Biden’s Pardons, DIY Airport Security, Book Bans | Charles Yu

Summary

The Daily Show: Ears Edition – Detailed Summary

Episode Title: Biden’s Pardons, DIY Airport Security, Book Bans | Charles Yu
Release Date: December 6, 2024
Host: Ronny Chieng

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**1. Joe Biden’s Historic Angola Visit and Infrastructure Initiatives

The episode opens with host Ronny Chieng discussing President Joe Biden's unprecedented visit to Angola, marking Biden as the first U.S. President to visit the southern African nation. The primary focus of this trip is Biden's announcement of new U.S.-backed infrastructure projects aimed at revitalizing critical transportation networks.

Key Points:

• Railway Redevelopment: Biden is set to unveil plans for the redevelopment of a major railway in Angola, which is crucial for transporting minerals used in batteries and electric vehicles. This initiative emphasizes the U.S.'s commitment to strengthening economic ties and supporting sustainable energy advancements in Africa.

Notable Quote:

• Ronny Chieng humorously remarks, “That would have been less rude to just put on a VR headset. At that point, it’s like, I’m fine. I’m still listening to you. I’m just on a roller coaster.” [02:56]

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**2. Biden Administration's Consideration of Preemptive Pardons

Transitioning from international affairs, Chieng delves into domestic politics, highlighting a Politico report about the Biden administration's deliberations on issuing preemptive pardons to prominent individuals who have opposed former President Donald Trump.

Key Points:

• Potential Pardonees: The list includes Senator-elect Adam Schiff, former GOP Representative Liz Cheney, and Anthony Fauci. These figures are under scrutiny despite not having committed any crimes, raising concerns about the administration's motives.

• Administration’s Dilemma: White House officials are cautious, recognizing that granting pardons without just cause could imply improper intentions and might lead to refusals from those offered the pardons.

Notable Quote:

• Chieng critiques the concept of preemptive pardons, saying, “It’s what our founders would have wanted. Also, also, who in their right mind would reject a presidential pardon? I mean, do you want to go to jail?” [03:53]

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**3. NYPD's Manhunt for the United Healthcare CEO Shooter

Shifting to a gripping criminal case, the show covers the NYPD's ongoing search for the assassin of a United Healthcare CEO. The suspect left cryptic messages at the crime scene, including the words "deny, defend, depose," which investigators believe are references to criticisms of the health insurance industry.

Key Points:

• Clue Analysis: The words found on shell casings are thought to relate to the "three Ds of insurance," a known critique from industry opponents.

• Suspect’s Footprints: Additional evidence includes the suspect's brief stop at a nearby Starbucks, leading investigators to narrow down potential suspects based on location data and surveillance.

Notable Quote:

• Chieng humorously speculates on the suspect's intentions: “Honestly, I think our bullets should probably say stuff on them. I mean, how else are we going to get Americans to read again, right?” [05:38]

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**4. Airport Security Breach: DIY Stowaway Incident

The episode highlights a recent airport security lapse where a stowaway, Svetlana Dali, managed to board a flight from New York to Paris without proper documentation. Despite multiple security measures, Dali traversed the flight crew line and bypassed standard ID checks.

Key Points:

• Breach Details: Dali was apprehended after a flight attendant noticed her aimless movements between bathrooms on the plane.

• Security Flaws: Investigations revealed that Dali exploited reserved flight crew lanes and slightly manipulated the ID scanning process to gain entry.

Notable Quote:

• Chieng mocks the concept of a stowaway by stating, “If security is so lax, hey, maybe I should have just left that bottle of shampoo in my backpack instead of trying to smuggle it out.” [08:07]

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**5. Book Banning in Florida: The Rise of Bruce Friedman

A significant portion of the episode is dedicated to the contentious issue of book banning in Florida, spotlighting Bruce Friedman, a conservative activist known for his aggressive challenges against public school library books.

Key Points:

• Friedman’s Campaign: Friedman has challenged over 900 books, targeting literature he deems inappropriate due to explicit content or themes, such as sexual activity and profanity.

• Impact on Libraries: His relentless efforts have led to the removal of numerous books and have strained library resources, causing the removal of dissenting librarians like Hoda Kotb from their positions.

• Governor’s Response: Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has implemented measures to limit the number of book challenges per individual and introduced a filing fee to deter such actions.

Notable Quotes:

• Chieng questions Friedman’s authority: “Do you have a doctorate in literature?” [15:06]

• Friedman defends his actions, stating, “A book with blatant sexual activity and over the top grotesque, excessive profanity doesn't belong in any of our schools.” [15:14]

• Chieng sarcastically adds, “You should load up a machine gun with a Tale of Two Cities written in it. I mean, it was the best of times, it was the worst of times.” [05:35]

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**6. Interview with Hoda Kotb: From Librarian to Author and Producer

In an exclusive segment, Ronny Chieng interviews Hoda Kotb, a librarian who became embroiled in the book banning controversy and has since transitioned into becoming an author and executive producer of a Hulu series based on her bestselling book, Interior Chinatown.

Key Points:

• Career Shift: Kotb shares her journey from being a librarian affected by Friedman’s campaign to authoring a critically acclaimed book and producing its television adaptation.

• Creative Process: She discusses the challenges of breaking away from traditional narrative structures, emphasizing her desire to subvert standard templates to tell more authentic and diverse stories.

• Cultural Insights: Kotb reflects on the complexities of being an Asian American in the entertainment industry, addressing themes of invisibility and marginalization without portraying herself as a victim.

