FBI Charges NBA Stars in Gambling Scheme & Trump Touts Ballroom Post-East Wing Demo | Jeff Tweedy

Summary

The Daily Show: Ears Edition – Episode Summary

Date: October 24, 2025
Host: Michael Kosta
Guest: Jeff Tweedy

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Overview

This episode of The Daily Show: Ears Edition blends sharp satire with current headlines as Michael Kosta (guest-hosting for Jon Stewart) and the News Team dissect two major stories: a bombshell FBI/NBA gambling scandal involving mafia ties, and Donald Trump’s ostentatious demolition of the White House East Wing to build a ballroom. The show also features a mock-deep dive into Fox News field reporting personalities and concludes with a thoughtful, humorous interview with Wilco frontman Jeff Tweedy about creativity, mental health, and the pandemic’s lingering effects.

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Key Segments and Insights

1. NBA Gambling Scandal with Mafia Ties

[01:01–03:49]

• Story Highlights:

  • FBI Director Cash Patel announces the arrest of Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups for participating in mafia-linked rigged poker games.
  • Miami Heat’s Terry Rozier implicated in profiting from illegal prop bets; accused of providing insider injury info and faking an on-court injury.

• Commentary:

  • Kosta mocks the mafia’s “downward mobility” for targeting “the biggest NBA star they could get: Chauncey Billups”, joking they couldn’t land bigger names like Shaq.
  • Kosta lampoons the league’s response: “The NBA is making it up to fans by offering them a $50 free play on Fanduel using the promo code Jailblazer.” [03:31]

2. Trump’s White House Ballroom Debacle

[03:49–09:31]

• Story Highlights:

  • Trump, defying initial promises, demolishes the entire East Wing to make way for a new ballroom, leaving the White House looking “like one of those crabs with the big arm.” [05:32]
  • Trump assures it’s “no cost to the country,” funded by himself and donors.

• Satirical Analysis:

  • Kosta questions the necessity and optics of such a project, “I do know a thing or two about overcompensating for a small penis, by the way. By the way, check out this fedora I bought the Other day…” [05:32]
  • Draws broader parallels to Trump’s modus operandi: “Never listen to what Trump says and instead look at what he does...over the next three to 20 years that he's in office, don't listen to his promises. Just look at the crater of results.” [08:19]

3. Satirical Vox Pop – Ballroom Fandom Trends in Texas

[09:31–11:53]

• Josh Johnson checks in from Austin:
  • Declares that “all the podcast alpha males” love the ballroom idea, mocking the rugged masculinity of Trump’s base.
  • Parodies male fantasy with period-piece ball references: “If the thought of tying up a cravat, strapping up your silk garters, and dancing the quadrille so that you can marry into one of the noble houses doesn’t excite you, then maybe youse don’t got that dog in you…” [10:29]
  • Humorous back-and-forth on whether desiring a ballroom experience is “bro-y,” “sus,” or “gay,” flipping stereotypes for comedic effect.

4. “News to Meet Ya” – Satire of Fox News Reporters

[12:39–19:49]
Segment hosted by Jordan Klepper

• Focus on Fox & Friends’ Lawrence Jones:
  • Parodies the tokenizing of diversity at Fox, describing him as “the black reporter on a mostly white network for mostly white people.”
  • Highlights Jones’ fieldwork: diner interviews with awkward personal questions, exaggerated “man on the street” reactions.
  • Mocks his claim to free thought: “if you listen close, he's just another Fox blonde.” Uses direct soundbites juxtaposing generic Fox talking points.
  • Notable moments:
    • “They could send him anywhere…hard drugs and Judaism. No. Fox also sent him down to the border to report.” [17:17]
    • The segment ends with a montage illustrating how Jones, despite branding as a maverick, parrots Fox orthodoxy.

5. In-Depth Interview with Jeff Tweedy

[20:56–31:16]

Creativity and Modern Life

• On making ambitious records:

  • Kosta notes the rarity of a triple album: “That is why everybody says, now keep it short… And then I open up Twilight Override, your album, and it's two hours of music.” [21:54]
  • Tweedy: “But people also listen to podcasts where three guys talk for four hours about—I don't know…” [21:58]
  • Tweedy on intention: “I did set out to make a triple record…what you can do…having different types of moods meet other moods.” [22:35]

• On resisting trends for brevity:

  • Kosta: “It's a little punk rock of you to say, I'll do whatever the f*** you want.” [23:00]

The “Twilight Override” Concept

• Tweedy: “It's just this notion that we're—I'm getting older, that the world appears to be getting darker…But I don't know, this is the thing that I do to combat that…I spend time making things, being creative…with things that love me and people that love me as opposed to things that don't.” [23:26]

