The Daily Show: Ears Edition - Maduro Faces Judge & MAGA Scrambles to Justify Abduction | Director Park Chan-wook

Episode Date: January 7, 2026

Ronny Chieng unpacks former Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro’s abduction and first day in court, where he and his wife got some good couples time pleading not guilty to cocaine trafficking charges. Meanwhile, MAGA attempts to justify Trump’s intervention by downplaying the episode, citing Christianity, and downright playing the bully. The latest scientific studies show that microplastics are in just about everything, and we’re ingesting them at an alarming rate. Thankfully, there’s a new product that's sure to help us take advantage of all the plastic we’re downing each day — eventually. Legendary Korean filmmaker, Director Park Chan-wook, sits down with Ronny Chieng (without any translation help from Ken Jeong) to discuss his new film, “No Other Choice,” which he adapted from an American novel. They discuss what attracted him to this story, which follows a devoted company man who is fired and directs his rage toward his competitors on the job market, and the similarities between the plot and his own 15-year struggle to get the film made. He also reflects on why Korean directors are so adept at satirizing capitalism and how the demise of movie theaters is the biggest threat to filmmaking. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

You're listening to Comedy Central. From the most trusted journalists at Comedy Central, it's America's only source for news. This is The Daily Show with your host, Ronnie T. We got so much to talk about tonight. America took Maduro's oil, but we cannot take his drip. God drops the 11th Commandment, and we find out why your dick don't work. So, let's kick things off with our ongoing coverage of the war in Venezuela. world is still in shock over Donald Trump's surprise door-dashing of Nicholas Maduro to Brooklyn.

And he didn't even tit. And I have to say, I did not see this Venezuela thing coming. And I read the news every day. So a lesson here is reading is pointless. But now Maduro will face justice in the best legal system in the world that we illegally kidnapped him to. And it all began yesterday morning when he showed up to court. And if this isn't, I ran. all over again, why are they reusing Saddam Hussein's courtroom schedule? Let's see how his first day went. Maduro greeted spectators in the courtroom saying, Buenos Diaz.

Buenos Diaz. Smart legal strategy by Maduro. If he speech Spanish, ICE might bust in and deport him back in Venezuela, just out of habit. I'm starting to think this guy might beat the rap. Is the judge asked, are you Nicholas Maduro? I am the president of the Republic of Venezuela. A defiant Maduro responded.

Ah, you blew it. You should have just said no. The judge would be like, you heard the man. Case dismissed. But there is some good news for Maduro. He's not alone. This morning, Nicholas Maduro and wife Celia Flores are waking up in jail,

returned after a day in court where they both pleaded not guilty to charges they work together to traffic cocaine. God damn. His wife was trafficking cocaine with him? I guess in other countries first ladies have actual responsibilities. Hey, I mean, I bet Trump is jealous of their relationship.

I mean, he must be like, Melania, why can't we ever do couple stuff like the Maduro's? Now, they might spend the rest of their lives together in prison, but to be fair, aren't all marriages kind of a prison? It's okay. I can make that joke. My wife only watches on Mondays. But look, okay, this is a tough one for MAGA,

because Trump's whole thing was not getting into foreign wars. So they must be giving a lot of serious consideration into all of the geopolitical implications of this new doctrine. I've seen a lot of stuff. But this Venezuela thing, that was awesome oh man this is like watching a 12 year old

do a news report about the first time he saw boobs the rumors are true people those are awesome who is this show for anyway like how dumb is his audience that they're like hey let's see what Greg thinks of this Oh, yeah, hey, honey, Greg thinks it's awesome. I'm totally satisfied on an intellectual level now.

But it turns out not everyone thinks forcing a regime change in another country is a good idea. And for those people, Mike Johnson is here to ease your mind. I want to say that the way that this is being described, I think is accurate. This is not a regime change. This is a demand for change of behavior by a regime. It's not a real. regime change. It's a changed regime. Thank you, stupid Yoda.

It's like... Stupid Yoda says, do or do not? There is no Epstein Files. Why is Mike Johnson downplaying this? I mean, the U.S. overthrew a government at gunpoint with no plan. Doesn't this bother anyone? Hey, look, I'm appreciative of what the president is done with this, and I know there's going to be those out there that are going to be the critics, but, you know, when sometimes, when you break a few eggs,

we've got to learn how to make some omelets with it, and this is exactly what we're going to do. We break a few eggs, then learn how to make an omelette? I mean, this guy f***ed up the metaphor so badly that he accidentally got it right. Because that's... That's not how you make an omelet, but that's exactly what we did in Venezuela. We just went in and broke everything, and now we're like, hey, who has a recipe for omelets?

