The Daily Show: Ears Edition - Correspondent Spotlight: The Best of Steve Carell

Episode Date: August 14, 2023

Before his days playing Michael Scott in "The Office," Steve Carell was a beloved Daily Show correspondent. We've rounded up some of his most hilarious moments from sweet-talking his way onto John McCain's campaign bus, to reporting on the Iraq war, to his most notable segments like "Slimming down with Steve" and "Even Stevphen."See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

John Stewart here, unbelievably exciting news. My new podcast, The Weekly Show, we're going to be talking about the election, economics, ingredient to bread ratio on sandwiches. Listen to the weekly show with John Stewart, wherever you get your podcast. You're listening to Comedy Central. Two things in this world can rival the excitement of a modern-day political campaign. As part of our Indecision 2000 coverage, Steve Correll joined the fun and went on the campaign trail. It's every reporter's dream to spend a day on the campaign trail with a front-running candidate.

It's every reporter's dream to spend a day on the campaign trail with a front-running candidate. And that's exactly the opportunity we were afforded-atored-at-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s.ed-s. thovede-s. Wea-s. Wea-s. Wea-s. Wea-s-s. Wea-s-s-s. Wea-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s. T-s. T-s. T-s H-s H-s H-s H- and-s Ita-s Ita-s Ita-s. tho-s. th- trail with a front-running candidate. And that's exactly the opportunity we were afforded this day in New Hampshire on John McCain's Straight Talk Express. However, Dan Rather and the 60 Minutes crew were already on board, so we had to go on the overflow bus. Great. This is just great. The Overflow Bus, repository for outcasts, misfits, and journalistic bottom feeders. I bet they've got an omelette bar or something up there. You think Rather's up there talking policy with them?

No, they're up there playing pinball, singing karaoke. Rather doesn't have to be on the overflow bus. I'm 60 minutes to today. Don't throw it back. You know, we were asked asked the the tha it back. You just ate half of it threw it back. You know, we were asked to come like, oh yeah, well you're that bus. Shut up back there. Pick it up your ass. The situation was intolerable. Something had to be done.

Exactly what am I looking at here? Bus assignments for the 50-some members of the media. Let's cut to the chase. Where are we? 47, 47, 40, 40, 40, 40, 40, 40, 40, 40, 40, 40, 40, the the the the the thiiiii. thi. thi. thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, to to to to to to to, to, to, to to to to to to to to to to to th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th. You, th. S, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thee. We thea. See, thea, thea. See, thea, thea, thi. See, thi, the chase. Where are we? 47, 48, 49, and 50. What do the circles mean? Circles mean you're on the bus. So as you can see, no circle, no bus. Why are you tricking me around like this? All I want to do is sit on the nice bus. Oh, so great. Oh God. All right, thanks, I go to the today. Covering the story at arm's length.

All right, thanks, I got there. Covering the story at arm's length was getting me nowhere, and then it hit me. The best way to get to a presidential candidate's bus is through his wife. This is your driver here. Steve Faroe. Steve Faroe. Now this is a well-appointed driver. He's wonderful. I'd like you to take a look at the driver we have.

Great, thanks very much, Ron. You see what I mean? Okay now, now, th th I mean? Okay, now step aboard. Here we go into our secondary bus. Take a whiff. Yeah, take a whiff of the overflow bus, and Mrs. McCain was on my side. And actually...

Stichon. Really? Come on, let's go. Really? Right now. Not only was I finally on the bus, but I was going to get the chance to talk to Senator John McCain. Sir, how are you? Let me tell you. You are welcome on our bus at any time. Let's do a lightning round.

Okay. Your favorite book? For whom the bell tolls? Favorite movie? Fiva's a potter. Charlotte. Charlton Heston. Marlon Brando. Close enough. If I were a tree I would be a... If I were a tree I would be a root. What does that mean? Senator, how do you reconcile the fact that you were one of the most vocal critics of pork barrel politics, and yet while you were

the chairman of the Commerce Committee, that committee set a record for unauthorized appropriations. I'm just kidding. I just don't know what that means. Oh, they all laughed at my little question, but two things were abundantly clear. Okay, all right, okay. We're gone. It was the wrong question to ask, and I was going to be walking. Steve Correll, ladies and gentlemen.