Notable Quotes:

• Kotb explains her creative approach: “I always have to find a side door into something. I just enjoy taking things and sort of just tweaking them.” [31:58]

• Discussing her book’s themes, she states, “I want to talk about how this guy Willis and his family have stories worth telling. And there's no trauma necessarily.” [33:39]

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**7. Closing Remarks and Satirical News

As the episode wraps up, Chieng delivers his signature satirical take on current events, including a humorous report on Veteran Affairs officials in Tennessee caught in an illicit office orgy, emphasizing the absurdity and corruption within government institutions.

Notable Quote:

• Chieng concludes with his trademark humor: “Veterans affairs, literally. Explore more shows from the Daily Show.” [38:48]

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**8. Advertisements Skipped

Throughout the episode, several advertisements are interspersed, promoting products like Pets Best Insurance, IKEA’s Winter Sale, and Greenlight’s family-oriented debit card. These segments are omitted from the summary as per request.

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Conclusion

This episode of The Daily Show: Ears Edition navigates through a spectrum of topical issues, blending political satire with in-depth discussions on book banning and personal interviews with influential figures like Hoda Kotb. Ronny Chieng's sharp wit and insightful commentary offer listeners a comprehensive and entertaining overview of contemporary societal challenges and cultural phenomena.

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Notable Timestamped Quotes:

• [02:56] Ronny Chieng: “That would have been less rude to just put on a VR headset. At that point, it’s like, I’m fine. I’m still listening to you. I’m just on a roller coaster.”

• [03:53] Ronny Chieng: “It’s what our founders would have wanted. Also, also, who in their right mind would reject a presidential pardon? I mean, do you want to go to jail?”

• [05:35] Ronny Chieng: “You should load up a machine gun with a Tale of Two Cities written in it. I mean, it was the best of times, it was the worst of times.”

• [15:06] Comedy Central Announcer: “Do you have a doctorate in literature?”

• [15:14] Grace Koolens: “A book with blatant sexual activity and over the top grotesque, excessive profanity doesn't belong in any of our schools.”

• [31:58] Ronny Chieng: “And this is my show now, so freaking. Yeah, the elevator pitch. Like, tell me in five seconds or I won't watch it.”

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This comprehensive summary encapsulates the essence of the episode, highlighting major discussions, insightful interviews, and the host’s unique comedic perspective, making it a valuable overview for those who haven't listened to the episode.

Transcript

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[Comedy Central Announcer]

You're listening to Comedy Central.

[Ronny Chieng]

From the.

[Comedy Central Announcer]

Most trusted journalists at Comedy Central.

[Ronny Chieng]

It's America's only source for news.

[Comedy Central Announcer]

This is the Daily show with your.

[Ronny Chieng]

Host, Ronnie T. Welcome to the Daily Show. I'm Ronny Chang. We got so much to talk about tonight. Joe Biden takes a farewell tour. Florida tackles the scourge of reading. And an NYPD is hunting for a master criminal who loves pumpkin spice lattes. So let's get into the headlines. Let's start with Joe Biden. Who's that? That name sounds so familiar. Anyway, what did he do?

[Comedy Central Announcer]

President Biden is continuing his historic trip to Angola as he becomes the first US President to visit the southern African nation. Biden is expected to announce new U.

[Ronny Chieng]

S Backed infrastructure projects in the region.

[Comedy Central Announcer]

Including the redevelopment of a major railway that carries critical minerals that are used in batteries and electric vehicles.

[Ronny Chieng]

Oh, I know that look. That's the face I make when I ask someone how that weekend was. And instead of saying good, they actually answer the question. I mean, he looks so uninterested. It would have been less rude to just put on a VR headset. At that point, it's like, I'm fine. I'm fine. I'm still listening to you. I'm just on a roller coaster. Whoa. But, hey, don't worry. Biden might have at least one fun thing planned for his last few days in office.

[Savannah Guthrie]

Tonight, Politico reports that the Biden administration is currently debating preemptive pardons for prominent figures who have spoken out against Trump. Those who could face exposure include Senator elect Adam Schiff, former GOP Representative Liz Cheney, and Anthony Fauci. White House officials, however, are carefully weighing the extraordinary step of handing out blanket pardons to those who've committed no crimes, both because it could suggest impropriety and because those offered preemptive pardons may reject them.

[Ronny Chieng]

Man, pardons are getting so confusing. I mean, it used to be that you had to commit a crime to be pardoned, but now Biden has to do this weird, like, Minority Report pre pardon, where it's like, hey, we know you didn't do anything, but Trump thinks you did something, so I'm gonna pardon you for anything you did, even though you didn't do it. It's. It's what our founders would have wanted. Also, also, who in their right mind would reject a presidential pardon? I mean, do you want to go to jail? That's where Diddy is. Okay, look, if. If you're gonna reject a pardon, just give it to me. Okay, I'll take it. Hand it over. I'll probably need it if Donald Trump comes after me for political satire, speaking truth to power, or opening a credit card in my roommate's name. All right, Any of those things. Anyway, let's move on, because the story that everyone is talking about isn't in Washington, D.C. it's right here in New York City. Wow. Where manhunt continues for a man accused of carrying out a targeted hit on a health insurance CEO. And investigators have been finding clues in some surprising places. Urgent manhunt. Police looking for the man who gunned down the CEO of United Healthcare.

[Comedy Central Announcer]

NBC News has learned that the words deny, defend, and depose were on the.

[Ronny Chieng]

Shell casings at the scene of the shooting.

