The Daily Show: Ears Edition - Desus Nice covers DJ Envy’s Fraud Accusations | Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah

Episode Date: October 25, 2023

Desus Nice discusses the latest news, including Tom Emmer joining and quitting the House Speaker race, an off-duty Alaska Airlines pilot trying to crash a plane mid-flight, and DJ Envy's potential involvement in a real estate Ponzi scheme. Lewis Black then gives his honest assessment of the latest reality show craze, "The Golden Bachelor,” before bestselling author Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah shares the inspiration behind his first novel, “Chain-Gang All-Stars,” the reason he chose to have a Black woman protagonist, and his desire to inspire others to be more compassionate about abolishing the prison system.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The candidates for November are set. I know Donald Trump's tight. Between now and Election Day. We are not going back. A campaign season unfolding faster. Comelaharris is not getting a promotion. Then any in recent history. Make America great again.

Follow it all with new episodes every weekday on the NPR politics podcast. You're listening to Comedy Central. From New York City, the only city in America. It's the show that invented news. This is the Daily Show with your host, Jesus Nice. These are Snipes! The Ex-Henys! The X-Ea-Doh! Let's Go! Let us go! Let us go!

Let us go! Welcome to the Daily Show. I'm your host this week. What's my name? Hey, let's go! Let us go. Welcome to the Daily Show. I'm your host this week. What's my name? That's right. It's great to be back for hosting for a second night.

Actually, it's kind of like we're in a relationship now. You know, I'm getting pretty comfortable here. Might start taking a dump with the door open. Hell, I might be taking a dump right now. You don't th no. Anyway. Hell, I might be taking a dump right now. You don't know. Anyway, we've got a great show for you tonight. So let's get into some headlines. Let's kick things off in Congress,

where today Republicans were once again trying to pick a new speaker. After Kevin McCarthy was kicked out, and Steve Scalise failed. And Jim Jordan also failed. And then today they nominated some poor bastard named Tom Emmer's and this dude was their nominee for four hours. And then he dropped out. Martin Scorsey is out here making movies that last longer than speaker candidates. If you saw it this afternoon you missed this dude's entire nomination.

And personally, I was disappointed. I was looking forward to Tom Irma being a speaker because my man has one of the illest zoom games of all time. The gentleman is recognized for five minutes. Thank you, Madam Chair. I moved to strike the last one, obviously. Today's gig economy sprung out from the last recession that offers a job to anyone who wants.

During COVID-19, we must make sure that our nation's sole proprietors and the smallest of small businesses receive timely questions. Well, gentlemen suspend. I'm sorry, Mr. Emmer? Yes. Are you okay? Does he look okay?

Does he look okay? I seriously never see anyone look less okay in my life. Like, how does that even happen? Was the laptop upside down? Was he upside down? Like, we've all used Zoom. That's not even the option in Zoom. He had to code that himself. Like, we've been using Zoom for over three years. I've never seen anyone do anything close to this. Like, I get embarrassed if I'm muted on Zoom.

This guy's in a whole different dimension. Still, he would have made a great speaker. Just as long as Congress never had to attach a PDF to an email. But let's move on to our next story. It's a little dark for me to to to to to to talk about. But you know who can talk about it? My ultra egos. My ultra ego, dark deezis! We have a special effects budget clearly. Let's talk about airplanes. You know how on the airplane they got that big door to the cockpit and they keep it locked so so no one can get in? They don't want anyone in there to try to grab to grab to grab to grab to grab to grab to grab to grab to the to to their to to to their to their to to to their their to to their to to their to to to to their. So to to their. to their. their. to to to to to their. their. their. their. their. their. their. their. their. their. their. their. their. their. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. their. their. their. their. their. the their. the the the the the the the thea. te. te. te. te. te. te. te. te. thea. thea. thea. the. the. the cockpit and they keep it locked tight so no one can get in. They don't want anyone in there to try to grab the controls, right? So they keep the door locked and that works,

unless the guy that wants to crash the plane is already in the cockpit? And that's what happened here. This morning, the off-duty pilot accused of attempted murder. 44-year-old Joseph Emerson allegedly trying to crash an Alaska Airlines flight from Everett, Washington to San Francisco on Sunday with 84 people on board. We've got the guy that tried to shut the engine down out of the cockpit. Emerson sitting in the jump seat of the Embraer E. 175 cockpit situated right behind this instrument console between the captain and co-pilot. According to a federal official, he allegedly tried to pull the engine fire extinguisher handles located right

here before being subdued by the flight crew. Hold on, wait. Why is there a handle that crashes a plane? Like, who asked for that? And then also, why did the news very explicitly show us where this handle is? They were like, he pulled this lever. No, not that one, that one over there. The big one on the left. You have to pull it hard, though. And in order to get in the cockpit, use code 2713. That works for all planes. But listen, it's time for some financial news. The Daily Show is a serious show. I know some people expect me to come on here

and do my thing where I just roast people by that I have beef with, but this is a serious show. This is a serious chair, serious desk, and now I'm gonna give you some important financial news. So important, I have to put on my spectacles. I report on the serious financial news. Popular radio host, to, himself from an alleged multi-million dollar fraud scheme. Not DJ Envious.

