The Daily Show: Ears Edition - Mitch McConnell Returns & Trump Dismisses AI Doomsday Warnings | Danielle Brooks

Episode Date: September 16, 2026

Mitch McConnell dispels rumors about his death just in time for Anthropic insiders to announce that AI could kill us all in as little as six months. Thumbs up, Mitch! Josh Johnson dives into the headlines, including Trump’s answer to the urgent threat of AI: Everything will be fine as long as we have a “high IQ president." Which might be a problem. Can solar geoengineering cool the planet? Michael Kosta sits down with Make Sunsets founder Luke Iseman, who's taking the fight to climate change with the power of sulphur-filled balloons. But will Iseman's approach really deflate the climate crisis, or is he just high on his own supply? With the help of climate experts Shuchi Talati and David Keith, Kosta stops at nothing to get to the bottom of this, even if it means channeling his inner Walter White. Danielle Brooks joins Josh Johnson to talk about her new film, “If I Go Will They Miss Me,” where she plays Lozita, a mother caught between a son who worships his father like a God and a dad who can’t see himself that way. Brooks talks about shooting on-location in Watts, honoring the real woman her character is inspired by, and what motherhood has taught her about the roles she takes. -- Dose - New customers can save 35% on your first month of subscription by going to https://dosedaily.co/TDS or entering TDS at checkout. -- The Daily Show airs weeknights at 11/10c on Comedy Central. Stream full episodes on Paramount+ Follow TDS: YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

You're listening to Comedy Central. From the most trusted journalists at Comedy Central is America's only source for news. This is The Daily Show with your host, I'm Josh Johnson. We've got so much to talk about tonight. Forget your job. AI's coming for you.

Climate change gets an unlikely new hero, and Mitch McConnell is back, and I'm guessing all out of sick days. So let's get into the headlines. Let's start with Congress. the only branch of government that ages in dog years. For a while now, there's been growing concern about how old some members are,

but it really peaked this summer when Senator Mitch McConnell got sick and disappeared with no explanation. The rumors spun eye control from him secretly being dead to people saying the photo that was posted of him in the hospital was photoshopped. It looked fine to me. He looks great.

But yesterday was Congress's first day back in session, so it was time from a conference. to show up, lock in, and show everyone he's feeling A-OK. Let's go. Senator McConnell, how are you feeling, Senator McConnell? How you feeling, Mitch? You feeling all right, Mitch? Uh-oh, okay. I see that he's giving a thumbs up, but that's not the thumbs-up of a man who's doing well.

That is the thumbs-up of a football player on a stretcher that you're never going to see again. His thumb is saying I'm good, but his face is saying, beep, but maybe Mitch was just overwhelmed by the media circus outside his door. I'm sure after he gave the thumbs up and got in his car, he seemed totally normal. God bless you, sir. Stay safe, stay strong. Wait, did he get stuck in thumbs up? Tell the Senate to vote on universal health care right now. He's stuck like that. He has to vote, yes. Republicans are going to have to flip him upside down to get a no vote. I'm sorry, but everything here screams puppet. Like, there's just a guy on the floor of the SUV with a fishing line like, quick, y'all, I can't open his mouth and move his thumb at the same time.

But let's move on to something that can pass for a living human. AI. Over the last few years, we've heard about all the terrible things AI is going to do. Use all of our water, take all of our jobs, mess with our ability to think, or even worse, mess with our ability to think, which is all bad. But at least it's not going to kill everyone. Jacob Coxon, a researcher at leading AI firm Anthropic, says he resigned, posting, the people building AI earnestly believe that it could kill us all by the end of the decade. End of the decade? 2026, that's just three pumpkin spice seasons away.

But you know what, maybe that's just a disgruntled employee. People love to shit-talk their jobs after they leave. You know, when my buddy got fired from Chick-fil-A, he told everybody they spend Sundays doing unspeakings. to the sauce. I'm sure the people who still work there don't earnestly believe AI could kill all humans. A more senior employee, Anthropic, wrote this on X. Jacob is correct here. We really do earnestly believe AI could kill all humans. Damn, and you still work there? How do they get these employees? Do they just ask where you see yourself in five years?

