Boycotters Skip the Bezos Met Gala & Trump Can’t Focus on the Economy… or Anything | Paul W. Downs

Summary

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The Daily Show: Ears Edition

Episode: Boycotters Skip the Bezos Met Gala & Trump Can’t Focus on the Economy… or Anything | Paul W. Downs
Date: May 6, 2026
Host: Desi Lydic (with The Daily Show News Team)
Guest: Paul W. Downs (co-creator/star of "Hacks")

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Overview

In this episode, Desi Lydic and The Daily Show team take a satirical and sharp look at the most bizarre and newsworthy headlines of the week, including controversy over the Bezos-chaired Met Gala, economic anxieties tied humorously to the Biden-Trump landscape, and a sports segment filled with tongue-in-cheek rivalry and scandal. A highlight of the episode is the interview with Paul W. Downs of HBO Max’s Emmy-winning show Hacks, who discusses creative process, AI in the arts, and the joys of being a comedic outsider.

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Key Segments & Highlights

1. Headline Rundown: Met Gala, Economic Woes, and Trump’s Tangents

Starts at 01:16

• Met Gala Boycott and Bezos Controversy (01:20–03:00)

  • Protesters call to "Boycott the Bezos Met Gala" over billionaire Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez hosting.
  • Desi Lydic jokes about activism:

    “Where did they even find a projector that big? Well, probably Amazon.” (02:12)

  • Commentary on class divide and the spectacle of the ultra-wealthy.

• Economic Struggles Satirized (03:00–03:50)

  • Rising fuel prices blamed on war in Iran; Spirit Airlines folds.
  • Airlines dropping amenities: No snacks for flights under 350 miles.
  • Host rants humorously:

    “So if I want a free cookie now I have to, what, give blood at the Red Cross? …This is my blood, okay? I made it.” (03:31)

• Trump’s Cognitive Test and Lack of Focus (04:00–08:30)

  • Trump brags about passing cognitive tests at a small business summit:

    “I’ve taken three. No president, think of this, has ever taken one.” – Ronny Chen as Trump (04:18)

  • The team jokes about Trump’s confusion with animal names and his rambling during a fitness event for children.

    “Hi, mom. Can you pick me up from the White House? The president is trauma dumping.” (08:00)

  • Sketch on "Donnie’s Daycare" lampoons Trump’s suitability for childcare.

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2. SportsWar: Horse Racing, Scandal, and Philly Fan Tactics

Starts at 11:06

• Cherie DeVoe Makes History at Kentucky Derby (12:11–13:40)

  • First woman to win the Kentucky Derby with "Golden Tempo."
  • Michael Kosta jokes:

    “My feet are covered in blood because I tried to sneak into the Met Gala and fell through the skylight.” (12:28)

  • Ronny Chen and Kosta riff on whether trainers should get credit:

    “All you have to do to make horse run faster is you go up to a horse and you just say, hey, horse, if you lose, I’m gonna turn you into glue.” (13:06)

• NFL Scandal: Patriots Coach Mike Vrabel (14:05–15:52)

  • Rumors of an affair with a reporter; humorous “evidence” is presented among the correspondents.
  • Satirical takes on sports world hypocrisy and pettiness.

• NBA: Philly Restricts Knicks Fans (16:28–17:17)

  • Philadelphia 76ers restrict ticket sales to locals; Costa quips:

    “Anyone coming to the game has to prove they’re from Philadelphia—by eating human shit off the ground.” (16:47)

  • Insult-driven banter continues, with fictitious sports bets and rivalry jabs.

• Running Gambling Gags and Spiritual Consultation (17:10–19:38)

  • Ongoing theme: Ronnie’s bad gambling luck vs. Kosta’s "winning" (losing less).
  • Ronnie consults “ancestral spirits” for betting tips in an absurdist vision sequence.

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3. Interview with Paul W. Downs

Starts at 22:14

Return to New York & The Met Gala Circus

• Desi welcomes Paul back to NY:

  “How you feeling?” –Desi
  “You know, I’m a little tired. Last night was the Met Ball.” –Paul
  “Oh, you went?” –Desi
  “No, but I was up really late…online. I was being bitchy.” –Paul (22:54–23:03)

• Joking about becoming “fashion critics” once a year, despite no qualifications.

