The Daily Show: Ears Edition - Sarah Palin Tackles 'War on Christmas' In New Book | TDS Time Machine

Episode Date: December 3, 2023

The Daily Show jumps back in time to this day in 2013. Jon Stewart covers the war on Christmas, politicians' attempts to embrace the spirit of the holiday, and the RNC's tweets on Rosa Parks ending racism. Plus, Jon sits with Jared Leto to discuss his movie "Dallas Buyers Club."See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Survivor 47 is here, which means we're bringing you a brand new season of the only official survivor podcast on fire. And this season we are joined by fan favorite and Survivor 46 runner-up, Charlie, Charlie, I'm excited to do this together. Thanks, Jeff. So excited to be here, and I can't wait to bring you inside the mind of a survivor player for season 47. Listen to On Fire the official Survivor podcast starting September 18th wherever you get your podcast. You're listening to Comedy Central. December 3rd, 2013. From Comedy Central's World News Headquarters in New York, this is the Daily Show with John Stewart.

Welcome to the Daily Show. Thank you for joining us tonight. My name is John Stewart. Tonight's guest from the Film Dallas Buyer's Club. Thank you for joining us tonight. My name is John Stewart. Tonight's guest from the Film Dallas Buyers Club. This is a good movie. You got to check this movie out. Jared Leto is going to be here. He's an unbelievable job in the morning.

Unbelievable. Listen, listen to this. We are currently in what I feel like is the most wonderful time of the year. Why not? Festive trees go up carolers break out in song. Starbucks switches out its vat of pumpkin spice additive for its vat of peppermint additive. It's the same additive. It's the same additive. Paint a stripe.

It's truly a time to appreciate what we have. Especially when in any moment, we could lose it all. The minority is becoming the majority at the community pool. How Sharia law is changing everything. Oh my God! Sharia law is changing everything. Oh my God! Sharia Law is changing everything! And probably not for the better! Because while I'm not really clear what Sharia Law is, I do know it's relatively Muslim-y.

And if Fox is talking about it, it's the kind of Muslim-y that's going to destroy this fairy nation. How is it changing everything? is talking about it, it's the kind of muslimy that's going to destroy this very day. How is it changing everything? A YMCA in Minneapolis, St. Paul is starting a swim group from Muslim girls, but special considerations have to be made to keep with their religious beliefs. Oh my God, special considerations! Everything has changed! Wait, what's changed? During the one-hour class, the pool is being shut down, the men's locker room is being locked, and female lifeguards are being brought in.

Oh my God, everything has changed! Dogs now walk, babies, dancing makes you sad! Tears come out of your ears and snot comes out of your butt. Which is not how it is now, I can tell you that. It actually, though, it seems like the only thing that has changed because of Sharia law is one YMCA pool schedule whiteboard. That seems like the only thing that... But I can see how that can be traumatic.

First, they came for our Tuesday synchronized aqua dance, and I did not speak out. Because I prefer water exercise with a pool noodle. What is it like to live in that world of... I prefer water exercise with a pool noodle. What is it like to live in that world of pure fear and despair, where every inconsequential change in what was becomes a harbinger of a dystopian post-America apocalypse where only Muslims can swim? And the sidewalk game where decent law-abiding white folk

or randomly knocked out has replaced baseball as our national pastime. And a sense of persecution is always at its worst, right around this time of year. A new battle in the war on Christmas. The war on Christmas. The school district that's now saying faith-based tunes have no place in the war on Christmas. The war on Christmas. The war on Christmas. The school district that's now saying faith-based tunes have no place in their elementary school.

The majority of Americans celebrate Christmas, so everybody should have the right to enjoy this season without the interference of a few Bahambuck bullies. How can I enjoy my Christmas when I know that somewhere a little Jewish boy isn't being forced to sing, O little town of Bethlehem. Where's the joy there? Who will save Christmas?

Sarah Palin, she has a new hmm, she'll do, carry on. Can you understand why somebody who is not a self-identified Christian would feel uncomfortable with, um, demonstration of something from the, from the Bible, from the New Testament, can you understand why somebody who is not a self-identified Christian would feel uncomfortable with, um, um, demonstration of something from the, from the, from the Bible, from the New Testament, coming from the government. Because to them that might feel like their government is picking a religion and it's not theirs.

