After the Cut | Correspondents 2024 - Part 2

Summary

The Daily Show: Ears Edition - "After the Cut | Correspondents 2024 - Part 2"

Release Date: February 23, 2025
Host: The Daily Show News Team (Jon Stewart and Correspondents)

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1. Introduction to the Episode

In the second part of the "Correspondents 2024" series, The Daily Show: Ears Edition delves deep into the personal and professional lives of its correspondents. This episode offers an intimate look at their experiences, insights into their comedic journeys, and reflections on their roles within the iconic show.

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2. Navigating Parenthood and Political Awareness

Timestamp: 02:14 - 06:38

The episode kicks off with a heartfelt discussion on raising children in a politically charged environment. A correspondent shares his approach to parenting, emphasizing the importance of fostering curiosity and critical thinking in his three-and-a-half-year-old son.

• Correspondent: "I think exposure is the first step. Expose yourself to kids. Is that what I'm telling you? I mean it comes from meeting other people, talking to other people and staying curious enough to understand where they come from." [03:15]

He underscores the necessity of balancing strong convictions with the ability to remain open-minded and adaptable.

• Correspondent: "With a total amount of certainty and a lack of uncertainty comes a lack of curiosity, in which case we just become these people lost in those silos." [04:00]

This segment highlights the challenges of instilling values that encourage independent thought while navigating the complexities of modern political discourse.

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3. The Art of Improvisation and On-the-Field Reporting

Timestamp: 06:38 - 10:18

The conversation transitions to the correspondent's background in improvisational comedy and its influence on his role at The Daily Show. Drawing parallels between improv and effective reporting, he emphasizes the importance of being present and adaptable.

• Correspondent: "I'm an improviser. That's where I came from. The big Thing about improv is when you get out there, you let it all go and you let go of your preconceived notions and you listen and you listen hard." [05:30]

He elaborates on the collaborative preparation process with the production team, honing in on identifying and leveraging inconsistencies or hypocrisies within political arguments to generate humor and critical commentary.

• Correspondent: "We start to find the humor in those holes, the obvious hypocrisy in those arguments. And when we go out there, we've kind of talked through, like, where we see these holes that you could sometimes drive a pickup truck through." [05:50]

This segment offers a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the meticulous preparation that underpins the show's sharp wit and insightful satire.

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4. Comedy Inspirations and Networking: A Bill Burr Anecdote

Timestamp: 10:18 - 15:46

A lighter yet inspiring story unfolds as the correspondent recounts his journey in the comedy world, particularly his encounter with renowned comedian Bill Burr. The narrative underscores the value of perseverance and the unexpected turns in a comedic career.

• Correspondent: "I always thought Bill Burr was great. And I got to meet him. He messaged me on Facebook one day when I was in Australia... It was like, I'm getting catfished right now by Bill Burr." [06:38]

Despite initial skepticism, the correspondent's persistence leads to a meaningful mentorship.

• Correspondent: "He became a friend and a mentor, and he executive produces my comedy specials now. And it's a real crazy, rare story of meeting your heroes and them being really cool in the end." [07:50]

This anecdote not only highlights the unpredictability of networking in the entertainment industry but also serves as an inspiration for aspiring comedians.

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5. Reflections on Legacy at The Daily Show

Timestamp: 15:46 - 18:00

In a candid moment, the correspondent reflects on his legacy and the enduring impact of The Daily Show. Sharing personal anecdotes from his time as a fan and later as a contributor, he articulates the values that the show upholds.

• Correspondent: "The legacy I want to leave to my audience... be interested. Don't be afraid to challenge bullshit. And always look somewhere for more." [08:44]

He pays homage to predecessors like Craig Kilborn and Jon Stewart, highlighting how their commitment to insightful and unbiased reporting shaped his approach.

• Correspondent: "Jon Stewart makes the news compelling. I understand that. He's not kowtowing to one side. He's just calling out bullshit." [09:00]

This segment encapsulates the correspondent's dedication to maintaining the show's reputation for intelligent satire and its role in encouraging viewers to think critically about current events.

