The Daily Show: Ears Edition - Trump Whips Up Troops Into a MAGA Frenzy & Plans $45 Million Military Parade | Comedian Atsuko Okatsuka

Episode Date: June 12, 2025

Desi Lydic tackles Trump’s politicized Fort Bragg rally, which screened soldiers for loyalty and waist size. Plus, Trump plans a $45 million military parade for his birthday, and Ronny Chieng is pumped to sit courtside at a display of America’s military might. Corporate America has been suspiciously quiet this Pride Month due to fear of backlash from the Trump administration. Desi Lydic and Troy Iwata discuss the current muted tones of Pride Month, and how the corporations will have to prove themselves when the pendulum swings back to the gays. Comedian Atsuko Okatsuka talks to Desi about her new Hulu stand-up special, “Father,” including how her lack of housework partly inspired the title, as well as the intentional juxtaposition of her colorful clothes and set with the deeply personal stories she mines for levity. Okatsuka also shares how her Grandma Li was able to embrace her silliness later in life through their viral videos, and she explores alternate hairstyles if she were to ever change her signature bowl cut.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an iHeart Podcast. 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, Desi Lydic. Welcome to The Daily Show. I'm Jeffy Leidig. We've got so much to talk about tonight. Trump is a total idiom. Corporations sashay away from Pride Month, and does America have a military? A parade this weekend might finally give us the answer.

So let's get into the headlines. ["The Daily Show Theme"] ["The Daily Show Theme"] Let's kick things off with meme coin entrepreneur Donald Trump, who also moonlights as President of the United States. Yesterday he went to Fort Bragg to give a speech to his favorite men in uniform who aren't in the village people.

He was there to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the Army, so of course he ended up discussing Joe Biden. We had a grossly, grossly unfit president. And by the way, I've known this guy for a long time. He was never the sharpest bulb. Sharpest bulb. What a wordsmith. See, most people would have gone with brightest bulb or sharpest tool, but Donald Trump took

half of both and smooshed them together. That is what makes him the cream of the litter. Bravo. But again, Trump wasn't there to talk about Joe Biden. He was there to talk about America's proud military history. And that went great, too. Recently, other countries celebrated the victory of World War I. France was celebrating, really.

They were all celebrating. The only one that doesn't celebrate is the USA. And we're the ones that won the war. Without us, you'd all be speaking German right now. Maybe a little Japanese thrown in. Okay, I know what you're thinking. Why would we be speaking Japanese when they were on our side in World War I? Well, I think it's because he said World War I, but what he meant was light bulb. Laughter. But just for the record, I love to speak German

and a little Japanese because that would help me understand like 95% of the porn I watch. Laughter. Does anyone know what Einaclina Megachode means? Laughter. I don't, but I like it. Laughter. But what got the most attention wasn't what Donald Trump said, What does China-Klina mega-chode mean? I don't, but I like it. But what got the most attention wasn't what Donald Trump said,

but how much the troops enjoyed it. President Trump's rally-style speech yesterday at Fort Bragg in North Carolina. He had active-duty troops booing the media, booing his political opponents. You think this crowd would have showed up for Biden? I don't think so. I don't for Biden? I don't think so. I don't think so.

I don't think so. And the fake news, ladies and gentlemen, look at them. Look at them all. What I have to put up with. Fake news. What I have to put up with in Los Angeles, the governor of California, the mayor of Los Angeles. Boo!

Oh, those boos are very upsetting. And not just because they remind me of my fifth grade talent show. And looking back, I probably shouldn't have performed the entirety of Eddie Murphy's Raw. I gotta say, I gotta say, this is not a good look for the military. The military is supposed to be a political... That graphic is still... I'm sorry. I gotta say, I gotta say, this is not a good look for the military. The military is supposed to be apolitical.