We have a lot of oil, I know we can use that. But look, I get what's happening here, okay? No one in MAGA expected this to happen, so they're all scrambling to find an answer that makes sense to them. Even MAGA, mega church pastors are flipping through the Bible, like, hey, there's got to be something in here. They say, you have ceased Venezuela for the oil. Yes, this is true.

But the spiritual oil and the natural oil does not belong to the forces of darkness. And the oil of the natural and the oil of the spirit is mine, says the Lord. No, I get it. okay, the oil is a metaphor for oil. I mean, is that what the Holy Trinity is? Regular, unleaded, and diesel. Look, I know Christianity is weird, but this doesn't sound like something God would say.

Like, don't kill, don't steal, but feel free to go absolutely ape shit on oil. This is also why Buddha is the best, because you never see a maga monk going, let go of all your attachments, except to Greenland, which is ours. But maybe we don't need religion or f***ed-up breakfast metaphors to explain why Trump kidnapped Maduro.

Because last night, we heard from Stephen Miller, Trump's deputy secretary, and guy who didn't go bald, it just never came in in the first place. And he gave a very clear answer about why we did this, because we can. We're a superpower, But under President Trump, we are going to conduct ourselves as a superpower.

You can talk all you want about international niceties and everything else. But we live in a world, in the real world, Jake, that is governed by strength, that is governed by force, that is governed by power. No, no, shut up. You heard this f***ing dweeb, okay? This is what a superpower looks like now. A guy whose head looks like a f***ed up circumcision. Okay?

And with them in charge, America can stop pretending to be the nice guy and nobody's more excited to be the bully for a change than Stephen Miller. This neoliberal frame that the United States job is to go around the world and demanding immediate elections to be held everywhere, immediately all the time right away,

to create these vacuums. That's not what I think. We invaded the country, we took, went into the country, and we seized the leader of Venezuela. Damn straight we did. Damn straight we did. I can swear whenever I want, I don't give a dick shit what my parents say, bitch. Listen to this guy talk is like if Nazis took helium instead of meth. But still, this is a big change for Americans. They're now being told that their view of themselves as a benevolent force for good is gone. And they are now the evil empire. And as we look at this photo of a foreign leader in our custody, every American

has to decide how to respond in this moment. And this photo seen around the world of Maduro blindfolded wearing a track suit, sparking a surprising response. It's a Nike tech fleece jacket and jogging pants. Now there's a run on the $140 outfit. Guys have started posting images of themselves wearing it. Here at the Nike store in Midtown Manhattan, the so-called Maduro track suits are flying off the shelves. Wow, you can really go shopping fast when you don't have a life. What's wrong with you, people?

Okay, not everything has to be content. Can this just be a bloody coup without clout chasing? I wish the like and subscribe button was your face so I could smash it over and over again. But I guess this is how we live now. Every step towards imperialism is going to be a new fashion trend. And there's one store that's getting in on the ground floor. Were you too late to get Nicholas Maduro's post-arrest track suit?

Then get ahead of the next foreign abduction at Strong Men's Warehouse. We've got all the clothing worn by leaders America might one day frog march out of their capital. Like Kim Jong-oos, fat guy Nehru jacket, Vladimir Putin's judo costume. And the Ayatollah's thong. He can enrich our uranium any day. We've got the looks from all the countries Donald Trump is threatening to invade.

like sombreros from Mexico, ponchos from Columbia, and whatever they wear in Greenland. And if you're wondering, when will this madness end? Will Chuck Schumer be next? Yes, and you can buy his slippery glasses. Our prices are so low,

they're practically war crime. So come on down now to Strongman's Warehouse. What are you waiting for? Congressional authorization? Pussy. All right, when we come back, we find out how to make microplastics work for you. A new, so don't go away.

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Tonight is one of the greatest living directors of all time. Old Boy, Decision to Leave, Joint Security Area. His new film is called No Other Choice. Please welcome the legendary Park Chan Wood. Thank you. Thank you so much for joining me. I'm sorry, I didn't know you're going to bring a translator. I actually brought my own translator. Is that okay? Okay, cool.

Can we bring out my translator, Dr. Ken Jong? Is that okay? Can we bring out my translator? Could you please tell Director Park how much I love and admire his work? Loves and admires your work. I'm sorry, I'm sorry. Man, he can hear, okay? He's just, I mean, I meant in Korean. Tell him in Korean.

How do you say, Ronnie? Don't yell. Yo, what the f***ing me? You told me, you're embarrassing me in front of the director. Oh, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I lied, okay? Guilty. I just had to me.

director Park. He is the Korean Scorsese. He is the goat. He is the best of all times. This man, this man, inspires me. This man, I had to do what I had to do and take drastic measures to meet him, much like the character in your movie. I had no other choice. Okay, get the . Get that. Okay, great. Go back there. Go on here.