Phones, Disconnection & Mental Health

• Tweedy: “I don't think my phone loves me.” [24:07]
• Both discuss phone-induced isolation, even at a busy dog park.
• Tweedy: “There's kind of a willingness on our part…to get up and kind of put ourselves in a cage every morning of like, who do…I'm gonna start thinking right away about who I hate.” [24:16]

Pandemic’s Lasting Effects

• Tweedy: “Everybody's walking around…dealing with some trauma that isn't really being discussed or addressed or even diagnosed…there was a moment where it felt like…it could be a breakthrough…empathy…And it was kind of squandered and politicized…explains a lot about how poorly a lot of people are behaving…” [27:00]
• On social cohesion: “I always think of it like the shopping cart. When you're in your car…But if you bump into somebody with your cart at the grocery store…that's because you're still human in that context…inside a machine like a car or…with a phone…I think we tend to dehumanize each other quite a bit.” [28:22]

The Midwest Upbringing

• Tweedy: “I grew up on the other side of the Mississippi from St. Louis…you're given an opportunity to suck for longer before people start weighing in on how…evaluating you.” [29:50]
• Kosta: “I'm always rooting for any creative person to have any form of success from the Midwest, because most of these people in New York don't even know what the f*** I'm talking about.” [29:24]

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Memorable Quotes

• “Never listen to what Trump says and instead look at what he does…Just look at the crater of results.” – Michael Kosta [08:19]
• “If the thought of tying up a cravat, strapping up your silk garters, and dancing the quadrille so that you can marry into one of the noble houses doesn’t excite you, then maybe youse don’t got that dog in you.” – Josh Johnson [10:29]
• “I don't think my phone loves me.” – Jeff Tweedy [24:07]
• “There's kind of a willingness on our part…to get up and kind of put ourselves in a cage every morning of like, who do…I'm gonna start thinking right away about who I hate.” – Jeff Tweedy [24:16]
• “It's just this notion that…I'm getting older, that the world appears to be getting darker…this is the thing that I do to combat that…I spend time making things, being creative…” – Jeff Tweedy [23:26]

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• NBA–Mafia Gambling Scandal: 01:01–03:49
• Trump’s Ballroom Demolition: 03:49–09:31
• Satirical Texas Reaction (Josh Johnson): 09:31–11:53
• Fox News "News to Meet Ya" Satire: 12:39–19:49
• Jeff Tweedy Interview: 20:56–31:16

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Tone & Style

The episode is classic Daily Show: biting, irreverent, rapid-fire with a blend of satire, pop culture parody, and moments of genuine introspection—especially during the Tweedy interview. Segments swing from absurdity (mafia basketball scandals, White House “crab” architecture) to barbed media commentary and honest explorations of creativity and trauma.

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For Listeners Who Missed the Episode

If you’re catching up, this episode delivers classic Daily Show wit, roasting political, sports, and media absurdity, while offering a grounded, sincere finale with Jeff Tweedy on sustaining hope and creativity during troubled times.

Transcript

[Michael Costa]

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[Narrator/Announcer]

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[Donald Trump]

Fascinating.

[Michael Costa]

It's accompanied by his natural ally, Doug. Uh, Limu is that guy with the binoculars watching us? Cut the camera. They see us.

[Narrator/Announcer]

Only pay for what you [e-mail] Liberty Liberty.

[Michael Costa]

Liberty.

[Narrator/Announcer]

Liberty Savings vary unwritten by Liberty Mutual Insurance company and affiliates.

[Michael Costa]

Excludes Massachusetts.

[News Reporter]

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[Comedy Central Announcer]

You're listening to Comedy Central.

[Michael Costa]

From the most trusted journalists at Comedy Central. It's America's only source for news. This is the Daily show with your host, Michael Costa. Yeah, baby. Welcome to the Daily Show. I'm Michael Costa. We've got so much to talk about. Trump deports the east wing. From the White House, we meet the Fox News guys always interrupting people at diners. And the NBA dropped a new collab with the mafia. So let's get into the headlines. Let's kick things off with Cash Patel, FBI director and man with resting whoa face. He had a major announcement today. And no, it's not about the Epstein files. Those are still securely firmed inside Mike Johnson's clenched butthole. But it what is news that might affect your fantasy lineup.

[News Reporter]

Breaking news of seismic proportions involving the NBA. Chauncey Bullops, the head coach for the Portland Trail Blazers, arrested for allegedly participating in rigged poker games run by four Italian crime families.