That was never on my radar. Go on. Federal agents arresting his longtime friend and one-time business partner, Caesar Pena on charges of wire fraud, accusing him of a Ponzi-like real estate scheme that allegedly defrauded investors out of millions. Pina often appeared on the Breakfast Club, a top 20 I-Heart Radio show with millions of listeners and YouTube subscribers to promote real estate investment. He also held seminars and created YouTube videos with DJ Envy. D.J. Envy has not been charged in connection with the case, but many of the alleged victims

say they were influenced by his celebrity status. Wow, DJ Envy is in trouble for real estate fraud. What a serious story. It's definitely not funny. There's certainly nothing personal that makes it funny to me. It's not like Rashon accosted me on the radio for making a little joke about him and his wife, which I only thought we were friends. It's not like he called me dickhead and then got so mad he locked himself in the studio

for the rest of the show and then told the building security that was a threat. But even if that happened, that's all in the past. Oh! I'm just reading the news is DJ Envy might go to jail for an alleged Ponzi scheme flipping houses in New Jersey. That's not hilarious. It's tragic because he's just a DJ. I mean, there's no way he could have known he might have been involved in a Ponzi

scheme, right? When I first got into real estate, I called three people. I called Clue Button. Joe Button told me it was a Ponzi scheme and I was going to go to go to go to go to go to go to go to go to go to go to go to go to go to go to go to go to go to go to go to go to go to go to go to go to go to go to go to go to go to go to go to go to go the to go the the the the the the to. 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 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. t. t. t. t. te. te. te. te. te. te. te. J. te. te. te. J. the. M. J. M. M. M. M. Clue. I call Fabulous. I called Joe Button. Joe Button told me it was a Ponzi scheme and I was going to go to jail. That clip is not funny. We are not laughing at this. We're also not asking who's a dickhead now. I'm being serious. Look at these spectacles. This could have happened to anybody. Whenever I'm doing financial transactions I also get advice from Joe Button, Fabulous, and DJ Klu. Everybody knows of the Lehman Brothers of Hip Hop.

And look, I don't want Envy to go to prison. I mean, imagine getting locked up for one of the coiniest crimes in hip hop history. This is a property brother's-a-sass crime. Forget the bloods, he's going to have to join the house hunters. But again, I'm the the the the th, I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I'm just doing the news and the news is that DJ envies a DJ a man who turns tables and now the tables have turns For more on this elected crime. Let's go to one of these elected properties with Dulcey Sloan sorry I'm sorry

Husa you say sorry Doosha, you guys feel sorry for these people that lost all that money. Ha ha ha ha ha ha! No, I don't. Listen, I feel bad for ugly people. I feel bad for orphans who can't sing. But these people gave their money to a DJ. You can't trust a DJ with money. You can barely trust a DJ to DJ. He should be flipping records not houses. And I should know. I went on a date with a DJ because who

hasn't. And he gave me a check and I asked if he was going to pay and he said, sorry, I don't take requests. I hear you. People got to keep their money where it's safe, like banks and other investments. What? No! Wall Street is gonna mess your money up worse than anybody. Bank of America, stealing money. Silicon Valley bank, collapse. Goen Sachs?

Guess what their CEO does on the side. He's a fucking DJ! Good boy. Good boy. Good boy. No, you can't trust Wall Street. They screw you over and it's legal. So what am I supposed to do with my money then? Oh, it's easy, friend. You leave your money at the Bank of Dulce.

Or El Banco de Dulce. Sponsor di Telemundo. Listen, I'll offer you a safe place for any of your financial deposits. Okay, well what interest rates are you offering? What's talking on? No, no, no, no, no, no. Listen to that, I'm going to keep it under my mattress just like my grandma. Who's also a head of security? A hundred percent safe. And you're not going to spend my money, right? I'm gonna spend some of your money. Because I'm taking on all the risk. What risk? What you mean?

I put the bank in my house, that's risky as hell. So maybe you'll lose a little bit, but not as much as you lose with DJNV. Come on, money under your mattress? Do you even have F-DIC insurance? Oh, trust me, I F some DIC on that mattress all the time. Let me think about it. Don't say so it, everybody. When we come back, Louis Black watches the Golden Bachelor. So don't go away. You're... The candidates for November are set.

I know Donald Trump's type. Between now and Election Day. We are not going back. A campaign season unfolding faster. Comely Harris is not getting a promotion than any in recent history. Make America great again. Follow it all with new episodes every weekday on the NPR Politics Podcast.

