Jon Stewart Calls Out Fox News for Criticizing ‘Old White People’ at No Kings Protests

Jon Stewart took aim at Fox News this week for what he called their confusing take on the recent No Kings protests.

During Monday’s episode of The Daily Show, Stewart mocked the network for first warning viewers that the demonstrations would be dangerous and extreme, then later calling them silly and unimportant.

The comedian began his monologue by playing clips of House Speaker Mike Johnson, who called the protests the “hate America rally,” and U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who described the crowd as “the farthest left, the hardest core, the most unhinged in the Democratic Party.”

Stewart couldn’t resist joking about the over-the-top descriptions. “Not the hardest core! I expected partial Marxism and hard core, but not full display hardest core ha-Marxism,” he said. “It was going to be like Mad Max out there with Chuck Schumer on flaming guitar!”

He continued the bit, pretending he was preparing for chaos. “So, this weekend, we sat in our bunkers, doors locked, windows boarded, muskets and cyanide pills at the ready, prepared for whatever the hardest core had in store. Do your worst, display your Marxism to its fullest!”

But when Stewart cut to CNN’s coverage, the story was very different. The network reported that around seven million people joined the protests nationwide and described the events as “largely peaceful” and even “joyful.”

Stewart was quick to respond. “It was kind of an incredible turnout that was somewhat inspiring. Seven million Americans, zero mass shootings?” he said. “I look forward to Republicans apologizing sincerely for implying these Americans were… what’s the word I’m looking for? Deplorable!”

Back on Fox News, anchors mocked the protests for looking “silly” and “dumb,” saying that the costumes made the movement appear unserious. Stewart called out their mixed messaging. “Make up your mind, Fox,” he said. “You complained it would be a terrifyingly ‘s*** your pants’ protest, and now you are complaining about how boringly unpants-s***** it was? Although there was one nit you picked that really felt off-brand.”

He was referring to Fox’s other complaint — that most of the protesters were “old white people.” Stewart couldn’t help but point out the irony. “Extra, extra, this just in! ‘This country has too many angry old white people,’ says — hold on — Fox News,” he joked. “Fox News says, ‘Why are old white people so angry?’ Fox News, mad that there are so many old white people in America.”

The segment ended with Stewart shaking his head at the network’s contradictory reactions. His message was clear: Fox News can’t decide whether to fear or laugh at the people protesting, and their shifting tone says more about them than about the protesters themselves.

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