• Playful Bezos and sponsor jokes about the Met Gala. (23:05–23:33)

The Success of Hacks

• Hacks now entering its final season with numerous Emmy wins and 60 nominations.
• On keeping momentum:

  “We have an amazing room of writers… We feel a real onus to make it good.” –Paul (24:05) “Also, I assume hallucinogenics.” –Host
  “There’s a lot of drugs involved.” –Paul (24:35–24:41)

On Female Late-Night Hosts & Inspiration

• Debra Vance, the only (fictional) female late-night host:

  “Deborah’s an amalgamation… some Joan Rivers, Lucille Ball, Debbie Reynolds, some Desi...” –Paul (25:18)

Directing, Writing, Acting: Doing it All

• Paul balances showrunning, acting, directing:

  “Honestly, the hardest job is directing myself…My job is so easy because the people around me are so good.” (26:12–26:36)

Jimmy & Kayla’s Dynamic, Odds of a Spin-off

• Fans love the (platonic) will-they-won’t-they between Jimmy and Kayla.
• On a possible spin-off:

  “I wish… HBO doesn’t really do spin-offs. Unless we break the mold.” (27:27–27:40)

AI in the Writer’s Room

• Dedicating an entire Hacks episode to AI; Paul’s real concerns:

  “It’s really terrifying…it feels like that’s something we figured out we absolutely don’t need…it is decimating huge segments of the workforce.” (28:13–28:36)

Comedy Roots in “Lunchtime Theater”

• Paul’s formative years performing sketch for the “uncool” kids during lunch:

  “I used to do this, like, lunchtime theater...the first time I wrote characters and performed… It was really formative to not be at the cool kids table.” (29:06)

The Pressure of a Series Finale

• The challenges of ending a beloved show:

  “After five seasons, there is so much pressure to stick the landing…But what’s weird is we thought of the idea five years before we pitched it and then when we pitched it, we pitched the final episode.” (30:18–31:35)

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Notable Quotes & Moments

• Desi Lydic (On Met Gala): “An NFL coach gets a timeout for what he did with his own balls.” (01:20)
• Host (On Trump’s animal test): “I’m so glad we have a president who can differentiate between an alligator and a squirrel…” (05:09)
• Michael Kosta (On women in sports): “Why do you hate women, Ronnie? Because I would never denigrate the talent of this legendary girl boss named… Shit. What was it?” (13:26)
• Paul W. Downs (On Hacks’ writing process): “We’ve known about [the finale] for a long time…It’s been sort of building toward this the entire time.” (31:02)
• Paul W. Downs (On AI in writing): “It’s something that is decimating huge segments of the workforce and will fundamentally change society.” (28:36)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• Met Gala / Bezos Boycott – 01:20–03:00
• Fuel Prices & Airline Woes – 03:00–03:50
• Trump Cognitive Test & White House Children’s Event – 04:00–08:30
• Donnie’s Daycare Parody – 08:33–09:56
• SportsWar: Derby, NFL scandal, NBA fandom, Gambling – 11:06–19:46
• Paul W. Downs Interview – 22:14–31:38

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Closing Bit: Your Moment of Zen

Starts at 32:49
Questions swirl about “kamikaze dolphins,” underlying the show’s commitment to ending on the most absurd, memorable note possible.

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Transcript

[Announcer]

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How about a creamy mocha Frappuccino drink? Or sweet vanilla smooth caramel maybe? Or white chocolate mocha? Whichever you choose, delicious coffee awaits. Find Starbucks Frappuccino drinks wherever you buy your groceries.

[Narrator]

You're listening to Comedy Central. From the most trusted journalists at Comedy Central. It's America's only source for news. This is the Daily show with your host, Disney Lydd.

[Desi Lydic]

Welcome to the Daily Show. I'm Desi Lydic.