[Michael Costa]

Damn. An NBA head coach might have ties to the mafia. Well, I guess that explains the new Portland Trailblazers assistant coach, Vinnie the Clam. I will say the mafia must really be hurting if the biggest NBA Chauncey Billups they couldn't get Shaq. He'll take money for anything. And as bad as it sounds, that's not even the worst NBA scandal that got exposed today.

[News Reporter]

Miami Heat star Terry Rozier was allegedly part of an illegal gambling scheme where gamblers made millions on prop bets. He allegedly was sending information to sports bettors about who was going to play in games, who would be out on injury. And according to one law enforcement source, he begged out of a game early, only about nine minutes in faking an injury. And officials say that he Profited himself from that.

[Michael Costa]

Jesus Christ, Terry, you've made over $160 million in your career. You shouldn't be doing gambling schemes. Leave the schemes for the guys on the bench. They're the ones who need the money. But still, I think the FBI should leave him alone. This is America. We don't arrest NBA players with gambling problems. We force them to play baseball for a. The NBA understands this scandal has really tarnished their integrity. That's why the league is making it up to fans by offering them a $50 free play on a fanduel using the promo code Jailblazer. I'm gonna make it, baby.

[Comedy Central Announcer]

Come on.

[Michael Costa]

This is the one. This is the one. But enough about corrupt insiders gaming the system for profit. Let's move to Donald Trump. This week, he's been focused on his passion project, building a ballroom for the White House. Now, when he started, he promised that it would be separate from the existing White House and he wouldn't touch the east wing, that this construction would strictly be over the pants. Then this week, there was a minor change to the plan when Trump ripped open the side of the east wing like it had a laboo boo inside. But all right, so maybe a little bit of damage, but I'm sure he'll keep the rest of the historic east wing intact. Right, right, right.

[News Reporter]

New images appear to show the entire building is gone. It's been demolished.

[Michael Costa]

Jeez. Holy shit, man. Keep in mind, everyone, this is a rental, you know? Any day now, Trump. Yeah, you get it? New Yorkers get it. Any day now, Trump's gonna get a call from the White House's Albanian landlord. Like, what the Is this? What's going. But this is all happening so fast. This Guy's been taking 15 years to give us a health care plan, but in three and a half days, he's demolished half the White House. Donnie T. Tell me this is going to end up looking good.

[Donald Trump]

So I thought I'd bring this out because this is going to be probably the finest ballroom ever built. And we're doing it. No cost to the country. It's being put. The money is being put in by me and donors.

[Michael Costa]

Jesus Christ. Look at this thing. It's huge. It's bigger than the actual White House. It looks like one of those crabs with the big arm, doesn't it? I mean, I don't know a lot about architecture, but I do know a thing or two about overcompensating for a small penis, by the way. By the way, check out this fedora. I bought the Other day, huh? Pretty cool, right? No way a guy has a small penis who wears this. That's not funny. Oh, and in case you're wondering, that guy sitting next to Trump, that's not the ballroom architect, that's just the head of NATO. This poor guy's continent is locked in a death match with Russia and he has to sit there like, yeah, ballroom looks great. I can't wait to tell the front lines about this. I mean, I like how Trump's schedule, it's like a Mad Libs. You're meeting with head of NATO to discuss ballroom design, then talking to the Dalai Lama about Arnold Palmer's. Now huge fan of Arnold Palmer's.

[News Reporter]

Here.

[Donald Trump]

Woo.

[Michael Costa]

Arthur Palmer's. Now, you might be thinking, if a ballroom is so important, why didn't a previous president build it? It's because they didn't have the ballroom balls.

[News Reporter]

Administration after administration have publicly and privately spoken about the need for a larger event space. So while many presidents have privately dreamt about this, it's President Trump who is actually doing something about it.

[Michael Costa]

Yeah, well, not every president. I don't think FDR was dying for a ballroom where he could show off his dance moves. But besides him, every other president has wanted a ballroom. We all remember that famous scene, remember, from the movie Lincoln.

[Narrator/Announcer]

Leave the Constitution alone.

[Michael Costa]

Peace commissioners appear today.

[Narrator/Announcer]

Or state by state, by the state.

[Michael Costa]

I can't listen to this anymore.

[Narrator/Announcer]

We're stepped out upon the world stage now. Now, with the fate of human dignity in our hands.

[Michael Costa]

So let's build a fancy ballroom we can dance in now.

[Narrator/Announcer]

Now, now.