[Savannah Guthrie]

Investigators believe this could be a reference to what's called the three Ds of insurance, a known reference made by critics of the health insurance industry.

[Comedy Central Announcer]

To write something on something this small.

[Ronny Chieng]

And, I mean, John, picture how you would try to do that. Would you take a fine point Sharpie?

[Comedy Central Announcer]

Would you try to scratch it in?

[Ronny Chieng]

Would you train a mouse to write on it with some Kind of mouse crayon. I mean, who gives a how he wrote it? It's. It's not important how he wrote it. What's important is that he wrote it. Okay? This guy knows that there are so many bullet casings on the streets of New York, and he wanted to make sure we knew which ones were his. Right? And now. Yeah, I don't know if we should be applauding that. And now. And now they're trying to interpret what deny, defend, and depose means, and it looks like it's either a criticism of the health insurance industry or this guy was just trying to solve the word. Or on his bullets or something. Honestly, I think our bullets should probably say stuff on them. I mean, how else are we going to get Americans to read again, right? You should load up a machine gun with a Tale of Two Cities written in it. I mean, it was the best of times, it was the worst of times. But now the cops just need to narrow down their list of suspects. To anyone in America who hates their healthcare plan and has access to guns. It should be solved in no time. And there's one other thing that might help them piece this together.

[Savannah Guthrie]

The NYPD is processing forensic evidence the suspect left behind at a nearby Starbucks just before the shooting.

[Ronny Chieng]

Okay, you stopped at a Starbucks on your way to your assassination? Like, ugh, you know me. I can't even think about murdering until I've had my coffee. This is. This is helpful, though, because the guy went to the Starbucks, so we now know he's either a tourist or a local who really needed to take a shit. And. And, And. And if he did use the bathroom, they'll definitely have his DNA, because 99% of Starbucks bathroom users somehow missed the toilet. But that's not the only major crime story today. We also have crime in the skies. New questions after an airport security breach.

[Grace Koolens]

Federal investigators are looking to how a.

[Ronny Chieng]

Stowaway boarded a flight from New York to Paris at the height of holiday travel. Svetlana Dali managed to bypass the document check podium as well as the gate.

[Savannah Guthrie]

Agent before boarding Delta Flight 264 from.

[Ronny Chieng]

J to Charles de Gaulle Airport.

[Savannah Guthrie]

Dolly was caught when a flight attendant noticed that she was going from bathroom to bathroom because she didn't have a seat on the plane.

[Ronny Chieng]

Okay, first of all, that's not what a stowaway is, okay? A stowaway has to hug the wheel or hang onto the wing like Tom Cruise. If you're just inside the plane without a seat, you're not a stowaway. You're Just losing at musical chairs. Okay? And if security is so lax, hey, maybe I should have just left that bottle of shampoo in my backpack instead of trying to smuggle it out my. I mean, am I crazy? Like, how did she do this? Airport security is so complicated now. Like, they have ropes and the dogs and the machines and people. And the scanner that, like, takes your naked photo and posts it on the Internet. Like, what kind of secret agent acrobatics did she have to do to get past all of that?

[Pets Best Insurance Representative]

She first used a lane reserved for flight crews and then skirted the standard ID check.

[Ronny Chieng]

But she went through a body scanner.

[Pets Best Insurance Representative]

And voluntarily removed two bottles of water.

[Hoda Kotb]

That officers discovered in her bags.

[Ronny Chieng]

Oh, that's it? That's it. We. We give TSA $10 billion a year, and all they got was her water? TSA is like, hey, we literally don't care who you are or what you plan on doing. Just do not stay hydrated. For more on this story, let's go live to the airport with Grace Koolensm. Grace, how did this woman evade airport security?

[Grace Koolensm]

Beats the out of me, Ronnie. The way she did it made it look like they don't pay attention if you sneak through the flight crew line. But they do pay attention, especially when you yell, made it.

[Ronny Chieng]

Okay, what the hell, Grace, we sent you down there to interview the tsa. Why are you under arrest?

[Grace Koolensm]

Because I'm a reporter, and I wanted to report on what it's like to get a free flight to the Bahamas for two weeks. That's how dedicated I am to the pursuit of the truth.

[Ronny Chieng]

Okay, look, Grace, it's not your job to get arrested sneaking through a flight crew lane.

[Grace Koolensm]

I didn't. They almost arrested me, but then I pointed at a guy and told them he had 3.1 ounces of sunscreen. They beat the living shit out of him, and I got to the gate.

[Ronny Chieng]

Okay, but you. But you didn't have a boarding pass.

[Grace Koolensm]

Yeah, it turns out if you put your phone down on that ticket scanner and just say beep, they'll totally let you through.

[Ronny Chieng]

Right, but you didn't have a seat.

[Grace Koolensm]

I actually was able to find a seat way up front, but apparently only the pilot is allowed to sit in the cockpit, which seems super strict. Did something, like, happen?

[Ronny Chieng]

Okay, wait, wait. So once you got on the plane, that's how they got you?

[Grace Koolensm]

No, I guess they thought I was the pilot, so they let me fly the plane. But my landing, it was a little bumpy, and that's when they caught me. They're super sharp these guys.

[Ronny Chieng]

Okay, Grace, do you have anything to report on at all?

[Grace Koolensm]

Yes, it turns out there is an interesting new wrinkle to this story. Which is I need a pardon.

[Hoda Kotb]

Um.

[Grace Koolensm]

Yeah. Did you know all of this was a federal crime?