[Host]

We've got so much to talk about tonight. The Met Gala theme was oligarchy. An NFL coach gets a timeout for what he did with his own balls. And is Donald Trump smarter than a fifth grader? We'll find out, but no. So let's get into the headlines. Last night was the Met Gala. It's the biggest night of the year for fashion and for your mom. Saying now is that one heated rivalry. But the biggest trend on the red carpet this year was controversy. This year's Met Gala finds itself steeped in turmoil. Why? Because the honorary chairs are are billionaire Jeff Bezos and his wife, Lauren Sanchez. Look at the message projected last night on a building in New York City. Boycott the Bezos Met Gala. Yeah, get his ass. Yes, I fully support this message, although I don't know if the people living in that building do. Sorry, can you just take it down a notch? Your activism is getting in my eyes. Where did they even find a projector that big? Well, probably Amazon. They. They have the best prime day deals. No, no, no, no. Desi. Remember, Boycott. Boycott. But while the wealthy are living their best lives, the rest of the country is tightening their belts. The war in Iran has sent fuel prices rising to the point where over the weekend, Spirit Airlines was forced to shut down. Spirit Airlines. At least it's no longer suffering. See you in heaven. After a three day layover in Phoenix. But now things are getting so bad that even the real airlines are struggling.

[Paul W. Downs]

If you fly Delta and you look forward to hearing the words, would you

[Michael Costa]

like a Biscoff cookie and a complimentary beverage.

[Paul W. Downs]

When you travel, you may be out of luck. Delta is eliminating snack and drink service on all flights under 350 miles.

[Host]

Come on. Are you kidding me? First, I can't play with the smoke detectors, now this? You know what? This is bullshit. So if I want a free cookie now I have to, what, give blood at the Red Cross? You can forget about that. This is my blood, okay? I made it so I get to keep it off you bloodthirsty maniacs. What is wrong with you?

[Desi Lydic]

God.

[Host]

Sorry. I just really like cookies. Now, without pointing fingers, this entire situation is President Trump's fault. So he needs to reassure people that he has a plan to fix the economy. And fortunately, he had the chance yesterday when he hosted a small business summit. These are the men and women on the economic front lines, Donald Trump. Give them the reassurance they need.

[Ronny Chen]

Anybody running for president or vice president should take a cognitive test. So I've taken three. No president think of this has ever taken one.

[Host]

Kind of a weird flex. It's like bragging about being the only kid in school who gets a special helper. This is not a test to see how smart you are. It's to check if your brain is functioning, which Trump should understand based on the questions.

[Ronny Chen]

The first question is very easy and they always show. The first question is, you have a lion, a bear, an alligator and a. What's another good? A squirrel. Okay, which is the squirrel?

[Host]

I am so glad that we have a president who can differentiate between an alligator and a squirrel, unlike President Coolidge, God rest his soul. But Trump struggling to remember all the animals isn't a surprise. In fact, maybe that should be the cognitive test.

[Ronny Chen]

You have a lion, a bear, an alligator, and a. What's another good? A squirrel. Okay, which is the squirrel? You have a lion, a giraffe, a

[Michael Costa]

whale and a shark.

[Ronny Chen]

And they'll say, which one's the lion? It's a lion, a giraffe, a bear and a shark. They say, which one is the bear? A tiger, an elephant, a giraffe, a giraffe, a tiger, a this, a that's a whale, a giraffe, a fish, and a hippopotamus.

[Narrator]

Right.

[Host]

At this point, I'm not even sure there was even a test. I feel like there's a good chance the President was just watching Zootopia. You know what? Maybe small business owners aren't the best audience for Donald Trump's animal facts. Is there an audience that's closer to his intellectual level? President Trump hosted a Group of children at the White House today for an

[Announcer]

event promoting physical fitness.

[Host]

Ah, there we go. That's more your speed. Now you can talk about animals until your heart's content.

[Ronny Chen]

The power of a nuclear weapon is something I don't even want to talk about. We can't let Iran have a nuclear weapon. You might be too young for this.

[Host]

No, they're not too young. I'm sure they've already seen the Paw Patrol episode where they drop a ballistic missile. How are you talking about nuclear war in front of children? You kids have seen Oppenheimer, writes Lawrence Pugh. Her titties were out for 10 minutes, and he became death, destroyer of all world. So true. So true. Honestly, if there was ever an event where it was important to stick to the topic at hand, it's the one where you're surrounded by small children. You understand that, right?

[Ronny Chen]

It was a rigged election. Barack Hussein Obama. Have you heard of him? Open borders, letting anybody come in from the Congo, from countries all over the world. They came in from prisons and mental institutions. He can put on weight, like up and down like a yo yo, and he doesn't take the shot. Okay, we just hit records on the dow. We reached 50 in the first year, and then I reached 57,000. When you have transgender mutualization. Don't listen to this, kids. And then all of a sudden, a woman dropped dead with a bullet right there.