They don't serve Democrats or Republicans. They protect all of us, even Jill Stein voters for some reason. But maybe the reason these troops seem so MAGA is because the non-Trumpers didn't want to be there. According to Military.com, memos from Fort Bragg reveal a tightly orchestrated effort to curate the optics of Trump's recent visit, including hand-picking soldiers for the audience based on political leanings. Other rules for troops appearing on camera included no fat soldiers. Wow, that really sums up the two principles of Donald Trump, doesn't it?

Number one, total loyalty. Number two, no fatties. Keep in mind that before Trump turned the military into his own personal MAGA cheer squad, he started the week by sending Marines into America's most bangable city. And this is all just the warmup before the main event this weekend. President Trump's highly anticipated military parade kicks off this Saturday. The parade marks the Army's 250th anniversary. Oh my God!

Give these troops a break already! They have to sit through your show, they have to invade Los Angeles, and now they have to parade for you? America doesn't do military parades, so why is this one so important? The parade just so happens to also fall on President Trump's 79th birthday. Ah, yes. There it is. There it is.

The parade just so happens to be on his birthday. But that's not why he's doing it. This parade is for the Army! And the F's doing it. This parade is for the Army, and the Fudgy the Whale cake is for the Army, but he gets to blow out the candles. So how much is the Doge president gonna spend on this Army birthday extravaganza? The total cost to taxpayers, up to $45 million.

The Army said it expects minimal damage to D.C. roads from the 70-ton tanks rolling down, but they've budgeted $16 million of your dollars to repair those roads once the parade is over. $45 million and a third of that is just you ripping up the roads? People don't usually throw down that hard unless they're moving out the next day. Wait, is Trump moving out the next day? Is he? But hey, at least they're budgeting for the road damage in advance, because as Donald

Trump always says, a penny saved is a bird in the hand. For more on Trump's military parade slash birthday celebration, let's go live to Washington, D.C. with Ronnie Chang. Thank you. Thank you. Desi, Desi, hi. I'm embedded here with the military parade and we're ready to go for the long haul. Wait, the long haul?

Isn't the parade a one-day event? Yeah, that's what they always say, but you know the U.S. military. One day in the Capitol turns into a 20-year quagmire real quick. Ronnie, it's a parade. I think they're just driving down a street while people wave at them. Oh, right, and I bet they'll be greeted as liberators, too, right?

When have I heard that before? Next thing you know, we're paying off tribal leaders in Georgetown and creating DC ISIS. I know my history, Desi. They're gonna spank us like Japan did in World War I. So you agree the whole parade is a terrible idea? No, I love it. Usually only brown nations get to see American military hardware, and that's outside their

window at very high speeds. It'll be nice for Americans to get court-side seats for once. I mean, there are shepherds in Yemen who can fact-check this parade. I mean they'll be looking at the TV like, nah they got a newer model of that drone, trust me. But Ronnie that's not a good thing. This is what dictators do, display their military strength to intimidate everyone. Okay, okay, man this is clearly bothering you. But look, okay, this is actually a win-win for both sides. MAGA gets a cool parade, and for the liberals,

having the whole military and all our weapons in one place means the rest of America is unguarded, which gives a saner nation the chance to come in and take over. Yeah. Ronnie, what are you saying? Wait, wait. Hold on. Sorry. I got to just make a call real quick here.

Hey, Canada, hey, what are you doing Saturday? I mean... How would you like America to be your 51st state? Oh, boy. Ronnie Chang, everyone. What? What? When we come back, we find out which companies aren't feeling proud this year.

So don't go away. Oh. Oh. Oh. Oh. Oh. Oh. Oh.

Oh. Oh. Oh. Oh. Oh. Oh. Oh. Oh. Oh. Welcome back to the Daily Show. June is Pride Month where we celebrate the LGBTQ community and stores roll out their Pride merch to rake in some of that sweet gay cash. Or as it's known in the gay community, money.