Steve, that was, that was an interesting piece. Steve, that was, that was an interesting piece. Thank you, Mr. Stewart. It seemed like you had one shot to really ask a good solid political question and you froze up, you backed off. Well, I was trying to explore the sites, the sounds, the smells of a political campaign. But you were up there to get an interview with McCain and one-on-one. Now Mrs. McCain was a gracious... Mrs. McCain is not the story.

Did you see her? Yeah. Yeah. She is intelligent, beautiful, wonderful. Yes, I understand. But it seems like you froze up with McCain. You had them right there. And...

Well, I, um, I was was just I was trying to should we take you off the political beat is it is it too much for you to uh... Steve Correll ladies and gentlemen I know coming up four minutes no no you're not you're not talking you're not toss in a commercial look at me look Stephen look. Stephen, look, mmm, look, see, what do we say? Bad report.

And do better. And do better. And do better. Steve Correll, here's a caramel. Good one. Steve Correll, ladies and gentlemen, we'll be right back after this. Hey everybody, John Stewart here.

I am here to tell you about my new podcast, The Weekly Show. It's going to be coming out every Thursday. So exciting. You'll be saying to yourself, TGID. Thank God it's Thursday. We're going to be talking about all the things that hopefully obsess you in the same way that they obsess me. The election. Economics. Earnings calls. What are they talking about on these earnings calls? We're going to be talking about ingredient to bread ratio on sandwiches and I know that I listed that fourth but in importance it's probably second. I know you have a lot of options as far as podcasts go but how many

of them come out on Thursday. I mean talk about innovative. Listen to the weekly show with John Stewart, wherever you get your podcast. As those of you who read the tabloids, undoubtedly know, Daily Show correspondent Steve Correll has waged a very public battle with his weight. We've been lucky enough that he's allowed us a window, a window, a window into that process. Please welcome our own Steve Correll. Steve, thank you. Thank you.

John, the last time on Slim and down with Steve. John, the last time on Slimming Down with Steve, I chose a personal trainer, but as you know, exercise alone just won't cut it. Today we're going to focus on nutrition. Join me as I visit a top New York City nutritionist. My name is Steve. Living down with Steve, living down with Steve, living down with Steve, Slimming down Steve, living down Steve, living down with Steve, slimming down with Steve, living down with Steve, living down with me. With me.

Before a nutritionist like Mariam Papo can offer advice, she has to learn about the eating habits of her patient. Just tell me if you've eaten these in the last week. Okay. Cheese? Yes. the fried chicken?

Yes. Other fried foods? Yes. Yes. Bacon? Yes. Sweet roll? What's? Sweet roll? Like a Danish? Yes. What type of milk do you drink?

Butter milk. What type of oil do you use? WD-40. Usually peanut oil. When you have chicken. Usually peanut oil. When you have chicken, is it with the skin or without the skin? Just the skin. What am I doing wrong?

It didn't take long for Miriam to observe that I needed more vegetables in my diet. So she offered to make me a healthy meal. Look how beautifully green these are. Mm-hmm, green things. The supermarket was gonna be a lot of fun. This is beef tongue. If you were to eat this, wouldn't your food essentially be tasting you? We did have fun. But now it was off to the kitchen to make pasta primavera, which in Italian means no meat for steed. That looks good. Yeah. What makes pasta primavera such a healthy dish? Because it's usually using all fresh vegetables. Bam! Right? Like that chef? Okay. Great. Finally, it was time to indulge.

Let's dig in. Let's say grace first. All good gifts around us are sent from heaven above. And thank the Lord. Oh, thank the Lord. Oh, thank the Lord for all his love. I really want to thank you, Lord. I want to thank you, Lord, or Thank you, Lord, above. above

the ball that's all right Steve Correll ladies and gentlemen wow First of all, thank you for allowing us to go on this emotional journey with you. Now how is the new diet going for you? Well, it's been tough, John, because I've had to find ways to incorporate vegetables into my nutritional regime. I think you mean regimen, not regime. John, do you do what you need to lose weight, I'll do what I need to do, okay?