[Host]

Hi, mom. Can you pick me up from the white house? The president is trauma dump. So when Trump's talking to a room full of adults, he sounds like a child. When he's talking to a room full of children, he sounds like Pennywise. He's not exactly the one you want taking care of your kids, Although in this country, we might not have a choice.

[Donnie's Daycare Announcer]

Are you struggling to find childcare in a country that can't provide it?

[Ronny Chen]

The United States can't take care of daycare. We're fighting wars. We can't take care of daycare?

[Donnie's Daycare Announcer]

Then you'll love Donnie's daycare, a daycare center. Personally run President Donald Trump. Childcare is his thing.

[Michael Costa]

Have you ever done the whole kid thing? Changed the diaper and all that?

[Ronny Chen]

I've never been into it. You know, it's never been my thing.

[Donnie's Daycare Announcer]

It's not totally his thing, but he'll teach your kids important life skills, like fairness.

[Ronny Chen]

I thought I'd easily win the election, which, by the way, I did. And unfortunately, bad things happened. It was a rigged election.

[Donnie's Daycare Announcer]

They'll be engaged with arts and crafts.

[Ronny Chen]

You know, Biden, he was incapable of signing things. So they'd follow him around with this big machine. You know what it was called? An autopad.

[Donnie's Daycare Announcer]

Then it's nap time. Then a story circle.

[Ronny Chen]

A woman dropped dead with a bullet right there.

[Donnie's Daycare Announcer]

And look, a visit from Uncle Bobby.

[Ronny Chen]

77% of our children cannot qualify for military service.

[Donnie's Daycare Announcer]

You said it, unc. Then time for another nap. At Donnie Daycare, kids learn how to handle conflict.

[Ronny Chen]

You think you can take me in a fight?

[Donnie's Daycare Announcer]

They'll learn self esteem.

[Ronny Chen]

You have no weight problems. That's the good news, right?

[Donnie's Daycare Announcer]

And they'll learn nap. So bring your kids to Donnie's daycare. They'll love the fun and games they don't like.

[Ronny Chen]

Play any games with us. They don't like it at all. You'll see that

[Desi Lydic]

when we come back. We catch up on the latest in sports.

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[Desi Lydic]

Welcome back to the Daily Show.

[Host]

I think I speak for everyone when I say politics, drools and sports rules. For a full recap of the biggest stories in the world of jocks and straps, we turn to Sportswarf.

[Narrator]

Get ready for battle. It's time for Sports war, brought to you by Gambling. Gambling. It's the Michael Jordan of addictions.

[Donnie's Daycare Announcer]

What's up, rising bag garglers?

[Ronny Chen]

I'm Ronny Chen.

[Michael Costa]

And I'm Michael Costa. This is Sportswar, the show where we are legally not allowed to agree with each other.

[Ronny Chen]

That's right. So if I say the Stanley cup is the most.

[Michael Costa]

And I say, hell no. Have you seen the ass on the Heisman Trophy? I mean, why do you think he's going like this? He's saying, stay away from my perfect ass.

[Ronny Chen]

Okay, let's start things off with the only sport where you get to rest your sweaty balls on your teammate's back. Say it with me. Horse racing history was made at Churchill

[Host]

Downs this weekend when trainer Cherie devoe became the first first woman to win the Kentucky Derby. Her horse, Golden Tempo, charged from the back of the pack to edge out the favorite, Renegade, just as they cross the finish line.

[Michael Costa]

You go, girl. Man, my feet are covered in blood. Yes, my feet are covered in blood because I've been walking on a shattered glass ceiling and because I tried to sneak into the Met Gal and I fell through the Skylight. Regardless, Cherie DeVoe has cemented herself in she sports herstory. You had greats like Billie Jean King, Mary Lou Retton, and now this unforgettable horse trainer. And I'm blanking on her name.

[Ronny Chen]

What was it?

What was it? You just said it six seconds ago.

[Michael Costa]

I know. I want to say, was it Horsica? Was that her name?

[Ronny Chen]

Okay, why are we celebrating the horse trainer anyway? The horse did all the work. It's easier to be a horse trainer. I can be a horse trainer. All you have to do to make horse run faster is you go up to a horse and you just say, hey, horse, if you lose, I'm gonna turn you into glue. The cheap kind that Michael Kosta sniffs.

