, thu-in-in' thu-n-n't thu-n-n-n-n-n-n-s, th-s, th-s, th thii. th-s, th-s, th-n-s th-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n't th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. thinin. thin. thin. thin. thin. thin. thin. thn't thn''n'liiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii. thn't thn't thn't thrower. Now I don't know what to think. Now since these fires are so big,

California once again has been forced to rely on inmates to help fight the fires. And because these human beings are risking their lives to save others, the governor has finally decided to pay them back. Well some inmate firefighters who are working the front lines on our California wildfires now have a chance to capitalize on that experience after they're released from custody. Governor Gavin Newsom signing into law what will give some inmates a shot at careers in firefighting after completing their sentences. Thousands of prisoners that are on the front lines that are near the end of their time in prison that are getting credits and want the opportunity because the training they're receiving. This bill that I'm about the the the the the their their their th th th th th their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their. their. their. their. their. I'm their. their. their. their. their. their. I. I. I. I. I's. I's. I's. I's. I. I's. I. I's. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the th. th. th. th. th. th. th. to. to. to. to. the to. the the the th. the to. the the the the the the the the the the the the the opportunity because the training they're receiving. This bill that I'm about to sign will give those prisoners hope of actually getting a job

in the profession that they've been trained. Yeah, for years. Even though prisoners fought wildfires while incarcerated, they weren't allowed to become professional firefighters once they were released. And that was all because of their felony convictions. And honestly, I think this is this this this th th th th th th th th th th th th th thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi, thi, thi, thi, thi. thi. thi. that I that I that I'm that I'm that I'm that I'm that I'm that I I'm that I'm that I I'm that I I'm that I'm that I that I that I that I'm that I'm that I'm that's that's that's thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. theei. thi. thei. thei. thi. thei. thei. thi. theeeeeeeeee. And that was all because of their felony convictions. And honestly I think this is a great step in the right direction because America keeps telling people to take what they've learned in prison and use it to get back in society. If you learned how to fight fires in prison, you should be allowed to become a firefighter when you come out. If you've learned how to cook you should be able to work in a restaurant when you come out. Even if you spend all your time in prison just learning how to do more crime, when you get out, you should be allowed

to get a job in the Trump campaign. And you know, I'm not surprised that prisoners actually make really good firefighters. Because they don't mess around, man. On the first day, they walk up to the biggest fire and they put it out. And all the smaller fires, and all, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. thii, thi, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, you should, their, you should should should should, you should, you should, their, you's is is. And, their, their, their, their, their, th. And, th. And, tap. And, tap. And, tap. And, tap. And, tap. And, tape, tape, tape, tape, tha. tha. tha. thau. thau. thau. the. thea. thea. thea. thea. And, their, their, thau. And, thau. And all the smaller fires know that they mean business. That's how it works, right? That's how you fight fires? I wish there was someone here. But let's move on now to Florida, the state that's been doing the post-apocalypse thing for decades now. It may be hard to imagine,

but there was a time in America when some people thought the biggest problem in the country was young black men with sagging pants. Looking like a fool with your pants on the ground. Ah, simpler times. But now, one city that had cracked down on this minister's society is having second thoughts. We begin with the city and Florida dropping his ban on saggy pants. For 13 years, anyone in Opalaca, was wearing pants that exposed their undergarments could be cited, but the City Commission has now voted to overturn that controversial ordinance. Critics say the ban imposed overly harsh penalties and disproportionately affected young

black men. That's right. A city in Florida has finally overturned a ridiculous law that banned people from wearing saggy pants. And I could not be happier. For two reasons. One, the shit was obviously targeted at young black men and two, it made it impossible to be a plumber in that town. Have you ever seen a plumber with these pants up? Still no one here? I'm going to keep on trying. But seriously though, I'm glad that this law is gone because this basically made it illegal for black men to dress their to dress to dress their to dress their th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. their, th. th. th. their, th. th. thi. the, the, their, thi. their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, thi. toguu. te. toguuile. theuuuile. theuuiless, theuiless, their, their, their, their, their, glad that this law is gone because this basically made it illegal for black men to dress the way they wanted.