But this year, things are different. Pride Month is here, and some big brands have gone conspicuously quiet. Corporate America is scaling back its marketing. That includes selling Pride-themed merchandise or posting supportive messages on social media. Walmart, MasterCard, Comcast, Pepsi, and more have either stopped or scaled back Pride events. Anheuser-Busch not sponsoring Pride St. Louis

after a 30-year partnership. Target's once bold Pride displays now stripped bare. Absolutely despicable. Target has completely abandoned its role as the number one destination for gay people with horrible fashion sense. But the question is, why are these companies suddenly retreating back into the closet? More than 60% of more than 200 executives say they fear backlash from the Trump administration

and its actions against diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts by companies. Our country will be woke no longer. Some also fear falling prey to conservative activists and customers becoming the next Bud Light. Some companies writing checks, but asking that their names and logos not be included. It's just a, it's a strange time for Pride this year. Come on, secretly paying gays because you're ashamed?

You're major corporations, not Lindsey Graham. For more analysis, we turn now to our senior gay business correspondent, Troy Iwata. Thank you so much, Desi. Yes, I am the senior gay business correspondent. Just to clarify, are you a correspondent on gay business or a business correspondent who is gay? Yes. Cool.

Cool, cool, cool. So what do you make of corporations pulling back from Pride Month? You know what? I get it. Big corporations, I get it. You were only into jumping all over Pride a few years ago because it was trendy and cool and so Obama, and you wanted all that gay cash. But we have a lot of it. You know, I get it.

Most of us don't have kids. Ugh, right. Totally. You don't do that boring breeding thing that we do. Yeah, yeah. Totally. Hm. You know, but I get it. The vibes have shifted.

You know, MAGA's ascended. Trump is president. Obama is dead. But I, you know, one day the pendulum is going to swing back toward the gaze. And when it does, a little rainbow flag isn't gonna cut it. If they want our business again,

they're gonna have to do something that shows their commitment. Sure, like discounts or they could donate to LGBTQ causes. They're gonna have to bottom. Oh. Oh. Oh. Oh.

Oh. Oh. Oh. Oh. Oh. I'm sorry. Bottom? Yeah, yeah. Hey, corporations, you want to prove that you have commitment? Find your most homophobic executive.

Change his fiber intake. Day one of the act, make him eat light, mostly greens. He needs to douche because sometimes you can't just trust your body. And then he needs lubricant, okay? You can't just pull a Heath Ledger and spit on it. RIP. Wow. Bottoming does take a lot of commitment.

Yeah, it does. I know. Even some gay guys won't do it, Brian. That demand is detailed. Yeah. Sorry, is that too much detail for you? Does male love make you cringe? Oh my God, no, no. Oh God, no. It's so beautiful.

Like, so beautiful. I mean, in fact, I wish I could be there with you in the room. Just like celebrate it all, you know? All right, calm down. OK. Sorry, I just, I want to be an ally. So do you think bottoming will be enough to satisfy them? Well, you know, it depends on the angle. And-

No, I mean to satisfy the gay community. Oh, oh, right. OK. No, no, no, no. There's all sorts of ways companies can embrace gay culture. They can show their appreciation of Megan Hilty. They can find out who Megan Hilty is.

They can open their marriages, then close their marriages, then open their marriages again. AMC, you can put Nicole Kidman in charge of the company. She's basically the only reason gays go to the movies. Yes, yes. Oh, and they can give Goldman Sachs to Katy Perry. I love that you're trying, but you don't get it. They can watch Drag Race.

I love Drag Race. A true ally. Yeah. Thank you. That really means a lot. I feel so seen. And that is what Pride Month is all about. That's not true, but OK.

So let me ask you this. The next time the pendulum swings to the right, what if corporations abandon your community again? Well, that will be difficult. And if they come crawling back a third time, they'll need to go above and beyond to regain our trust. And you know, there is something they can do, and I think we both know what it is. Yes.

Full-on fisting. Equal hiring practices. Wow, what? Yes. Full-on fisting. Equal hiring practices. Wow. What? You just said full-on fisting? No, no, no. I said what you said. Drag queen, yes queen, all team no shame, Troy Watt, everyone! May fried!

