SNAFU with Ed Helms — S4E3: Jordan Klepper and Teapot Dome
Release Date: October 22, 2025
Host: Ed Helms
Guest: Jordan Klepper (comedian, Daily Show contributor)
Episode Overview
In this episode, Ed Helms welcomes comedian and political satirist Jordan Klepper for a rollicking, deep dive into the infamous Teapot Dome scandal — one of America's largest political fiascos before Watergate. Blending comedic banter with insightful historical analysis, the conversation explores presidential corruption, the perennial challenges of accountability, and the parallels between past and present-day political misdeeds.
1. Introductions & Personal Histories (01:32–06:52)
Ed Introduces Jordan Klepper
- Ed lauds Jordan as a “delightful” Daily Show contributor and Emmy winner.
- Jordan jokes about Ed using "delightful," threatening to be aggressive but choosing kindness instead.
“You took the swing … Is he gonna cross the Rubicon and say delightful? He did it right off the bat.” — Jordan Klepper (02:03)
Jordan’s Comedy Origins
- Grew up in Kalamazoo, Michigan; entered comedy via improv in high school and college.
- Moved to Chicago to pursue comedy, touring with Second City and then relocating to New York for TV gigs and Upright Citizens Brigade.
- Eventually joined The Daily Show as John Oliver’s replacement, after 14 years honing his craft.
Learning Curves in Satire & Politics
- Jordan shares how quickly working at The Daily Show ramped up his political knowledge; Ed recalls having political “random access” during his own tenure.
“My reading level … I thought I was pretty well informed. Walk into those offices at The Daily Show, and Crimea was invaded the first day I walked in … I’m so behind. Somebody get me a map and a tutor!” — Jordan Klepper (05:18)
2. Setting Up the Snafu: The Teapot Dome Scandal (06:57–16:16)
The Big Political Snafu
- Ed tees up the Teapot Dome scandal as the “biggest, most sensational” U.S. political scandal prior to Watergate, promising echoes of current events.
- Jordan parodically acts shocked that such corruption could ever exist today.
Introducing Warren G. Harding
- Harding described as “milquetoast,” a weak-willed man riddled with scandal and serial infidelity.
- Ed and Jordan riff on old-fashioned nicknames (“Jordy Bean,” “Truck”), and the tradition of giving oneself a “cool” nickname.
Scandalous Presidential Behavior
- Details about Harding’s affairs, including hush payments from the RNC to a mistress so she’d stay abroad while he campaigned.
“We were doing that back then? We were sending women who were having affairs to Japan? I mean, that’s a long trip!” — Jordan Klepper (10:40)
PR Stunt: "Voyage of Understanding"
- Harding and First Lady Florence (“Flo”) undertake a two-month PR trip, visiting Alaska and Canada—the first sitting president to do so.
- Harding confides in his Commerce Secretary, Herbert Hoover, about rumors of scandal, asking if he should "bury it.”
- Hoover advises transparency; Harding opts for secrecy.
“If you knew of a great scandal in your administration, would you … expose it publicly? Or would you bury it?” — Ed Helms, relaying Harding’s question (13:53)
“You bury that thing so deep … find a cave and fill it with concrete.” — Jordan Klepper (14:13)
3. What Was Teapot Dome? (16:16–19:16)
The Place and Its Importance
- Teapot Dome: a uniquely-shaped rock formation in Wyoming, also the site of a federally-controlled emergency oil reserve for the U.S. Navy.
- Ed and Jordan laugh about the rock’s supposed resemblance to a teapot (“I’m seeing Castle…some phallic representation…”).
4. How the Scandal Unfolded (19:16–27:38)
Moving the Pieces—Enter Albert B. Fall
- Harding reassigns control over oil reserves from the Navy to the Department of the Interior.
- Appoints Albert B. Fall, a rancher, lawyer, poker addict—and, critically, his Secretary of the Interior.
“He was a man in the 20s.” — Jordan Klepper, on Fall’s stereotypical vices (20:35)
- Fall secretly leases oil reserves to two tycoons, Harry F. Sinclair (Mammoth Oil) and Edward L. Doheny (Pan American Petroleum), without competitive bidding, justifying it as “for public good.”
Corruption in Plain Sight
- Fall is showered with gifts and $400,000 in cash, equivalent to $7 million today (plus a herd of cattle).
- Ed and Jordan riff about the obviousness of such visible “gifts.”
“You show up at the cabinet meeting and there’s 400 cattle … Where do you get those?” — Jordan Klepper (25:12)
The Oil Barons’ Hubris
- Massive oil reserves, worth much more than estimated, are leased out in sweetheart deals.
- The Wall Street Journal breaks the news when Sinclair-branded trucks are seen at Teapot Dome.
- Jordan: “When you get your shady oil pickups … Don’t wear that fancy suit.”
