The Daily Show: Ears Edition - Desi Lydic Investigates The Reaction to Kentucky's Extreme Laws | Long Story Short: The Dark Side of the Wellness Industry

Episode Date: April 29, 2023

Kentucky has passed some of the strictest anti-trans and anti-abortion bills in the country, but is that really what Kentuckians want? Desi Lydic returns to her home state to ask locals how they feel about their lawmakers and finds out how people are trying to make the state better. And in Long Story Short, Desi warns about the dangerous trappings of the "wellness" industry, from expensive snake oil products to dangerous medical alternative trends.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

You're listening to Comedy Central. Welcome back to the Daily Show. I live here in New York City, but my heart and liver damage are from my home state of Kentucky. Thanks to Mitch McConnell and Rand Paul, Kentucky doesn't have the best reputation. So I wanted to show that there's a lot more than you think. Take a look. Kentucky and I have both changed a lot since my youth. But unfortunately, the changes that there's a lot more than you think. Take a look. Kentucky and I have both changed a lot since my youth, but unfortunately the changes the state currently

faces can't be resolved with acutane and 150 hours of community service. Kentucky legislators passed one of the strictest anti-trans laws in the nation. House Bill 300 would allow prosecutors to charge a woman with criminal homicide if she gets an abortion. Police can't enforce any kind of federal ban on guns. Banning gender affirming care. Taking aim of drag shows. Stifles free speech. A trigger law.

A trigger law. Ah, the second amendment. He can stop. They can stop their decisions. We can do things a lot better. It's like our voice of the falling upon deaf ears. It's a lot of straight white men, a lot of older men. I would say, and to Mitch in particular,

that the vast majority of American people are sick and tired of the guns. Turtle-based. Feeh. There's that southern hospitality I miss. But she's right. Kentuckians aren't happy with their lawmakers. In fact, statistics have shown a majority support access to abortion, background checks on guns, and oppose the law and gender-affirming health care. So how is this happening? To get more insight, I met a local journalist who's shining a spotlight on the politics happening in conservative states.

There's only one way to have this conversation and that is over-burbon. So it's safe to say that a lot of these laws that are passing from extreme legislators are not reflective of the values of the people of Kentucky. So my view is we're seeing an extreme Republican agenda because our legislators are governing not like Republicans, not like Kentuckians. If you look at the laws being passing Kentucky, they're the exact same ones being passed in Florida or Mississippi. So these are much different states with much different priorities, but they have the exact

same agenda because the Republicans in every state. Just passing a list of things Donald Trump and other right Republicans like and they're popular on Fox News. You know what let's just keep this flowing. I don't want to see this glass empty. Where do we go from here? Is there any solution? I think ultimately we have to in the short term shame them out of passing the most aggressive version of these bills. Criticize them enough to make sure that they are told when they go to church or when they go to the grocery store that you passed a terrible bill and acted like a bigot. Are you sure that shame would work with Kentucky Republicans? I mean look at Rand Paul. If I got my ass kicked in my front yard by my neighbor, I would never leave my house again. I'm not saying it's a full. I'm their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their. I'm not. I'm not. I'm not th. I'm not their th. I'm thirty. I'm thirty. I'm thirty. I'm to to to to to to to their. I'm their. I'm their. I'm their. I'm their. I'm their. I'm their. I'm their. I'm their. I'm their. I'm their. I'm their. I'm their. I'm their. I'm their. I'm their. I'm their. I'm their. I'm their. I'm their. I'm th. I'm th. I'm t. I'm t. I'm t. I'm t. I'm t. I'm te. I'm te. te. te. te. te. te. te. I'm t. I'm t. I'm t. I'm t it's a full proof point and I'm just saying that these legislators have to walk in public and live their life and I do think you want

to make clear that you have done something terrible. It might be the drinks but I have an idea. What if we may change through the power of song, through subliminal messages we could write a country song? No one's tried that. No one's tried that. We'll sing it together. Okay because we know how it goes. It goes here in Kentucky. We got bourbon and horses and a woman's right to choose. We have a great education. Well funded, well supported. Public schools. We have a great education. Well funded, well supported.