When we come back, Atsu, Pasco will be joining me on this show. Thank you all so much. Mayfriar! When we come back, Akshara Khasya will be joining me on the show. Thank you all so much. Thank you! Welcome back to The Daily Show. My guest tonight is a comedian whose new Hulu stand-up special is called Father. Please welcome Otsuko Katsuka! I'm so happy. I'm so happy. Queen of Comedy and Queen of Fashion, always bringing it. Oh my goodness, thank you.

I feel like I'm giving a little Ronald McDonald today. Oh. Come on. Ronald McDonald, but make it fashion. Make it fashion and girl. That's right. Wow. Yes.

That's our, you know, that's our MO, make a girl. Make a girl. I am such a fan of your special. It was so funny. Thank you. It's called Father. That's right. And you say it came because your fans call you Mother,

but you identify more as Father. Yeah. Is that because you're not a fan of unpaid labor? I would say it came because your fans call you mother, but you identify more as father. Is that because you're not a fan of unpaid labor? Yeah. Yeah. Desi, you know, now that I'm in father's position, I'm not. Right. Yeah.

Right. Yeah. I mean, because, well, I mean, fathers do less. And I wasn't aware of that. I, maybe I am a fan of unpaid labor. Maybe I'm like, yeah, yeah, you keep laboring. Maybe I sit back, I'm father now. Yeah. Yeah.

It all makes sense. You talk in your special about how your husband does all the laundry, you do none of it. You do none of it. He does all the labor on the house. It was a devastating day when we found that out. We weren't trying to do it that way, by the way. I wasn't trying not to do the laundry.

I truly did not know I hadn't been contributing for seven years. And he didn't know either. Like we were both, I asked him, I was like, hey, which setting is the best when I went to try to do laundry? And that's when he was like, wait, wait, hold on. Have you not been doing the laundry this whole time?

And I was shocked too. I was like, oh my god, it has been you. So it was, you know, it wasn't on purpose. Sure, no, of course not. I respect it, I fully respect it. And I will tell you, I have always identified more with the father side of parenting. I always say, if the world could look at me

like a working dad, I'm an excellent father. Yes, yes, yes. I am a mid-mother. Yes. Very mediocre mother, so I appreciate what you're saying. We can't all be excellent. This is exactly right. Your special, however, is excellent.

One of the things that I appreciate so much about it, there's this, it's so beautiful and colorful between the fashion that you're wearing and the set decoration. There's like a whimsical feeling to it. But you go deep. You tell these really deeply emotional stories. Was it fun for you to get to play with that juxtaposition?

Yeah, I mean, you know, comedians, we have also like, we have a duality, right? Like to get to levity, there was sadness, you know? And so, yeah, I wear bright colors and things like that. And same with my set, right? It's like, you know, it's a sunflower, you know? Because what you wear during the day, I realized like, you know, you don't see, actually,

for most of the day. It's other people seeing it, right? And it's kind of what I want to, that's why I got into performing, too, you know, is I want other people to feel good. And so, yeah, yeah, it's definitely a duality that exists, you know, for a reason, yeah. You feel that watching your special.

You're a total open book about your family dynamic. You talk about your grandmother kidnapping you as a child. You talk about your mother's mental health struggles. You talk about being an undocumented immigrant in LA as a child. Right. Just like a real chill Tuesday. Just super, super laid back. Just normal, normal every day.

Yeah. Like a real easy read if it were a book, you know. Yeah, yeah, true, true. Did you, was it hard to have those conversations with your family about being that open? Well, you know, they, not that they owe it to me, but... When you put it out like that, I've told my family, I said, look, undocumented, we lived in a garage for seven years and hiding, mom has schizophrenia, you kidding at me,

grandma? I said, if you wanted to be, if you wanted me to be a comedian, you, you should have just told me, you could have just told me. I would be like, are you kidding? Yes, this was on purpose, right? Like, my grandma's secretly my manager. She's like, this is a good story. She'll get on, it'll be perfect for a daily show, this American life. God, I love her. This is how you get on NPR.

