Jon Stewart on Trump’s Inauguration and Elon Musk's Nazi Salute | Brooke Harrington

Summary

The Daily Show: Ears Edition Episode: Jon Stewart on Trump’s Inauguration and Elon Musk's Nazi Salute | Brooke Harrington Release Date: January 21, 2025

---

Introduction: Trump’s Return to the Capitol Rotunda

[00:01] Jon Stewart:
The episode kicks off with Jon Stewart announcing a "special special report" covering the highly anticipated Inauguration 2025. He humorously refers to it as the "second and likely final Trump inauguration," setting a satirical tone for the episode.

[00:41] Jon Stewart:
Jon provides a biting commentary on Donald Trump's return to the Capitol rotunda, emphasizing the irony of Trump returning to the very place he incited chaos just four years prior. He mocks the typical conciliatory narrative expected in such settings by stating, “Now, generally, if this were a Dateline documentary, he would return to that room to express a form of repentance and maturity and acknowledgement of the pain that had been wrought on that terrible day.” Instead, Trump is there to be sworn in as the 47th president, maintaining the tongue-in-cheek critique.

Ceremonial Absurdities and Political Commentary

[02:09] Desi Lydic:
Desi Lydic introduces the scene of President Joe Biden greeting Mr. and Mrs. Trump at the White House for tea, highlighting the inaugural tradition.

[02:18] Jon Stewart:
Jon humorously disrupts the formalities by confusing “Hitler” with “the keys,” leading to a series of sarcastic remarks about the dignitaries in attendance. He mocks the presence of various political figures and wealthy individuals, emphasizing their incongruous presence at the inauguration.

[07:42] Jon Stewart on Elon Musk's Gesture:
Jon discusses Elon Musk's controversial gesture at a Trump rally, interpreting it as an awkward "my heart goes out to you" moment. He humorously suggests it might have been an attempt at "dabbing on the haters," only to quickly dismiss the relevance of such outdated trends.

The Inauguration Speech: A Reflection of Turbulent Times

[11:06] Donald Trump’s Inaugural Address:
Trump delivers his speech, which Jon critiques for its passive-aggressive tone towards the outgoing president. Highlights include Trump’s promises to "completely and totally reverse a horrible betrayal," and declarations that "America's decline is over."

[12:15] Jon Stewart’s Satirical Impressions:
Jon parodies Trump’s mispronunciations and intentions, particularly focusing on the phrase “dick line,” turning it into a humorous critique of Trump’s rhetoric and policies.

[13:49] The Transfer of Power:
Jon emphasizes the symbolic nature of the transfer of power, likening it to a "magnificent snake sucking its own dick," underscoring the cyclical nature of political accountability.

Outlets’ Reporting and Public Reactions

[16:44] Michael Costa’s Reporting:
Michael Costa reports from the inauguration parties, humorously listing exaggerated benefits of Trump’s immediate policies, such as reduced unemployment and soaring stock markets, which Jon dismisses skeptically.

[17:34] Desi Lydic’s Coverage from Blue Washington:
Desi presents the opposition’s perspective, highlighting the resistance to Trump’s executive orders and the renaming of military bases, which Jon mocks by suggesting they've been renamed after Hitler.

[18:10] Josh Johnson at MLK Memorial:
Josh Johnson connects Martin Luther King Jr. Day with the inauguration, emphasizing the contrast between King's legacy of non-violent resistance and Trump's rise to power, which Jon uses to spotlight the irony and tension of the day.

Guest Segment: Brooke Harrington on Oligarchy and Broligarchs

Introduction of Brooke Harrington:
Jon introduces Brooke Harrington, an economic support sociologist from Dartmouth College, who authored "Offshore Stealth Wealth and the New Colonialism." Brooke joins to discuss the implications of America’s oligarchy.

[22:31] Contrast Between Russian and American Oligarchs:
Brooke explains the distinction between Russian oligarchs under Putin and the emerging American oligarchs, termed "broligarchs." Unlike their Russian counterparts, who operated under strict control and faced severe consequences for dissent, American broligarchs enjoy unfettered access to political power and lack clear boundaries.

Notable Quote:
[25:21] Jon Stewart: “So this doge. I mean, he's brought them to the table. Is there maybe something better about that?”

[26:30] Brooke Harrington:
Brooke delves into the political philosophies underpinning American oligarchs, likening their ideology to a modern version of the divine right of kings, masked with pseudo-scientific terminology like “high T alpha males.”