[Ronny Chieng]

Okay, yeah, I hear Joe Biden's handing them out right now. Grace Cooling, Smith, everyone. Hey, when we come back, we banned some books, so don't go away.

[Pets Best Insurance Representative]

The following ad is sponsored by Pets Best Insurance Services. Your pet is your bestie, your therapist your preferred match. It's easy to love them even when they sneak your snacks. It's easy to protect them too, with pet insurance coverage from Pets Best because it's all fun and games until they chew on something they shouldn't. With perfect timing, Pets Best helps protect your furry friend and your budget from this imperfect world. Get up to 90% on eligible vet bills for less than a dollar a day. Find your Perfect [e-mail] Pet insurance products offered and administered by Pets Best Insurance Services, LLC are underwritten by American Pet Insurance Company or independents American Insurance Company for all terms, visit petsbest.com.

[Hoda Kotb]

Hi everyone.

[Savannah Guthrie]

It's Savannah Guthrie and Hodakotbi from the Today Show. We love this time of year. There's so much to celebrate. That's right. Nobody does the holidays quite like today all season long. Join us for special performances with the brightest stars, plus festive recipes to whip up the perfect holiday feast and great deals on the hottest toys and gifts for everyone on your list. So join us every morning on NBC to make TODAY your home for the holidays. The holidays are here and so is the IKEA Winter Sale. Now's your chance to make the holidays a little more magical and less expensive. Save up to 50% off on select items in store and online now through January 7th. Plus, IKEA loyalty members get an extra 10% off on sale items. And if you spend $2.99 or more on a single order before December 10th, enjoy free delivery. Need help managing the clutter of decorations? IKEA Storage Solutions will keep your home tidy from toys and tinsel having extra guests over. Check out offers on select dining furniture to make more room for the people who matter most this time of year. Don't wait to finish your winter wish list. Shop the IKEA Winter Sale in store or online now until January 7th. Visit ikea-usa.com wintersale for more details. Term supply offer valid dates may vary us only, while supplies last selection may vary by store and online C store in ikea-usa.com wintersale for complete term restrictions apply.

[Ronny Chieng]

Welcome back to our Daily Show. Book banning fever is sweeping America. But is it possible that book banning may not be great? Michael Kosta has more water skiing while.

[Comedy Central Announcer]

Intoxicated, mentioning climate change in government records, reading Maya Angelou in public schools. These are all things that are banned in Florida. That last one is because in March 2022, Ron DeSantis signed the curriculum Transparency Bill, which made it easier for anyone to request that any number of books be removed from public school libraries. And if there's things like pornography, the parents have a right to say it should be removed from the school. One individual has made more use of the law than anyone else in Florida. Conservative activist and dirty bookworm. Bruce Friedman, you are the number one book banner in the number one state of book banning. You're the Michael Jordan of book banning.

[Grace Koolens]

Well, in the last two years, I challenged more than one book every calendar day.

[Comedy Central Announcer]

How many challenges have you made?

[Grace Koolens]

Would you say over 900.

[Comedy Central Announcer]

So let me ask what your qualifications are for determining this. Do you have a doctorate in literature?

[Ronny Chieng]

No.

[Comedy Central Announcer]

Do you have degrees in child education and media?

[Grace Koolens]

No.

[Comedy Central Announcer]

So why are you the arbiter?

[Grace Koolens]

A book with blatant sexual activity and over the top grotesque, excessive profanity doesn't belong in any of our schools. That's what this is.

[Comedy Central Announcer]

I hate profanity. Let me offer a counter. The Internet, phones, lyrics and songs.

[Hoda Kotb]

Movies?

[Ronny Chieng]

Sure.

[Comedy Central Announcer]

Do you think kids aren't seeing that shit?

[Grace Koolens]

What does it take to control what's coming at your children? Desire. You have to want it.

[Comedy Central Announcer]

Okay. And do you have kids in the school system? Yes, you do.

[Grace Koolens]

He's not allowed in the public school library, so it doesn't matter.

[Comedy Central Announcer]

Hold on. Your son doesn't use the library at school?

[Grace Koolens]

That is correct. It's polluted.

[Comedy Central Announcer]

So you're doing all of this work for all the other kids?

[Grace Koolens]

Correct.

[Comedy Central Announcer]

That's right. Bruce is so good at protecting his own kid that he needs an even bigger challenge. Protecting other people's kids. But how do those parents feel about it? What is the big deal about having a random man named Bruce determine which books your kids read?

[Ronny Chieng]

I want my children exposed to different.

[Savannah Guthrie]

Mindsets, different points of view.

[Ronny Chieng]

So if some random person tells me that, no, this, this is not how.

[Pets Best Insurance Representative]

You should parent your children, I have.

[Savannah Guthrie]

A problem with that.

[Pets Best Insurance Representative]

First of all, when we're talking about anything that involves sex at all, it's not children, it's teenagers. These are in high schools. And that's what so many of these book challenges do, right? They take issues of racism, discrimination, Sexual assault. And they label them as pornographic just because it makes it easier to remove the book. And he brags about having a list of over 5,000 books that he wants out of our schools.

[Comedy Central Announcer]

Are there even 5,000 books?

[Pets Best Insurance Representative]

Yes.

[Hoda Kotb]

In the world.

[Comedy Central Announcer]

I'm not a big reader. So is Bruce protecting innocent kids or forcing his own beliefs on others? To resolve that question, I'd have to do the one thing I had sworn never to do. Join a book club. We've all read this book.

