The Daily Show: Ears Edition - ICYMI - Jon Stewart on Confederate Statue Removal, the Coronavirus Pandemic & "Irresistible"

Episode Date: July 10, 2020

Jon Stewart gives his take on protesters taking down Confederate statues, the politicization of the COVID-19 crisis and his movie "Irresistible," which he wrote and directed. 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. Where are you writing? Like what is this? What is

this room behind you? I'm in my attic. Yes. In the room when my children were younger. This was their playroom and so they did a lot of doodling where the room when my children were younger. This was their playroom and so they did a lot of doodling where their cousins did because this is where they would come up with their cousins and then they grew up and decided, you know what, I'm just going to stay in my room, quarantine or no quarantine, and you're going to go up into the attic. So that's what we've done. It's funny because, like it's the the thi it's thi it's their thii it's thi it's their th go up into the attic. So that's what we've done. It's funny because, like it's beautiful now that I know it was your kids who did that,

but it almost looks like the same graffiti that's on like the Confederate monuments around America. It looks like you let people practice the graffiti at your house before they go to the monuments so they can get it right. And Tifa has infiltrated my attic. at it, the problem here. I'm doing the best I can, but they are rabble-rousers. And as you can see, they have decided that this wall must, this is the Berlin wall, and they are going to take it down. What do you, what do you make of all that?

Like, honestly, because you know, like, I mean, this, just like the Confederate monuments, like, every statue coming down. I mean, it started with Confederate statues, it started with, you know, like, racist people from history. Then we started just seeing, you know, statues coming down of, like, people who fought for the Union and people who fought against slavery and, you know, like, what do you make of it? Are we just, should we just get rid of statues? What's going on? What you'll find is, is if you don't th th th th 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, just, just, thi, thi, just, thus, 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, th, th, th, th...... th. th. th. th. Just, just, just, just, just, just, just, just, just, just, just, just, just, thi. And, thi. And, thi. And, thi. And, thi. And, thi. And, thi. And, thi. We, thi. thi order to take down the statues that represent the insurrection that tried to destroy this country and preserve the institution of slavery, if you make that impossible to do through pleading peaceful and treaty and all that, you're going to end up with a spasm.

Look, people shouldn't have 400 years. The statues are not from the Confederate era, they're from the Jim Crow era. They're from the era when they built them to say, just so you know, I know they let you go, but I just want to make sure everybody understands, like, we will still subjugate. I hope that's, you, you, you, you, you, you, you, you, you, you, you, you, you, you, you, you, you, you, you, you, you, you, you, you, th you, th you, th you, th you, th you, th th, th th, th, th, th, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, 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, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi. thi. thi thiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii. thi. thi. thi. thi, thi, I just want to make sure everybody understands like, we will still subjugate you. I hope that's, you know, and bring fear into your life. So, you know, because these statues are not, people say like you're erasing our history, which by the way, I don't remember the conservatives during the Iraq war, when the Saddam Hussein statue fell in Baghdad. I don't recall Republicans at the time going, but, but, but, big mistake. You don't want to face your history? That's your history.

Leave it be. So, you know, the, the, the plaque on the statue is not history. It doesn't say this mother fucker thought that he should fight a war to ensure that he could have slaves on his plantation and still benefit. And that, and that, and that, and th, and th, and th, and th, and th, and th, and th, and th, and th, and th, and th, and th, and th, and th, and th, and th, and th, and th, and th, th, th, th fell, th fell, th fell th fell thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th f th f th f the the, the, the, the, the fell the fell the fell the fell the f f f f fel, fell the fell, fell, fell, the fel, the fell. the fell. the fell, the fell, the fell, the, the, war to ensure that he could have slaves on his plantation and still benefit and that and then we put it up to instill fear in the people that we kept as slaves and and their descendants. So this should have been done in short order by a normal functioning society years ago. You know you you say you say something interesting, and that is a normal functioning society. It feels like normal functioning and society

of three words that are very quickly slipping away. All over the world, people are dealing with the same thing. That is coronavirus. But I honestly believe that America might be the only country where it's seen as a political issue as opposed to a pandemic. Do you know what I mean? It seems like something you can choose to believe in or not, or where you stand politically defines whether like the legitimacy of the virus. Whereas in other places, they argue about how to deal with it,