[Michael Costa]

God, what a great documentary, huh? Now, the truth is, I don't really give a shit about a ballroom at the White House. Like, if we're being honest, none of us even knew that what was in the East Wing until they started knocking it down three days ago. But I do think that this serves as a perfect reminder to never listen to what Trump says and instead look at what he does. Because he says, I won't touch the East Wing, but he does demolish the east wing. Just like he says he supports free speech, but he does punish anyone who tries to use it. Or like he. Or like he says he loves the Constitution, but then he does blow up boats without any due process. So just remember over the next three to 20 years that he's in office, don't listen to his promises. Just look at the crater of results. Now, for more on the reaction to Trump's ballroom, we go to Austin, Texas, with Josh Johnson. Josh, there's no way that Trump's base is happy with all he's spending on this ballroom.

[Josh Johnson]

You couldn't be more wrong. All the podcast alpha males down here are excited about this. All right? I just sat down with the Cho Bros Podcast, and this is exactly what they wanted. They demanded two things. One, no dudes in dresses, and two, a place where a man can pull up his finest breeches and wear a wig or whatever. Ah, shantae, bitches.

[Michael Costa]

Wait, none. None of this sounds bro y to me. I mean, I'm kind of a bro myself. I never wanted to go to a ball.

[Josh Johnson]

You sound a little sus if you ask me. All right, you're really saying as a little kid, you never fantasize about receiving a wax stamped invitation beckoning you to the grandest event of the season, all in the hopes you could stand in line gazing upon the fair countenances of the most eligible daughters in the land?

[Michael Costa]

No, no.

[Josh Johnson]

Gay?

[Michael Costa]

How is that gay?

[Josh Johnson]

Look, man, I just sat down with the Sloppy Seconds crew and we all agree if the thought of tying up a cravat, strapping up your silk garters, and dancing the quadrille so that you can marry into one of the noble houses doesn't excite you, then maybe youse don't got that dog in you, all right?

[Michael Costa]

Hell yeah.

[Josh Johnson]

Me and the stinky pinky lads, we can't wait to go down beast mode at a White House ball.

[Michael Costa]

Be smo like Marshawn Lynch.

[Comedy Central Announcer]

What?

[Josh Johnson]

No, beast mode, like when you're sweeping the beauty Belle off her feet.

[Donald Trump]

All right?

[Josh Johnson]

You know, with the teapot cheering you on and a little bit. Little candlestick over there hoping you clap cheeks. All right, the curtains. The curtains even close themselves. Cause they know you about to get nasty. Whilst waltzing.

[Michael Costa]

I'm sorry, Jon, did you say whilst?

[Josh Johnson]

Yeah, whilst waltzing, like, whilst waltzing.

[Michael Costa]

Whilst waltzing, like, whilst waltzing.

[Josh Johnson]

Waltz. Waltzing.

[Michael Costa]

Forget it, forget it, forget it, forget it. I just think that when the bays who voted for a man who said he was gonna bring back manufacturing and construction, I don't think they were expecting a fancy White House ballroom. Oh, shit. Okay, hold on, Costa.

[Josh Johnson]

This is my jam to the window.

[Michael Costa]

To the waltz, you know. Damn, that does look fun. Josh Johnson, everyone. When we come back, we'll find out the latest ass on the Fox and Friends couch. Don't go away.

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[Michael Costa]

Welcome back to the Daily Show. Every year, there's more and more reporters in the news media. So to find out who some of them are, we go to Jordan Klepper in our ongoing segment News to Meet ya.

[Narrator/Announcer]

When it comes to Fox News hosts, there's definitely a type. You've got your blondes, your other blondes, your dirty blondes, your youthful blondes, your shrieking blondes, and of course, Trey Gowdy. There's at least one person on Fox that breaks the mold. Fox and Friends co host Lawrence Jones. And what might initially stand out is that he's a black reporter on a mostly white network for mostly white people. But that doesn't bother Lawrence. In fact, he's well aware of the optics.

[Comedy Central Announcer]

When someone is hearing about Fox News, I think the elephant in the room is they don't expect someone that looks like me. I'm a black man. And I'm also a conservative, not a Republican member. I'm a conservative. I'm a libertarian.

[Michael Costa]

I say, well, I'm a libertarian.

[Comedy Central Announcer]

You're a strong Republican conservative man. And sometimes I disagree with the party. He goes, well, that won't be a problem. When we disagree, you just be you.

[Narrator/Announcer]

Great. Great. He's a free thinker ready to challenge the status quo. This isn't your father's Fox News host. That guy was fired for sexual harassment eight years ago. No, the network is excited to welcome a fresh, diverse staff. And I'm sure his co workers won't make it awkward in any way.

[Michael Costa]

Hello, brother.

[Comedy Central Announcer]

I'm back in studio with you.

[Narrator/Announcer]

Well, bro, what on earth is going on here?