Or white kids to dress like black men dressed like the way that they wanted. Can you imagine if a city did the same thing but only to white people? Imagine if a leader came out of their tasks. From now on, no wrap around Oakley sunglasses. playing beach volleyball or stopping lasers from shooting out of your eyes, you take that shit off your face! Nobody needs sunglasses on the side of their face. What, the sun coming out you from the side? Another reason I'm glad this law is gone is because this is another responsibility that cops just shouldn't have, right?

Telling someone to pull up their pants is another job that police do not need to have a job grandmothers. I mean, they might as well make it illegal to look too skinny because you're not eating enough. Or have cops pulling people over because they have schmutz on their face. Sir, I'm gonna need you to hold still. Hold still, sir. Hold still so I can, hold still, hold still, I just want to see how beautiful you are. There you go.

There you go. haven't gotten your post-quarantine haircuts, you might want to save the trimmings when you do, because in 150 years, they could make you a lot of money. Some of Abraham Lincoln's hair has raised a whole lot of cash. Two inches of the 16th president's locks took in more than $81,000 at a weekend auction. They were taken after Mr. Lincoln was assassinated in 1865. The hair came with a telegram about his death. Okay, first of all, what sick bosted saw the president get shot, ran up to him and was like, quick, send help! But first, does anyone have some of those little tiny scissors? I want to remember this day. That's just creepy. They didn't even have eBay back then. What were you holding it for? But guys? This is amazing. If we have Abraham Lincoln's hair, you know what that means?

It means we can Jurassic Park. Abraham Lincoln! Okay, that's not what I meant. You know what? Forget it, just kill both of them. And by the way, if you ever wanted to see the difference between white people and black people, this is it. I took $81,000 and I bought a lock of Abraham Lincoln's hair. Shit, I took $81,000 and I bought a Lincoln. Oh, can I get a ride? Oh, hell no.

Trying to ride in my car, gonna get hay all over the place. Cops gonna pull me over and be like, who this dead man's hair? I'm gonna be like, I don't even know who this is. They're gonna be like, why, you gave him a riot? I'm gonna be like, yo, he was just in the same joke as me. I don't even know this dude. And I'm just gonna say this, I really hope that that actually is Abraham Lincoln's hair. Because like, how do we that thia thia tho, tho, tho, tho, tho, tho, tho, tho, thi. thi. thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, that, that, that, that, that, tho, tho, tho, that, that, tho, tho, tho, tho, tho, tho, tho, tho, tho, tho, tho, th. th. th. th. th. th. I's th. I's th. I's th. I's th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. thi. th. thi. thi. that, that, tho. tho. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. t back, we discover what President Trump and college students have in common. Spoiler alert, it's not an STD. Stay tuned. When 60 Minutes premiered in September 1968, there was nothing like it.

This is 60 Minutes. It's a kind of a magazine for television. Very few have been given access to the treasures in our archives. You're rolling? But that's all about to change. Like none of this stuff gets looked at. That's what's incredible. I'm Seth Done of CBS News. Listen to 60 Minutes, a second look on Apple podcasts starting September 17.

Welcome back to the Daily Social Distancing Show. And yes, we are still social distancing. Pretty soon the top of my hair is going to be six feet away from my forehead. That's the plan. That's how I'm going to measure my distance from people. Hey, what's going on? Stay back. I see you. Now, the reason we're still social distancing is because the coronavirus is still spreading. And this is thanks partly partly to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi the the the the their their thi the the their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their the because the coronavirus is still spreading and this is thanks partly to people not taking it seriously. So let's catch up in another installment of our ongoing segment, the pandemic. Our pandemic coverage kicks

off in Utah, the state in desperate need of the L-shaped Tetris piece. We now know that one of the easiest ways to stop the spread of coronavirus is just to have everybody wear a mask. Unfortunately, telling everyone to wear a mask is also one of the easiest ways to spread idiocy. After more than one week since schools have reopened in Washington County, the Liberty Action Coalition hosted a rally in front of the school district building this morning, up to a thousand people showed up saying that children being forced to wear masks in classrooms is illegal and even unconstitutional. Now hundreds have gathered here in front of the Washington County administration building calling for the end of a mask. If we want to wear a mask that's fine we can't tak of ourselves. When George Floyd was saying I can't breathe I and we say, I can't breathe, but we're being forced to wear it anyway.