[Michael Costa]

First of all, I sniff the good stuff. And secondly, why do you hate women, Ronnie? Because I would never denigrate the talent of this legendary girl boss named Shit.

[Announcer]

What was it?

[Michael Costa]

I feel like. Was it Horsifer?

[Ronny Chen]

Okay, which brings us to our triple coin bed of the night. How will Golden Temple celebrate his big win? Brought to you by gambling. Gambling problem. Give me a call. Let's hang.

[Michael Costa]

I'll tell you who has a gambling problem. It's Ronnie. His problem is he sucks at it. I've been kicking his ass all year. Shut up.

[Ronny Chen]

The Westminster Dog show is rigged anyway.

[Michael Costa]

Moving on from Kentucky's fastest horse to New England's biggest whores, the ongoing controversy

[Host]

that's shaking up the sports world.

[Announcer]

Photos published by the New York Post show New England Patriots coach Mike Vrabel and reporter Diana Rossini getting cozy at a resort in Arizona. Both are married to other people.

[Michael Costa]

New bombshell photos emerging showing Vrabel and Rossini allegedly kissing at a New York Bar in 2020.

[Announcer]

Both Vrabel and Rossini have previously claimed that their relationship is platonic.

[Michael Costa]

What was Mike Vrabel thinking? Didn't he learn anything from Bill Belichick? You're supposed to wait till after you're done coaching the Patriots to get into a super up relationship.

[Ronny Chen]

Wait, no. Let me tell you what I think, Costa. I think we shouldn't judge this, okay? Because we don't know the full story. Mike seems like a normal, charming, special man who's looking for a soulmate.

[Paul W. Downs]

Hmm.

[Michael Costa]

You seem to be going very easy on Frable. I wonder if it has anything to do with this recently leaked photo of you two. Wow, Ronnie.

[Ronny Chen]

Oh, wow.

[Michael Costa]

Come on.

[Ronny Chen]

It's just two friends doing pottery. You're missing the contacts. There were 12 other people in that class, and Mike took turns with each and every one of them. It's not my fault. We had the most sexual chemistry. And you'll want to question my integrity, Costa, given this leaked photo of you

[Michael Costa]

two doing God knows what. Okay, okay. It's not what it looks like, all right? It's just one friend painting another friend naked while wearing the Heart of the Ocean.

[Ronny Chen]

That's exactly what he looks like.

[Narrator]

Well.

[Michael Costa]

Well, can you blame me? I've never had anyone paint my genitals in such fine detail. I mean, the shading on my perineum was incredible. Which brings me to our vow buster bet of the night. Who will Coach Vrabel choose in the end? Brought to you by gambling. Gambling? It gives my life meaning. That me crushing Ronnie and gambling over and over again. I thought Asians were supposed to be good with numbers.

[Ronny Chen]

Shut up. My cousin's gender reveal was rigged.

[Michael Costa]

Your face is rigged. Moving on to the NBA playoffs, where the 76ers are trying to put Knicks fans in a timeout.

[Host]

The Philadelphia 76ers take it on the New York Knicks. And Philly is doing everything they can

[Donnie's Daycare Announcer]

to keep Knicks fans out of their home arena.

[Host]

The Sixers. They are restricting ticket sales to fans only that are living in the greater Philly area.

[Michael Costa]

Hell, yeah. This is a great idea. The Sixers should have a loyalty test at the door. Anyone coming to the game has to prove they're from Philadelphia. By eating human shit off the ground.

[Ronny Chen]

Are you kidding me? Philly should be grateful. Anyone wants to visit their shit city. People only go to Philadelphia for two reasons. To eat cream cheese or to star in that AIDS movie.

[Michael Costa]

Ronnie, Ronnie. That dumbass take is why you suck at gambling. In fact, let's take a look at our Sports wars scoreboard. As you can see, this week, I've lost 250,000, while Ronnie has lost over a whopping $460,000. That means I won the least loss. Hell yeah. Suck it, loser. Hell yeah. And they agree with me.

[Desi Lydic]

No.

[Michael Costa]

Shut up.

[Ronny Chen]

It's not over yet. I can still come from behind. If Victor Wembanyama turns out to be a kid sitting on the shoulders of another kid, as he obviously is.