Now, take a look at this. You'll notice it says all vegetable. Right. A couple of scoops of this, I get all the vegetables I need. I actually think it's shortening, vegetable shortening, so it doesn't. It serves up just like ice cream. Mmm.

It's really not bad. Vegetables can be fun. Let me ask you. How much weight have you lost? Oh. Oh. God. Actually, it's funny you should ask that. That's why I'm laughing.

It's funny you should ask that. That's why I'm laughing. Because I haven't lost any weight, but I am eating better. Our next health story should be of particular interest to our teen viewers. Who suffer from crippling glaucoma. For centuries, marijuana has been used as a self-prescribed remedy for the terminal disease known as being alive. But last week, the Supreme Court heard arguments as to whether state initiatives permitting the drug to be used medicinally violate federal law.

It's a case that figures to settle once and for all the legality of medical marijuana and thereby affect the lives of no fewer than 0.001% of American marijuana smokers. The federal government maintains, however, that marijuana or, as it's known on the street, funny pot cigarettes, is illegal period and has severely criticized prescribing the drug to those free-willing, long-haired, hippie AIDS and cancer patients just trying to score a free high off Uncle Sam. Those people are sick. Seriously, they're sick and they need help. Robert McGinnis of the Family Research Council has come out strongly against medical marijuana. I don't deny that, you know, sick people who have been using it for a long time feel better

after using this because they get high. And when you get high, you feel better. Robert McGinnis. Speaking out strongly and poorly against miracle marijuana. Medical marijuana, which is a miracle. Now the upcoming Supreme Court debate could even be a hotter button issue than Americans not sleeping enough. That's why it's the subject of tonight's even Stephen. You just made me vomit in my own mouth.

What's the weather like up your own ass? Tonight's topic, should medical marijuana be legalized? Yes. No. Yes! Yes! The medical marijuana initiatives in California and New Mexico were approved by the voters solely to help seriously ill patients for whom marijuana offers the only relief from pain. Who could deny an 80-year-old woman a moment of respite from her tortured existence? But I suppose there are a few

sick individuals out there who get off on other people suffering, Stephen. Far out, Steve. Groovy point, man. You're blowing my mind. Face it. You and your doctor dopes are just hiding behind grandma's oxygen tent. The real reason you're pushing pro-pot legislation is so you can suck on a tie stick and watch the walls begin to pulse and breathe. And now that you've duped a few misguided state legislatures,

I'm sure we can all look forward to you coming down with the convenient case of glaucoma real soon. This marijuana is medicine Stephen I'm pro people not pro pot. Oh come on Steve you love gongia and the exhilarating rush of freedom and the heightened textual sensations it gives you whereas I wouldn't know where to start looking for a dime bag, I'm sure you've got great connections. So let me in on the dirty little secret, Steve. Where do you get your pot? Stephen, just because I support medical marijuana, it's ludicrous to imply that I'm a dope fiend.

That's like saying, because I support the repeal of the marriage tax penalty that I'm into wife swapping. Don't change the subject, Steve, Steve, Steve, to to, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, 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 me th me th me th me th me th me th me th me th me th me th me th me th me, th me, th me th th th the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the the theateateat, theat theat theat theat theat theat theat theat theat, theat, th marriage tax penalty that I'm into wife-swapping. Don't change the subject, Steve. You know exactly where I can get my hands on some really deep chronic, don't you? Let's get back to my wife-swapping metaphor. Fine. Let's... What you're suggesting about my access to sweet Malaysian skunkweed is just as ridiculous as if I said, hey Stephen Colbert, why don't you and your wife come over some night

this week and we can exchange partners? Would that idea appeal to you? I don't know, Steve, would we be high? Would you bring the dope? Steve, you're not listening to my argument. My argument is that if, for instance, I tried to buy pot, I couldn in a fantasy world where I smoke pot and could get my hands on some very kind bud. But we would be wife swapping this Friday. Have I made myself clear?

Clear is crystal, Steve, but let me see if I can just recap your really twisted argument. You're saying that if we were to enter into some bizarre love quadrangle, you'd be supplying the weed. Yes. Okay, that sounds perfect. Great. I'm Stephen Colbert. And I'm Steve Corell, and this has been even Stephen. Should we bring anything? Yeah, bottle wine, it'd be nice.