Well there are things that we can do about that to, I guess, lessen that offense. We can do that in our personal lives. For instance, in my family, we have the Menora out on, through December on our kitchen tab. tab. tabn, tabn, to to to tabn, to to to ta, to to their, their, their, tode, their, their, their, their, their, the government, to, the government, to, to, the government, the government, the government, to, the government, the government, the government, the government, the government, the government, the government, the government, the government, the government, the government, the government, the government, I, I, the government, the government, the government, the government, the government, their their their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, we can do that in our personal lives. For instance, in my family, we have the menorah out through December on our kitchen table. I want to teach my children about the Jewish faith. Quick word to the Palin kids. While I appreciate the gesture, Jews don't actually just leave a menorah out for the month of December. Like a, uh, Jews don't actually just leave a menorah out for the month of December.

Like a knick-knack in a curio case. Goes in the window and you only put it there for eight days. And also, Palin Kids, this is not a menorah. Now, there's got to be someone who can defend Christmas with a little more authority. Over the years we've taken on the role of protecting the federal holiday of Christmas. Even though it is not in any way threatened. But I'll bite, since we do this dance every year, tell me why this year, it is especially egregious to use the phrase, Happy holidays.

What is interesting this year is that Hanukkah will be over on Thursday. So there are no more holidays between then and Christmas Day. Damn you, O'Reilly. We've been checkmated. Without Hanukkah, we have no excuse to say happy holidays. Plural. Because apparently you can't include anything past Christmas like Kwan's Epiphany and New Year's. Although by that logic it means that up until Hanukkah, you can only say happy Hanukkah, but do the fuck tears about that. But I'm sorry, I interrupted your flow, Mr. O'Reilly.

What other secular humanists are peeing on your Yulog this year? Macy's, a company that I generally like. Macy's! Macy's! Macy's isn't Christmassy enough for you? Macy's? This Macy's? The one emblazoned with a bejewed, believe sign? That could be seen from space? The one that looks as though someone

ejaculated tinsel all over it? That, Macy's? What have they done? This year they're tatting Santa Claus, who will help you, quote, with your holiday wish list. So here's my question to Macy's. What holiday is Santa celebrating?

Ah, that is a good question. Santa, or Sinterclass, is celebrating the feast of St. Nicholas, which originated in the Netherlands in the Middle Ages and occurs every December 6th. But you might not have heard about that because like every other December holiday, it was long ago sucked into the insatiable black hole that is Christmas. And by the way, you're upset with the department store because in their effort to get you to buy a Swarofsky crystal, Hello Kitty Snowman figurine, they're not invoking Christ's name enough. I thought Christians used to complain that their holiday was getting commercialized.

Are those days gone? I love the commercialization of Christmas because it spreads the Christmas cheer. It's the most jolly holiday, obviously, on our calendar. Obviously. So commercialization is what's spreading Christmas cheer. Oh, I've been so confused about the message of that holiday for so long. I thought it was about opening one's homes to friends and family, not opening one's present, and returning it for store credit. Look.

If the true spirit of Christmas is best spread and expressed through commercialism and materialism, then anyone who denounces those things is by the transit of property waging war on Christmas, Sarah Palin, Bill O'Reilly, meet your newest nemesis. Today, Pope Francis denounced trickle-down economics as unfair to the poor. He takes a shot at commercialism. Calling for Catholics everywhere to resist excessive capitalism and materialism. When will the Pope stop his war on Christmas? Well, well, I hope his message is heard and someday Macy's will truly honor the spirit of Christmas.

We'll be right back. 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 like most people these days, I have one source for news that I turn to more than any other. Tweetaw. Because I likes my news like I likes my ladies. Short and punchy and delivered secondhand by anonymous sociopaths. That doesn't really speak very highly of me, doesn't it?

Without Twitter, how else would I learn about revolutions in Iran? Or non-existent fights with angry ladies on airplanes? And this weekend, Twitter came through again. The Republican National Committee, it tweeted a photo of Rosa Parks. The caption on that said, today we remember Rosa Parks's bold stand and a role in ending racism. It's over! It's over!