I'll tell you another reason I'd hate masks. Most child molesters love them. God damn, these people were crazy. In fact, you know what? They should have let them storm the school building, because maybe they would have accidentally learned something. Like I'm still trying th thin thin thin thin thin to to to to to to to to to to to thininin't to to to thi thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, I'm the thi, I'm thoe their the their their, I'm their, I'm their, I'm their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their, I their their, I their, I their, I the the the the the the the the the the the thathea, thathea, I'm thathea... thathea. thatea. thatea. thatea. thatea. thatea. thatea. thatea. thatea. rally. No matter how many times I watched that video, I still find new things to process. Like that video is the closest thing I've seen to Facebook comments happening in real life. I like individual freedom.

White people are the real George Floyd. Happy birthday, Martha. Masque wearing was invented by Jeffrey Epstein. Oh, and here's another reason it's hard for America to get the pandemic under control. Even when places do have rules for social distancing, this is how some people follow them. Growing concerns over COVID clusters, especially on college campuses. In Ohio, police cited several people at a house near Miami University during the Labor Day weekend. Body camera footage captured a stunning exchange between an officer and a student.

Where there's... I assume you probably know why I want to talk to you. Just too many people? Well, do you know what the ordinance is? Ten people? Yeah. How many people are in the house? 20 people inside? Yeah, you might want to start clear to mind. That's fine. There's a, I've never seen this before. There's an input on the computer that you tested positive for COVID? Yes. When was this? This was a

week ago. Are you supposed to be quarantining? Yeah, that's why I'm at my house. Do you have other people here and you're positive for COVID? That's what we're trying to prevent. We want to keep this town open. That's why I was staying home. We are so screwed. The main part of quarantine isn't about being at your house, my friend. It's about being away from other people so that you don't spread the disease. I'm scared to know where this guy puts a condom on his body.

At this point, I'm glad it's this this this this this thiiiiiiiiated this this this this this this this thiated this thiated thiated thiated this thi thi thi thi thi. I'm thi. I'm thiole th guy puts a condom on his body. At this point, I'm glad it's just coronavirus. Can you imagine this dude handling Ebola? Wait, so I'm not supposed to eat a monkey? Because I got to tell you, there was some confusion there. Oh, and just by the way, watching this police officer's body cam footage was like playing a virtual reality game called white privilege because this kid was clearly the law, but the cop's tone of voice sounds like he was telling him today's specials. Hi, could I interest you in not breaking the law today? I'll give you a few minutes to think it over and I'll come back. So, some people are misinformed. Some people are crazy and some people are both.

People like Donald John Diss tr-Tus tr-Tus thus thus thus thus thus thus the United th. So th. So th. So. So. So. So, th. So, th. So, th. So, th. So, th. So, th. So, th. th. th. th. th. thi. So, thi, thi, th. th. th. tho, th. tho, tho, the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the th. But, th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. the. to. to to too. too. too. too. too. too. too. too. too. toe. toe. toe. toe. tho. But, Donald John Diss Trump, president of the United States and one man super spreader. Overnight at a packed indoor rally, President Trump breaking Nevada's COVID restrictions to court voters in the key battleground state. We're going to win Nevada. Speaking to a throng of mostly maskless supporters, his first indoor rally in nearly three months.the state prohibits gatherings of more than 50 people, but Trump defiant. If the governor comes after you, which he shouldn't be doing, I'll be with you all the way. While those behind the president and in front of the cameras wore masks, most of the crowd, the crowd did not.