[Ronny Chieng]

Not me.

[Comedy Central Announcer]

I know why the Caged Bird Sings, written by Maya Angelou. Maya Angelou's a poet laureate. That part.

[Grace Koolens]

She wrote porn.

[Comedy Central Announcer]

But I know a pornographic book.

[Ronny Chieng]

Really?

[Comedy Central Announcer]

Because it's like. And his is. And he shoots all over.

[Grace Koolens]

All of those would be disqualifying content.

[Comedy Central Announcer]

But that's not what Maya Angelou's I Know why the Caged Bird Sings.

[Grace Koolens]

It's pornography. The content violates law.

[Comedy Central Announcer]

So Bruce would rather the Caged bird just shut up. And some of his other targets are even more surprising and particular. Okay, mixed. A colorful story.

[Grace Koolens]

Two male characters getting married. That's it.

[Comedy Central Announcer]

Oh, yeah. Look at their big old dicks, those two.

[Grace Koolens]

They happen to be mail if you read the rest of the crowd.

[Comedy Central Announcer]

Okay, so they're getting married. And then here's the most offensive part. Look what happens here. They have a green baby. What do they do? Shit it out of their butthole?

[Grace Koolens]

What's their problem? I don't want to get lost in the mechanics.

[Comedy Central Announcer]

All right, so what happened to the challenge failed? I was appealed, and you immediately appealed.

[Grace Koolens]

That's what I do.

[Comedy Central Announcer]

So in your opinion, there's an alien creature in this book, and it's neither male nor female, and you believe it's part of a greater agenda.

[Grace Koolens]

That is correct.

[Comedy Central Announcer]

I'm thinking of a person. Is it a boy? Nope. Is it a girl? Nope. Is it me? Is it you? Okay, now I'm thinking of a planet.

[Grace Koolens]

If your child was unclear on their sex, how would you resolve the issue?

[Comedy Central Announcer]

But this is not the issue.

[Grace Koolens]

No, it's not.

[Comedy Central Announcer]

I don't even know what the you're talking about by challenging this, okay?

[Grace Koolens]

I mean, then it fails and we move on, right?

[Comedy Central Announcer]

But it did fail the challenge, and you immediately appealed it, right?

[Grace Koolens]

I always do. Anything that fails a challenge, I file.

[Comedy Central Announcer]

An appeal, and due to Florida law, books are removed while the challenge is appealed. So the little perverts who get off on color blobs and Star wars aliens are out of luck. But there is a cost attached to Bruce's relentless drive.

[Pets Best Insurance Representative]

We have spent more time and resources on Bruce Friedman than any other person in the history of Clay County.

[Comedy Central Announcer]

And how were you personally affected by Bruce Friedman?

[Pets Best Insurance Representative]

Well, essentially, I was the only librarian in the district who was speaking out against the book banning, and I guess I got to be too much trouble and they decided to have me removed from the library.

[Comedy Central Announcer]

So Bruce had you banned maybe?

[Pets Best Insurance Representative]

I guess you could say that, yeah.

[Comedy Central Announcer]

Bruce's campaign has been so effective, he's not only been removing books and money from the school's budget, but also people from the library. But even Ron DeSantis may be questioning this strategy for helping Florida children. Earlier this year, the governor signed a new bill limiting the amount of challenges any one person can submit. It's been mentioned that it might cost $100 to challenge.

[Pets Best Insurance Representative]

Yeah.

[Comedy Central Announcer]

Would that deter you?

[Grace Koolens]

Nothing's going to stop me.

[Comedy Central Announcer]

Bruce, do you think you'll one day write a book about this experience?

[Grace Koolens]

Sure.

[Comedy Central Announcer]

And would that book be banned from a public school? I've read.

[Ronny Chieng]

Thank you, Michael. When we come back, Charles, you'll be joining me on the show, so don't go away.

[Pets Best Insurance Representative]

The following ad is sponsored by Pets Best Insurance Services. Your pet is your bestie, your therapist your preferred match. It's easy to love them even when they sneak your snacks. It's easy to protect them, too, with pet insurance coverage from Pets Best because it's all fun and games until they chew on something they shouldn't. With perfect timing, Pets Best helps protect your furry friend and your budget from this imperfect world. Get up to 90% on eligible vet bills for less than a dollar a day. Find your Perfect [e-mail] Pet insurance products offered and administered by Pets Best Insurance, Services, LLC are underwritten by American Pet Insurance Company or independents American Insurance Company for all terms, visit petsbest.com policy.

[Hoda Kotb]

Hi, everyone.

[Savannah Guthrie]

It's Savannah Guthrie and Hoda Kotb from the TODAY Show. We love this time of year. There's so much to celebrate. That's right. Nobody does the holidays quite like TODAY all season long. Join us for special performances with the brightest stars, plus festive recipes to whip up the perfect holiday feast. And great deals on the hottest toys and gifts for everyone on your list. So join us every morning on NBC to make TODAY your home for the holidays. The holidays are here and so is the IKEA Winter Sale. Now's your chance to make the holidays a little more magical and less expensive. Save up to 50% off on select items in store and online now through January 7th. Plus, IKEA loyalty members get an extra 10% off on sale items. And if you spend $2.99 or more on a single order before December 10th, enjoy free delivery. Need help managing the clutter of decorations? Ikea Storage Solutions will keep your home tidy from toys and tinsel. Having extra guests over. Check out offers on select dining furniture to make more room for the people who matter most this time of year. Don't wait to finish your winter wish list. Shop the IKEA Winter Sale in store or online now until January 7th. Visit ikea-usa.com wintersale for more details. Terms apply. Offer valid dates may vary us only while supplies last. Selection may vary by store and online. C store and ikea-usa.com wintersale for complete terms. Restrictions apply.