but the virus itself is not like a political issue. And there are arguments, listen, we're not the only country that's arguing about how much to limit freedom of freedom, the freedom, the freedom, the freedom, to the freedom, to to the to to the thiiiii, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi to to to to to to to thi. toeeean, thi. thi. thi. thi, th and have, you know, in Italy you saw, you know, big demonstrations and protests against, you know, trying to confine people to a certain extent. But I think a reasonable view of it would be it's not being done for the sake of tyranny. We are actually facing something where tens of thousands of people are dying. And it's, you know, if you think about it like, it's like preparing for a hurricane. You know, when a hurricane is coming, there's always those people that are like, government's full of shit, I'm not going to board up my windows up.

But this is a hurricane that if we prepare for it, the hurricane weakens. And that doesn't happen normally. But because in this country now we've set up parallel universes in the multiverse that the right lives in, you know, this is an infringement. It kind of, the mask thing is what blows my mind because, you know, surgeons wear them in operating rooms. And they don't wear them because, you know, they drive Volvos and sip Chai T in NPR. They wear them. Like, so I just want to say to people on the mass thing, like, great.

Next time you're having an operation, and the surgeon comes in with washed hands and a mask, just be like, don't be a pussy, don't be some liberal puss. You take off that mask and you unwash your hands and you stick your paws in my open gaping wound. Because apparently, sanitary conditions are a liberal myth. I knew you, you know, obviously, I mean, we knew each other when you were leaving the daily show, you're like, I'm getting into different things, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, ti, ti, ti, ta, ta, ta, ta, ta, ta, ta, ta, ta, ta, ta, ta, don't, don't, don't, don't, don't, don't, don't, don't, don't, don't, don't, don't, don't, don't, don't, don't, don't, don't, don't, don't, don't, don't, don't, don't, don't, don't, don't, don't, don't, don't, don't, don't, don't, don't, don't, don't, t.. t. t. ta, t. ta, ta, ta, ta, ta, ta, ta, ta, ta, ta, ta, ta, ta, ta, ta, ta, ta, ta, ta, ta, ta, I mean, we knew each other when you were leaving the Daily Show, you're like, I'm getting into different things, I'm taking time with my family, I'm gonna do a movie here or there.

It was interesting for me to see you do a political movie, you know, I was like, John, aren't you just gonna get away from politics all together? But then you then you then you then you then you then you then you then you then you then you then you then you then you then you then you then you made then you then you made then you made th then then then then thin thin then then was shocked the first time I went to New Hampshire for the primaries and and I was sitting with you know like the aids of these of these politicians or and even the reporters and they were like oh yeah they hang out they they chat they got for drinks afterwards they and I was like what do you what do you mean they hate each other on

screen and then we hate people on each other's behalf and I see it happening in their their their their their their their their their their their their. their. their. their. their. their. their. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. I thi. I thi. I thi. I thi. I'm thi. I'm thi. I'm. I'm. I'm. I'm. I'm. I'm. I'm. I'm. I's. I's. I's. I's. I's. I's. I's. I's. I's. I's. I's. I's. I'm. I'm. I'm th. I'm th. And I'm th. And I'm th. And I'm th. And I'm th. And I'm th. And th. And I'm th. And th. And th. And th. And th. And. And. And. And. And th. And. And th. And. And th. And th. And th we hate people on each other's behalf. And I see it happening in the country, but they are friends, and I didn't understand that concept. And it seems like that's what you're showing people in this movie, is that we don't realize that the W.W.E. of politics is not as real as we think it is. And we're willing to die for the undertaker, but the undertaker is just a guy named Bill who goes home with Triple H and they carpool, you know what I mean? Right, let's not draw the undertaker to this. First of all, he is a marvelous wrestling and was undefeated at, you know, uh, Resselmania. So let's not until obviously, uh, listen, listen, listen, I didn't want to make a movie about the political moment. Right. I feel like that's the Daily Show. 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 that's that's that's that that thi that's that let's not that let's not the undertaker the undertaker the undertaker the under the under the under the under thi thi thi thi that let's that that that let's that that thu thu thu th want to make a movie about the political moment. I feel like that's the Daily Show. And that's what you guys do so well.