But that didn't bother supporters like Mila Christensen who camped out overnight. I'm not wearing a mask. It shows that I trust my president. Okay, look, I get why a Trump fan would have trusted Trump before. But how do you still trust this man after he admitted that he's been downplaying the coronavirus this whole time? I don't get it. I really don't get it. What do you mean you trust him? This is like believing a Nigerian email scammer after he tells you that he's a Nigerian email scammer. Hello, I'm a small time criminal pretending to be a wealthy prince. Will you send me some money? You know what? I like this guy's honesty. I will send him $50,000. And as for Trump, how are you going to call yourself yourself yourself yourself yourself yourself yourself yourself yourself yourself yourself yourself yourself yourself yourself yourself yourself yourself yourself yourself yourself yourself the president the president the president the president thii-like thi-like, thi-like, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, I thi, I thi, I thi, I thi, I thi, I'm thi, I'm thi, how are you going to call yourself the President of Law and Order when you're openly flouting the law?

And not even for like a noble reason, no. It's just so that he can spend 90 minutes ranting about how vegetables were invented by the deep state and Hillary Clinton. And this isn't just about breaking the law. What Donald Trump is doing here is actually dangerous. The last time Trump held an indoor rally, he lost 25% of his black friends. So there you have it. Everyone from college students to grandmas to the president himself is helping this virus,

the virus continue spreading. But I guess, that's the genius of America's coronavirus response. Unlike other countries that are preparing for the second wave, America realized you don't have to deal with the second wave if you never get over the first. It's time for us to take a short break, but when we come back, Dulce Sloan goes to the barber shop. So stick around. When 60 Minutes premiered in September 1968, there was nothing like it. This is 60 Minutes. It's a kind of a magazine for television. Very few have been given access to the treasures in our archives. You're rolling?

But that's all about to change. Like none of this stuff gets looked at. That's what's incredible. I'm Seth Done of CBS News. Listen to 60 Minutes, a second look, starting September 17th, wherever you get your podcasts. Welcome back to the Daily Social Distancing Show. Let's talk a little bit about black people's hair. You know, the thing that we don't want white people to toucest,

because it'll give them superpowers. Oh my God, now I can dunk! For generations, black people have been made to feel as if their hair is a signifier of their inferiority in society. And for generations, black people have had to take that bullshit. But not anymore. A leading retail pharmacy in South Africa has been forced to close some of its stores after accusations of a racist advertisement.

Click's Pharmacy is under fire for posting an ad on its website that described black hair as dull, dry and damaged while calling white hair fine, normal and flat. It's since apologized and pulled down the images, but supporters of the Economic Freedom Fighter's party want the retail chain to shut down for five days. Yes. Even in a country that's 85% black, this kind of shit is still going on. Which makes you wonder, how black does a country have to be for this not to happen anymore? Like is this going on in Wakanda?

But if you're a black person, these kinds of stories are nothing new. And it's not limited to South Africa either. In fact, here in America, black people deal with legal and cultural discrimination against their hair all the time. Dulceay sl sl sl sl sl sl sl sl sl sl sl th th th th th th th th thoen. How in th th th th th th th th tho th th tho tho tho tho tho tho tho tho tho tho tho tho- tho-in. How in a tho- tho- tho- tho- tho- tho- tho-in. How tho-in. How tho-in. How tho-in. How tho tho tho tho tho tho tho tho tho tho tho tho tho tho tho tho tho tho tho tho tho tho tho tho tho tho tho tho tho tho' tho' thate thate thate that thate thate thate tho-n. thate thate thate that's thate thate their hair all the time. Dulce Sloan has more on that in another installment of Dulcayan. Black hair is like gluten. White people are scared of it, but for some reason they're obsessed with it. And for most of America's history, white people have done whatever they can to stop black folks from wearing our hair in its natural glory. And, and our hair, and, their hair, their hair, and their black people, their, and, and, and, and, and, and, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their their their, their, their, their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their black.. And, th. And, tole. And, tole, tape, tole, to. And, tole, thuu. And, thu. And, their their their their their their tol reason, they're obsessed with it. And for most of America's history, white people have done whatever they can to stop black folks from wearing our hair and its natural glory.