[Michael Costa]

Oh, please. This thing is over unless you have some access to some secret Asian ancestral plane for gambling advice.

[Ronny Chen]

Well, I do.

[Host]

Whoa.

[Ronny Chen]

Gen Li. Hey, Ronnie.

[Host]

What's the name about me? Li Sifu.

[Ronny Chen]

I need your wisdom to beat Michael Costa at gambling. Yeah, yeah, that's not super helpful. Can you give me any advice. Beyond life and death? Okay.

[Paul W. Downs]

Pay me the money.

[Ronny Chen]

Okay, well, I don't have my wallet. In my vision, no money, no book. Okay, well, can you give me something I need to beat Michael Kosta.

[Paul W. Downs]

Point at this thing.

[Ronny Chen]

Mmm. Give him this. This looks like a candy bar wrapper.

[Michael Costa]

Ronnie. Ronnie, Ronnie, Ronnie. We've been sitting here for 20 minutes. What happened?

[Ronny Chen]

Oh, I was with Jet Li and he said to give you this. He said you would know what it means.

[Michael Costa]

I have no idea what it means. I mean, you think he was just handing you his trash?

[Ronny Chen]

What?

[Desi Lydic]

Damn you, Jet Le.

[Ronny Chen]

Well, that's all the time we have. Join us next week where we debate if Mr. Met is a man with a baseball head, a man with an undiagnosed brain tumor.

[Michael Costa]

Neither. It's a hand sewn void.

[Narrator]

I mean, you don't know what's in there.

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[Desi Lydic]

Welcome back to the Daily Show.

[Host]

My guest tonight is a creator, writer and star of the award winning HBO Max series Hacks. Please welcome Paul W. Down. Oh, I. I am so happy you're here.

[Paul W. Downs]

I'm so happy to be here. I'm so happy to be back.

[Ronny Chen]

My home.

[Paul W. Downs]

My home away from home.

[Host]

New York City. Welcome back home.

[Ronny Chen]

Thank you.

[Desi Lydic]

How you feeling?

[Host]

How you doing?

[Paul W. Downs]

You know, I'm a little tired. Last night was the Met Ball.

[Host]

Oh, you went?

[Paul W. Downs]

No, but I was up really late, you know, online. I was being bitchy.

[Host]

Oh, weren't we all?

[Michael Costa]

Yeah.

[Host]

Isn't it amazing how we all become fashion critics when the Met gala comes around? Like, I'm sitting in my sweatpants with a bag of Flamin Hot Cheetos. Like, oh, that bodice is all wrong. Like, what am I talking about?

[Paul W. Downs]

100%. We should go next year.

[Host]

We should. Who's sponsoring it? Not Bezos.

[Paul W. Downs]

I don't know. I hope not.

[Host]

Okay, well, you know what? We'll say that we go.

[Paul W. Downs]

Okay.

[Host]

And then if the sponsor is Someone like Elon Musk. Then we'll just edit this part out.

[Paul W. Downs]

Okay, great.

[Desi Lydic]

We'll delete it from the Internet.

[Michael Costa]

That's good.

[Paul W. Downs]

Clip it. That's good.

[Host]

Yeah, that's good. Super easy. Super easy. Fifth season. Fifth and final season.

[Paul W. Downs]

Yeah.

[Host]

12 Emmy wins, 60 nominations.

[Michael Costa]

Crazy.

[Host]

And it's Hacks is one of those rare shows that honestly somehow continues to get better and better every single season. How do you do that? How do you keep up with the momentum of the show and keep outdoing yourself?

[Paul W. Downs]

We try really hard. Yeah, we really try hard. I mean, we have an amazing room of writers who help us do it and we have an incredible cast that makes everything better on the day. So it really does take. It takes a village. And so we have a lot of help. But, you know, it's so nice when a show does get better. Like a show that you love watching it, it kind of sucks when they tread water or get worse. So, you know, we feel a real onus to make it good.

[Host]

Well, you do.

[Paul W. Downs]

Thanks.

[Host]

And also, I assume hallucinogenics. That's probably.

[Ronny Chen]

Oh, there's a lot of drugs.

[Paul W. Downs]

There's a lot of drugs involved.

[Host]

Okay. That makes me feel better.

[Paul W. Downs]

I appreciate psychedelics.

[Host]

Yeah, psychedelics.