[Ronny Chieng]

Hey. Welcome back to the Daily Show. My guest tonight is the author of the bestselling Noise Interior Chinatown. He's also the creator and executive producer of the Hulu series. Please welcome Mr. Chao Ji. Standing ovation.

[Comedy Central Announcer]

Ovation.

[Hoda Kotb]

Amazing.

[Ronny Chieng]

Yeah. Thanks for coming on the show.

[Hoda Kotb]

Thank you for having me.

[Ronny Chieng]

Man, it's so good to see you again. The first time I met you was on the show.

[Hoda Kotb]

It is? Yes.

[Ronny Chieng]

All those years ago with. When you were on with Trevor.

[Hoda Kotb]

Trevor. Last time. Yeah, that was Trevor. And you came back. It was really nice.

[Ronny Chieng]

No, I come back to meet all the Asians only. Yeah. So you were. You were my showrunner and executive producer on this TV show, and there was a lot of stuff I couldn't ask you at the time, but now that you're a guest on my show, I got some questions for you. First of all, between me, Chloe Bennett, and Jimmy O. Yang, who got paid the most? You don't have to be specific, but just indicate who was the highest paid one and I'll be sure. Okay.

[Hoda Kotb]

Taika Waititi.

[Ronny Chieng]

Oh, tycoon. That makes sense. Oh, yeah. Taika was also the director of the pilot and he was the EP on the show as well. And you have a working relationship with him?

[Hoda Kotb]

I do. I do. As we. As we all do. Right. We had fun. He directed that scene that you just showed.

[Ronny Chieng]

But how did you get to work with him?

[Hoda Kotb]

You know, I think a little bit of luck. I mean, I had been working with him on a project that I can't really talk about yet, but the script for this, I think maybe his manager, somebody sent it to him and somehow he read it and liked it enough that he wanted to do it.

[Ronny Chieng]

Oh, so he actually worked on this based on the strength of. It wasn't a preexisting relationship. It was something you Showed him your work on this project?

[Hoda Kotb]

I think so, yeah. I don't know.

[Ronny Chieng]

No, it must have been. Right. You didn't know him before. You're too modest. You don't want to. You showed him the project and.

[Hoda Kotb]

Yeah.

[Ronny Chieng]

It wasn't like you guys were friends before.

[Hoda Kotb]

We weren't friends, but. No, but we had. Sorry. We had been working together a little bit.

[Ronny Chieng]

A little bit before. Yeah.

[Hoda Kotb]

We never talked about it. I never mentioned, like, oh, I have this thing because I felt too weird about maybe, like, because I'm Asian. I felt weird about, like, here's this other thing that you might be interested in. And then all of a sudden, I was hearing word like, oh, taika Waititi might be interested in the pilot. And I just couldn't believe it. I was, like, sort of descended from Marvel Heaven to come and be part of our project, which was really amazing. And that really gave it all kinds of momentum.

[Ronny Chieng]

Right. And how was it like working with him? I asked you. I asked myself.

[Hoda Kotb]

That scene is. How was it?

[Ronny Chieng]

Oh, it was great. Thanks for asking. It was great switching around, I thought. I thought he was great. I thought he came and he was, like, so creatively free.

[Hoda Kotb]

Yeah.

[Ronny Chieng]

You know, I mean, I've never seen someone who was that, like. I think we all aspire to be as free creatively as him, right?

[Hoda Kotb]

Yeah, he's wild. He has the kind of wild creative energy. You can't really harness it. You don't want to, you know?

[Ronny Chieng]

Sure.

[Hoda Kotb]

I think that scene is such a good example. Like, it's one of the funniest clips you showed it. I didn't write that line.

[Ronny Chieng]

Right, right.

[Hoda Kotb]

I just came to set a little bit late from, like, I don't know, lunch or something, and you guys are filming that. And I was like, that's really funny. I wish I had rock. All right, so I don't know who came up with it. You, Jimmy or Taika.

[Ronny Chieng]

I mean, it's a creative collaboration, but it was me, really. I remember when that. No, I'm just saying. No, no. It's not a creative. Well, I mean, we kind of launched into it, but, you know, the problem is, like, I feel like I did the press tour with you for this show, and everyone wants, like, the elevator pitch for this show, which is so annoying because it's just like, tell me in five seconds or I won't watch it. But now that we have time. And this is my show now, so freaking. Yeah, the elevator pitch. Like, tell us what the show's about.

[Hoda Kotb]

Speaking of which, I have to Show. I'm wearing Ronny Chang's socks.

[Ronny Chieng]

Oh, okay.

[Hoda Kotb]

Okay.

[Ronny Chieng]

Show it for the camera. We've had this. Can you get it? Yeah, so am I, by the way. Can you. Can you make it clear that. Oh, Christmas colors. We got the Christmas color. I got green and you got red.

[Hoda Kotb]

I don't know if I can get my wear.

[Ronny Chieng]

Thanks for trying to. Yeah, thanks for trying to sell that. I didn't need you to. We sell these socks enough on this show. Everyone's really angry about it. Paramount's, like, trying to take a cut of this, but. Yeah. What's the non elevator pitch for this show?