Yo, welcome back to the Daily Show. Sometimes news falls through the cracks. When that happens, Lewis black catches it for a segment we call Back in Black. Getting old isn't fun. My back hurts, my mind sucks. There's some perks to aging, but I can't f-. I can't f-. I guess one of the upsides is that I can get away with shoplifting. If I get caught, I just do the

Mitch McConnell thing and pretend my brains leaking out of my ears. But recently old people have an even better thing to enjoy. Get ready for a bit of a spin on ABC's long-running show, The Bachelor, this time around it's a 71-year-old man looking for love. It's a new twist on a classic show. After 20 years of The Bachelor on ABC, 71-year-old Gary Turner is the first golden bachelor. twenty-two-women aged 60 and older will step into the Bachelor on ABC, 71 year old Gary Turner is the first Golden Bachelor. 22 women aged 60 and older will step into the spotlight hoping to find love

with the Golden Bachelor. He's Gary and I'm your first Golden Bachelor. Finally a dating show where all the contestants are just like me, old and willing to degrade themselves on camera. Now, if you're wondering if he's one of those cool old guys, he's not. None of us are. Gary Turner revealed how it's been getting back in the dating game. I've had to learn a few lessons. My granddaughters have been helpful. I had to bone up on some of the emogees and some of the more trendy words that are used right now.

Well I feel you Gary. There's a lot of new slang out there but it's pretty simple. Cringe means awkward, mid means mediocre and Riz is something I got from a hooker in the 80s. Don't worry Penicillin cleared that Riz right up. And emojis are easy, Gary. This means penis. This means penis. This means penis. This is a guy getting a haircut. Well, though I use it to mean penis. Now, I'll be honest, as an older gentleman in my, well, let's say 40s. It is nice to see a TV show that really nails senior dating. I can't tell you how often I'm going on horseback rides,

taking trips in hot air balloons, and forcing women to play pickleball to impress me. Seriously, pickleball? Pickleball. Really, my only problem with the show is the guy they chose to be the Golden Bachelor, well, he's a fucking schmuck. I'm fired up today. I get to play pickleball.

Every door that opened was like the best Christmas ever. You don't stop believing. That's a... Oh, that's all. that's good. But I like to dance. Okay, come on. Yeah, oh, come on.

You're so good already. What do you say to guys that have only known you a very short time to tell you you're a really sexy woman? Oh, Christ, this guy is like if the word gee willakers became a person. Seriously, Gary, stop talking about your emotions. is like if the word gee will occurs became a person. Seriously Gary, stop talking about your emotions. We're boomers, you dickhead. Just get drunk and wonder where your life went wrong in silence.

Dignified silence. I'm talking to you, Gary. And I do have to give credit to this show. The Golden Bachelor is proof that people of any age can be milked for drama. He's going to send you home. I want to ring the little one's neck. In her mind, Gary is her. We are getting a little bit jealous.

People aren't necessarily very nice. You made it so like you chose me. This just doesn't go the whole. I can't keep going like this. I just don't have the connection that I did. I'm sorry. Oh my God, the hell is this happening? What the f-e'c is this? To quote Mitch McConnell. This show is beyond disturbing. The Golden Bachelor, I'd rather watch a Golden Shower.

Really? Seriously. That's your reaction is kind of a whiny reaction. Are you serious? Golden Bachelor sets up Golden Shower. You should have known that before you even came in here. Well, at least those people are having fun! My generation is a bunch of idiots, but we don't need to prove it again, not on prime time.

And the scary thing is, this show could be my future. Is this where I end up when my daily show contract finally runs out in 2045? It certainly has good ratings, which means we could be getting more reality TV spin-offs, like the Amazing Race, the Walk to the Mailbox, or Master Chef Senior, foods you can gum, or naked and afraid and suffering from dementia. And of course, Surviv survivor. Well, maybe until Thursday. My point is we don't need a show that makes old people look cool and happy. Any old person who tells you these are the best years of their lives needs to be institutionalized. And if they're going to make ten more seasons of this shit, they're going to need to legalize

euthanasia. Jesus? Thank you, Louis. My God! When we come back, we have nine o'clock, I'll bring you out. We're joining me on the show, so don't give away. Good! So good, man. So good, man. So good. So good. The candidates for November are set. I know Donald Trump's type.

Between now and Election Day. We are not going back. A campaign season unfolding faster. Comola Harris is not getting a promotion. Then any in recent history. Make America great again. Follow it all with new episodes every weekday on the NPR Politics Podcast. Welcome back to the Daily Show.

My guest tonight is a best-selling author whose latest book, Chain Gang All Show, the finalist for the National Book Award. Please welcome my man, Nana Kwaamein, Aja Brenya. Wow. Okay, okay. Now, full disclosure, you currently reside in what borough? The Bronx. B.X.O.D. Okay? you'd wonder. Okay. JJ Orsard, is your first novel. Tell us about it.