And if you say, killed by my own creation, you're hired. Frankenstein-ass workplace. But look, I'm not an expert. I don't know anything. The only time I use AI is when I try to Google and it makes me use AI. So why are the people who work there so convinced this is a possibility? The reality is the first steps are already here. AI agents, and to be clear, those agents are computer programs.

They're not people. They've already conspired together, written malicious code, faked online identities to try to outsmart humans. And we know it's already happened. In an essay, Amade, whose company runs Claude, writing, A Swarm of Rogue AI agents could be capable of taking over the entire internet in just six to 12 months, and saying AI could be used for cyber attacks or to create biological weapons.

Six months ago, the Anthropics CEO is saying we could have six months before AI kills us all. Everyone pick your death pose now, all right? You don't want to be like those people in Pompeii getting caught off guard, all right? You got to hit them with the... All right, I'm convinced, AI is dangerous. Are you guys going to stop making it, or do you have some other way to stop making it? Anthropics CEO, Dario Amadez, calls for an industry-wide slowdown.

He suggests third-party monitors, government regulations, and international cooperation are needed to slow it down. And soon, in a rare show of unity, rival CEOs's Elon Musk of XAI and Sam Altman of OpenAI have said they think the technology is becoming too powerful, too fast. This makes me hopeful. If the people want AI to have guardrails and the CEOs of the AI companies want AI to have guardrails, then it sounds like AI is going to get some guardrails. President Trump posted today that the only control or guardrails that AI needs is a strong and smart high IQ president.

I did forget for a second that he was president. But you know what? Let's not rush to judgment. can be smart sometimes. Maybe the reason the economy is tanking and we're losing the war in Iran is because he's been putting all his energy into studying up on AI. Let's give the man a chance to prove himself. Some people say the worst case scenario with AI is that the robots, the machinery learns to, obviously it thinks for itself. That's what it does. And that could turn against humanity. I just, do we have the guardrails? It's going to be fine. We'll always have something to stop them,

right? I have a little gear woman. I really hope so. I don't like that. I really. I don't like that robot. We have a little gear? That's not how AI works. Are you thinking of a Furby? President Trump, please say something that tells me you have a firm grasp on the threat that AI poses. It's technology.

No different than when television was, they said the movies would be out of business and the radio came and something else was going to be gone. And it's always everything is people should think more positively. Did this man just compare AI to the, radio? Trump is like if the mayor from Jaws didn't know what sharks were. No, no, it's safe to swim, everyone. This is just like when television came along. It's just like that. Also, it sounds like Trump thinks radio came after TV. He's been watching TV all these years, and then he comes

across a radio like, you could have it without the picture? Technology's crazy. So look, I know a lot of people are worried that AI is going to kill us all before Shrek 5 can give us closure. Mainly because the tech CEOs gave us six months to live, but I'm not really sold on their narrative. I think it's just as likely that these people in a speculative, overblown industry got into a room and were like, so is everybody out of money? And this whole thing, this whole thing of pumping the brakes is actually about taking the pressure off of them to deliver massive returns that we know still aren't possible. It's not like if a guy couldn't get it up, but instead of apologizing, he was like,

it's actually like too big, you know? Like, that's the problem, really. Like, I'm really saving your life right now because this thing is too dangerous. Like, it's not that I can't perform, it's that I want you to live. So I don't think we can trust the tech CEOs, and I know we can't trust Trump, who needs the AI bubble to prop up the economy. Really, I just need someone who is trustworthy and fully on the ball to tell me yes or no, is everything going to be okay? Good enough for me.

When we come back, Michael Costa fixes climate change. Don't go away. Change gets worse and worse. People are coming up with solutions that are worse and worse. Michael Costa talk to one of those people. It's March 18th, 347 p.m. I'm on top of a shipping container in Oakland, California. In a few minutes, I'm going to release hazardous chemicals into the air.

