The Daily Show: Ears Edition - Michael Kosta Covers Trump's Accusal of Biden Drug Use Ahead of Debate | Paul W. Downs

Episode Date: June 25, 2024

With Biden and Trump set to face-off in their first presidential debate of 2024, Michael Kosta is taking a look at each candidate’s preparation. While Joe Biden is practicing being insulted at mock debates, Trump is lowering expectations, accusing Biden of doping, and making up some new words, like “refuttal.” Desi Lydic and Troy Iwata weigh in with a debate over the best type of debate prep. And, with a quarter million dollar investment from his parents, a garage to work from, and MC Hammer khakis, Jeff Bezos had everything he needed to start the empire known today as Amazon. From launching Amazon to launching a shuttle into space, Bezos has solidified his place as history’s most powerful nerd. Then, Emmy-winning writer, actor, and co-creator of the hit Max series “Hacks” Paul W. Downs talks about his multi-hyphenate role at the show, what it means in comedy to be a “hack,” how people outside of showbiz can relate to the character of Deborah Vance, and how The Daily Show brought him and his “Broad City” co-star Ilana Glazer into each other’s lives.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. From the most trusted journalists at Comedy Center, it's America's only source for news. This is the Daily Show. I'm Michael Costa. We've got so much to talk about tonight.

We're just days away from the first presidential debate that will change everything or nothing. So let's get right into our continuing coverage of Indecision 2024. What? or nothing, so let's get right into our continuing coverage of indecision, 2024. If you've been tuning out the presidential campaign so far, I get it. It's boring. I mean, my grandpa is also a rambling, 80-year-old man, and let me tell you, I keep half an ear open for the word inheritance, and I just ignore everything else, but the presidential campaign won't be boring for long because this week Trump and Biden will be rambling face to face. That's right.

Thursday is the first presidential debate and these men are going to toe toe. And if you've ever met or seen old men's toes, you know that's going to be a dirty fight. Finally the American people will have something to judge these candidates on, aside from the four years that they were both president already. And Joe Biden, for one, he's ready for battle. The president this morning, it continues to be hunkered down at Camp David. He is fine-tuning his messaging, honing his attack lines. He's huddling there with over a dozen advisors. And over the coming days, his pre the the the th, his thiiiiiiiiiii, his days days days days days days days days thi, his thi, his thi, his thi, his thi, his thi, his thi, his thi, his th. Hea, th. Hea, th. th. th. thi. thi, the. 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. to. to, to, toe. to. toe. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. th. the. to. to. to. to. to to to to to toe toe. to. to toe. the. the. the. the. the. a dozen advisors, and over the coming days, his prep is expected to evolve from gaming out questions and answers

to holding 90-minute mock debates. Mr. President, how is debate prep going? Yeah, that's the most dubious thumbs-up I've ever seen. That's the football player as he's being carted off the field. He's gonna be okay folks, his thumb is working. But that's right, Joe Biden is holding up at Camp David and doing 90-minute mock debates. Although most of that is just him walking up to the podium. And if you're wondering, who could possibly prepare him for debating Donald Trump,

well, Joe Biden has just the guy. Attorney Bob Bauer will be standing in for Trump during mock debate sessions, yelling insults at Biden and trying to get under his skin. You're playing a role. You're trying to make the experience as realistic for the person you're working with as possible. Really? The guy who plays Santa Claus at the bad mall, this is your Trump? I don't know if he can replicate the unhinged madness

of debating Donald Trump. The only Biden staffer who could pull that off is that dog that keeps biting everyone in the face. But regardless of how he prepares, there's one thing Biden can be sure of, where exactly he's going to be on that stage. We're getting more details today about how the high stakes debate stage will look. Biden won the coin toss and chose to stand on the right side of the stage.