Go back to Mass Singer. And why are you dressed like me? I'm so sorry. I'm sorry about that, director. So this movie is based off of the novel by American author. What inspired you from the novel to turn this into a movie? When I was really, I think I was really I was really good a good writer,

I'd like this would have been like that I would just like that's a style, that I think, when I first read the novel, I thought that if I was actually a good writer, I would have written like this. It was the perfect style for me. But, but that's,

particularly, I'm really this is a real-up, the work, but that's a lot of

this had been that the that's the or the or the and that

that's not, that he's that's, you're, the in the future,

and in the same-jerkensate to make them ready to get them that's that's very very, and what really

captivated me is a story about a man who was fired and he's fired from a company that he was devoted to for a very long time. But instead of putting his rage towards the company or the executives there, he instead tries to go after his potential competitors when he's looking for a job again.

And I thought, that element of the story was very unique and absurd. Can you please tell director that I'm nodding when he talks because just our habit? I'm not trying to... But I actually have no idea what he's saying. But I actually have no idea what he's saying. I do that too. Oh, yeah.

So, as I was saying, this movie is based off an American novel. novel and you tried to make it in America for 20 years but ultimately you face so many issues trying to make in America that you had to make it in Korea and it's a very successful movie now it's probably up for Oscar Awards can you please name every single American executive that made it difficult for you to make this in America and let's just get it out now 20 years, not about 15 years about 15 years ago. I heard Sony pictures in that.

Did he say Sony? Did he say . So, to clarify real quick, it didn't take me 20 years, it took me 15 years. But I'm, the names I want to tell you not that I'm not doing But I'm going to do I need to do

because, also, also that's really that's very unethical ... Sorry, do you say anything bad about Paramount? Don't translate if he says bad to be like that. Okay. And as much as I want to say all the names,

I do have to find my next job and my next investment. I can't imagine someone saying no to Director Pock at this point. You know, if he can't make a film in America, then no one can make a film. Yeah, yeah. Yeah. Yeah. you can always,

a timeze-eget-saint-saint-as-saint-is-saint-in- that person you can almost say directors are always a potential unemployed man. Okay, so, you know, there's some, man, I don't know how it began, such a big fan of all his films.

One of his hallmarks right now, in Korean cinema, seems to be this kind of genre shift in movies. And I just want to ask, in his, when he's in his, the creation process is this genre shifting something that he intentionally sets out to combine for example you know comedy into horror or action into thriller or is this something as just organically kind of comes out in his

story talk yeah, it's actually I'm saying something a cocktail recipe or what was some sort of one, one, one, one, one, a little one can't put and then some sort of, and a few spoonful, and a couple of comedy like,

this is not something I can say for sure is that it's not like a cocktail recipe. So it's not like a glass of this, a spoon of that, and a few drops of comedy there. Uh, that's,

I'm, I'm, this our life is, just, just like just, just, just just, just, just be able to, this is not, and I think,

in our lives, there's nothing that's purely sad or purely just funny. So, well, well, you can't really work in a really a really good comedian's mind's in a very sort of

sort of that's all all of a thing, and that's a different, for instance you might find something funny at a funeral or you might find this great sense of sadness inside a funny comedian so that's why I think they are one entity

inseparable entity is he talking about me right now also just so you know you don't have to match his volume you can like you can like be louder than him I can yeah you don't have to I feel like you guys are like getting Like, soft, anyway. Yeah, so, I mean, I beg to, he says that there's no recipe for making a film. I understand. Obviously, he's a genius. He sees him how they see.

But I actually beg to differ. I think there is, I can see a familiar recipe in all his great movies. I think it appears to me, and call me crazy, what do I know about film? But if you combine a great story and you shoot it beautifully and you have great acting and you put in Mr. Li Bionhuehue. I think you have a great movie. I think you have a great movie. Thank you.

Thank you. And, yeah, I mean, does you agree with that? Yes. Yeah. Yeah. Well, I've been this is because this game can't.

This movie was possible because of Li Bianghan. Yes. This movie was possible because of Li Bianghan, and as soon as he got casted, that's when I was certain that this is going to be a fun movie. The American people, Ogino Game, and K-pop Demon Hunters, like, because...

I understood that. He said, K.P. Demon Hunters. He said, K.B. Demon Hunters, right? So, so... So, he's a very... ...arendi sort of a kind of person like a little bit more than... ...this movie, the...

...theirpotongan-of-your-your-yook-like and, and, and, And there, there's more that slapstick comedy, like that can't be able to be able to be able to be humor, these things, all stucked in, that way to American audiences, they might have seen him from Squid Games or K-pop Demon Hunter. So you might consider him as this very evil character,

but he's actually a very much an everyday man, almost like our own neighbor. And the humor that he shows in the movie is almost borderline slapstick comedy, which is why I think he was perfect for the role. Sure. I mean, but no, I agree with him, because when I saw Mr. Lee in the movie, it was, he was like playing a character I've never even seen before.