And our hair has a lot of natural glory. When we lived in the motherland, hair was so important that you could tell a family's name and social status just by their hairstyle. Basically, your hair was how you told all your business. And this is this is th is th is still th is still th is still th is still th is still th is still th is still th is still thi their. Show me a black man's waves and I'll tell you if he drives a bins or runs after the bus. But when the slave masters came, they cut off our hair as a way to control us and erase who we were. And you know how some people cut off their hair after a bad breakup?

It was like that. us blonde highlights. And even after slavery ended, our hair was still not allowed to be free because in its natural state, black hair was seen as unkempt and unacceptable in white America's spaces, whether it's corporate policies, discouraging our natural hairstyles, or army dress codes that specifically eliminated black hair styles, or schools being allowed to punish black students from wearing their hair naturally. Why? It makes me think black people sporting natural hair is like cutting onions to white people.

They just start tearing up at the sight of an afro like it's a black son. It's round. It's so round. Their hair just grows to the sky. Instead, black people are encouraged to straighten our hair to conform to white America's standard beauty. Not only is this unfair, it's hard as hell.

Straightening black hair takes hours and requires shit like hot cones, relaxers, a silk press process. Not to mention all the chemicals you've got to use. A breaking bag doesn't have anything on breaking breaks. And we've seen the evidence of this in hair styles that have since gone by the wayside. Like the unfortunate trends, N-sh-uh! Like the unfortunate trend of black uncles everywhere

sporting the Jerry Curl. The only real symbol of resistance the Jerry Curl stood for was destruction. Jerry curls ruined your pillows, your clothes, and your relationships. I went on a day with a guy that had a Jericho once, and my passenger seat was never the same. The only way black hair found cultural acceptance was when it was on white people's heads. When Bo Derek wore braids in the movie 10, she was held as starting a cross-cultural praise. But in the same era, black people were punished for wearing the same braids. That's got to be the most gaslight and shit I've seen since I learned how to use the Bunsen burner.

But for the good news, for as long as white people have been telling us what we can do with our hair, black people have been fighting back. Just look at Frederick Douglas, who intentionally took photographs for his Instagram 200 years early, showing his luscious natural hair to fight against the racist caricature as black men. He was basically the 19th century Idgeselba. Black hair was even part of the Civil Rights era, with the blackest beautiful afro movement. And today, the Crown Act movement is making real progress in breaking down the stigma of black hair's natural state, which will hopefully lead to the day when just

letting our hair exist doesn't have to be a political political political political mean as soon as I had a baby spro I couldn't walk down the street without someone yelling, hey sister queen I see you over there starting a revolution. Hey man I'm just going to whole food what are you talking about? So that's the messed up history of black hair in America and that's just an overview. The rest is enough to fit an Angela Davis' fro. Until next time, remember white people. When it comes to black hair, you can look, but not touch or copy. And black people put the conditioner in and then the oil. Don't let me catch you walking around with your hair all dry. Hair so dry, it looks ashy.

If your hair is looking like the knees, fat! You got bribed. If your hair is looking like sneeze, fat, you got bra. That's a great tip, Dorset. Thank you for that. When we come back, I'll be talking to the man who has been called the intellectual in Air Jordans. Michael Denzel Smith is coming up next, so don't go away. When 60 Minutes premiered in September 1968, there was nothing like it. This is 60 Minutes. It's a kind of a magazine for television. Very few have been given access to the treasures in our archives.

But that's all about to change. Like none of this stuff gets looked at. That's what's incredible. I'm Seth Done of CBS News. Listen to 60 Minutes, a second look on Apple podcasts starting September 17. Welcome back to the Daily Social Distancing Show. So earlier today, I spoke with New York Times best-selling author Michael Denzel Smith. We talked about his new book where he confronts America's failure to live up to the promises of the American dream. Check it out. How you doing, to live up to the promises of the American dream.

