Podcasts & Politics: John Stewart's new podcast, The Weekly Show, launches on Thursdays, while The Daily Show covers the indictment of NYC Mayor Eric Adams, using humor to explore the absurdity of political scandals and his controversial choices.
John Stewart is launching a new podcast called The Weekly Show, airing every Thursday, where he will discuss a variety of topics from elections to the intricacies of sandwich-making. Meanwhile, The Daily Show, hosted by Desi Linus, covers a shocking story involving New York City's Mayor Eric Adams, who has been indicted on criminal charges. The show humorously highlights the inconsistencies in Adams's statements about the law while pointing out the strange circumstances leading to his indictment, which includes accepting free tickets from Turkish nationals. The satire shines a light on the absurdity of political scandals, using humor to dissect serious issues and engage the audience.
Corruption Chaos: Mayor Eric Adams faces backlash over a bribery scandal tied to unsafe building permits, amidst broader corruption in his administration, leading New Yorkers to question leadership accountability while maintaining a sense of resilience despite the chaos.
New York City's Mayor Eric Adams is facing significant backlash due to his alleged involvement in a bribery scandal, where he supposedly accepted bribes from foreign entities in exchange for permitting unsafe buildings. This situation reveals a troubling pattern of corruption within his administration, as several associates, including police and school officials, are under investigation. Many New Yorkers, however, seem apathetic, believing the government is larger than one person. The ongoing troubles hint at a broader issue of accountability in the city's leadership, instilling a sense of dismay among the public about the effectiveness of their local government. With so many officials embroiled in scandals, it's unclear who is truly in charge, as chaos seems to reign within City Hall. Amidst this turmoil, a comedic tone emerges, suggesting a certain resilience among residents, which reflects the complex relationship they have with their elected officials and the government as a whole.
Food Quality: Humorous commentary from a faux mayor reveals the absurdities of politics while Leslie Jones critiques the poor quality of American food, emphasizing the many additives used compared to fresher European cuisine, urging a greater appreciation for natural ingredients.
In this lively conversation, a parody of a mayor amusingly highlights the absurdity of politics and the public's perception of politicians. Meanwhile, Leslie Jones shares her experiences in France, contrasting the quality of American food with that of Europe. She emphasizes how American food is filled with chemicals and additives that compromise its quality. Jones expresses her sorrow that many Americans don't realize they are consuming unhealthy foods, which lack the natural flavors that make fresh ingredients so delightful. Her humorous observations raise awareness about the importance of food quality and how cultural differences can affect our culinary experiences, reminding us to appreciate high-quality, natural foods that truly nourish us. Through humor and personal anecdotes, both segments stress the consequences of poor food choices and the need for higher standards in the U.S. food industry.
American Challenges: America faces major problems like obesity, violence, and political chaos, but change is possible if people get involved and work together for a better future.
In America, we are facing many issues that affect our daily lives, from the obsession with junk food and violence to political chaos and lack of trust in institutions. People often struggle with frustration and helplessness, but it’s crucial for everyone to get involved and push for positive change. By recognizing our problems and taking action, we can start to improve our society and make it better for future generations. The power truly lies with the people, and it’s important to collectively work towards solutions rather than just accepting the current state of affairs. Instead of blaming political figures, we should focus on how to contribute positively to our communities and seek improvements together. It’s time to break the cycle of negativity and strive for a healthier, safer, and more engaged America.
Reality Winner's Journey: Reality Winner's story highlights the struggles of whistleblowers facing heavy consequences for revealing truths, contrasted with the lack of accountability for others. Susanna Fogel’s film presents her quirky personality and serious journey with humor and warmth, bringing attention to this significant narrative.
Reality Winner, a bright young woman from Texas, aimed to serve her country in a meaningful way after 9/11. After discovering that the U.S. government was aware of Russian interference in elections, she leaked this information to reveal the truth to the public. Unfortunately, she faced severe consequences for her actions, spending years in prison while others who committed worse offenses faced little to no accountability. Director Susanna Fogel cleverly captured Reality's quirky personality and the seriousness of her story with humor and warmth in her film about this important chapter in history. This film serves as both a reflection on the cost of whistleblowing and a celebration of an extraordinary individual who stood up for what she believed in, all while showcasing her unconventional and relatable character traits.
Relatable Realities: The film portrays a relatable woman navigating serious moral choices, blending humor with real-life complexities, and seeks to explore female stories beyond typical gender issues.
In creating a movie about a whistleblower, the aim was to portray a relatable woman facing a serious situation. Unlike typical whistleblower films focused on serious men, this story blends humor and real-life complexities, highlighting how anyone could find themselves in difficult moral choices. The protagonist is not only unique but shares experiences like listening to music and driving around, making her more relatable. The director also seeks to tell women’s stories that go beyond typical gender equality themes, emphasizing moral dilemmas faced by women which are usually told from a male perspective. This film balances humor with serious storytelling, aiming for authenticity to connect with the audience. Overall, it seeks to show that real-life challenges can happen to ordinary people, regardless of gender.
Film and Friendship: Making a film about someone’s life requires deep understanding, but it also carries the risk of misrepresentation. The subject prefers authenticity over public fame and hopes her story inspires others, showing the complex relationship between storytelling and personal connections.