[Michael Costa]

What's with that in your head? The party.

[Comedy Central Announcer]

All right, you said you love the part. It's flavor. We gotta bring some flavor.

[Narrator/Announcer]

Is that a Nike swoosh?

[Comedy Central Announcer]

It's like it's a part.

[Narrator/Announcer]

A part.

[Comedy Central Announcer]

It's a part.

[Jeff Tweedy]

Yeah.

[Narrator/Announcer]

Well, brother, your time's up. Security. But when he wasn't explaining his hair to Stuart Varney, Lawrence was out in the field conducting diner focus groups, shoving his microphone into the syrup smeared faces of the MAGA faithful.

[Comedy Central Announcer]

Sir, how do you feel about this economy under Joe Biden?

[Michael Costa]

Terrible.

[Comedy Central Announcer]

We're talking about the former president being under prosecution right now. What do you make of it? Do you think that it's fair you say that you're going for Donald Trump and McCormick. The question is why? 78% of Americans are living paycheck to paycheck. Sir, how do you feel about this economy? What do you think about that? That trash comment? You seem just like an average day woman.

[Narrator/Announcer]

You seem just like an average day woman. Smooth with the ladies there, Lawrence.

[Michael Costa]

Woo ye.

[Narrator/Announcer]

But with a little makeup, she could be a late afternoon Thursday. Now, eventually, Lawrence landed his own show where he honed his interviewing talents on the streets.

[Comedy Central Announcer]

We begin tonight right here in New York City where we see cops being shot on a daily basis. Do you feel safe in the city?

[Jeff Tweedy]

Yeah, absolutely.

[News Reporter]

I don't feel unsafe walking around or doing anything.

[Michael Costa]

Absolutely. I think, well, I trust the police force a lot. And I think that the city is back and rejuvenated and so there are people out all the time. And yeah, I feel safe.

[Comedy Central Announcer]

Do you feel safe in the city?

[News Reporter]

Yeah, I do.

[Comedy Central Announcer]

Frankly, I didn't expect those responses.

[Narrator/Announcer]

Yeah, yeah. Because you only watch Fox News, you know? And just a quick note, if you're trying to paint a city as dangerous, maybe don't do it from an artisanal farmer's market. The scariest thing there is the markup on heirloom tomatoes. Regardless, Lawrence quickly became Fox's most dependable man on the street reporter. They could send him anywhere. And I mean anywhere. Watch these two clips that could not have more different energies.

[Comedy Central Announcer]

So tell me, how do y' all start yalls then?

[Michael Costa]

Morning, Christine. Two things you can't live without. Two things you can't live without.

[Narrator/Announcer]

Bronzer and cocaine.

[Michael Costa]

Wake up, put on bronzer. Cocaine, we're good for the day.

[Comedy Central Announcer]

Bronzer, then cocaine.

[Michael Costa]

And now I'm a senior in college.

[Comedy Central Announcer]

So we're back at Torah Academy of Bergen County. I just want to bring in the panel back in.

[Narrator/Announcer]

What does the Torah say about bronzer and cocaine? But Lawrence's beat wasn't just hard drugs and Judaism. No. Fox also sent him down to the border to report. Live from the war zone, Fox News reporter contributor Lawrence Jones. Is there anyone that believes this is a manufactured crisis?

[Comedy Central Announcer]

I'm standing right on the border by the Rio Grande. It's right behind me. They didn't just tell me that it was a crisis. They actually showed me the crisis on the border.

[Narrator/Announcer]

It is a crisis, Sean. They stole one of my EarPods. Crisis. Also, quick question, Lawrence. Did that bulletproof vest shrink in the wash?

[Donald Trump]

I mean.

[Narrator/Announcer]

It'S supposed to cover more than just your nipples. Are you running a marathon? What's happening here? Regardless of the ill fitting apparel going on, Fox assignments can be a humiliating experience. But Lawrence prides himself as a free thinker, a libertarian who will challenge Fox orthodoxy. So when he actually had the chance to sit down next to the most powerful person on the planet, I'm sure he took his opportunity to ask the questions no one else on Fox News was brave enough to ask.

[Comedy Central Announcer]

We got a six year old from Massachusetts and he wants to know about your favorite animal.

[Donald Trump]

I love cows.

[Michael Costa]

I love cows.

[Narrator/Announcer]

No heifers.

[Michael Costa]

No heifers.

[Narrator/Announcer]

Cows. The truth is, while Lawrence may tout his outsider perspective and claim he's not what viewers are used to, if you listen close, he's just another Fox blonde.

[News Reporter]

People are so sick of all the woke nonsense.