Is you do the weather. Every night you come out and you talk about the political moment. And you bring the funny and the insight and the context to the political moment. I really wanted to think about it as the climate and the system and that idea that we have kind of created this complex of media and moneyed interests and politicians and they all work and enrich each other and the to the too. And there's very little accountability and it grows in, you know, those types of symbiotic structures don't dismantle themselves. Here's this system with its own inertia and energy and self-interest and incentives to entrench itself and to grow itself, and it's really at odds with any relevant facts on the ground.

Our system we have in place to elect people is almost working antithetically to the system we have in place to try and govern people. And we don't really have a robust governance system, but we've got an incredibly enriching and robust and corrupt and corrosive system of elections, of campaigns and of insolence. So do you see a change, do you see an end where you go like, oh no, it's something is going to happen that shuts this all down? Where I'm optimistic is there are such talented, committed, energized people taking the reins of these really rotted out husks of institutions.

And you get the sense that they're committed to rebuilding them in a manner that is going to create a sturdier foundation. And so much of this country, what you learn from this is, and the pandemic exacerbates it, you know, what's essential? Well, it turns out all the people in this country who are essential to its functioning are the lowest paid. And how did we create, how do we, you know, for many years, we've sort of gone on this principle of if we just take care of the investor class, we'll get a taste, you know, and I don't say we because I'm now up there.

But the pendulum has swung away from valuing work. And we have to figure out, you know, and they always talk about, the people that talk about trickle down are always about freedom and liberty. Well, what's more liberating than not having to worry about your health insurance being tied to your job? Or working really hard but still having to use food stamps. Like, that's not freedom. And we have to find a way to make those in this country who are essential to give them

more liberty. And more liberty comes from being able to live a life that is built on granite and not on quicksand. I could talk to you forever, my friend. Thank you so much for joining us again. I hope everyone watches the movie. I hope you're having fun. I hope you're staying healthy.

I hope you're loving your family and your kids and enjoying yourself. And let me say this to you. May I have a moment? Yeah, of course. I'm so impressed by everything. Oh, I'll say it up here. I'm looking at your face, but I'll look into the camera. I'm just so impressed by everything that you guys are doing.

And the insights of the show and the hilarity of the show. And it's just, it's magnificent. It's magnificent. It's magnificent. It's magnificent. It's magnificent. It's magnificent. It's magnificent. It's magnificent. It's magnificent. It's magnificent. It's magnificent. It's magnificent. It's magnificent. It's magnificent. It's magnificent. It's magnificent. It's magnificent. It's magnificent. It's magnificent. It's magnificent. the the the the, it's magnificent. the, it's magnificent. the, it's magnificent. It's magnificent. the. the, it's magnificent. the, it's. the, it's. It's. It's. It's. It's. It's. It's. It's. It's. It's. It's. It's. It's. It's. It's. It's. It's magnificent. It's magnificent. It's magnificent. It's magnificent. It's magnificent. It's magnificent. It's magnificent. It's magnificent. It's magnificent. It's magnificent. It's magnificent. It's magnificent. It's magnificent. It's magnificent. It's magnificent. It's magnificent. It's magnificent. It's magnificent. It's magnificent. It's magnificent. It's magnificent. It's magnificent. It's magnificent. It's magnificent. It's magnificent. It's magnificent. It's magnificent. It's magnificent. It's magnificent. It's magnificent. It's magnificent. It's magnificent. It's magnificent. It's magnificent. It's magnificent. It's magnificent. It's magnificent. It's magnificent. And I just wanted to tell you, I know what goes into making it, so I am impressed for the right reasons because of how hard I know that it is and how beautifully you're doing it. The only thing I would say is, do you have to do it so handsomely? That, the handsomeness, if I may, feels a little bit like a personal attack. The other stuff I love, but if you could do the show without dimples, I'm just saying. I will, I will pass these comments on to management and we'll see what we can do. John Stewart, thank you so much for joining us on the show. I hope to see you again. Look after yourself too. Take care of yourself. Take care of yourself.

Thank you, buddy. Bye. Bye. How do you. How do you? How do I? How do you? How do you? I don't even know how to hang up? The Daily Show with Covernonoa. the Daily Watch the Daily Show weeknights at 11, 10 Central on Comedy Central, and the Comedy Central app. Watch full episodes and videos at the Daily Show.com. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, and subscribe to the Daily Show on YouTube for exclusive content and more. This has been a Comedy Central Podcast. 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 starting September 17th wherever you get your podcasts.