[Hoda Kotb]

You would think I would have it down by now. You know, it's a show. I think it's about roles. I think it's about how people. Like, imagine if you woke up one day and you were living inside of a universe where Spider man was real and, like, Spider man was on the news and you weren't a superhero. You were just like, oh, there's Spider Man. Right.

[Ronny Chieng]

You're just some Asian guy.

[Hoda Kotb]

You're just some Asian guy in a Spider man movie.

[Ronny Chieng]

Right?

[Hoda Kotb]

That's sort of what this is like. It's like Willis Wu, the main character played by Jimmy O. Yang, wakes up. Not wakes up. He lives inside of a show that is basically like Law and Order type police procedural. And that's his reality. And so essentially what he's. What this season is about is he has a very small role to play, which is really no role. Like, he's a waiter at this restaurant that's in the background of this police show. He has no lines. He's not really in the story. And in the course of the pilot, he says he's kind of drawn into the story and he has a chance to say, I don't know if I want to accept my role. He's kind of dealing with both how other people have defined him and limited him, and he's also dealing with his own internal limitations. And so he basically breaks out of his role, which is the tagline of the show, break out of your role. But in the course of doing that, he sort of disrupts the whole ecosystem because when this guy sort of starts changing his lines, everybody in the kind of world he lives in is a little bit messed up now. And so it kind of has these ripple effects. And that's, you know, that's sort of the non elevator pitch, which is to say, like, you know, I wrote the book wanting to kind of tell a story about what it's like to be someone Like Willis, Wu, you know, and a background character. A background character. Someone who doesn't feel like their story really matters. And, you know, what does it look like if you take the background character and say, you know, this story could be yours now if you. If you choose to kind of accept that mission.

[Ronny Chieng]

Right. And how much money did Jimmy make on the show per episode?

[Hoda Kotb]

He's still going at it.

[Ronny Chieng]

Okay, so. Because this will help my contract negotiations. Did he get a companion ticket for this when he. Could you bring. Because sometimes I try to bring my wife on, you know. Yeah, let's talk about the con. I'll do the contract stuff after. One thing I really love about this book is that it's not written. In my opinion, it's not written in a traditional narrative. And as someone who. Narrative structure, I mean, you know, because it starts off as a screenplay and then it kind of, you know, it becomes like a. I don't want to spoil it, but it becomes almost like a legal drama, in my opinion. It doesn't. As someone who's. Or anyone out there who's watching, who's trying to write something original, it's kind of out of a template, you know, because oftentimes when we're making stuff now, I feel like we're just kind of reduced to filling in a template for how a story should go. Act One, Act Two, Act Three, you know, whatever. The Dan Harmon hero's journey. So how did you managed to break out of that role, you know, when you're writing this book?

[Hoda Kotb]

Yeah, I mean, I think it felt like, I don't know, I follow the rule of, like, write not right towards my strengths, but right away from my weaknesses. And I, like, I just always am interested in trying to subvert or change the thing that I'm playing around with. To me, I get bored of my own writing almost immediately. You know, if I try to, like, put on a serious writer hat, and I'm like, oh, this is going to be a good novel. You know, it's like by the second page, I'm already bored.

[Ronny Chieng]

Oh.

[Hoda Kotb]

So I always have to kind of find a side door into something I always have to take. I just enjoy taking things and sort of just tweaking them. And so for me, that's what this was, is just like taking the idea of a police procedural, which we all sort of know. And. And I love them, you know. Cause it's this really kind of comfortable, well, kind of established form. And then you sort of can play around within that. And then meanwhile, the audience can just be like, oh, I'm watching a cop show. This is just a really weird cop show, Right.

[Ronny Chieng]

And it's also rare that someone who wrote the book on it and it got adapted into a TV series. It's kind of rare for the author of the book to be so intimately involved in the making of the TV show. You know, not just show running, but actually writing it with a team of writers. But you are head writing it, so, I mean, would you have trusted anyone else to adapt this? I guess is the question.

[Hoda Kotb]

I should have. Probably. It's harder than it looks. Probably not. It's so personal in a lot of ways. You know, I think the original inspiration for that book was my mom and dad, who are, you know, immigrants from Taiwan. And I had these pages. I didn't know what to do any. You know, I didn't know what to do with them. It wasn't even a book yet. You know, I sent it to my agent and she's like, this is great. And I thought, oh, I'm almost done. And then, like, eight years later, I finished the book, you know, and I think then Hulu called and they're like, let's make that a show. And I probably should have said, get someone who knows how to do it, but I wanted to do it myself. And it was an incredible journey. But it's. Yeah, it is pretty special. They let me do it.

[Ronny Chieng]

Well, I thought you did a great job on it. I was there the whole time.

[Hoda Kotb]

And technically, I'm not your boss right now, so you don't have to say, yeah, I know.

[Ronny Chieng]

That's how you know I mean it. That's how you know I mean it. I got a few more questions for you here. I think this is the only time we'll ever be able to talk about this on American tv. But why is it so difficult talking about being an Asian man in America?

[Hoda Kotb]

That's a good question. I don't think you're having difficulty. I think. I don't know. I don't know. I watched your special. I think it was during the pandemic. Asian comedian destroys America. And I remember feeling like I kind of, like, got inspired. I got really just like, you know, you just lit a flame under me. Because I do think it's really hard. I think you don't. I don't want to. Like, I'm not asking for pity or trying to be sort of like, oh, woe is me at all.

[Ronny Chieng]

You don't play discrimination Olympics here.