[Paul W. Downs]

Yes, Psychedelics is a shamanist. We got a witch on stuff.

[Desi Lydic]

Okay.

[Host]

Okay.

[Paul W. Downs]

That explains a little bit of witchcraft. A lot of. Yeah.

[Host]

Last season, Deborah Vance goes on her journey as the only. And I want to make sure that I get this right. FEMALE late night host. Am I saying that right?

[Paul W. Downs]

That's right. That's right. Yeah.

[Host]

Mature.

[Paul W. Downs]

It's a rare thing. It's a very rare thing.

[Host]

It's a very rare thing. Now, did anyone inspire that for you?

[Paul W. Downs]

You know, there's a little bit of. There's, you know. Well, yes, Deborah's an amalgamation of a lot of people. You know, there's some Joan Rivers, there's some Lucille Ball, there's some Debbie Reynolds, there's some Desi.

[Host]

Oh, thank you.

[Desi Lydic]

Thank you for doing that. Appreciate that.

[Host]

Also, Seth Meyers has a very feminine.

[Paul W. Downs]

Oh, he's beautiful.

[Host]

Yes.

[Paul W. Downs]

He's a gorgeous man. So I can see he's a gorgeous man. There's a lot of Seth Meyers in her. Yeah.

[Host]

I love your character, Jimmy, so much. You are brilliant on the show as an actor, but you're not just acting. You're showrunning, you're writing, you're directing some episodes. I guess men really can do it all. No, it's impressive how much you do on this show.

[Paul W. Downs]

I do.

[Host]

How do you juggle all of those jobs. How do you direct yourself?

[Paul W. Downs]

That's a challenge. Yeah, yeah, he's a diva. You know what I mean? Honestly, the hardest job is directing myself. But luckily I have my wife Lucianiello and Jen Statsky, who created the show with us. They're behind the camera all the time. So, you know, I have a lot of great people around me. And also my scene partners are so good, whether it's Jean Smarter or Megan Stalter. It's like, you know, my job is so easy because the people around me are so good.

[Host]

Okay. I have to say, I know that Deborah and Ava are like the heart and soul of the show, that relationship, but. Okay. My favorite scenes are with you and Kayla. Jimmy and Kayla scenes. Your relationship is so funny. It's a real classic. Won't they. Won't they relationship.

[Paul W. Downs]

Yes, and they won't. And they won't.

[Desi Lydic]

Okay.

[Host]

That's what I was gonna ask.

[Paul W. Downs]

No matter what Meg wants, they won't.

[Host]

Yeah, she's. She keeps trying.

[Paul W. Downs]

She does. She writes letters. Yeah. But no, we have so much fun together. And, yeah, we think of ourselves kind of as like a bizarro Deborah and Ava, in a way. Yeah. Because obviously that is the heart of the show. Although I always think of the show as more like about an intrepid manager and the crazy women in his life.

[Host]

Well, yeah. Yes.

[Paul W. Downs]

But depends on who's watching. You know, it depends on the lens.

[Host]

Is there any chance we might get a spin off?

[Paul W. Downs]

I wish.

[Host]

I wish you thought about it. You stopped for a second and you thought about it.

[Paul W. Downs]

Well, I hesitated. Yeah. That indicated some. Well, the thing is that HBO doesn't really do spin offs, so, you know, unless we break the mold. I don't know.

[Host]

Oh, throw Robbie Hoffman in there.

[Paul W. Downs]

I mean, she'd be in the spinoff.

[Host]

I would watch the shit out of that show.

[Paul W. Downs]

Yeah, it'd be good. I would, too. I would love it.

[Host]

Well, you heard it here first. There will be a spinoff. We're announcing that. I do not do that.

[Desi Lydic]

Yes, there will be a spinoff.

[Host]

I get a producer credit because it was my idea. You are want to send that credit?

[Paul W. Downs]

That's right.

[Host]

You have an entire episode on AI and I think the way that you tackle it is beautiful. Is that something that's on your mind constantly as a creator, as a writer?

[Paul W. Downs]

Oh, yeah. All the time in my nightmares.

[Host]

Really?

[Paul W. Downs]

Yeah.

[Host]

It's terrifying.

[Paul W. Downs]

It's very terrifying. It's really, really terrifying. You know, it feels like there may be applications that make sense. For it. But in the creative process, it feels like that's something that we figured out. We absolutely don't need it. And it's something that is decimating huge segments of the workforce and will fundamentally change society.