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6. Tennis Movie Critic Segment

Timestamp: 11:17 - 12:34

Injecting humor and topical commentary, the episode features a mock interview with a tennis movie critic discussing the film "Challengers." The critic humorously critiques the movie's casting choices and production details.

• Tennis Movie Critic: "I talk so much shit about this movie. And I support women in the arts. Zendaya's, like, my favorite. I love that they put a woman in sports. It's cool." [11:20]

The correspondent engages playfully, poking fun at the critic's stringent preferences and over-the-top critiques.

• Correspondent: "And then remember when Mark Philipustas would practice with his shirt off? I mean, I'm not even gay. And I was getting hard for that guy." [11:46]

This segment serves as a comedic interlude, showcasing the show's ability to blend satire with light-hearted entertainment.

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7. Personal Reflections and Gratitude

Timestamp: 12:45 - 15:46

The episode concludes with the correspondent sharing his personal journey from improv enthusiast to a valued member of The Daily Show. He expresses deep gratitude for his family's unwavering support and the communities that nurtured his comedic talents.

• Correspondent: "Sharna Halpern, right there. She gave me a space to fail and to succeed and to fail and fail and fail again." [14:30]

He reminisces about his early days in Kalamazoo and Chicago, acknowledging the pivotal moments and relationships that shaped his career.

• Correspondent: "No, a long 24 years later, I get to come to the Athenaeum Theater where I used to do improv for the Chicago Improv Festival. And I get to do a great show on the Daily Show with you guys. So thank you, truly. Thank you." [15:20]

This heartfelt reflection not only humanizes the correspondent but also reinforces the show's ethos of community and continuous growth.

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Conclusion

"After the Cut | Correspondents 2024 - Part 2" offers listeners a comprehensive and engaging exploration of the correspondents' lives beyond the newsroom. Through personal anecdotes, professional insights, and comedic interludes, the episode encapsulates the essence of The Daily Show: a blend of sharp wit, thoughtful commentary, and genuine human connection. For those new to the show, this episode serves as an excellent introduction to the personalities and philosophies that drive its enduring success.

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Notable Quotes:

• "Be interested. Don't be afraid to challenge bullshit. And always look somewhere for more." — Correspondent [08:44]
• "With a total amount of certainty and a lack of uncertainty comes a lack of curiosity." — Correspondent [04:00]
• "Jon Stewart makes the news compelling. I understand that. He's not kowtowing to one side. He's just calling out bullshit." — Correspondent [09:00]

Transcript

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[Daily Show Host]

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You're listening to Comedy Central.

[Daily Show Host]

Yes. Hey, so as someone who's raising a kid of your own, what advice do you have for young people when making well informed political decisions? Oh my gosh, what advice do I tell my child? He's three and a half so I keep him away from all news. I truly do. And even Paw patrol, which is just teaching him indoctrinating a love of police and authority. So that's a problem as well. You see it seep in. You know it is to me. I think exposure is the first step. Expose yourself to kids. Is that what I'm telling you? I mean it comes from meeting other people, talking to other people and staying curious enough to understand where they come from. I think I've talked about this A little bit before, but when I go out in the road and I talk to people at rallies, and it's rallies, MAGA rallies, and even rallies on the left as well, I think the thing that I find least appealing is certainty. People have no sense of there being a gray area or being unsure of how something should play out. And it doesn't mean you shouldn't be strong in your convictions, but I think you need to leave space to be wrong and to be curious. And so I think with a total amount of certainty and a lack of uncertainty comes a lack of curiosity, in which case we just become these people lost in those silos. And so I think my job as a dad, how I see it in terms of, like, what am I supposed to do? I'm supposed to feed and water it, Right? I think I got that. Feed and water this child. But I think I need to instill and maintain a sense of curiosity, a sense of confidence to walk into the world and a sense of finding virtue and uncertainty as opposed to certainty. And then from there, he needs to walk his own path. But that's simply because I can't afford it past 18, you know? Yeah. So when you're going to rallies and talking to people, you're kind of picking apart their answers to kind of send it right back to them really quickly. And that takes a lot of wit.

