Jon Stewart returned to “The Daily Show” on Monday night for the first time since 2015 with a simple question: “Now where was I?”
The Emmy Award-winning host, whose tenure as “The Daily Show” host dates back a quarter-century, quickly got back into the swing of things by dunking on the 2024 presidential election and the way conservatives have responded to the much-publicized relationship between Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce. But first, Stewart addressed his decision to come back to Comedy Central for “The Daily Show,” which he’ll host weekly on Mondays through November.
“Why am I back? You may be asking yourself and that’s a very reasonable question. I have committed a lot of crimes from what I understand talk show hosts are granted immunity. It doesn’t make a lot of sense but take it up with the founders,” Stewart joked. He then indirectly referenced his previous gig as host of the Apple TV+ show “The Problem with Jon Stewart,” which was canceled after reported creative differences between Stewart and the streaming platform allegedly over topics Stewart wanted to cover, including China. (Said Stewart about his Apple TV+ show in an interview with CBS this week, “I wanted a place to unload thoughts as we get into this election season. I thought I was going to do it over at — they call it Apple TV+. It’s a television enclave, very small. It’s like living in Malibu. But they decided … they felt that they didn’t want me to say things that might get me in trouble.”)
“We’re gonna have so much to talk about this year. Obviously elections maybe we’ll talk about China maybe, we’ll talk about A.I., and maybe something a little lighter – Israel Palestine. Who knows,” Stewart joked.
From there, Stewart shifted his gaze toward the day’s headlines – particularly the 2024 Super Bowl, where the Kansas City Chiefs defeated the San Francisco 49ers. This year’s NFL champion was watched by more than 123.4 million viewers, the most ever for the Super Bowl and the second-most watched television event ever, following the moon landing.
“This was really, sadly a lose-lose for real America. Kansas City Chiefs are world champions, which means the decades-long plot in which Travis and Taylor brainwash America into getting into getting routine vaccinations is complete,” Stewart joked, referencing wild right-wing conspiracies about the future NFL Hall of Fame tight end and the Grammy Award-winning singer. “But it was really kind of a no-win for conservatives. I mean, if the Chiefs lost, who wins? The People’s Communist Republic of Gay Pelosi-stan. It’s almost like the right’s ridiculous obsession with politicizing every aspect of American life ruins everything.”
Shifting to the election, where President Joe Biden will likely face Republican frontrunner and former President Donald Trump for a rematch of the 2020 race, Stewart focused on the candidates’ ages (Biden is 81, Trump is 77).
“We have two candidates who are chronologically outside the norm of anyone who has run for the presidency in this country in the history of this country. They are the oldest people ever to run for president breaking by only four years the record that they set the last time they ran,” Stewart said with disbelief. “They are objectively old. They’re at the age where there are no more age-related milestones to hit. They got their AARP card. They’ve got Social Security. They’ve got their movie discounts. There is no, ‘Oh, wait til you hit 88, you get to drink and drive.’ No. The only thing left to them is a ‘TODAY’ show Smucker’s shout-out. I think we’ve got a new name for our election coverage. Indecision 2024: Antiques Roadshow.”
Stewart then used his advancing age as a punchline about the candidates. “We’re not suggesting neither man is vibrant, productive or even capable. They’re both stretching the limits of being able to handle the toughest job in the world. What’s crazy is thinking that we’re the ones as voters who must silence concerns and criticisms. It is the candidates’ job to assuage concerns, not the voters’ job not to mention them,” Stewart said before calling the camera to focus on his aged face. “And look, I’m not trying to be cruel. I didn’t want to have to do this on my first day. Look at me. Look what time hath wrought. I’m like 20 years younger than these motherf–kers. Look at this. They wish.”
Stewart will host “The Daily Show” on Mondays between now and November. The other episodes each will be emceed by the show’s correspondents. No permanent host has been named since Trevor Noah announced his departure in 2022.
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