[27:55] Jon Stewart:
Jon brings historical context by comparing current oligarchic trends to the Gilded Age, questioning whether the current digital-industrial blend exacerbates wealth inequality and democratic erosion.

[29:17] Brooke Harrington on Pyramid Schemes and Mafia Operations:
Brooke describes the intricate power structures that enable oligarchs to maintain and expand their wealth, drawing parallels to pyramid schemes and mafia operations.

Notable Quote:
[30:34] Jon Stewart: “It's better that we know and that it not be happening sub rosa. It's all cards on the table now.”

[34:52] Jon Stewart:
Jon expresses frustration with the simplistic solutions often proposed for tackling oligarchic power, emphasizing the complexity of the issue beyond mere lobbying or labor unions.

Conclusion and Final Remarks

[39:12] Jon Stewart:
As the episode nears its end, Jon wraps up with a humorous segment featuring Ronny Chang, who mistakenly praises Joe Biden’s presidency despite Biden being out of office.

[39:36] Desi Lydic:
The show concludes with reminders to check out more content from The Daily Show on Paramount Podcasts and other platforms.

---

Key Themes and Insights

1. Satirical Critique of Political Events:
   Jon Stewart employs his signature humor to dissect and ridicule the complexities and paradoxes surrounding Trump’s inauguration, the involvement of tech billionaires, and the symbolic gestures that accompany these events.

2. Oligarchy and Broligarchs:
   Brooke Harrington provides an in-depth analysis of the evolving nature of oligarchic power in America, highlighting the lack of constraints compared to Russian oligarchs and the implications for democracy and social equity.

3. Wealth Inequality and Corporate Power:
   The discussion underscores the unprecedented levels of wealth inequality, drawing historical parallels to the Gilded Age, and questioning the sustainability of current socio-economic structures.

4. Satire of Media and Public Figures:
   Jon’s interactions with his news team and guest highlight the often absurd interplay between media reporting and political theatrics, emphasizing the blurred lines between entertainment and journalism.

5. Impact of Social Media on Political Narratives:
   The episode touches upon how social media platforms exacerbate divisions and propagate misinformation, further entrenching populist strategies and undermining cohesive societal responses to oligarchic dominance.

Notable Quotes with Attribution and Timestamps

• Jon Stewart on Trump's Return:
  [00:41] “Now, generally, if this were a Dateline documentary, he would return to that room to express a form of repentance and maturity and acknowledgement of the pain that had been wrought on that terrible day.”

• Jon Stewart on Oligarchs’ Influence:
  [30:34] “It's better that we know and that it not be happening sub rosa. It's all cards on the table now, and it's almost like it's being rubbed in our faces.”

• Brooke Harrington on Broligarchs:
  [24:29] “The thing about the broligarchs, and this is even different from oligarchs, is that they have an explicit political agenda and it is essentially anti-democratic and almost monarchical.”

• Jon Stewart’s Historical Comparison:
  [27:34] “You know, we had a Gilded Age. It doesn't seem that different from the Gilded Age that ushered in industrialization, although now it's more on the digital side.”

Conclusion

This episode of "The Daily Show: Ears Edition" masterfully blends sharp political satire with insightful analysis, particularly through the guest appearance of Brooke Harrington. The discussion navigates the intricate dynamics of modern American oligarchy, wealth inequality, and the socio-political ramifications of unbridled corporate power. Jon Stewart’s humorous yet critical perspective offers listeners both entertainment and a thought-provoking examination of contemporary political landscapes.

Transcript

[Jon Stewart]

You're listening to Comedy Central.

[Jon Ste]

From the most trusted journalists at Comedy Central, a very special special report. The Daily show presents Inauguration 2025, the second and likely final Trump inauguration with your host, Jon Ste.

[Jon Stewart]

Boom. Final. Big be. Hey. Welcome. Welcome to the Daily Show. My name is. Hold on. My name is. My name is Jon Stewart. I am your host. On this most historic vibe shift of the day. Donald J. Trump, the 45th president of the United States, a man whose licentious and felonious behavior has been well cataloged and documented, returned to the Capitol rotunda just four short years after inspiring in that very place a day of riotous shick. Shit. Returned to the exact same room. Now, generally, if this were a Dateline documentary, he would return to that room to express a form of repentance and maturity and acknowledgement of the pain that had been wrought on that terrible day. But in this show that we're filming now, it's to be sworn in as the 47th president of the United States. And as with most returning to the scene of the crime, it began with tea with the people you tried to steal it from. A short time ago, President Joe Biden.

[Desi Lydic]

Greeted Mr. And Mrs. Trump at the White House for tea, an inaugural tradition.