[Comedy Central Announcer]

We've just gotten so crazy with this woke nonsense.

[Michael Costa]

White privilege doesn't have a ligament legal definition.

[Comedy Central Announcer]

I don't believe in the whole notion of white privilege.

[News Reporter]

And these are the same people who can't even define what a woman is.

[Comedy Central Announcer]

They can't even define what a woman is.

[News Reporter]

We can't even protect our own borders.

[Comedy Central Announcer]

We cannot protect the border.

[Jeff Tweedy]

They're paid professional agitators.

[Comedy Central Announcer]

There's a lot of paid professional protesters.

[News Reporter]

They're indoctrinating our kids.

[Comedy Central Announcer]

They're indoctrinating our kids. It's an indoctrination cesspool.

[Narrator/Announcer]

Wow. Wow. Lawrence, no offense, but. But you seem like an average day Fox News host. Sorry. Good night. Good luck.

[Michael Costa]

Thank you, Jordan. When we come back, Jeff Tweedy will be joining me. Don't go away.

[News Reporter]

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[Narrator/Announcer]

Plus.

[News Reporter]

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[Michael Costa]

Welcome back to the Daily Show. My guest tonight is a Grammy award winning musician and best selling author who's the lead singer of the band Whit. His new solo album is called Twilight Override. Please welcome Jeff Tweedy. Thank you for coming.

[Jeff Tweedy]

Thanks for having me.

[Michael Costa]

Thank you for being here. I love meeting people that are always making stuff. Yeah, you are always making stuff.

[Jeff Tweedy]

I can't stop this thing.

[Michael Costa]

This thing is three discs. This is not a disc, though. This is a record.

[Jeff Tweedy]

It was cut down from five.

[Michael Costa]

It was.

[Jeff Tweedy]

That's the kind it was.

[Donald Trump]

Yeah.

[Michael Costa]

I mean, that is why everybody says, now keep it short. 40 seconds. That's too long.

[Jeff Tweedy]

Right.

[Michael Costa]

And then I open up Twilight Override, your album, and it's two hours of music.

[Jeff Tweedy]

But people also listen to podcasts where three guys talk for four hours about.

[Michael Costa]

Right.

[Jeff Tweedy]

I don't know. I don't know.

[Michael Costa]

Right, right.

[Jeff Tweedy]

But, yeah, I don't know. It was just like, I've made a lot of records. I've made some double records in my life, and I've always, like, been kind of curious why more people haven't made triple records. Yeah. Yeah.

[Michael Costa]

Well, I'll tell you what I think could be next.

[Jeff Tweedy]

It's quadruple.

[Michael Costa]

Quadruple.

[Jeff Tweedy]

Yeah.

[Michael Costa]

Yeah.

[Jeff Tweedy]

I'm way ahead of you.

[Michael Costa]

You already got that figured out. Did you sit down to write three or five or whatever it was, or does it just flow?

[Jeff Tweedy]

Well, I always. I tend to write a lot. I mean, I have a pretty good disciplined practice of writing a lot, so I always have quite a few songs. But I did set out to make a triple record. I did think, I wonder what you can do with a triple record in terms of having different types of moods meet other moods. What you wouldn't have if you just go for the bang for the buck kind of of, you know, single record.

[Michael Costa]

I will say I was immediately intrigued by the length because everything now is so short. And it. It's a little punk rock of you to say, I'll do whatever the you want.

[Jeff Tweedy]

Yeah.

[Michael Costa]

And I respect that. That was really great.

[Jeff Tweedy]

Yeah, yeah. Here, here. Yeah. Leave them one less. I mean, I've been saying it.

[Michael Costa]

What is Twilight over at Twilight Override.

[Jeff Tweedy]

Is, you know, just this notion that we're. I'm getting older, that the world appears to be getting darker. For a lot of people, I think looking around, it just seems that way. It doesn't feel as hopeful as it once. As it once did. The future doesn't seem as bright. But I don't know, this is the thing that I do to combat that, and that is I spend time making things, being creative, trying to spend time with things that love me and people that love me as opposed to things that don't. Right. You know, like, I don't think my phone loves me.

[Michael Costa]

Yeah. Yeah. If anything, the phone makes you feel isolated. Even though it's sold to us as connected.

[Narrator/Announcer]

Right.

[Jeff Tweedy]

There's kind of a willingness on our part, which is kind of shocking, to get up and kind of put ourselves in a cage every morning. Of like, who do. I'm gonna start thinking right away about who I hate.

[Michael Costa]

Yeah.

[Jeff Tweedy]

You know.