Hey everybody, John Stewart here. I am here to tell you about my new podcast. The weekly show is going to be coming out every Thursday. So exciting. You'll be saying to yourself, TGID. Thank God it's Thursday. We're going to be talking about all the things that hopefully obsess you in the same way that they obsess me. The election. Economics. Earnings calls. What are they talking about on these earnings calls? We're going to be talking about ingredient to bread ratio on sandwiches. And I know that I listed that fourth, but in importance it's probably second. I know you have a lot of options as far as

podcasts go, but how many of them come out on Thursday? I mean, talk about innovative. Listen to the weekly show with John Stewart, wherever you get your podcast. Two ABC reporters and a six-person TV crew from the national broadcasting company, Voluntary Left Baghdad on Monday. Well, our guy, Steve Steve Correll is still in Baghdad. That's right, people. For those you're wondering where he's been, that's where he's been. And he's been there for some time and he's with us now. Steve, welcome.

Nice to see you, my friend. Good evening, John. Good evening, John. Behind me, my friend. Good evening, John. Behind me, Baghdad. Iraq is a nation waiting for an attack many believe is imminent. Will it come from Kuwait? Will Turkey respect the sovereignty of the Kurdish borders? These are the stories I will be covering as the countdown continues.

Well, Steve, I just want to thank you but say be careful word here is that the attack will actually come the form of a full-blown assault on the city of baghdad itself a massive overwhelming strike that will instantly cripple the iraqi infrastructure really I did not know that. Well, Steve, I'm sorry you didn't know that. As a matter of fact, many of your colleagues have already fled the city and the country in anticipation of an immediate attack.

Some believe it could be a matter of hours. It would have been nice for one of my colleagues to fill me in about that. Left a message on my voicemail perhaps. N. Nick Robertson. Well, Steve, please, while you're still there, tell us, Bush is still offering the option of exile for Saddam. Now, is that a possibility, or is Saddam going to hold firm on this? Well, John,

the possibility of Saddam accepting exile seems unlikely, given his defiance and continued hopes that the Arab world will unite behind it. Steve, I've got to ask you this. While the U.S. is engaging in conflict with Iraq, that might be a foregone conclusion. What about the long-term damage to some of our key European relationships? Well, John, it's hard to tell what the damage will be to our long-time alliances, but from my vantage point, tonight, Europe is mostly dark with large lit up patches that look almost like a computer circuit board or a grid of some sort, like the movie Tron.

You hold on a second? Are you kidding me? Okay, now I ask for Peppercorn Ranch, and this has been a sourdough roll that I'm Walter Cronkite. Thank you. John, I will say that many Europeans currently feel that the U.S. has shown as much disregard for the United Nations as Iraq. Well, that's an interesting point, Steve, but I've got to say that maybe there's even a growing sense of that same sentiment within the United States. Well, absolutely, John. The man I just spoke to in the front seatsea se se se se se se se se seaa. to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, I just spoke to in the front seat seemed very down on the United States and also seemed

unwilling to take me to 10th Avenue, even though I told him 8th was being worked on. There are no easy answers. Well, Steve, we appreciate it. These are incredibly difficult times. We can only hope that every effort is made by all sides to spare innocent life and that the men and women in our armed forces return home safely and quickly and that's I guess the prayer that's coming from this country tonight and maybe ultimately we can go alone oh my goodness My goodness. Wow, thank you for... John, these, I just wanted to say these are trying times. Well Steve Correll, welcome back to you. Thanks, it's really great to be back.

I've got to ask you a quick question, Steve. Did you stop someplace else before coming here? No. Does McSorley's count, yes, yes,'s does count, yes. Yes, yes, I did. All right. Steve Correll, welcome home, Steve, nice to see it. 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 on Fairmount Plus. This has been a Comedy Central podcast. Hey everybody, John Stewart here. I am here to tell you about my new podcast, the weekly show coming out every Thursday. We're going to be talking about the election, earnings calls. What are they talking about on these earnings calls? We're going to be talking about ingredient to bread ratio on sandwiches. I know you have a lot of options as far as podcasts go, but how many of them come out on Thursday? Listen to the weekly show with John

Stewart wherever you get your podcast.