"The Daily Show" host Jon Stewart is back at the desk after a nine-year-hiatus, and if you’re like me, you didn’t actually miss him. While I admit he’s talented, his snarky brand of humor never really worked on me—to be fair, though, it wasn't aimed at my demographic; it was mostly for a college-age audience. His heavily partisan tone fell flat, and it often seemed like he was lecturing rather than being funny.
I always felt he should be sitting alongside Rachel Maddow on MSNBC, where they could smirk at each other knowingly at each other and act above it all.
Stewart predictably teed off on former President Donald Trump in his comeback, knocking him on his indictments, his age, and the infamous "grab the p" moment. He even made fun of himself, asking the camera for a closeup and then admitting he's aged too: "Look what time hath wrought."
What was surprising, however, is that the comedian ripped President Biden, which predictably sent liberals into a tizzy. He played a montage of clips of familiar administration stooges like Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and Vice President Kamala Harris breathlessly expounding on the brilliance and focus of the octogenarian president. Stewart wasn't having it:
Did anyone film that? Because if you're.... If you're telling us behind the scenes he is sharp and full of energy and on top of it really control and leading, you should film that.
That would be good to show to people. Instead of a TikTok where he goes [indecipherable dramatic mumble]. We see he's in charge, you see, [whispers devilishly] "I like cookies."
Watch:
Jon Stewart w/ some advice for Biden’s team: “If you’re telling us behind the scenes he is sharp and full of energy and on top of it and really in control and leading….you should film that. That would be good to show to people instead of a TikTok.”
— Alex Thompson (@AlexThomp) February 13, 2024
pic.twitter.com/ugQu8mtYII
Later in the segment he took on the issue again:
The stakes of this election don't make Donald Trump's opponent [Biden] less subject to scrutiny. It actually makes him more subject to scrutiny.
If the Barbarians are at the gate, you want Conan standing on the ramparts? Not [in a weird whispering voice:] “chocolate chip cookie guy.”
Predictably, his criticism sent libs into paroxysms of "how could you?" This commenter apparently has been living in a cave for the last three years:
I'm so sickened by this entire narrative. Biden is not infirm. I listen to him speak each time he's on camera. He's smart, knowledgeable, funny. He knows his shit. The MSM built this monster and now it's out of control. It could get us Trump again. Makes me wanna scream.
— ((MRW))🇺🇸#🟦🇮🇱 (@marcyrw) February 13, 2024
While this one just went for the lazy criticism:
And the laziest of humor at best.
— Christopher Webb (@cwebbonline) February 13, 2024
"Did John intentionally wear the Donald Trump uniform?" one commenter wrote on YouTube. "Looks like a large number of the people who were over the moon to see the return of Jon Stewart are now totally pissed off at him," opined another on X. (To be fair, many of the comments on YouTube were effusive "welcome backs" to the returning host.)
Stewart is slated to be back on a part-time basis through the election season
I don't mind that comedians, late-night shows and Saturday Night Live make fun of Trump—that's fair game. Where they lost their way, though, and became whiny, unfunny, woke scolds is when they stopped making fun of the other side—Democrats and liberals.
Where's the viral SNL Kamala Harris skit? There isn't one because they aren't brave enough to tackle that tempting comedic target.
I'm not suddenly going to be watching "The Daily Show" on a regular basis, but I do find it refreshing that Stewart actually took on the elephant in the room—Joe Biden's diminished mental faculties.
See also:
Late-Night Comedy Is Dead—Woke 'Comedians' Embarrass Themselves Compared to Their Predecessors VIP
Funnyman Rob Schneider Remembers When Sinéad O'Connor Tore up Pope's Photo on Live TV—He Was There
Watching Angry SNL Trans Skit Was About as Fun as Hitting Yourself Over the Head With a Mallet
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