Check it out. How you doing, my dude, welcome to the show. Oh, thank you, thank you for having me. It's really truly an honor and a pleasure. I feel like every single time you write an article, you ruffle feathers and you freak people out because you wrote an essay in the New York Times that basically said, you know, even if Biden and Kamala win, that's not going to take away your Trump depression. What does that mean? Well, the problem with the Biden-Harris ticket is not that it doesn't end the Trump era.

Obviously, that would be great. Like, no, we don't want Donald Trump to be president anymore. You had eight years of the first black president. And for all the limitations of that presidency, because of the limitations of the US presidency, it represented for a lot of people the idea that their country was slipping away from them. And then you have the retrenchment with the voting in of Donald Trump and the systems that help Donaldir country was slipping away from them, and then you have the retrenchment with the voting in of Donald Trump

and the systems that help Donald Trump come to power. So if we look at that and we say, well, we want something different, we can't then rely on the exact same institutions to produce better results for us. What we have is just a going back to something that feels more comfortable for a large portion of the country. Are you arguing that basically Donald Trump has been so extreme

that now someone like Biden coming in and saying, like, I'm going to bring you normal, seems like a left or a radical policy when, in fact, he's just proposing, like, back to the norms. Because, I mean, they have come out just proposing like back to the norms because I mean they they they have come out and said like guys we're not maybe we're not the most radical but we're definitely not just coming with a back-to-normal approach. Well the problem is you do have to be that radical in this moment right

like because one the threat of Donald Trump was so much bigger than just even what is so scary of like white supremacist violence cascading across the nation. That was, that's huge, right? But what we're dealing with on a global scale, as we see now with the fires out in California, all of the cyclones forming in the Atlantic Ocean right now, a global pandemic, is that we're on the brink of looking at our own destruction and something that we can stop

and that we just have very little time to do. And so there's an acceleration of all of the problems that we face under four years of Donald Trump, if we go back to normal or even left of normal, like just like, oh, we're going to tinker around some things and make some things better and make some people's lives a little bit better, that doesn't do anything in this very short window that we have to transform our institutions to deal with the huge crises that we're facing. Biden and his people, if you read between the lines, it feels like they're saying th th th th th th th they're saying, they're saying they're saying they're saying they're saying they're saying they're saying they're saying th th th th th th th that that that that, thate thate, thate, like thate, like thate, thi, like thate, like thate, like tho, like tho, like tho, like thi, like thi, like thi, like thi, like thi, like th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. the. We're, the. We're thea. We're thea. We're thea. We're thea. We're thea. We're thea. We're thea. We're thea. We're th the huge crises that we're facing. Biden and his people, if you read between the lines, it feels like they're saying, look, we're trying to win the election.

That's the most important thing is to win the election. And now because America has the electoral college, you're not just trying to win based on a popular idea, you're try to win based on Biden came out with some radical policies as you say, I mean he's already at a place in the race where he's not comfortably beating Donald Trump. He's just like slightly ahead in some of these places. Do you think it's worth him risking it and saying like, all right, here's radical when most of America's electorate, especially in these core places is saying like, oh yeah, we're not going to vote for radical. Well, it's, it's, the question, the question, the question, the question, the question, it's, it's, the question, the question, it's, the question, the question, the question, the question, the question, the question, the question, the th. It's, th. th. th. th. thi. thi. thi. thi. to. to. to. to. th. to. th. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to, to, to. to. to, to. to. to. to. to. to. th. to. to. th. to. to. th. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to.'re not gonna vote for radical. Well, it's, the question then is, is it most important to win this election