Why the right? There's actually a scientific reason. When there are two people on stage, TV viewers' eyes are drawn to the right side. Wow, thank you, science. I mean, hey, any news on a cancer cure? No? Maybe whenever you're done debating left or right, possibly? Hey, it may usually be true that viewers' eyes are drawn to the right, but in this case, they'll be even more drawn to the neon man, ranting about how toilets don't flush anymore thanks the transgender swimmers sw sw sw sw sw sw sw sw sw sw sw sw sw sw sw-s. th. th. th. th. th. I th-s. I th-s. I th-s. th-s. I th-s. th-s, I th-s, I th-s, I'm th-s, I'm th-s, I'm th-s, I mean, I'm th-s, I'm th-s, I th-s, I th-s, I th-s, I th-s, I th-s, 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. I, th. I. th. th. th. th. th. the. thi. thi. thi. that, that, that, that, that, that, in this case, they'll be even more drawn to the neon man ranting about how toilets don't flush anymore thanks to transgender swimmers. But I do like this coin toss thing. You know, why stop with the debate side? Let's have the coin determine who wins the election. Yeah. It would be so much less stressful than five months of campaigning. Just flip the coin heads, it's Trump. If 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 toyoyoyoyoynenene. Wea. I's is is the the the toyoyoyne. I's is. toyne. the the the the toyoyoy. the toy. I's is. I's is. I's is. I's is. I's is. I's is. I's is. I's is is. I's is is. I's is is is. I will will will will will will will will will will will will will will will will will will will will will will will will will will will will will will will will will will will will will will will will will will will will will will will. We will. Wea. It's. It's. It's. It's. It's. It's toynene. It's toyne. toyne. toyne. toyne. toynene. toyne. toyne. toyne. I'm. toyne. I. toyne. I., it's Trump. Tails, it's Biden. If the coin bounces and rolls into the sewer, it's RFK, Jr.

Anyway, that's what Joe Biden is up to. But preparing for the debate is not the only way to prepare for the debate. Because Joe Biden's opponent, well, he's taking a different approach. Almost everything that President Biden is doing, Donald Trump is not. There are no mock debates, there are no rehearsed punchlines or pivot points. The former president also didn't take any time away from the campaign trail. Tell me a little bit about how you're preparing for the debate, right? Because we see that President Biden is out of Camp David, you're on the campaign trail.

What's your strategy? strategy for the debate? Well this is really the best strategy right here we have all these people screaming questions. Okay, first of all no one's screaming questions. You're elevated on a platform talking at people the whole time. And how convenient is it that Trump's debate prep is holding rallies the thing he wants to do anyway. It's like when finals were coming up and you had that one friend who would say, you know I I retained information better when I'm high? th th th th. th. th. th. the th. the the th. the th. the the th. the th. their their their their their th. their their their th. their tre tre tre treateate? their their treate. tre. tre. tre. tre. tr. First tr. First tr. First tr. First tr. First 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 tr. true. true. true. true. true. true. true. true. true. true. true. true. true. true. true. true. true. true. thing he wants to do anyway. It's like when finals were coming up and you had that one friend who would say, you know, I retain information better when I'm high. You know, it's like... Just to be clear, that was my friend.

That wasn't me. Okay? Of course, when you don't prepare for a debate, you run the risk of losing the debate. So it helps to lower expectations a little bit. Trump appears to be lowering expectations and making excuses ahead of the upcoming presidential debate with President Biden. So I'm not underestimating him. I'm not underestimating him.

I assume he's going to be somebody that will be a worthy debater. Maybe I'm better of losing the debate. I'll lose the debate on purpose. Maybe I'll do something like that. All right. Don't lower expectations that far. You know, maybe I'll lose the debate. Maybe I'll ship my pants and run off stage, crying about how much shit is actually in my pants. That's how you'll know I've won. But this brings up an interesting quandary for the Trump campaign. Right now, Trump is saying Biden is a worthy debater.

But don't forget, for the past three and a half years, he's been saying Biden is a demented moron with the brain power of a love island contest. So how are Republicans going to explain it if a guy they say has jello for brains, really does beat Trump. Well, don't worry. They have a plan. The Trump campaign and the Trump allies, they keep floating this conspiracy that Biden is going to be amped up on drugs. They're going to need to goose him and juice him. A lot of red b-bowl, a lot of caffeine pills.

He's on Adderall or he's on Ritalin. Accident that has caffeine in it. Hopped up on V12. IV fluids, monster energy drink. Or something. Or something. Whatever happened to all that cocaine that was missing a month ago from the way? Whatever happened. Look, look, we all know what happened. That dog snorted it before it bit someone's face off.