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And kind of lot of, like, you.

[Daily Show Host]

Know, mental capacity to kind of pick it apart. So what are the things that you're.

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Thinking of when you're hearing their answers.

[Daily Show Host]

That you want to pull out or draw from? I will say this. The process of going into the field is where so many talented people here at the Daily show, and a day or two before we go out into the field, we're watching the news, we're having the same conversations you're probably having at home about. People are talking about this. I hear the arguments on the right are this. I see hypocrisies here. And we sort of have almost debate prep among producers and writers here, where we sit down in a room, we're like, where do you see holes in these arguments? We start to find the humor in those holes, the obvious hypocrisy in those arguments. And when we go out there, we've kind of talked through, like, where we see these holes that you could sometimes drive a pickup truck through. But then I'm an improviser. That's where I came from. I'm not a standup. I spent 15 years doing improv in Chicago and New York, and the big Thing about improv is when you get out there, you let it all go and you let go of your preconceived notions and you listen and you listen hard. And so in those moments, I have a great team behind me that we've done the prep work and then you just, you try to engage and be present because the things that you find, the moments of humor or the moments of revelation of a point of view that you haven't heard before, but you see somebody now spouting this at me, they come from that person feeling comfortable in the conversation with me. They. They come from that person saying something unique and me being open enough to actually hear it and to try to spin it. So I think it's a skill set that you use in improvisation. It's a skill set that you use of being a good husband. And it's basically like, get out of your head and listen to what that person's saying. I'll tell you this, though. A skill set that doesn't help being a good husband is finding that weird thing they say and try to use it against them. Now that I will say, my wife might say that. That is. It's a double edged sword. If you, you looked at other comedians as like role models, like Robin Williams.

[Comedy Inspiration]

Or George Carlin or any like, yeah, role models. I don't know about role models, but comedy inspirations. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I was, I always thought Bill Burr was great. And I got to meet him. He messaged me on Facebook one day when I was in Australia and his profile picture was a car. And so I didn't believe it was him. When he messaged me, I was like, I'm getting catfished right now by Bill Burr. And he was like, hey, I saw your clip on a plane and you were really funny and hope we can work together. And it sounded so catfishy. I was like, yeah, whatever, truck, right? But then I thought like, oh, if, if I can live with being catfish, I can't live with if it was actually Bill Burr. And I said, off. So I replied like, oh, hey, thanks. I'm a huge fan of yours. That's high praise coming from you. I live in Australia, so I don't think we'll ever get a chance to work together. But hopefully one day, if I ever get to go to America, I'll see you in the circuit. And then he said, hey, I'm touring Australia next year. I'd love for you to be on the show, open for me. And I was like, ah, whatever. Just, yeah, it's a catfish it's clearly a catfish. And so I was like, whatever. And then I didn't think too much about it. I kept kind of, you know, doing my thing. And then a year later, hey, I get this email to go to the theater, and the whole time I'm like, I'm gonna get murdered. You know, this is not gonna. And I show up until I was in Bilber's green room, and he was like, ah, this will be on the show. Man, that clip was super fun. I saw you on a plane, and. And he became a friend and a mentor, and he executive produces my comedy specials now. And it's a real crazy, rare story of meeting your heroes and them being really cool in the end. Yeah. So. Yeah. So, Bill Burr. And that's about it.

[Daily Show Host]

After all your years here at Daily show, what is the legacy you want to leave to your audience every night? The legacy I want to leave to my audience. Oh, my. I gotta tell you, I haven't been here long enough for that. Give me some time to accrue some legacy, and then we'll move on. I'll tell you this, though, perhaps I was a fan of the Daily show before I was a worker at the Daily Show. I used to watch it in college. It was one of my first forays into being interested in news. In fact, I watched it before that. I watched Craig Kilborn host the show when I was in high school, and I loved it. I thought it was so funny. I love Craig Kilborn. He looked great in a suit. We were the same height. It was perfect. In comes Jon Stewart, and he's so insightful, thoughtful, and at college, it was like, oh, he makes the news compelling. I understand that. He's not. Not kowtowing to one side. He's just calling out bullshit. And I like this guy. And I was a fan before ever getting a chance to ever audition and be a part of the show. And so the legacy that it left in me was like, be interested. Don't be afraid to challenge bullshit. And always look somewhere for more. And I think that thirst and that hunger to know more, and I think that that basic idea of call out bullshit where you see it, I think it's sort of built into the institutional legacy of the show. And so that is what I'm most proud of.