It's the stick a fork in racism, it's done. Thanks to Rosa Parks, racism completely ended. That's why all history books on racism post-1955 are completely empty. You may ask, why did they make it so big then? Shut up. Now you may say to yourself, well, you may say to yourself, what qualifies the RNC to make the call about racism being over? Well, who would know better whether racism had ended than a group of old white men? qualifies the RNC to make the call about racism being over. Well, who would know better whether racism had ended than a group of old white men?

And they're now saying racism is done. I mean, once something's been tweeted, you can't take you back, right? The RNC later tweaked their tweet after many expressed anger and dismay at the comment. You're kidding me? You officially announced an end to racism, then three hours later you start racism again? You know what that makes you Indian givers? No, no, I know that's racist because racism is back now. That's why I said it.

Yeah, that's right. I'm allowed to, if racism is back. If it was over. Archie Bunker died in my ear. What did the RNC's correction say exactly? The new tweet read, previous tweet should have read, today we remember Rosa Parks' bowl stand and her role in fighting to end racism.

Okay, I suppose that is a little more accurate. Although they did later have to issue a third tweak, clarifying, also instead of Rosa Parks' bold stand, we probably should have gone with refusal to stand, which is what she did, and again we today remember hashtag oops, which, as you know, was quickly followed by and by remember we don't mean we ever forgot her but it's a long time ago and wow am I still not out of characters yet hashtag Twitter is hard hashtag still not out of characters

hashtag O F U C and then the final tweet and can we just say how good was the butler I mean the movie not black people as butlers, not to say they're bad at it. Oh no, here we go again. Hashtag, go Latinos! Hashtag, why do I keep hitting Send? Hashtag, we'll be right back. My guest tonight, the lead vocalist of 30 Seconds to Mars. His new film is called Dallas Buyer's Club.

Welcome back. My guest tonight, actor, the lead vocalist of 30 Seconds to Mars. His new film is called Dallas Buyer's Club. Please welcome Jared Lettle. Soak it in, boy. Enjoy it in. Enjoy the feeling. Why did you sit down? Why did you sit down?

I feel like your dark older brother right now trying to convince you to go back to school. All all right, sit. My friend, yes. What a performance you give in this film. Thank you. And a beautiful film. And well done the Dallas Biosk up. Have you, it's out. They can see it. You can walk to a theater and actually watch it. You must go see it. The performances, you won an award just today. I did. The New York Circle, a critic circle. Yeah, I did. Is that a ceremony? Do they call you? Just a couple of hours. I didn't even know about it, but, well, I'd know now. She didn't just tell me. I'm a newsman. I'm a news news news news news news news news. thakakakakakakakakakakak. the the the the th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. to to the the the to to to to to the the the the the the the the the the the the new the new the new the new the the new the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the to the to too. I. I. I. I thi. I. I'm the. I. I. tooooooooooooooooo. I. I. I. I to. I the new. I the new. I'd. I'd the tell me. I'm a newsman.

Breaking News. You're an award-winning actor. Yes. Finally. But yeah, I did this New York Film Critics Circle Award. And it's quite an honor. It's really humbling. I hadn't made a film in almost six years, so to come back and get this kind of love and support is nuts. That's amazing you hadn't made was there something in particular about this story that you thought well I just I need to get back in in the game or had

you decided prior to that? Well I thought I'd look pretty good on a skirt I think most people here would agree I think you pretty much good I don't think it matters skirt, bag top hat, beard it doesn't th, it th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th really really really really really really really th really thum really there there that, that, the the the the the the the the the the the the the the, the, that, that, that, that, that, th is th is th is th is th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th is th is th is the, the, thi that, that, that, that that is thate thea thateauuuuuu theauu theau th it matters. Skirt, bag, top hat, beard, it doesn't really, you know, it's a nice thing for you. I appreciate it. The thing that surprised me about this, so most people, you know, they do a role, they have to maybe lose a little weight or change it. You had to do all these things. Yeah. But you had 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. T. T. T. T. T. T. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. the the the the the their 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. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. the. the. the. the. te. te. today is. today is. today is th. the. the. the. the. the. th weight or change it. You had to do all these things. But you had to do them in three weeks. Yeah. Now that seems like not a tremendous amount of preparation time. It's not. And I lost about 30, 40 pounds.

So the first thing I did is like, I lost about 30, 40 pounds. In three weeks. No, thrown. through the course, but the majority I did lose in the first few weeks and right so basically I just stopped eating and it's not funny. So that's your plan huh? That's what? Jared Letto's diet plan. Don't eat. The less you eat, the better of an actor you are.