[Michael Costa]

So.

[Paul W. Downs]

Yeah, I'm scared. Yeah, I'm thinking about it a lot. Same.

[Host]

You can applaud.

[Paul W. Downs]

There's a lot of chat.

[Ronny Chen]

Cheesy teaser.

[Host]

Yeah, I was gonna say the audience is AI tonight, actually, you left board. Yeah, they do. They're perfect. There's one thing that cannot be replaced by AI and that is lunchtime theater. Could you tell us what lunchtime theater is about?

[Paul W. Downs]

Well, yeah, you know, there's like a cool kids table at lunch, and then there's a less cool kids table at lunch. And then there's a place in school, at least in my high school, which was an attic theater, where if you were super uncool, you could go and perform for other people who weren't at lunch. Yeah. And so I used to do that. I used to do this, like, lunchtime theater, and it was actually the first time I wrote characters and performed and was writing and performing. And so it was actually really formative to not be at the cool kids table.

[Host]

Oh, I didn't realize that you only perform for people who also were not at lunch.

[Desi Lydic]

That's really sweet.

[Paul W. Downs]

Now I have to go on the record, I was incredibly popular.

[Desi Lydic]

Yes, yes.

[Michael Costa]

I also had a calling, though.

[Paul W. Downs]

I had a calling, you know, so. So it was self selected.

[Host]

Oh, I love that. That's where you cut your teeth. Your comedy teeth. Oh, my God. What were some of the presentations?

[Paul W. Downs]

You know, probably the most famous one for any of you who were around at the time. I did a Norwegian goat milk farmer. Oh, yeah, that was a really good one.

[Host]

Oh, that's fun. Do you still have that character readily available?

[Paul W. Downs]

Absolutely not.

[Host]

Okay.

[Ronny Chen]

I love the good enough.

[Paul W. Downs]

No, no.

[Host]

Unfortunately, I can imagine that the only thing harder than creating a hit show is finding a way to wrap up a hit show and to not disappoint the fans who have fallen in love with these two characters. How do you deal with the pressure of knowing that the fans want a satisfying finale?

[Paul W. Downs]

Well, we have a witch. We have a shaman. Ess. We have Psychefeller Jones.

[Narrator]

Perfect.

[Desi Lydic]

Say no more.

[Paul W. Downs]

Yeah, it's really, really hard because you want to end the show in a satisfying way for the fans especially, but also for ourselves. And so, especially after five seasons, there is so much pressure to stick the landing. But what is weird about our show is that we thought of the idea five years before we pitched it. And then when we pitched it, we pitched the final episode. So we've known about it for a long time. So it's evolved and obviously it's expanded as we've come to write for these actors and learned the characters more. But it's been sort of building toward this the entire time. So I really hope it's satisfying because we've been planning it for a long time and we can't go back. But, you know, it's yet to be seen. It's not out yet, so. But it's terrifying, you know, of course.

[Host]

Well, I can't wait. You are so talented. I love your show so much.

[Paul W. Downs]

Along with you.

[Desi Lydic]

Thank you for being here. Congratulations on everything. You're awesome. New episodes of the fifth and final season of Act 3 on Thursday on HBO. Max Paul W. Downs we're going to take a quick break, but we'll be right back after this.

[Ryan Reynolds]

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[Desi Lydic]

Echo show for tonight. Now, here it is, your moment of bed.

[Ryan Reynolds]

Can you kind of clarify these reports

[Host]

of kamikaze dolphins that we've heard about?

[Paul W. Downs]

I haven't heard the kamikaze dolphin thing.

[Michael Costa]

It's like sharks with laser beams, right?

[Ronny Chen]

And I can't confirm or deny whether

[Michael Costa]

we have kamikaze dolphins, but I can confirm they don't ultimately explore more shows

[Narrator]

from the Daily show 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. Plus, This has been a Comedy Central podcast.

[Ryan Reynolds]

Ryan Reynolds here from Mint Mobile with a message for everyone paying big wireless way too much. Please, for the love of everything good in this world, stop with Mint. You can get premium wireless for just $15 a month. Of course, if you enjoy overpaying. No judgments. But that's weird. Okay, one judgment anyway. Give it a [e-mail] Switch upfront payment

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[Host]

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