To my wife and family, I love you. To the people's Republic of China, please forgive me. And to my nephew, Zach, happy birthday, bud. So how did I find myself in this precarious situation? It all started in a garage in Oakland, California, as I was sitting across from this guy who had been cooking up a new way to solve climate change and maybe, possibly, methamphetamine.

My name's Luke, and I cool Earth with balloons. I know you look like the smartest person I've ever seen, but tell me more about how you're... Your special balloons cool the earth. So they have really reflective gas in them that reflects some sunlight back into space, just like when you're under a cloud versus direct sun. So we could just all stop emitting carbon. Right.

But that's not going to happen. Yeah. Luke's company makes sunsets releases balloons to cool the earth, but they're not filled with nitrous oxide like the balloons I enjoy. are filled with sulfur dioxide, which I assume is totally harmless. So sulfur dioxide is a poisonous gas. However, it won't cause acid rain. It's too little at too high of an altitude

and a bunch of chemistry reasons that I don't understand. This is refreshing for me because I'm tired of all these climate change solutions being pitched to me by people who understand chemistry. Yeah, initially we were making our own sulfur dioxide by lighting sulfur on fire. It was like breaking bad but worse. And just like Walter White,

Luke is distributing his product far and wide. Yeah, so we have about 1,700 customers so far. They buy something called a cooling credit. A cooling credit is one gram of our special reflective gas. Hell yeah, bro. Delivered to the stratosphere. If I'm gonna put my money into a gram of something, I don't want it to go up in there,

I wanted to go up my nose. Luke's balloon solution is one version of solar geoengineering, which basically says that we've already Dutch oven the Earth so much with greenhouse gases. We need to pull a Mr. Burns, and block out the sun. So this is a tiny version of how our big balloons work. This is a fun white powder.

Oh, so you do get high. So we blow up the balloon. Then we let it go as it goes up. We're about the height of airplanes here, double the height of airplanes here. And eventually it stretches so much that it pops. Yeah! This is how we'll solve global warming.

This is a $12,000 suit, dude. Nice. Sure, it was a bit messy, but it had to admit Luke's plan to spread sulfur dioxide into the stratosphere with balloons was a great idea. We don't know sulfur dioxide aerosols in the stratosphere is a good idea yet. But we did it. We solved climate change through balloons. We did not solve climate change. Professional Buzzkill Suchi Talati, the founder of the Alliance for Just Delibration on Solar Geoengineering, is here to throw acid rain all over our parade.

There's still quite a bit of uncertainty around the ways. in which solar geoengineering might impact different types of weather systems, how it might impact agriculture and food security, how it might impact public health. If we saw an individual country like the United States deploy solar geoengineering. It could trigger harmful impacts in another place like China. How that might ultimately then play out politically is a huge geopolitical risk that we need to think through a lot more carefully. So what? A tainty little famine or nuclear war with China is a small price to pay to protect Mother Earth. How many degrees have you cooled the planet so far, Luke?

Almost none. Since what you're doing is so ineffective, have you considered lighting yourself on fire in front of the UN instead? No. No. It's a good thing he didn't take my advice, because it turns out some scientists might actually agree with Luke. Technically, people could start doing this soon if they wanted to. I think the big question is, should we? And if we did, how much should we do?

I got a couple questions for you. Should we? And if we do, how much should we? I think the evidence is very strong that if we did a small amount of this sunlight reflection, putting a small amount of solar energy sphere, that the benefits in terms of reduced heat, reduced deaths from heat,

those benefits would be really large compared to the harms. What about a company like makes sunsets? Is there any value in that? I think of them as sort of theater. They're not actually doing anything to cool the world, but they're stirring the topic. The power of theater and scene.

Oh, I think I have to ask you more questions. Even after talking to someone who understands chemistry for hours, I was still torn. These balloons were messing me up, and I needed to get clarity. I get two? 30. There's good. There you go.

Much love, bro. With my mind finally free, I realized they had to do something about the climate. Even if doing this something could actually be worse than doing nothing. I then knew the only way to feel good was to break bad. To the People's Republic of China, please forgive me. Into my nephew, Zach. Happy birthday, bud.