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What are your thoughts on the tennis and challengers?

[Daily Show Host]

Oh, great. You have an opinion on this? You mean the movie Challengers?

[Tennis Movie Critic]

I talk so much shit about this movie. And I support women in the arts. Zendaya's, like, my favorite. I love that they put a woman in sports. It's cool. I have a lot of problems with it. The two tennis players are hot. The two men they chose.

[Daily Show Host]

Thank you.

[Tennis Movie Critic]

Not up to par. I want, like, I want big Italians or, like, Serbian dudes. Like, I don't want these, like, Twinkie British guys.

[Daily Show Host]

And then remember when Mark Philipustas would practice with his shirt off? I mean, I'm not even gay. And I was getting hard for that guy. You know what I mean?

[Tennis Movie Critic]

And when he was a coach, it was just a zaddy in the stands. It was, I mean, Tommy Haas. Oh, these men are beautiful. I lost track, but I heard they were challengers.

[Daily Show Host]

Like, the biggest issue I thought was the grips. Right? The grips are off.

[Tennis Movie Critic]

The grip was so. And I'm fine with her having a grip that's off. But if you're gonna say the greatest tennis player who ever played tennis and just put the grip, it's like a. If a football player was, like, holding it from the back of the football.

[Daily Show Host]

It'S like, if I was like, hey, so this water is really delicious. And it's like. So when we say grip, I mean the way they were holding the racket.

[Tennis Movie Critic]

Also show a threesome. Like, show it.

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Yeah.

[Tennis Movie Critic]

I also never watched the movie.

[Daily Show Host]

Perfect.

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Just wondering if you were nervous to do the show in front of your parents.

[Daily Show Host]

Yes, that's my fam. I got my parents, my sister, my brother, my aunt, my uncle, my other uncle up there. Am I nervous? No. I'm excited to do it in front of my family. I will say this, as cool as it is that my parents are here, it is not surprising, because they came to every gosh darn show I've done and then it could come true. And a big part of why I am here is because I got into improv at Kalamazoo, Michigan, Kalamazoo College, and I, I got on the improv team Monkapult, and we did shows in a little black box theater for 95 college students and two 50 somethings, 40 something. Sorry. My parents would come and they would support me, and I was a math major at the time and I was spending my time doing improv and then traveling to the Improv Olympic here in Chicago. And then I came to Chicago and I found another family at places like the Improv Olympic. I think Sharna Halpern is here tonight as well. There she is, founder of the Improv Olympic. Gosh darn long form improvisation. Sharna Halpern, right there. She gave me a space to fail and to succeed and to fail and fail and fail again. And more often than not, my parents would hop in the car and they would drive over to Chicago and they would watch these shows at weird times with their son who wasn't making any money. He was a substitute teacher at Chicago Public Schools. Making a little bit of money during the day, not a lot. And my parents wouldn't judge it, they would just support it, they would love it. And I look back on that, and when I look back on it, frankly, I think it's irresponsible. Not a smart move to let your child just do improv in Chicago for a decade, getting paid peanuts. But I loved it. She let me find my family, let me find my people, the things that I loved. Be surrounded by people who were interested in the things that I loved and the things I like to do supported me when I went to New York and got to try out for fun things like this. And then along 17 years later, no, a long 24 years later, I get to come to the Athenaeum Theater where I used to do improv for the Chicago Improv Festival. And I get to do a great show on the Daily show with you guys. So thank you, truly. Thank you.

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Explore more shows from the Daily show podcast universe by searching the Daily Show. Wherever you get your podcast, watch the Daily show weeknights at 1110 Central on Comedy Central and stream full episodes anytime on Paramount plus.

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