[Jon Stewart]

It's always important to keep up the tea tradition when you hand over the keys to. I'm sorry, what did you call them?

[Desi Lydic]

Hitler.

[Jon Stewart]

But gotta be a good host. Hey, the wi Fi password is White House, but I changed the I to have one. I hope that's not weird. I'm not saying Biden should have done his own insurrection, but there's gotta be a happy medium between storming the Capitol and Would you like a crumpet? But everyone showed up. Yes, it's the Supreme Court taxiing in. Oh, please. They're taxiing in. Like the private jets some of them take to kd. All very legal. And America's illustrious senators like Amy Klobuchar and Deb Fisher and of course Hakeem Jeffries were there. And Fetterman was. Are you. Come on. Fetterman? Really? Shorts? It's not even an inaugural decorum thing. It's freezing out there. It's a health cons. Fetterman. Fetterman is literally America's teenage son. It's your grandma's funeral. I told you I don't like long pants. Fine. Be cold. Even the president's family attended, most of whom didn't have to be warned not to do that weird thing with their hands. Don't. Hey, hey, hey. Don't. Don't. Do it with your hands. Can you just be normal for a day? What was he doing? Literally, like, look at my dick. Huh? What? No. Okay, but not to worry. Also attending were all those people who warned Americans to shun this wannabe fascist dictator called Trump. Look at me, Ma. Oh, let's go see Hitler and get a quick selfie first. Hello. Look at those. Ooh, a quick one for the gram. Yes, former President Obama was there. George Bush seemed kind of there. Definitely high. Even Mike Pence showed up, I guess, to let the crowd finish. The only Michelle Obama seemed to have the consistent ethical stance of saying, when they go low, I stay the home. I don't care. I am staying. Of course, Jill Biden was there, making the strategic choice of keeping her purse on which, as you know, is the international symbol of I've got to go on, kids. But the award for most useful fashion accessory went to the ever stylish Melania Trump, whose Audrey Hepburn esque chapeau, or head cloche as it's called, doubled as an effective. If you don't control your borders, you don't have a head. Meanwhile, many dignitaries went not only hatless, but hairless, with a plethora of stocky, bald billionaires who all seemed to go to the same biohack life extension clinic and say, give me the Lex Luthor. Yes. Taking the place of seats normally reserved for Democratic or Republican governors sat Zuck Bezos, Tim Cook, Elon Tic Tac Guy, Google guy, the six guys who control maybe 20% of the world's wealth and 100% of your nudes. You don't need to pretend with me. I don't know what he's talking about. Delete. Delete, Delete. Populism. Ladies and gentlemen, shouldn't this gathering be happening in a volcano's lair near Zurich? Or are we just open source Illuminati now? Where's the conspiracy fund in that? Honestly, there is not a useful app of communication not controlled by at least one of these individuals. And you may not be concerned that they've all ponied up a million dollars to be sitting there and are kissing the ass of a president who openly threatens non ass kissers. But trust me, shit's gonna get weird. Even by that afternoon, shit got weird. This appearance of Elon Musk at an earlier Trump rally is getting loads of attention because of a one armed gesture he made.

[Desi Lydic]

This one.

[Jon Stewart]

Really.

[Michael Costa]

And I just want to say thank.

[Jon Stewart]

You for making it happen.

[Donald Trump]

Thank you.

[Jon Stewart]

Okay, charitably, I'm going to say that was just an awkward my heart goes out to you gesture. Many of you might have done it like this. You know, even Taylor Swift has done, you know, my heart, but she almost never does the goes out to you. Like, just always stays with. But, you know, listen, it's nerve wracking day. You're not normally a public speaker. It's a one off gesture. Please try not to use it again. Son of a bitch. You really want to make sure the people in the back see it. I guess I'm just going to be generous and say maybe that was Elon's attempt at dabbing on the haters. I don't. By the way, do people still dab on haters? Is that. Was that a very old man? Okay, Wasn't that a thing at one time? No, I think, I think it's important in these troubled times to continue to dab on the haters. But don't be concerned that these tech titans control Google and TikTok and WhatsApp and Instagram and X and any other way that we communicate in the year of our Lord 2025. Because, you know they're not going to censor us. And it doesn't matter anyway because I know in my heart we don't need any of them because we'll always have you. Messenger pigeon. No. No. How dare you, sir? Why? Messenger pigeon? Why would you turn on me? I let you live in a cage on my roof surrounded by your own shit. You know, I asked them to make that animation at like 5:00 tonight, literally with everything else going on in the show. And I was literally like, could you make me a pigeon doing this? And they were just like, sure. Anyway, then it was time for the swearing in on the. Kind of. On the Bible. Yes. It turns out Trump didn't actually put his hand on the Bible, obviously, because one or the other would burst into flames. Perhaps both. And so, ladies and gentlemen, the torch has been passed from Biden to Trump. Yes, the torch has been passed to the same generation of Americans. Hear from the 47th President, fresh off the warm embrace of a tea ceremony with his predecessor.