Hey, let's do this shit, huh? Come on. I was ready, but apparently I didn't need to be in my underwear. Back to business. I hope my wife wants 100 cooling credits for her birthday. He looks like my grandma's boobs. Two, one. Make sense sense.

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or entering TDS at checkout. That's D-O-S-E-D-A-I-L-Y dot CO slash TDS for 35% off your first month subscription. Welcome back to The Daily Show. My guest tonight is an Oscar-nominated actor and Grammy Award winner. who produce and stars in the new film, if I go, will they miss me? Please welcome, Danielle Brooks. It's so warm.

Hey, y'all. No, it's for you. How are you? I'm wonderful. Thanks for having me. Thank you for joining me. Yeah. I've been very excited to see you.

And congratulations on the film. Thank you. Thank you. Can you, without giving too much away? Okay, I'll try. Can you give us a little bit of what the film's about? Yes. The impetus for creating all of it?

Yes. if you are a cinema lover, you are going to love this film. It is so beautifully done by a guy named Walter Thompson Hernandez. And it is about a son who wants to connect with his father who just came out of prison. And the thing is, he's also obsessed with Greek mythology. And he grew up in Watts, and he sees his father as a God. But his father doesn't see himself that way. And so they're having trouble connecting.

And I play the mom, Lozita, who I don't want to give anything. way, but has a huge part in what happens later in the movie. Yeah, yeah. And so it's also filmed in Watts. Yes, we filmed it in Watts, y'all. Compton. I'm not from Compton. I'm from South Carolina.

But anyway, yeah, we shot it there, but it's very rare that you actually get to shoot where it's set. And so we were outside, no trailers. You know, we just had a cooler for our crafty and in a cardboard box. Like, we was really out here thugging it, you know? But it was so cool because in the movie, he invited the community to be in the movie. And we had to get a mayor. So when I say that, there's a guy in the neighborhood who's like the mayor.

He's the one that if somebody's playing their music too loud, he's the one to be like, can you turn that down for $20? Yeah. So, yeah, he helped us out tremendously. That's awesome. And do you find that in playing these roles, you know, because you're a mom now and everything, in playing these roles,

does it have any sort of reflection on, like, your parenting when you look at what someone in a completely different situation is dealing with, like one of your characters and everything? Yeah. Does it end up putting that bit of a shade, like in preparation, Like, you know what you would do as a mother in these scenarios. And then because of a script, you may have to do something different than what's your natural reaction. Yeah.

I think that's the beautiful part about what we do. It allows us to reflect on our behaviors. You know, we're all out here trying to do the best that we can. And now that I am a mother, I've always had maternal instincts and, you know, treat my baby like a baby cub. And I hold her close to me. But now I hold her even more close. and I make sure that I speak life into her, but not only do I do that,

it's all about your actions too. You know, our kids soak up everything that we do. And I think sometimes we think it's about what we say, but we truly have to walk the walk to show them how to be incredible human beings, you know? So I'm very grateful that I got to play Lozita. I think she's a character that I've never done before. Like, she's very quiet and spirit, you know.

She says a lot without saying much. But there's just something so special because I feel like there's not really been a character like her that I've seen in neighborhoods like this. So I'm excited to, and she was based on a real person, you know, who passed away from breast cancer a few years ago. So I'm excited to honor her in this way. Absolutely. Yeah. Yeah. And do you find that, as, you know, obviously, you're, you know, obviously, your brother.

working so much and as you play these different characters that there's a little bit of a piece of it that you take with you. You know, I'm so interested in how actors can sort of be anybody. Yeah, it's fun. Yeah. I love it. And then it does seem though that the people who are really dedicated to it as craft like can shed off of that thing, but sometimes people can't.