Because it's super popular, everyone I'm talking to, I was saying, I'm having you on the show, and everyone's like, I've read that book already. So what I'm missing on? Thank you. I appreciate it. So my first novel is about an imagined future and participate in death matches. So it's really about abolition of prison system, but in a fun way. So basically incarcerated people can fight to the death to become free?

They become gladiators and they're fighting for their freedom, yeah. Yeah, don't give Eric Adams that idea, man. Call it. This is a satirical book, Eric Adams, please. Is it hard to write a dystopian novel because we're kind of living in a dystopian novel right now? Bro, it is crazy to see it. I started this book about seven years ago, almost eight years ago. And in the process of writing it,

I sort of watched the world become more and more aware of some the things I was thinking about because it was coming more and more true we're seeing just how heinous the system was in so many different ways. And so it's difficult but also makes me feel like maybe I'm doing something that needs to be done. Got you. And now in your book it's a for-profit prison system, which is kind of similar to, I don't know, the NFL? Do you see any parallels there?

Yes. Well, no, I mean, I think that in general, our sort of consumer culture, where we have this idea where people's bodies are things for us to be entertained by, we've gotten really comfortable just viewing humans as a means to an end, you know, or outside of it being a means to an in and of themselves. So I think the NFL is particularly heinous, I think like that's like the big, the big, the big, the big, the big, the big, the big, the big, the big, the big, the big, the big, the big, the big, the big, the big, the big, the big, I thi-a, I thinks, I thin, I thin, I thin, I thinks, I thin, I thin, I thinks, I thinks, I thinks, I that, I that, I that, I that, I that, I thi, I thi, I thi, I thi, I thi, I thi, I thi, I thi, I thi, I thi, I thinks, I thinks, I thinks, I thinks, I thin, I thin, I thin, I thin, I thin, I thin, I thin, I thin, I thin, I thin, I thin, I thin, I thin, I thin, I thin, I thin, Ithemselves. So I think the NFL is particularly heinous, I think, like that's like the big jungard out of evil white men telling black bodies to go hurt yourself. But I mean... Talk that talk. But I think that paradigm exists in a lot of places too.

Got you. And in this book, your protagonist is a black woman? Yes. Was that a conscious choice? Absolutely it was. I think that there's a particular way in which the black woman can be both respected but also disrespected in the same breath, I think if you think about Serena Williams, and Bron, her image, and so many other type of weird little jab that they give her.

I think that that intersection of being a woman, I think that's intersection of being a woman, being someone who's in the eye, the public defenders, all woman. That makes sense. Okay, I recently hosted the gala for the Bronx defenders. They're public defenders in the Bronx, hence the name, duh. But your father is also a defense attorney? Yep, he was. Did that affect your view on the just criminal justice? It absolutely, absolutely did. He told me about how he was in the middle of defending someone who had committed a murder. Gotcha.

And I remember being like, dang, like, okay, I guess my father's a villain. He's a bad guy. And I remember him telling me it's not that simple. And just in that little moment, I was probably like 11, 10-ish, a little seed was planted, I think, is a big part of how this book. How satisfying does it feel to actually complete your first book? Oh my god, it's the biggest award, to be honest. It's the day where I sent it in and it was like,

done, done, done, done, is bigger than any reward I can get. So I'm just grateful it's out there. I'm grateful people are reading, I'm grateful people are thinking about the prison system and how we can maybe be more compassionate so that's the big gift. Okay this might be a little disrespectful to you. Last question. F. Mary kill. Tony Morrison, Zora Neil Hurston, James Baldwin. My English teacher is going to kill me. Tony's the god so I want to marry her. And then I feel bad to even say it. Zoranil Hurston and I would have some relations. She'll be a fool's together.

We'll take a quick break, but we'll be right back. The candidates for November are set. I know Donald Trump's type. Between now and Election Day. We are not going back. A campaign season unfolding faster. Kamela Harris is not getting a promotion. Then any in recent history. Make America Great Again. Follow it all with new episodes every weekday on the NPR Politics Podcast.

That's our show for tonight. But before we go, please consider supporting food education fund. They prepare and empower students with lessons in the culinary arts, hospitality, and entrepreneurship. If you can, please donate at the link below. Explore more shows from the Daily Show from the Daily Show, weeknights at 11, 10 Central on Comedy Central, and stream full episodes anytime on Fairmouth Plus. This has been a Comedy Central podcast. The candidates for November are set.

I know Donald Trump's type. Between now and Election Day. We are not going back. A campaign season unfolding faster. Commola Harris is not getting a promotion. Then any in recent history. Make America great again. Follow it all with new episodes every weekday

on the NPR Politics Podcast.