[Michael Costa]

You know, I'll go to the dog park and I'm standing by myself and my dog's running around, and there's 20 people and there's 30 dogs, and I'm not talking to anyone. And I'll immediately go to grab my phone to scroll, and I'm like, what is better entertainment?

[Jeff Tweedy]

Right. That's a pretty high dog to person ratio.

[Michael Costa]

It is. And there's nobody more entertaining than the weirdos with dogs. Multiple dogs. Multiple dogs.

[Comedy Central Announcer]

So.

[Michael Costa]

So, yeah. I mean, I love that. And I always feel myself, personally, I'm happy when I'm creating.

[Jeff Tweedy]

Right.

[Michael Costa]

You've written two books. One of your books is about how to write a song. And, man, when I read that, I can't tell you how much as a comedian, that also pertained to writing comedy.

[Jeff Tweedy]

Right.

[Michael Costa]

And I love that.

[Jeff Tweedy]

Thank you.

[Michael Costa]

Yeah.

[Jeff Tweedy]

Yeah. You didn't write a song.

[Narrator/Announcer]

Right.

[Michael Costa]

So your book was a failure, in my opinion.

[Jeff Tweedy]

Well, I just want to make sure you didn't write two songs. Cause then you need to buy two books. Two books.

[Donald Trump]

Yeah.

[Michael Costa]

No, but you talked about becoming a songwriter and how. I think maybe it was even in your journal or something. You shared a journal entry and you're like, these are song lyrics that I was writing.

[Jeff Tweedy]

Right.

[Michael Costa]

You don't always think you can write a song, but maybe is it in me? I can do it?

[Jeff Tweedy]

Oh, absolutely.

[Michael Costa]

You think so?

[Jeff Tweedy]

Oh, yeah. Yeah. I mean, you just have to lower your definition of what a song is.

[Narrator/Announcer]

Right.

[Michael Costa]

That's what I do for jokes.

[Comedy Central Announcer]

It works for jokes.

[Narrator/Announcer]

Exactly.

[Josh Johnson]

No, we asked.

[Jeff Tweedy]

We asked too much of that show. That's true.

[Michael Costa]

We expect it to be all great. One thing I love is that you're playing with your kids.

[Jeff Tweedy]

Right, Right.

[Michael Costa]

Is there two kids that you play with? Yeah.

[Donald Trump]

Okay.

[Michael Costa]

And they're in the band.

[Jeff Tweedy]

Yeah. It's the maximum number of kids that I have in the band. Yeah.

[Michael Costa]

I'm thankful that. Yeah. What's that experience? Like, I have a five and a two year old.

[Donald Trump]

I can never.

[Michael Costa]

I can't even imagine doing anything productive with my children.

[Jeff Tweedy]

Yeah. Oh, it's not productive. But I mean, you get on the floor with them, you know, you have to get on their level. That's true. Which I still do.

[Michael Costa]

Yeah.

[Jeff Tweedy]

They're 30 and they're gonna be 30 and 26. It's an incredible experience. And, yeah, I do pay them, though.

[Michael Costa]

Okay. I was gonna say, I've heard you talk a little bit about COVID and how it's affected all of us, and we kind of don't talk about it now, but share some of your thoughts on what you think Covid did to us.

[Jeff Tweedy]

Oh, wow. Okay.

[Michael Costa]

Well, yeah, well, it resonated with me.

[Donald Trump]

Yeah.

[Jeff Tweedy]

I just think that. I think it's. Everybody's walking around with. Dealing with some trauma that isn't really being discussed or addressed or even diagnosed. And I think it was just an extremely traumatic time. There was a moment where it felt like it could be a breakthrough in terms of how we all see ourselves in the same situation and could be more empathetic towards each other. And it was kind of squandered and politicized really fast. But I think that it's been swept under the rug, and it kind of explains a lot about how poorly a lot of people are behaving. In my opinion, is.

[Michael Costa]

Is.

[Jeff Tweedy]

You know, I think when you're really struggling and you're in pain and you have trauma that's unaddressed, those tend to be things that allow you to be a little bit less forgiving of other people and hurtful, you know? Yeah. So I just think it's part of what explains this kind of really chaotic time I think we're living in.

[Michael Costa]

I've noticed on my street since that time, people drive faster down the road.

[Jeff Tweedy]

Yeah.

[Michael Costa]

And, you know, there was always idiots that did that, but now it feels like more idiots.

[Jeff Tweedy]

Everyone.

[Michael Costa]

Everyone. And I wonder. We must be feeling disconnected because you wouldn't recklessly drive if you felt more connected to all of us.