Seriously, is conservative media now just wildly speculating that the president is on drugs? Could be cocaine, could be adderall, maybe both. At this point, Fox News is basically my friend's group chat about Justin Timberlake. So yes, the Republican talking point is that if Biden does well, it's because he's taking performance enhancing drugs, which is just such a stupid conspiracy theory. Because, first up, if Biden's body could handle even half of what they're saying, he's the strongest man alive, you know. He'll win the presidency and the Kentucky Derby.

Now, just by the way, Trump isn't really one to talk. Because in the same speech where he claimed Biden is mentally incapacitated, he was going around saying things like this. And my stupid people, when I wanted to refute it, they said, sir, don't dignify it with a refutal. Refutable or refuittle? What the hell word would that be refuittled? What they didn't know? But they don't know either.

It's neither of those words. What do you mean? They don't know. No, I don't know what fake word you're trying to say. This dude's entire brain is just squiggly red spellcheck lines. And then his mouth always tries to refuttle every thought he has. That's the big difference between Biden and Trump. When they make a mistake, Biden will correct himself,

whereas Trump will deflect and call everyone else an idiot, which to be honest is more relatable. It's like when I get too drunk and then I accuse everyone else of being drunk instead of just focusing on the road, right? So, so... Thank you for laughing. So on one hand, Biden's taking the whole the th. th. thi the the the the thi the the thi thi the the thi the thi the thi thi the thi the the thi thi the the their their their their their their their the road, right? So, thank you for laughing. So on one hand, Biden's taking the whole week to prepare, and on the other hand, Trump's raw-dog in it. Two very different approaches. But which one's right? For more on the debate over whether to prepare for a debate,

or just to wing it, let's go to Desi Lydic and Troy Awada. Yeah. Yeah. Desi, you're for preparation. Why is that better? Thank you, Michael. Preparation is the better approach, because it gives you the tools you need to lay out your position, project confidence, and do this thing with your thumb. Because as Thomas Edison

said, genius is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration. Thank you. Very wise. Troy, why are you pro-winging it? Because I'm not a dork. While Desi was in the nerd zone, I was eating a double cheeseburger in a pool staring at a cloud that looked like a double cheeseburger. And what did all that studying do for her? I can also quote Thomas Edison, if you build it, he will come. He did not say that. That's from Field of Dreams. Yeah, you know, I did like that movie.

I'm going to give a point to Troy for that. Now, Desi, try again. It's a good movie. Desi, try again. Try again. Okay. Okay. Preparation gives you the best chance of crafting If I were prepping Joe Biden to answer a debate question on inflation, here's what I do. I'd arm him with a six-point economic plan that addresses rising costs, job creation, affordable

housing, tuition costs, abortion rights, and always, always landing on a charming story about a factory worker named Jack. This is what I'm talking about, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. Do you really want the Queen of Library Town talking about a plan? Or do you want someone like me who just says, don't worry, I got this. Yeah. See, Desi, it seems like he's got this. Point to Troy, you know?

That is not a point for Troy. What he's saying is empty. Someone who prepares for everything, and prepares for everything and that's what you want to president. Look at this cat that I drew. It has swords for arms. Isn't that cool? What, dude?

That is fucking awesome. Another point for tort. Yeah, cats? You're not selling me on preparation right now. Okay, okay fine. You know what, I'm nimble. I can see that being that being that being that being that being that being that being that being that being that being that being that being that being that being that being that being that being that being that being that that that that that that th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. thia. thathea. th. that's that's that's that's that's. that's. that's. that's. that's. that's. that's. that's. that's. that's. that's. that's. that's. 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. t. t. t. t. t. t. te. te. t. that. that.? I'm nimble. I can see that being unprepared is winning this debate. So let me tell you this. In my preparation for being prepared, I also prepared a scenario where I am unprepared. Huh?

Okay? Look at me. I don't really care about this. I'm an easy, breezy, lemon squeezy. Okay, let me just stop you there. That was so bad. I'm gonna give another point to Troy. I mean, I agree. Seriously, look, yes, okay, policy is boring. Preparation is nerdy, but this country needs people that are prepared to run it.