or to have a country primed to do what's necessary for it to save itself, right? And those right now are two different ideas, because the messaging from the Biden-Harris campaign is not about, again, a, again, a to-a-sporting-in, to-in, to-in, to-in, to-in, to-in, to-s, to-s, to-s, the-s, the-s, the-s, the-s, the-s, the-s, the-s, the-s, the-s, the-s, the-s, the-s, the-s, the-s, the-s, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, to-s, to-s, to-s, to-s, the-s, the-s, the-s, the-s, the-s, the-s, the-s, the-s, the-s, the-s, the-s, the-s, the-s, the-s-s-s, the-e-e-e-e-e-e.e.e-e.e.e, the-e.e.e.e.e.e.e, the-s-ea-s, and-s, th-s, th messaging from the Biden-Harris campaign is not about, again, the sort of radical transformation that this country needs in order to continue to survive, to make a planet that's able to sustain life, to be able to destroy institutions that are founded upon white supremacist violence, all of that. We're not there.

So if the question is, is it more important to win an election than to do that, then sure, Biden is doing exactly what needs to be done. But the problem is that I see in that is that winning this election does so little with what time we have left to course correct on these things. If we had 20, 30, 40 years more with regards to the timeline with climate disaster, maybe we give it a shot for four years and say, okay, yeah, we got this, we can buy some time here and then we can do something else. But we just don't have that. so if, if, if the place the place, th th th th th the the the the the the th th the the the th the th th th, so th, th, th, th,, we got this, we can we can buy some time here and then we can do something else. But we just don't have that. So if, if the platform that's been afforded

to Joe Biden, if we get messaging, that's about what actually needs to take place, like what what we have to do with how deep we have to dig as Americans, then even in the event of his loss, what you have is a citizenry that is that is that is that is that is that is th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, thin, thin, thin, thin, thin, thin, thin, thin, thin, thin, thin, thin, thin, thin, thin, thin, thin, thin, thin, thin, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, thin, thin, thin, thin, thin, thin, thin, thin, thin, thin, thin, thin, thin, thin, thin, thin, thin, thin, thin, thin, thin, thin, thin, thin, thin, thin, th even in the event of his loss, what you have is a citizenry that is then looking and saying, well, this can't stand obviously, like this is beyond the pale, right? And so then you have people activated, ready to do what's necessary to oust a second term of Donald Trump. Yeah, but no, but listen to what you're saying right now. Now, you're saying, well, if Biden was more honest

and then we lay out the plan and he's like more radical, then people will know what needs to be done. And then after another four years of Donald Trump, then we can get things done. My question to you would be, if Donald Trump got another four years and Donald Trump had additional Supreme Court justices and more federal courts appointees and more, Donald Trump could basically entrench a foundation that is so deep in America that people couldn't undo it no matter how many presidencies they have coming forward. Does that make sense?

Or do you think that then there would be like some revolutionary power in the people that would make things move? I hear what you're saying that if you, if you, if we are to to actually reckon with an American past and try to forge an American future in which we, we lay out the ideas and live out those ideas that are supposed to be at the heart of this country, right? What we're not going to, we're not going to get to that with sort of like me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, the the the the the the the the the the th. th. th. the thi, thi. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. to, if, if, if, if, if, if, if, if, if, if, if, if, if, if, if, if, if, if, if, if, if, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, to, to, to, to, to. to. to. to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, the, the, the, the be at the heart of this country, right? What we're not going to, we're not going to get to that with sort of like mealy-mouth centrism and laying that out. What we are going to get is four years of Joe Biden, right? Like that could be...but wait, but wait, but wait, if I could interrupt that, that's what

I'm saying, I find interesting about this. It's going to be a lot easier for somebody like even you, Michael, to push a Biden-Harris administration to be more aggressive, to be more radical, on economic policies, on unemployment, on wage gaps, on taxing Wall Street and the Uber-rich and the corporations. Wouldn't it be easier to push them when they're in power than to push them when they're trying to get the power? Or do you think that the two are not mutually exclusive? I think you can't wait until they're in power, because then they don't owe you anything, right? Like, they don't seem, they don't act as if they owe you anything. And I just say that as someone who lived through eight years of the Obama presidency, and people were saying, acknowledge what he's up against and you have to see and you can't you can't push him, you can and it's like so what point are we comfortable with pushing them right and so you say to them