Public schools. Oh, this is so good. Okay, we got to record this. You sound as being subliminal? The irony is that even as the Kentucky legislature becomes more extreme, Kentucky's citizens are trying to bring the state together. Citizens like Edward Lee. Edward Lee, an award-winning chef founded the LE, a non trying to bring the state together. Citizens like Edward Lee. Edward Lee, an award-winning chef founded the Lee Initiative,

a non-profit seeking to increase diversity and equality in the restaurant industry. And he's achieving this on a national level as well. Chef Edward Lee, owner of 16 Magnolia and Louisville, has been invited to the White House to cook for the U.S. and South Korea state dinner. When it comes to politics, he has a more grassroots approach. There are people in power here that have their agenda. But there's some belief in me where you stay and you fight the good fight, and you build community and make sure that people do not feel marginalized, that people do not feel alone, that people do not feel like they're the only ones in this fight. And to me, that's stronger than any political movement. We have done dinners here where we have brought different groups at the table to sit down

and talk things out. And I would say, at the end of the dinner, you still disagree. The only difference is, now you see the other person as a human being. Do you think this level of humanity and kindness and outreach that you do could ever exist in the Kentucky legislature? They come here for dinner. I can ask them. Has Mitch McConnell ever?

We don't serve and tell. You don't serve and tell. We've been here 21 years. I'll say this. Everyone's been through here. I waited tables tables tables tables tables tables tables tables tables tables tables tables tables tables tables tables tables tables tables tables. tables. tables. tables. tables. ta. ta. t through here. How many times have you spit in this food? I don't say that. I waited tables for 10 years. That is against everything I stand for.

I know a thing or two about spitting in food. Despite not taking my advice, Edd left me feeling hopeful, so I sobered up and hit the streets to see if other people shared Ed's vision. You have to have hope because otherwise you wake up and you live in fear and that's not what we in Kentucky do. We get up and we go to work and we take care of our families and we're good to our neighbors. When something bad happens in the state, everyone rallies together and the good fight still continues on.

We are the solution and we truly have got to become much more forceful and active. I think we can make it uncomfortable enough for those who are in charge of the voting, who are in charge of representing us. Yeah, make him uncomfortable. Slip him laxatives, key his car, put a bag of shit on his doorstep and light it on fire. You don't the problem with that only makes me look bad. That would not achieve the goal I have. Plus it takes all that time to shit in the bag and light it on fire. That's right. Right. Thank you.

You know where we can get some good bourbon around here? Well, at my house. Oh, leave the way to the library. Oh, thatthe way. I'll follow you. I'll go to the library. Oh, it's okay. I'll go with you. You know, there. I actually have a fine if you don't mind picking up the tab. I've racked up quite the bill. You said Kentuckians are generous, right? Let's talk about wellness. It's a $1.5 trillion industry and I'm obsessed. I've tried it all. I drink mushroom coffee, I've done ice baths, I've tried meditation apps, I gave my meditation app an ice bath. I don't know if it worked because my phone won't turn on, but like a ski trip with Gwyneth Paltrow, wellness has a dark side. And that is what I want to talk about in term wellness started in the 90s back when white women

invented yoga. But it's actually been around for at least a century and until very recently there's been zero government regulation to make sure that wellness products are legit. A company could claim that their panda semen protein powder will give you that glow. But they don't have to show receipts, so it's no surprise that they sell a lot of snake oil. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force reviewed 84 studies involving hundreds of thousands of people over 30 years. The task force concluded there was little or no benefit in using vitamin and mineral

supplements to prevent cancer, cardiovascular disease, and death. There is a new study that found some of those melatoning gummies that are so popular actually contain way more of the hormone than they advertise. Wellness influencers promoting products like colloidal silver, they say can combat where there is infection. Non-prescription products that contain colloidal silver are not recognized and safe by the FDA. There's a lot of us around teetoxes, but dietitians and doctors will tell you, detoxing is a myth.