A debate isn't some bravo reunion. It's where candidates outline their policies and platforms, their belief system. So yes, running the country is the one test you have to study for. Counterpoint, I'm on the right side of the TV screen. You know what, Troy wins. Trey wins. Thank you. Counterpoint, I'm on the right side of the TV screen.

You know what? Troy wins. Desi Liannick and Troiwana, everybody. When we come back, we learn all about Jeff Bezos. Don't go away. Right inside, that's the way. 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. Welcome back to the Daily Show.

Next week will be exactly 30 years since Jeff Bezos founded Amazon. Forever changing the way we try to desperately fill the empty hole in our lives while destroying local businesses and the earth. But who is the real man behind the internet mogul? Let's find out in a new, brand new, Daily Showography. America has always been home to titans of industry. But only one capitalist in history has ever been this much of a jerk. I'm Jeff Bezos.

I'm the founder of Amazon.com. This is the daily showography of Jeff Bezos. I'm the founder of Amazon.com. This is the daily showography of Jeff Bezos, history's most powerful nerd. Born to teenage parents in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Jeff's identity asserted itself early. I was very nerdy and good student. I like school. His favorite place in the world was Radio Shack, where he developed an appreciation for technology, cheap garbage from China, and underpaying workers. After graduating from high school as valedictorian,

Jeff attended Princeton, one of the best colleges for nerds. Socially, I was a little awkward. I didn't really date much until like my last year of college. Actually, I said it's sort of a formal plan to date. I'll had all my friends set me up on blind dates. None of them worked out very well. Yes, despite many positive reviews from his friends, women found the actual product wasn't what they had been led to believe.

After college, Bezos joined a Wall Street hedge fund. On Wall Street, Bezos also found something almost as good as money, his future ex-wife, Mackenzie Scott. She would later tell Vogue magazine it was Jeff's laugh that made her fall in love with him. Hey, sometimes love is blind and deaf. It was around this time that Jeff noticed that the world was changing. I came across a startling statistic that web usage was growing a 2300% a year. So I decided I would try and find a business plan that made sense in the context of that growth.

And I picked books as the first best product to sell online. With a quarter million dollar investment from his parents, a garage to work from, and the to work th.. th. to work to work to work th.. to work to work th.. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. to th. to to to to to to the the. th. th that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that th. th. th. th. th. th. the the the the the the. the the the the the the the the the the the world the world the world the world the world the world the world the world the world the world the. the. the. the. the. the. the. the. the. to to that growth. And they picked books as the first best product to sell online. With a quarter million dollar investment from his parents, a garage to work from, and MC Hammer Cackies, Bezos launched his empire. Within a few years, Amazon went from online bookseller to Wall Street, to the so-called everything store. Third-party vendors could sell literally anything on Amazon's website, from stuff to put in your butt to stuff you shouldn't put in your butt but will anyway because you're not a coward. Amazon was taking the world by storm and while Bezos was still literally the

nerdiest person in the world. My watch updates itself from the atomic clock 36 times a day if that gives you any indication. He was driving Amazon into the future. A future of non-stop growth. How did Jeff Bezos transform himself into a life-size Oscar statue? By using his big, nerdy brain to devise the perfect growth plan to expand his business and his body. Since starting Amazon, Bezos has a net worth of two-worth of two-futu-wit. the future..... My watch. My watch. My watch. My watch. My watch. My watch. My watch. My watch. My watch. My watch. My watch. My watch. My watch. My watch. My watch. My watch. My watch. My watch. My watch. the-. My watch. My watch. the-. the-. the-up-up-up-up-up. A the future. A the-up-up. A the-up. A the future. A the future. A the future. A the future. A the future. A the future. A the future. A the future. A the future. A the future. A the future. A the future. A the future. My the future. plan to expand his business and his body. Since starting Amazon, Bezos has amassed a net worth of $200 billion.

Money that he's used to make the world a better place. Sure he spent some of it on a super yacht that has its own yacht and the world's fastest jet and like a shitton of mansions, exotic food, a prehistoric bear skeleton and some gigantic clock that only ticks once a year, but he also gave back. Jeff Bezos paid zero federal income taxes for two years. Maybe not to his country, but he has given nearly 1.5% of his net worth to charity. And while he didn't share much of his wealth with Amazon workers, he definitely helped them to boldly go where no one has gone before.