You're a, you are famous, but your grandma might rival your fame. Oh yeah. With your TikTok videos and your Instagram stories. Your am... Yes, this is... This is Gramaleigh. Come on, she's a star.

Oh, yeah, yeah. I mean... I mean, also... Whoo! Whoo! You said she rivals me, but can she throw vegetables into a cart with her butt? I don't know. Is she the person you got your funny from?

She is not. She's not. Honestly, I feel like I'm raising a kid in that she's learning funnies from me, actually. Yeah, yeah. I mean, she's silly. She's, you know, I feel like she felt like she got the permission to finally be silly later in her life because she was a, always a caretaker, you know, she raised me, she, she looks after my mom still too, who has schizophrenia. And so, you know, when I was like, can we do these videos? Would

you want to join? She's like, yes, are you serious? Really? For real? Like, you know, and to see her like, lighten up for the first time in her life, it's really cool, you know, like, yeah. Being like, we could do this at a grocery store. Yeah. I can dance, yeah. We should all be doing that at a grocery store.

Yes, yes, yes. Actually, my husband should be doing that at the grocery store, because he's the one who does all the shopping. That's right. You should, we'll put it on him. That's right. You should work it in on him. That's right.

Give mother, yeah, give mother a moment to have fun too. That's right. Yes. That's right. You spoke about getting into comedy through watching Margaret Cho DVDs as a kid. And then she crowned you as her heir recently. Right, right. Yes.

New York Times Magazine. is that what it was? How did that feel? Oh, my God. That's how it felt. Oh, it's great. I grew up watching her, and now we're friends. And then now she's like, if someone were to replace me, you...

I said, with this bowl cut? I said, I feel like, I mean, it's kind of like a crown already. I was like, I'm ready. I'm ready, girl. That's exactly right. You deserve it. I want to talk about your bowl cut, though, because you did.

I don't think you should change a thing, but you did talk about wanting to change your haircut, but that you can't, because this is now your brand. Is that true? I mean, yeah, kind of. I mean, does Dora the Explorer change her shirt? You know what I mean? I think, for the record, I think this suits you beautifully.

But we did ask our graphics team to mock up a few programs. Are you serious? Just to spitball some ideas. So this is your gorgeous look, as is. OK, this will be me. Beautiful bowl cut. OK. OK. I'm scared. This is theball some idea. So this is your gorgeous look as is. Okay, this be me. Beautiful bowl cut. Okay. Okay. I'm scared.

This is the Rachel cut. Oh! Oh! Not bad. That's scary. That is scary. Who is she? The Leslie Bibb, White Lotus,

b****y little b**ch. That's giving. The only thing is so much forehead. I'm so shy. I'm so shy. I think you could rock it. I do think you look great. They forgot to draw in my third eye.

This is my personal favorite, the Princess Leia. Oh yes. Oh my God. Same. I think you can, I think you can pull any of them off, but I will tell you, I think what you've got going on right now is perfect. Thank you.

You shouldn't change a thing. Oh thank you. Each thing can think about anything they need to think. Congratulations on everything. Thank you so much. I'm so happy for you. Thank you for being here. Father premieres on Hulu June 13th.

And for more info on the Google, or go to OscarComedy.com. Oscar, hot stuff! We're gonna take a quick break. We'll be right back after this. You're fantastic! Thank you! Thank you!

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Did you have a playing instrument? I played like for very short periods of time the flute. Oh really? Did you like it? I had flute lessons. It's the first person that's ever asked me that crazy question. Yeah I had flute. Can you believe it? person that's ever asked me that crazy question.

Yeah, I had flute, can you believe it? I could have been a flutist. 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. Stream full episodes anytime on Paramount Plus.