Jon Stewart mocks Trump-approved Daily Show after Jimmy Kimmel suspension sparks debate
Courtesy: AP
Jon Stewart returned to The Daily Show on Thursday with a satirical episode imagining what the program might look like if it operated under Trump administration guidelines for “government-approved” media. The segment was a direct response to the suspension of Jimmy Kimmel Live! earlier this week, after FCC chairman Brendan Carr threatened Disney over the show’s content.
Introducing the broadcast as “the all-new, government-approved Daily Show,” Stewart portrayed a host dutifully praising Donald Trump while navigating supposed restrictions on free speech. “Our great administration has laid out very clear rules on free speech,” Stewart said, sarcastically describing them as dependent on a performer’s “niceness to the president.”
Throughout the episode, Stewart mocked the idea of state-controlled comedy. He performed against a backdrop of gold-framed imagery echoing Trump’s Oval Office redesign and warned the studio audience not to laugh too loudly, joking they could jeopardize the show.
Clips of Trump’s overseas trip were interspersed, including his mistaken reference to a war between “Aberbaijan and Albania.” Staying in character, Stewart “apologized” for correcting the president, saying he had mispronounced the countries.
The episode also highlighted conservative rhetoric, contrasting claims that January 6 rioters were “sightseers” with footage of violence at the Capitol. Stewart feigned deference, insisting such statements must be accepted as true. He further underscored hypocrisy by showing right-wing figures condemning opponents as fascists while decrying the same language against conservatives.
Later, correspondents including Desi Lydic, Jordan Klepper, and Ronny Chieng joined in, delivering synchronized praise for Trump and closing with a parody anthem lauding him as a heroic figure.