And then when I did start eating, I kept it to about three or four hundred calories a day. Uh, you should laugh because it's one cheese doodle. My God, man. How do you survive? As you're working, because the days are long, you're in all this character, it's a very intense emotional movie playing all these scenes. Yeah. Do you feel like you're going to pass out at some point? Like, how is the, don't you need the energy? Yeah, it's a good question. And that's kind of that's, and that's, and that's, and that's, and that's, that's, and that's, that's, that's, that's, that's, that's, that's, the that's, that's, the that's, the the, that's, that's, the, that's, that's, the, the, that's the, that's the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the, the, the, the, that's the, one, one, one, one, one, one, one, one, one, one, one, one, one, the, don't you need the energy? That's a good question and that's kind of the point. You lose the weight, you stop eating because, not just because of the way it looks, which is great, it's a benefit, but because it...

They just laugh, right? Okay. I'm on to you. But it changes the way you talk, the way you walk, the way people treat you, it changes your energy. So you do it for the way it affects you. And did that then, did you find people believed you to be more fragile? Yeah. And that's a very great way to put it. Yeah, it provided a lot of fragility. Right. And that, when you were done with that process, how do you come back? How long? Therapy. It stays with you that. It does. You know, in this film, particularly, you know, I play a, well, you guys just saw

the clip, so I don't have to say. But it was a really unique situation. So, you know, there was a voice, there's a walk, a talk, a whole thing. And it takes a little while to lose the muscle memory. I stayed in character the whole time. And I was very- You mean at night? Like not when you're not on set. You know, you can't really let that to let to let to let to let to let to let to let to let to let the to let the to let the to to to to to to the to the to to to the 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 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 to to to to to to to to to to to the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the tok. tok. tok. talk. the the the toooooooooooooooooooooooooooom, took. too. too. least I was, and I needed to be there in order to do what I had to do.

Did you not, you know, the hardest thing I think for me, other than obviously being a good actor, would be, when not working, not doing food stuff, because so much of my downtime is based on like, oh, I'm going to sit sports centers on, and that looks like a pizza. I think I'm going to go have myself a pizza and sports center. Yeah, you get a pretty empty life very quickly. Which is good for the film because all you really have left is your work. Yes. Did you give up during that time no music? No, I was very focused on the film and unfortunately we shot it in 25 days.

Wow. It was very quick and and that was was great. And the band is coming back. You have, there's a documentary out today about your battle with your record label. Yeah. Yeah, in which they sued us for 3030 million after we found out that we had sold millions of albums and not only were we not going to be paid a single penny, but that we were millions of dollars in debt, we started to look into it, contested our contract, and then they promptly sued us for 30 million bucks. We fought them for a few years and filmed at all. The upshot of it though is, when they informed you you, thrown, you owed them millions of dollars, did you have to come to them and say, oh, but we sold millions of records and like, oh, you found out about that. Like, is that, how do they, how do they deal with that? You know, that's the question really, and that's I'm telling you record companies are going away this whole the whole new distribution model that

they're gonna be a thing of the past that's why they want 30 million because they're they realize like in a couple of years they're out the door fortunately we didn't you know we we ended up making an album this is war that did really really well went on to sell millions of albums and the guy who tho th th th the th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th I th. th. th. th. the th. the thi thi thi the thoes tho. the the the the the the tho. tho. the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the th. th. th is th is the. the the the the the the the thea thea thea thea thea thea their their their their their their thea. thea. they're they're thea to sell millions of albums and the guy who was at the helm of the company who sued us lost control the company and lost almost a billion dollars or maybe a little more in the process. So I just gave away the ending film film. Yes. Wonderful.

Dallas Buyer's Club. It's in the the theaters now. 30 seconds to Mars Documentary Artifact on iTunes as Plus. This has been a Comedy Central podcast. Survivor 47 is here, which means we're bringing you a brand new season of the only official survivor podcast on fire, and this season we are joined by fan favorite and Survivor 46 runner-up, Charlie Davis to bring you even further inside the action. I'm excited to do this together. Thanks Jeff so excited to be here and I can't wait to bring you inside the mind of a survivor player for season 47. Listen to on fire the official survivor podcast starting

September 18th wherever you get your podcast.