[Hoda Kotb]

Definitely not. I would lose at that. I mean, I think I'm an incredibly lucky, privileged person. My parents came to America. They lived two thirds of their lives in America. They're Americans. And so I've only lived here. And it's an incredible thing that they could come here and then I could be talking to you here in front of, you know, like, about this book that I wrote about them learning how to play the role of being an American. You know, that's an amazing thing to me. So to me, it's hard to talk about because you sort of have to be able to hold two ideas in your head at once, which is it can be hard being invisible. It can be hard being marginalized. And I'm not a victim at the same. You know what I mean? It's like, I want to talk about how this guy Willis and his family have stories worth telling. And there's no trauma necessarily. There's no necessarily, like some huge tragedy. It's just a story of these people assimilating and becoming Americans. And I think it's a complex story and maybe that's why it's hard.

[Ronny Chieng]

There is some trauma in it. I mean, it's not completely no trauma. You're being modest. Again with the discrimination. I, you know that your background is also very interesting. I mean, I'm just, right now I'm just trying to get a raise from you. So I'm just gonna keep complimenting. So like people, people don't know this.

[Hoda Kotb]

But you, they're applauding that.

[Ronny Chieng]

Yeah, I know. They're capitalists. They know what I'm trying to do. So you, you majored undergraduate. You are majoring in molecular and cellular biology. And then you got a law degree, right? Then you worked in corporate law and then you became a TV writer. So your level of expertise here is just out of control. So I got, I need some advice from you.

[Hoda Kotb]

Okay.

[Ronny Chieng]

Okay, sure. Just speaking to your expertise, please. Do you think that the Delaware Supreme Court's recent decision in the match case, expanding the scope of the MFW framework to include entire fairness review for non freeze out control shareholder mergers will make market responsive consolidation too efficient.

[Hoda Kotb]

Yes.

[Ronny Chieng]

Oh, okay, good. That's it. Also, while we're talking about legal issues here, like the fridge in my apartment broke and like the groceries like went off. So like, who's responsible for that? Is my landlord or do I have to pay for that? Or like, what's the tenant law on that?

[Hoda Kotb]

I don't know. I was kind of a B student in law school. It's been a long time. Ronnie. You're a lawyer?

[Ronny Chieng]

Yeah. I'm a lawyer. I don't even know what the answer is to that. The New York landlord law is so crazy. Here's another question for you. A new system level model revealed that transcriptional scocasticity is required for he may told poetic stem cell differentiation. Are you shocked by these findings?

[Hoda Kotb]

To be clear, I was also a B student in biology.

[Ronny Chieng]

Okay.

[Hoda Kotb]

That's why I'm a writer.

[Ronny Chieng]

Yeah, an Asian B means A. We know what that means. No, no, just make. Tell us some biology.

[Hoda Kotb]

I majored in biology. It's true. At Berkeley. And it was hard. Go Bears. Go Bears. And then I did not get into any medical schools.

[Ronny Chieng]

So then you went into law.

[Hoda Kotb]

So I went to law school. Yeah. To my parents disappointment.

[Ronny Chieng]

And you worked in law, and then you got into. You went to a law firm and you worked for years and you became a writer. I gotta ask the obligatory. So any quick advice for all these people out there who are, you know, in the corporate world and are trying to get into creative industries?

[Hoda Kotb]

Yeah.

[Ronny Chieng]

You know, any words of wisdom?

[Hoda Kotb]

Yeah. Get Bs in biology, be a bad.

[Ronny Chieng]

Student and you too could end up on the Daily Show. All right, listen, Charles, you wrote a great book, you made a great TV show. Thank you so much for having me on it. It's a story that needed to be told. I really appreciate. Interior Chinatown is streaming now on Hulu and the book is available everywhere. Hey, ciao ji, everybody. We're going to take a quick break. We'll be right back after this. Hey, that's our show for tonight. Now here it is, your moment of dead. Veteran affairs officials in Tennessee just got caught having an orgy on the clock. And not just any orgy. 12 people butt naked all over each other at work. We paid for that orgy. This was a taxpayer funded orgy. Veterans affairs, literally. Explore more shows from the Daily show.

[Comedy Central Announcer]

Podcast universe by searching the Daily Show. Wherever you get your podcasts, watch the Daily show weeknights at 1110 Central on Comedy Central and stream full episodes anytime on Paramount.

[Ronny Chieng]

Plus.

[Pets Best Insurance Representative]

Paramount Podcasts.

[Ronny Chieng]

How crispy are the new Delimex Crispy Quesadillas? Let's see. I'm gonna pop one in the microwave.

[Savannah Guthrie]

Yeah.

[Ronny Chieng]

Delimix Crispy Quesadillas are crispy even from a microwave. I can already smell it. Heads up. If you hate loud crunching, you might want to mute.

[Pets Best Insurance Representative]

Mmm.

[Ronny Chieng]

So crispy. Like barely hear myself think crispy. These should come with a warning. If this crispiness is making you hungry, get to your closest grocery store for deli. Mex Crispy quesadillas in the frozen aisle.

[Pets Best Insurance Representative]

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[Savannah Guthrie]

Game on because ESPN content is now available on Disney for bundle subscribers, you can watch your favorites on Disney, the boldest stories from Hulu and the greatest in sports from ESPN together like never before. With ESPN, unwrap a full day of NBA action streaming December 25th. Then with Hulu, watch the terrifying sci fi thriller Alien Romulus, now streaming and on Disney, follow a new adventure across the galaxy in Star Wars Skeleton Crew, now streaming terms apply. Visit disneyplus.com for details.