Jon Stewart Mocks Kimmel Suspension as First Amendment Now Depends on Being “Nice” to the President
Jon Stewart surprised viewers on Thursday night by showing up on The Daily Show outside his usual Monday slot. His reason was to respond to ABC’s suspension of Jimmy Kimmel’s late-night program, and he did it in his classic style, sharp sarcasm.
Opening the show, Stewart sat in front of a flashy gold background, designed to mimic Donald Trump’s aesthetic, and called it “another fun, hilarious, administration-compliant show.” From there, he dove into a long mock tribute to the former president, acting as if he were a nervous state TV host praising a leader.
“If you felt off these last couple of days, it’s probably because our great father has not been home,” Stewart said sarcastically, referring to Trump’s recent trip to the UK. “For father has been gracing England with his legendary warmth and radiance.” He went on to say Trump had “wowed the English with charm and intelligence, and an undeniable sexual charisma.”
Stewart joked that even the British royal family was dazzled by Trump’s “perfectly tinted” appearance.
At times, he broke character to mock-scold himself for not being deferential enough. The performance ended with the show’s correspondents holding microphones stamped with Trump’s face and joining Stewart in a musical tribute to their “glorious” leader.
But behind the comedy, Stewart used the segment to take aim at Kimmel’s suspension and free speech concerns.
He said the First Amendment now depends on “niceness to the President” and warned that when that’s not enough, the FCC steps in to apply pressure on networks. Stewart mocked the idea that speech is being controlled by saying: “Even before this ‘Jason Kringle’ situation at ABC, there were plenty of other people in America exercising their free speech incorrectly.”
He then played clips of conservative voices warning against labeling political opponents as Nazis, fascists, or enemies of the state. Stewart immediately followed those with old recordings of Trump himself calling Democrats fascists, Joe Biden an enemy of the state, and referring to some people as “animals.”
To close out the segment, Stewart leaned fully into parody. His correspondents joined in with over-the-top flattery. Jordan Klepper reassured Trump, “we don’t even notice your cankles or your bruises,” while Ronny Chieng added a crass joke about Trump’s body, mocking claims made on South Park.
Stewart’s appearance was a clear shot at how free speech, politics, and media are colliding in the wake of Kimmel’s suspension. His sarcasm painted a picture of what comedy might look like if it bowed completely to political power.
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