There is one ingredient, though, that takes some teetoxes to another level. It's called Senna leaf, and thing is, Senna can also cause stomach problems, cramps and diarrhea. After using Senna for a while, you might not be able to poop without it. That's right. If you take some of these products, you might be as full of shit as the influencers who sell them. Look, I get why people want to believe this stuff works. But if just drinking tea was the key to looking snatched, the British Royal Family would look a lot different. Look, the truth is you don't have to spend a single dollar to try a bullshit wellness trend. Just go on social media and you'll find plenty of ways to jeopardize your health for free.

Advocates of the saltwater flush claim chugging water mixed with two tablespoons of salt is a healthy way to clean out your colon. but experts are issuing stern warnings.. W. W. W. W. W. W. W. W. W. W. W. W. W. W. W. W. W. W. W. W. W. W. W. W. th. th. th. th. th. th. the the the the the the th. the the the th. the the the the the th. th. the the the the 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 the the the the the the the the the. W. W. W. W. W. W. the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the th. t. t. t. t. te. te. te. te. te. true. true. true. true. true. true. true. true. true. te. te. mixed with two tablespoons of salt is a healthy way to clean out your colon but experts are issuing stern warnings. Dangerous as f-fee, it's literally napon for your bowels. It's the latest viral health trend with nearly 40 million views on Tick-Tock. The claim that putting tape on your mouth at night can help you get better sleep. It's a trend that has some medical experts sounding the alarm. You're risking things like cardiac arrest, it can induce seizures, there's a lot of risks to it. Doctors are warning against a viral wellness trend called peroneum sunning. They say it's not worth the risk of sun damage or even skin cancer. Just a general rule, never try a trend that seems like it was invented by the guy next door

with binoculars. Please, please do not try that at home. If you want to see a sunburned asshole, just watch the next presidential campaign. That's the last we'll see a hem nailed his ass. But maybe the darkest side of wellness is that too often it's not even about wellness. It's about targeting women's insecurities. Whether it's eliminating your wrinkles, flattening your abs, or the industry's favorite targets are extremely disappointing vaginas. Apparently it needs a full reno down there. Talking detox pearls to stay clean, vaginal eggs to tighten its

core, and of course gummies to improve its taste. Because it's not enough that your vagina can regulate its own pH and be a pleasure center and deliver a baby. It also needs to taste so good it gets a Michelin star. We don't need any of this. The vagina is a self-cleaning organ. It's not like you need a tiny rumba in there, getting all those hard-to-reach corners.

In fact, if your vagina has quarters, please go see a doctor. But the fact is, the reason the wellness industry is making so much money off women in the first place, is because of doctors. The American health care industry is constantly failing women, whether it's doctors dismissing their symptoms, or telling them that their pain isn't as bad as they're claiming,

or prescribing them less medicine than men for the same issues. And keep in mind, this is all even worse for women of color. And it's happening as the courts and states are rapidly eroding women's access to reproductive health care. And all of this is stressing me out so much I could really use a pan to semen smoothie. So it's no wonder that women turn to wellness despite all its faults. Because what's more ridiculous. Like a meditation app when I need it. So it's no wonder that women turn to wellness despite all its faults. Because what's more ridiculous? A health care system that denies women treatment and tel th th th th th th th th th th th th I I I I I I could th th th th th th th th th the I could the I could really really the I could the I could really the I could really the I could really the I could really the I could really thate I could the I could really the I could the the the the their 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 their their their their their thate te te te. te. I could really really really really really really really really teateateateateateateateateateate. I could really really really really really really really their their their no wonder that women turn to wellness despite all its faults because what's more ridiculous? A health care system that denies women

treatment and tells them that their pains all in their head or this? So long story short, until American health care takes women's concerns seriously, we're going to continue to be targets for alternative solutions. So long story short, until American health care takes women's concerns seriously, we're going to continue to be targets for alternative solutions. So the next time a wellness brand tries to sell you a product, here's some advice. Pretend like you're a doctor listening to a female patient. Don't take their word for it. Explore more shows from the Daily Show from the Daily Show Podcast Universe by searching The Daily Show, wherever you get your podcasts.

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