Don't know how to shake it off. Yeah, they've gone so deep into the thing. And has that ever happened to you before? Thank God, no. Thank God. Because it can really be deep for some people. I think because I'm a trained actor, and that's something that they taught us how to shed that off,

I've been able to do because I have played characters that go really deep, like Sophia in the movie and on Broadway, spending a year with the character that's been abused, you can start to feel that way. But then also, like, there was a beautiful song that she had, hell no. And every night I got to say, hell no. know to my fears and things that I felt like were holding me back.

So I think every character gives you a gift. I think sometimes we don't, like, sometimes I don't want to share what that gift is. But, you know, I definitely feel like she's been such a blessing for me. Yeah. If you are willing, is there something in the gift of playing this character that you've really got out of it, that it's left you with? I think that has just reminded me that I am a good mom, number one, but like, it really has. And it's challenged me to be a better one. Yeah, because I love that baby girl with all my heart.

You know what I'm saying? And I think the beautiful part of what we do and what this story does, it's a reflection. It reminds us to look at ourselves in the mirror. and like really come to terms with what is really that reflection. I think sometimes we see ourselves, but we don't see ourselves. It's dirty, you know, there's water spots on that mirror. Yeah. But what is it to really wipe it away and really see who you are at the core and what you're putting out into the world?

So I think that's part of what I've, every time I watch this film, Josh, there's another, like, excuse me, another layer that comes every time. So I'm excited for the world to see it. I think it's healing work. I think it's something that will change you as a person. And it's so damn good. Like, truly, like, the music John Batiste got in there, you know, and did a song, This Bitter Earth.

It was just, it's so good. Marian Anderson's music is in this piece. Like, it's so, Walter Thompson Hernandez, you need to know his name, y'all. He's that next director, I promise you. And J.L. Fons is a phenomenal actor. He's in Lanterns, in Pea Valley, and he's one of the next Denzel's. Okay?

So get with it. Yeah, and speaking on reflection, because, you know, we're obviously talking about your character, talking about your perspective, working on the movie and everything. There's a lot to be said about fatherhood in the movie as well. And I guess, I don't know, a bunch of my friends are, you know, becoming parents and everything. And so I just see a thing where everyone that cares about being a good parent is pretty hard on themselves and like constantly question themselves and everything. But I find that outside looking in, especially watching people turn, become mothers, become fathers and everything, that there's just so much external pressure on, on moms. And with dads, it's sort of like, are you there or not, do you know what, do you know what, do you know, like, it has that, it has that element.

And then within the movie, it's like how to be present as a father. Do you think that the movie is speaking to motherhood or fatherhood one more than the other? No, I think it's equal. You know, just speaking to that, you know, I don't think the point of the narrative is to say that fathers are absent, you know, in certain things. That is a part of this movie. But I think the beauty is that you see this other character, his best friend played by Miles Bullock, who has his own son, and he speaks life into his son. And he tells, you know, big aunt, like, bro, you got to get it together.

So it was another brother who has cared and loved on his son, pouring into him and saying, hey, man, you got to, and I just thought that was a beautiful transaction, because most of the time in these movies, it's the female woman character coming in and saying, hey, you know, you got to do better, you know, or that older wife. or person coming and say, but the fact that his peer, that another man of color was the one to say, like, you gotta do better and hold him accountable, I think it was a beautiful thing.

I think that the love and then care and intention that you put in the film comes through in the way that you speak about the film, and I think it's gonna absolutely come through in everyone seeing your performance. I'm very excited for y'all to see it. One more time for Danielle Brooks. Thank you, if I go, will they miss you?

Miss Me is currently playing in LA and will expand to other cities starting September 18th. Danielle Brooks, we're going to take a quick break, but we'll be right back after this. Show for the night, but before we go, today is National Voter Registration Day. Our friends at Headcount, a non-partisan nonprofit can help you register, update your registration, and find the information you need to vote. Just text TDS to the number on your screen. Now, here it is your moment of Zen. Everyone's okay with the music, right? Are you okay?

You like the, I'm only back here. I gave you a press conference before we got on. The music's great, right? Yes, it's great. Okay? That was fantastic. I picked myself. I want to make you happy.

So I'm playing wonderful music, happy music. 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 Plus. This has been a Comedy Central podcast.