Creating a movie based on someone's real-life experiences can be challenging. It involves getting close to the person to understand their life, but this closeness can lead to the fear of misrepresentation. The individual, who prefers to keep her story authentic and not commercial, has chosen not to watch the films made about her, wanting to avoid fixation on potential inaccuracies. Despite this, she wishes for her story to inspire moral choices in others. This dynamic highlights the balance between artistic interpretation and personal friendships. The filmmaker hopes that if the subject sees the movie, she would feel proud, emphasizing that the friendship remains intact despite the uncertainty of representation. Ultimately, it's a blend of personal storytelling with the hopes that it makes a positive impact on viewers, while respecting the subject's desire for authenticity.
NYC's Corruption Scandal, Leslie Jones on Europe | Susanna Fogel’s “Winner”
Recent Episodes from The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Trump’s Contradictions & Ta-Nehisi Coates on the Enduring Weight of Oppression
Jon Stewart explores the surprising disconnect between Donald Trump’s actual policies and the image his supporters have crafted, as the 2024 election looms. Ta-Nehisi Coates joins the conversation to discuss his latest book, The Message. They dive deep into the lasting impacts of oppression, how history continues to shape our present, and the hidden stories of marginalized communities from the U.S. to Palestine.
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NYC's Corruption Scandal, Leslie Jones on Europe | Susanna Fogel’s “Winner”
Desi Lydic breaks down NYC Mayor Eric Adams’s shocking indictment on bribery and fraud charges, and Michael Kosta steps in to find out who's left to run the city. Leslie Jones shares her brutally honest take on why Europeans think Americans are so messed up after her trip to the Paris Olympics. Award-winning director Susanna Fogel talks about her new film, Winner, and the unique challenges of telling whistleblower Reality Winner’s story through a female lens.
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Trump’s Debate No-Show | RAYE's Breakthrough
Desi Lydic dives into the latest headlines, including Donald Trump’s refusal to debate Kamala Harris for a second time and his bizarre claims about her past at McDonald's. British singer-songwriter RAYE joins the conversation to talk about her transformative year in music, from winning six BRIT Awards to the healing power of her songwriting.
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Trump to Women: "I Will Be Your Protector" | Aubrey Plaza
Desi Lydic rounds up male politicians' insulting appeals to female voters and then addresses North Carolina gubernatorial candidate Mark Robinson's salacious porn-forum comments about his sister-in-law. Meanwhile, people think vice presidential candidate Tim Walz is nice. But is he... too nice? Later, Aubrey Plaza talks about starring in Francis Ford Coppola’s “Megalopolis,” and who served as her inspiration when playing a corrupt journalist.
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Jon Stewart on Israel, Lebanon & The Widening Mideast War | Christine Lagarde
Jon Stewart tackles the growing war in the Middle East, from the recent Hezbollah pager attacks in Lebanon, to Israel’s plan of de-escalation through escalation, to the Biden administration's futile efforts to contain the conflict, while looking at criticism of Netanyahu from Americans and Israelis. Then, European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde talks to Jon Stewart about the global economy, inflation, and Artificial Intelligence. They discuss how factors like the pandemic and Putin’s invasion of Ukraine led to high inflation rates, what stable inflation should look like, and how people feel the effects of inflation more dramatically because price increases far outpace wage increases. With the UN General Assembly happening this week, Lagarde also stresses the need for global governance of AI to ensure that it enhances workers and their role in the economy, rather than replacing them.
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From PA to Showrunner: Jen Flanz’s Journey At The Daily Show | Behind the Show
Desi Lydic sits with Daily Show executive producerJen Flanz to discuss Jen’s journey at the show from production assistant all the way up to showrunner. They discuss the early days, when the show was hand-delivered on tape to the broadcast center every night, how Jon Stewart showed her how to lead by empowering people on the staff, and the advice she has for anyone looking to move up in TV.
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Asian Representation on Broadway & Tracking Alien Intelligence | Guest Spotlight
Actor Daniel Dae Kim joins Ronny Chieng to talk about his role as David Henry Hwang in the Broadway play, “Yellow Face,” and how this play speaks to the importance of Asian actors playing Asian characters in productions. Ronny also sits with former U.S. Army Counterintelligence Special Agent, Luis Elizondo, to discuss his latest book, “Imminent: Inside the Pentagon’s Hunt for UFOs,” and how evidence of intelligent alien life could help unify Congress.
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Ronny Chieng on Trump’s Second Assassination Attempt and His New Crypto Business | ICYMI
Ronny Chieng covers Donald Trump’s attempt to blame the Democrats for political violence after surviving a second assassination attempt. Plus, this week’s top financial news, including interest-rate cuts and Trump’s new family cryptocurrency business.
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NC Candidate Mark Robinson Gets Exposed | Phillip Lim
Ronny Chieng on the North Carolina Republican busted for posting weird comments on a porn site and Rudy Giuliani’s frightening performance at Trump’s Long Island rally. Political campaigns are partnering with social media influencers and content creators, and Lewis Black can't even with the cringe. Also, Phillip Lim, the co-founder and creative director of fashion brand 3.1 Phillip Lim, joins Ronny to discuss inspiration, forging his path as a designer through internships, and the values he learned from his immigrant parents.
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The Fed Cuts Interest Rates and Trump Goes Crypto | Daniel Dae Kim
Ronny Chieng covers a big day for economic news, including the Federal Reserve slashing interest rates and Donald Trump launching a new cryptocurrency business with his semi-adult sons. Josh Johnson hits the gym, to ask manly men what celebrity endorsement would speak the most to them, and what "masculine" ideals they want to see from a presidential candidate. Plus, actor Daniel Dae Kim sits down with Ronny to discuss his role in the new Broadway play “Yellow Face.”
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