Amazon workers have to pee into bottles because of Amazon stringent quotas keep them too busy to go to the bathroom. You know what they say. Teach a man to fish, he eats for a day. Teach a man to piss in a bottle while he eats his fish. He only has to take a two-minute lunch break. Jeff's plan was working perfectly. But there was one thing his plan didn't take into account, that all his success would

go to his head. The National Inquirer obtained nude photos of Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos. The pictures and racy text messages from Bezos to his girlfriend, Lauren Sanchez, led to the end of his marriage. With one stupid mistake, Jeff lost the thing that was most important to him in all the the to to tochez led to the end of his marriage. With one stupid mistake, Jeff lost the thing that was most important to him in all the world. $38 billion. Jeff had hit rock bottom.

He had literally showed the world his dick. But soon he would bounce back by showing the world his bigger, shinier rocket-powered dick and riding it to the cosmos. Tonight mission accomplished Jeff Bezos launches into space in the first unpiloted fully civilian suborbital flight. Yes, Bezos accomplished his boyhood dream and same day shipped himself into the stars. Bezos had finally done it. He finally made space travel seem uncool. I also want to thank every Amazon employee and every Amazon customer, because you guys paid for all this.

And now the world knows the real Jeff Bezos, as well as Jeff Bezos knows himself. I always worked really hard. I was nerdy. You were nerdy. I was nerdy. That hasn't changed, by the way. When you come back, Paul W. Down from a hit show, Hacks will be joining me so don't go away. 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 My guest tonight is an Emmy-winning writer, actor, and co-creator of the hit-max series, Hacks. Please welcome Paul W. Downs. That was you. Holy moly. Wow. Congratulations. That's it. That was you.

Holy moly. Wow. Congrats on the success of Hacks. Thank you so much. We laugh. I laugh so hard at the show. That's the goal. So much of this season is about acquiring or attempting to get a late night show.

Yes. Did you reach out to people in late night? Did you not have my email and you were nervous? And then you got it, but then you still didn't want a cold email? What, how did it work? You know, I know you have a lot going on. You have a lot of news to read, you'll have a lot of things to do. So, we did have, we had, we had, we had, we had, we had, we had, we had, we had, we had, we had, we had, we had, we had, we had a, we had a, we had a bunch, we had a bunch, we had a bunch, we had a bunch, we had a bunch, we had a bunch, we had a bunch, we had a bunch, we had a bunch, we had a bunch, we had a bunch, we had a bunch, to have, to, to, to have, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to have, to have, the to have, the the the the the the to have, the to have, to have, to have, to have, to have, to have, to have, to have, to have, to have a to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to... So we had a peek behind the curtain from our writers. Because it is, I mean I'm, I feel like you're writing about the comedy industry and it's singing to me. But then I'm going is the rest of the country

also understanding and laughing and all this but it feels like you've really done that. That's good. How have you created a show about show business that my friends in Michigan like also? Wow. And they're idiots. I love them. No. I, you know, I think because it's a show about people who have been kind of cast aside by the industry, I think it's really relatable because you know what it's like or a lot of people know what it's like to be on the outside of something and want to break into it. And you know, this woman, Deborah Vance, played brilliantly by Jean Smart, you know, is

this vaguest stand-up and kind of had to carve out her own path outside of show business. So I think because of that, you know, people who want to do creative work or people who want to do something and have a craving for something, really understand that. Her drive, her ambition, yet her selfishness, that's one thing I also got to ask you about, does one have to be selfish to be successful? I'm asking basically, I'm asking myself that question. But it comes up in hacks. Oh yeah, it's a major theme. I hope not because I'm an angel.