- Ed: “They didn’t think there was any risk … it was almost like a cultural thing: ‘Yeah, we’re just doing shady business and everybody knows it. Who cares?’” (27:54)
5. Blowing the Lid Off: Congressional Investigations (27:43–33:24)
From Whispers to Hearings
- Wyoming Senator John B. Kendrick is confronted by local oilmen about not getting a “shot” at leasing Teapot Dome land.
- Investigative journalism follows, leading to a Congressional investigation.
- Ed and Jordan bond over their favorite Congressional investigations (Church Committee, Watergate, etc.).
- Jordan reveals: His former improv roommate in college was Frank Church’s grandson.
6. Harding’s "Ohio Gang" and Cabinet Corruption (33:24–36:52)
The ‘Ohio Gang’
- Harding’s cabinet was packed with old Ohio friends; many embroiled in various scandals.
- Harding allegedly said:
“I have no trouble with my enemies. I can take care of my enemies, all right? But my damn friends, they’re the ones who keep me walking the floor nights.” — Warren G. Harding (34:21, via Ed Helms)
- Jordan and Ed discuss whether presidents can even have "real" friends, using Trump as a contemporary example.
“Everything has a loyalty test … What happens to a human who doesn’t have an emotional sounding board?” — Jordan Klepper (35:58)
7. The Scandal’s Climax and Aftermath (39:04–43:52)
Harding’s Sudden Death
- Harding dies unexpectedly from a heart attack in 1923; never faces reelection.
Legal Fallout
- The Supreme Court voids the oil leases, returning reserves to the government (1927).
- Albert Fall: Found guilty, serves one year in prison—the first US cabinet member ever imprisoned for crimes done in office.
- Sinclair & Doheny: Both acquitted of conspiracy; Sinclair serves six months for jury tampering.
“Oil barons get off scot-free except for trying to intimidate witnesses, which is hilarious.” — Jordan Klepper (44:16)
Scandal's Legacy
- Public trust plummets. Harding lands “dead last” in historian rankings of US presidents.
- "Teapot Dome" becomes a byword for government corruption.
8. Reflection: Then & Now (43:52–49:27)
Lessons and Parallels
- Jordan is surprised anybody was even held accountable in 1920s.
- Ed and Jordan agree “exasperation is working in corruption’s favor” today, with constant news cycles and short attention spans protecting wrongdoing.
“I think exasperation is working in corruption’s favor.” — Ed Helms (45:36)
- Federal resources-for-private-gain, the perennial challenge; Ed points out modern attempts to transfer public land to private hands under similar rationales.
- Jordan notes the difficulty of holding sustained public outrage today.
Takeaways
- Ed emphasizes the value of public land and the risks in quietly transferring national resources to private interests for short-term gain.
9. Closing: What’s Next for Jordan Klepper? (48:28–49:27)
- Jordan plugs his stand-up/lecture tour, “Suffering Fools”:
“Part stand up, part TED Talk …a fun time to get out into all over America and tell some war stories.” — Jordan Klepper (48:28)
- Ed commends Jordan’s performance: “You delivered on delightful.”
Notable Quotes & Moments
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“You bury that thing so deep … find a cave and fill it with concrete.” — Satirical advice on scandal management (14:13)
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“You show up at the cabinet meeting and there’s 400 cattle … Where do you get those?” — On egregious bribery (25:12)
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“Federal resources quietly getting funneled to private interests … the idea to literally just sell publicly owned land to private interests.” — On persistent dangers of public corruption (45:36–47:56)
Timestamps for Key Segments
- 01:32 — Jordan’s path from Kalamazoo to The Daily Show
- 06:57 — Setting up the Teapot Dome scandal, Harding’s “milquetoast” reputation
- 13:53 — Harding weighs exposing or hiding the scandal
- 16:16 — What is Teapot Dome? Wyoming’s infamous landmark
- 19:16 — Transferring oil reserves, enter Albert Fall
- 23:52 — Cash, cattle, and corruption revealed
- 27:43 — Congressional investigations and journalistic exposés
- 33:24 — “Ohio Gang” and the dynamics of friendship/power in politics
- 39:04 — Harding’s death and the fate of the scandal’s players
- 43:52 — Reflections on accountability, public resources, and modern parallels
- 48:28 — Jordan plugs “Suffering Fools” tour
Episode Tone
Ed and Jordan maintain a light, witty, goofy rapport, skillfully weaving comedic riffs with earnest analysis. The tone is irreverent but sharp, blending historical detail with a resigned awareness of scandal fatigue and the cyclical nature of American political corruption.
Final Thoughts & Lessons
- Even monumental scandals are often whitewashed or forgotten, with only symbolic accountability.
- Ethics in government remain vulnerable to the same temptations and loopholes.
- Public vigilance, a robust press, and perseverance in investigation are as crucial now as then.
- “Teapot Dome” reminds us that government corruption is not new — and only relentless attention keeps it in check.
For more SNAFU episodes or to read Ed Helms’s "Definitive Guide to History’s Greatest Screw Ups", visit snafu-book.com.