[Jeff Tweedy]

Yeah. Or just rolling through stop signs. I've noticed that that's a similar thing. Yeah. I always think it's like people have spent more and more of their time with things that don't love them, like their phones. And I always think of it like the shopping cart. When you're in your car, you can scream at somebody else and they can make minor little accident and a little wave doesn't even help. He's just going to get yelled at and whatever. But if you bump into somebody with your cart at the grocery store, it's like, oh, oh, sorry, my fault. And that's because you're still human in that context.

[Michael Costa]

I like that.

[Jeff Tweedy]

But I think that. Yeah. When we were inside a machine like a car or inside of our minds with a phone, I think we tend to dehumanize each other quite a bit.

[Michael Costa]

Sometimes people will send me mean messages on the Internet, and like an idiot, I will respond to them.

[Jeff Tweedy]

It's a terrible idea.

[Michael Costa]

And they'll go, oh, it's you, Costa. I love your stuff.

[Narrator/Announcer]

Yeah.

[Michael Costa]

And I was like, next time, start with that one.

[Jeff Tweedy]

Yeah, yeah, start with that one.

[Donald Trump]

Yeah.

[Michael Costa]

Lastly, you're from the Midwest, and you don't meet a lot of rock stars from the Midwest. You're from Southern Illinois. Talk to me about how that's influenced you, if it has at all. I'm a Michigan man myself. I went to University of Illinois. So I'm just always rooting for any creative person to have any form of success from the Midwest, because most of these people in New York don't even know what the I'm talking about.

[Jeff Tweedy]

Right, Exactly.

[Michael Costa]

I tell people I'm from Michigan and they say, oh, I have a cousin in Minneapolis.

[Jeff Tweedy]

Exactly.

[Michael Costa]

It's not even the same state. It's a 14 hour drive away.

[Jeff Tweedy]

Yeah, yeah. No, people don't know what they're talking about. Yeah. No, I think that the thing that I can attribute to being my formative years as a musician being spent in the St. Louis, Missouri area, which is.

[Michael Costa]

St. Louis right there.

[Jeff Tweedy]

I grew up on the other side of the Mississippi from St. Louis on the east St. Louis side. And I just think that you're given an opportunity to suck for longer.

[Michael Costa]

Yeah, that's true.

[Jeff Tweedy]

Before people start weighing in on how, you know, evaluating you.

[Michael Costa]

I remember I moved to LA after I'd done comedy for five years in Detroit. I went to this awful Mexican restaurant that was doing standup and I bombed hard. And the guy who comes up first was the booker for hbo, you know, And I'm like, man, this was a lot easier in Detroit when nobody ever saw me that had any significance.

[Jeff Tweedy]

Yeah.

[Michael Costa]

So I guess what you're saying is that's what you did for the.

[Jeff Tweedy]

No, you have a time and space to practice.

[Donald Trump]

Yeah.

[Michael Costa]

Thank you so much for being here. Twilight Override is available now. You can catch Jeff on tour in the cneu. Jeff Tweedy. We'll take a quick leg right back after this. Thank you so much for chatting.

[News Reporter]

This Halloween. What's under your costume? Might just steal the show.

[Narrator/Announcer]

Wait, is that Glow in the Dark Underwear?

[Josh Johnson]

Boo.

[News Reporter]

Yeah. Meundies has dropped their spookiest collection yet. Glow in the dark undies and PJs. So comfy it's scary.

[Narrator/Announcer]

Tricks, treats.

[Michael Costa]

Buttery soft briefs.

[News Reporter]

Exactly. To get cozy and spooky for less, go to meundies.com trick or treat and Enter code Trick or treat to get 20% off your first order. Meundies treat yourself.

[Michael Costa]

That's our show for tonight. Now here it is, your moment of Zen.

[Donald Trump]

It used to be a swimming pool on the other side of the wall. That was the swimming pool where Jackie would say, I hear women inside our women inside. Quite a famous. I'm not saying anything. This was a part of a movie and the Secret Service said, no, ma', am. There's no women inside ma'.

[Michael Costa]

Am.

[Donald Trump]

I'm sorry, ma', am. You're gonna have to move along.

[Michael Costa]

Explore more shows 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.

[Comedy Central Announcer]

This has been a Comedy Central podcast.

[Narrator/Announcer]

This episode is brought to you by Lifelock. It's Cybersecurity Awareness Month, and Lifelock has tips to protect your identity. Use strong passwords, set up multi factor authentication, report phishing, and update the software on your devices. And for comprehensive identity protection, let LifeLock alert you to suspicious uses of your personal information. Lifelock also fixes identity theft, guaranteed or your money back. Stay smart, safe and protected with a 30 day free [e-mail] podcast terms apply.