So I mean, I hope you don't have to be, but, you know, I think you have to be selfish to a certain degree in that if you are somebody like the characters in the show, you have to really be married to your work. You know, it's like really all about devoting yourself 150 percent. So in that way, I think, yeah, you kind of do sacrifice things in your life. Was it important for you to create a show where where, where, where, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, thiiiii, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, to, thi, thi, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, and, and, 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 thi, their, they, they, theyymea, they, they, theymea, too, too, too, too, to, show where where women from different generations are interacting? Because that's one thing that I when I was looking at Hacks and not just laughing with it and I was saying I was like holy shit these are just two totally different age groups interacting which is pretty rare for TV. Yeah I mean that was the

thing for us is we had never seen a show I mean other than maybe mother-daughter or something, where there were two people that were so different that became friends. So that was really one of the most interesting parts of the dynamic. Also, it led us explore different ideas from their frame of reference, which would be so different. Yeah. And so we can do that over and over again, in a way that hopefully is, you know, sensitive to both of their points of view. Nobody's ever 100% right? Yeah. Well, that is what's fun is you, as soon as I'm liking Deborah,

she breaks my heart. And then I'm, you know, yeah, so you've done that very well. Thank you. Hacks. That term in stand-up comedy, it's an insult. It is. It means you are telling old jokes. being creative. Right. How do you know? Exactly. Honestly. And edit that.

I know because I'm fearful of it. Yes. You're very, you know, the worst thing you can be called is a thief. The second worst thing you can be called is a hack. Yes. So how did this term in the title happen and sometimes I wonder if it's accurate for the show. Am I right to question that? No. Okay. Absolutely not. I'm here. I'm here to ask you. No, I mean it is it is

interesting because we kind of called it that in the beginning and it was sort of like a temporary title. But it is like this thing of, and you th. And you, and you, and you, and you, and you, and you, and you, and you, and you, and you, and you, and you, and you th. And you th. thi, thi, like, thi, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, th, like, th, th, thi, thi, like, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, 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. thi, like, like, like, like, like, like, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, toimes comedians I find, or I think we can all agree, sometimes go on late night and they still kill. And they're so funny because they're in touch with what's going on in culture. And then there are some people that age out. And some people that you get it are on and youthis young writer interviews for this job with this older stand-up and says, I would never want to work for a hack. But what she learns in the course of the show is that a hack is somebody who does the same thing over and over again, but our character learns and grows and grows and grows because

of her relationship with this younger person, and vice versa. I mean, the younger person is an entitled Gen Z person that earns the value of hard work and gets up earlier. You know, there's a lot of things that, she gets back from Deborah. You create, co-created, there's a lot of, you know, you write on it, you've directed, right? Yep. And you're in it. That's a shitload of stuff. Too much. Too much stuff. Yeah. Uh, wearing all the hats, how do you compartmentalize? Is it too many things? You know, uh, they all kind of go hand in hand for me. I mean, being able to, um,

perform is the most fun, but also having written it, it just, it gives it a little bit more of a freedom and an effortlessness when I am performing. Yeah directing is something that, you know, I think when we write, we write visually and we think about the way that the show looks and how it's composed, and so that is also something that feels like it's just integral to the work, but it is the hardest part. What is that? Directing is really hard. Yeah. Because you have like thing about the thin' time and you know the whole the whole th is a th is a th is a th, th, like th, th, like th, like thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi, thi, thi, thi, the thi, thi, the way the way the way the way the way the way the way the way the way the way the way the way the way the way the way, the way, the way, thi, the way, the way, the way the way the way, the way the way the way the way the way the way the way the way the way the way the way the way the way the way the way the the the the the the the the the thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thia' thia' thia' thia' thia' thia' thia' thi, thi, thi, thi, th are making this thing happen and you're deciding if you can move on or you get another take it's just like that stuff is much less fun than sane lines. I mean you're also dealing with talent but in yourself you're dealing with yourself. Yeah and that's the hardest. You ever think about that? Yeah. Like God this guy Paul is such an asshole to the director. Absolutely. Yeah, exactly. There's a line in episode one, season three,

where you're at the JFL Just for Laf's Festival, which, rest and peace is now bankrupt. Yeah. But there's like young people at the bar, and one of them's looking around, and he says, God, it feels so 80s in here. Yeah. And I laughed out loud. Who wrote that and what is that? What is that line? I have to tell you that that was improvised by that