now like look if you're going to represent me if you're going to win my vote this is what I demand now and this is what I need from you now this is what I need from you now this is what the country needs from you now, because we wait until then, and then they're comfortably in power, and that's the thing that they wanted anyway, right? And so now that they have that. And I hear your point around thinking about governance after you win the election

because winning the election is the only way in which you get to enact these plans anyway. But the problem is that we're looking at a Joe Biden who has 50 years of public service under his belt and has a record that we can point to that doesn't pretend that he would be the kind of figure that would be looking for any sort of radical change, right? So if we look at his actual track record and we look at the policies that he has pushed for, we can't trust that he simply changes right now before this monumental election unless we're willing to push him now.

If someone's reading your book, they may come away from it feeling like you're saying, all is lost, it's a zero-sum game, and there's almost no point. But I know you as a person and I know that although you challenged the ideas of America, you're not one who doesn't believe in inaction. So what action would you want people to take once they've read your book? What is the idea that you're trying to get across to people? I think this is the very first thing for me, as I'm challenging sort of the narrative that Americans have told themselves about America, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, the the their, their, their, their, their, their, tha, tha, tha, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, tho, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, th is th is th is th is th is th is th is th is th is th is th is thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, thi, thi, thi, thi have told themselves about America, right? It is saying, you know,

we keep saying over and over to ourselves, America is the greatest nation on the face of the earth, America is the beacon for democracy, and it's just like, well, those things just don't stack up if we like look at the record of America. So we have to break ourselves free of just simply repeating over and over this stock narrative that has us like high on our own delusions. So once we do that, it really is a matter of them breaking free of the sense that only through individual action can change come about, because that's not the way that it has worked throughout the course of human history, right? What happens is we understand that we have a responsibility to one another. It's difficult because in this country we can't even

agree that it's good to wear a mask to protect your neighbor from an airborne illness that has caused a global pandemic. We can't even get to that point. So I know that we're up against something incredibly tough that's ingrained in the American character and the American identity of who we are as rugged individualist and people who just take care of ourselves and if everyone does that, then we're all better off.

We're not, we're not there. We're not, that's not how it works as a human. The reason that Homo sapiens have been able to survive all this time, a large part of it is, it's not just the thumbs, right? It's the fact that we are social creatures, we depend on each other, we help each other. And if we lose sight of that, I mean, which we have a sight of the idea that we have responsibility to care for each other on a large scale. Well, then we have no hope whatsoever. Once again, you have left me more depressed

than when I met you, and that's why I always appreciate talking to you as a human being. No, but on the real, though, you always make me think. And I hope everybody reads the book because it is a, I, the, I, and, and, and, and, and, and, and, and, and, and, and, and, and, and, and, and, and, and, and, and, and, and, the, the, and, the, the, and, the, the, and, and, the the the, and, and, the the, and, and, the, and, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, and, the, and, and, and, and, and, and, and, the, the, and, and, and, the, the, and, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, they..a, they.e.e. the the they.e. toe. the the toe.e. the the the the the the the the the the the they.e. the the though, you always make me think. And I hope everybody reads the book, because it is a challenging read, because it makes you question all the things that you've been told, but I think it's necessary for us to keep on doing that. So Michael, thank you so much for joining us on the show. Thank you, Trevor, thank you, my dude. Thank you. Thank you so much. All right, that's our show for tonight, people.

But before we go, I wanted to remind you that the West Coast is currently battling some of the most horrific wildfires that are destroying millions of acres of land and displacing hundreds of thousands of people. And climate change has been a key factor in increasing the risk and extent of these conditions. Now, one organization that has been working to find practical solutions for climate change and other environmental threats is the Environmental Defense Fund. Until tomorrow, stay safe out there, wear a mask, and remember, if there's a keg at your quarantine, you're probably doing it wrong. The Daily Show with Kvernoa, Ears Edition.

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