I never even played that character. So I do agree with him, you know, being so versatile. I, to be honest, I didn't know he was doing that versatile, which was great. You're a respected member of the filmmaking community. In your opinion, what is wrong with kind of filmmaking right now? And feel free, a name name. Film-making's problem. Now, we're making the biggest

is the biggest one of the person who's coming from the person who are not going to not going to be. I think rather than problems in filmmaking, the greatest sense of threat that I feel as a filmmaker is that audiences aren't returning. aren't returning to theaters.

Right, so he's a f*** audience, right? That's not fucking you can't. This idiot you can't. That's not. The people are going to come, and we're going to look to make it, but that we're how to

do it, that's not studio but not film makers, both of a big challenge and this is, how to help us. That's how to help us.

We have to make the audience want to come back to the theaters. And how do we do that? I think that's a challenge for all of us to think about, including the studios and the filmmakers. This is a movie's, not, or not it,

you might say, I'm going to be a movie of the way that is the movie is And you might say this is a threat to movie theaters and not movies, but I believe that a threat to movie theater equates to a threat to movies. Uh, what's the way is it. Uh, you know, if you're going to, you know,

a, you're, a, uh, and, and, and, if you're going to, if it's,

then, and then, the one's, that is everyone with, other people with, that's the body of, that is the because, the movie can't, how much better can't get

so how can't get into going to go to go to our work. Of course, you can watch movies at home, but I think movies were fundamentally made to be watched, first of all, in a dark space, and second of all, at a space where you're locked in and you're not allowed to leave.

And finally, You have to be able to experience it with other people. And that's why I believe movies should be watched in theaters. And in order to make that happen, that's really a task for all of us. Task for all of us. So he's saying it's on filmmakers and producers and studios to make interesting, cool things that people want to watch. And it's also on the people to stop watching films on their phones

or taking a shit on the toilet. And he doesn't have to agree, just to tell him to nod his head if he, he doesn't have to say yes, but just say yes. He's not going to say, yes. Yeah, okay. All right. All right. My last question is, to him, is like, this, a lot of Korean films, including his, this film in particular as well, is commentary on capitalism. And America is the capital of capitalism, but it feels like Korea is doing a better job, but it feels like Korea is doing a better job.

of satirizing it in movies and really making people think about it and see kind of the ugly sides of it. Like, why do you think that is? and people are early adopters. So, so, that's a different system is really, the good,

the bad things, more than more than more than more than, so so, so,

for, the, and, some, kind of, and, So, so that's, so that people are

the government system about more more even more and people filmmakers that are more more than I think Koreans

are really early adapters and everything. So even with the capitalist system, we really experience to the extreme, both the good and the bad of capitalism. So the polarization of society or hyper-competition,

I think people are very sensitive to, how that happens and reacting to that. And because of that, in turn, filmmakers are also trying their best at expressing it accurately. Yeah, but what film makers, like, Parasite's made, Bongjuno, or, Squid Game, like, Huang Donghok, or, or, some filmmakers,

those are just straight, just, just, just, just, just, just, just, just, just, like, realistic-like, rather than in the civil-suit system-haired in the people's' issues, this is a more humorously, again, to say,

phoenix, satire, through, that you can, that's more the more more to get more more than more more than for some filmmakers,

like Bongzunho for Parasite, or Hang Dongyok for Squitkames, or myself, I think rather than portraying it straight and giving it a realistic portrayal, we rather turn to absurd problems that people in this capitalist system experience, and we try to humorously give a satire of that.

And I think that is the way to best capture the essence of the problems that we're dealing with. Yeah, but why does he think Americans, why Koreans seem to be better at doing that right now than Americans? I think he's not more. He's saying that work is a good man,

and in Korea, that are more than more than more people he's saying we suck,

that's what he said. That's what he said. There are American filmmakers who are good at that and some Korean people really appreciate that more than perhaps American audiences do here, so maybe we see that better

than American audiences do that do here. Why are you drawing dicks right on that? Can I see that? You're not even... I don't even know what he said, by the way. Because you blocked it with the cup on screen,

and now no one can... Okay. Director Park, I could talk to you forever about films, you know, but these people are unappreciative. They want to... No, I could talk to you forever, but we... I respect your time, and thank you so much for coming on the show. Speak to me.

Thank you. Thank you for me. Thank you for me. I love your phone for you. right now. No other choice is in select theaters now. Hot-Tamood, everybody. We'll go take a quick break. We'll be right back after this. That's our show for that. Now here it is. Your moment of Zen.

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