actor. Are you serious? Yes, I give credit where credit is doing. Wow. Well, shit. Thanks. He's a co-writer. Now he's a co-writer. Now he's a co-writer. Yeah. Yeah. Jordan improvised that. And yet that's the thing th. th. th. cia and Yellow and Jen Staski, who created the show, we all come from improv and sketch comedy and so when somebody brings something to the role that makes it better, we're like, great, let's use it. So we're constantly adapting on stuff. I feel like you and your co-star in the scene. Theat, the scene, the scene, that the scene, thrown. thrown, th. thrown. thrown. thrown. thrown. thrown. thrown. the thrown. thrown. thrown. thrown, thrown, thrown, thrown, thrown, thrown. thrown. thrown. thrown improv. thrown, thrown, thrown. thrown improvise thrown improvise thr-in improvise thr-in improvise thr-in improvise thr-in improvise thr-in improv. thr-in improv improv improv. thr-in improv improv. thr-in improv. thr-in improv. We's, thr-in improv. We's, thr-ininininin, thrown, thrown, thrown, thrown, thrown, thrown, thrown, thrown. thrown. thrown, thrown. the. thracea-a-a-a-a-a-a-s. throwne-a-s. throwne-inin just saw, that was completely scripted. That was very, very scripted because there were so many, you know, that woman who was taping us had to, you know, there was a lot of moving parts to that scene, but we do improvise a fair amount. That's great. That, I told you backstage, but that episode really resonated with me because as a comic it's like, get to JFL. Get to J. F. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. There. There. There. There. There. There. There. There. There. There. There. There. There. There. There. There. There. There. There. There. There. There. There. There. There. There. There. There. There. There. There. There. There. There. There. There. There. There. There. There. There. There. There. There. There. There. There. There. There. There. There. There. There. There. There. There. There. There. There. There. There. There. There. There. There. There. There. There. There. There. There. There. There. There. There. There. There. There. There. There. There. There. There. There. There. There. There. There. There. There. There. There was a there. there. there. there was a there was a there was a there was a there was a there was a there was a there was a there was a there. there. there. there. there. there. well. Thank you. But there's also a little bit of a dig there on this show called On The Contrary that Hannah's character plays. And it's a man wearing an Uncle Sam hat and they're talking about how important comedy is, how it changes society.

Oh yeah. And I'm watching it and I'm looking around here, and I'm seeing the red, white, and the blue. Yeah, yeah. And then I was thinking, you know, one of the things I like about Deborah's comedy is that it isn't always important. It isn't always changing the world. And I want to know what your thoughts are on, is comedy important? Is it meant to be? Does it need to be?

Can we just do a joke where we do fart noises in our armpits sometimes? My favorite joke. My favorite joke. Yeah, I think that, I think comedy is important even if it's not satire and it's not political comedy. I think it's important because I don't know, that thing of like getting together with people and laughing does bring people closer together. I know that sounds so true. I mean, don't you guys feel connected? Yeah. Don't you guys feel like... Yeah.

Yeah. Yeah, it was fun. Was the Daily Show in there when you think about it? Oh, there's DNA in the Daily. Yeah, there's absolutely Daily Show references in there. Speaking of the Daily Show, tell us quickly, you have a little bit of experience in this building. Well, I met Ilana Glazer from Broad City, who I worked with on Broad City, on this street, because we both auditioned to be on-camera interns on the Daily Show,

and neither of us got it. That's why I made it up, because no. But it's okay. I do love that. It worked out. Because that's where you met her. That's what we met on the street. She had met my wife, Lucia, and she said, hey, you're Paul. And I said, yeah?

And she said, I know Lucia, and I'm just like her but thrown, I'm just like, and I'm just like, is throwne, I'm just, It's kind of classic Gawana. That's so funny because this is also part of the reason why everybody I meet on the street I keep in toucest for years. Yeah, because you never know. Thank you for coming. The Hacks is awesome. I love watching it. Everyone should watch it.

Hacks is available to stream on Max. Paul W. Downs, everybody. We're going to take a quick break. Thank you. Thank you. 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. That's our show for tonight.

Now here it is, your moment of zeal. You got to get out of vote just this time. I don't care. In four years you don't have to vote, okay? In four years don't vote. I don't care by the time. But we'll have it all straightened out so it'll be much different. effort. 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 anytime on Paramount Podcasts. 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.