[Donald Trump]

My recent election is a mandate to completely and totally reverse a horrible betrayal and all of these many betrayals that have taken place.

[Jon Stewart]

He's right behind you. Luckily, I don't think he can hear you. Yes. The inaugural speech followed the American tradition of a passive aggressive transfer of power. The incoming president gets to completely shit on the outgoing president in front of that president and hopefully his spouse.

[Donald Trump]

In recent years, our nation has suffered greatly. Record inflation trying to Socially engineer race and gender. Disastrous invasion of our country. It's a radical and corrupt establishment. Vicious, violent, and unfair weaponization. From this moment on, America's decline is over.

[Jon Stewart]

This is a tumultuous time in American history filled with much uncertainty and trepidation. But it is very difficult for me to not in any way take the bait of the way he said dick line. It. It really did sound like he said our dick line. Like the line of our dick so you can see America's dick line. I mean, how are you going to end our dick line? With a tuck or a full reassignment? Or is this more about Fetterman's shorts? What about our dick line? I am. I am a child. But as bad as things were, guess what, folks? Daddy's home. It's about to get a whole lot better.

[Donald Trump]

The golden age of America begins right now. From this day forward, our country will flourish. The American dream will soon be back and thriving like never before. We will win like never before. We will be a rich nation again. We will bring prices down, fill our strategic reserves up again. We will. Drill, baby, drill.

[Jon Stewart]

Ooh, I think I just saw J.D. vance's dick line. Drill, baby, drill. But for all the day's eerie energy, one thing stood out to America's watchdogs of democracy. We have watched as the 47th President of the United States has been sworn in a cornerstone of democracy. This is the true transfer of power here of the current president and the former president.

[Donald Trump]

Making this walk.

[Desi Lydic]

This process, is what distinguishes the United States from a lot of other parts of the world.

[Jon Stewart]

Yeah, it's all just normal shit. It's just another day. It's all just normal transfer power shit. We're just gonna play along like all this theater is normal. Oh, except there was one thing that might have given the game away.

[Desi Lydic]

With just 20 minutes or so left in his presidency, we've just gotten word from President Biden that he is pardoning his brothers, their wives, his sister, other family members. He says that he is doing this because baseless and politically motivated investigations wreak havoc on the lives of individuals.

[Jon Stewart]

It's all just normal. First of all, Biden, you're at the inauguration. Did you auto schedule your pardons? And second of all, what the, man? You're just pardoning your whole family? It's not a great look. Yeah, like any good captain. As the ship is going down, Biden gave the order. That lifeboat is for my family. The rest of you can do just like a kind of Jack and Rose thing, One on, one off. 50. 50 shot. Who gives a sh. Biden outy. So the takeaway of this entire day was a man who tried to overthrow the government has been peacefully handed the reins of power. And the outgoing president has started a new tradition of blanket pardoning everyone in his orbit. The two men creating a magnificent snake sucking its own dick. Cycle of no accountability. And then, of course, we end with the grand finale. The attack on Greenland has begun. Yeah. What are you gonna do? For more on the day's events, we go out to the best news team in the country, starting at the Capitol with Michael Costa and Desi Lyd. Michael Kosta, I'm going to start with you, my friend. What's the mood over there at the inaugural parties tonight?

[Michael Costa]

John, it's incredible. Donald Trump hasn't even been president for one whole day, but already unemployment is down, gas is low, my vertical jump increased half an inch, and the stock market is soaring.

[Jon Stewart]

Yeah, I mean, obviously, a lot of that economic stuff was happening before noon today, so I don't.

[Michael Costa]

I don't think so. Also, Trump made eggs cheap again. I mean, we can eat 10, 20, 30 of these a day, John. They're literally selling them by the dozen. My albumin levels are foreign.

[Jon Stewart]

Desi Lydic, you're down there as well. You've been covering Blue Washington, as it were.

[Desi Lydic]

John, I'm with the hashtag Resistance. And they are appalled by what they're seeing. The executive orders, the renaming of military bases.

[Jon Stewart]

They've already renamed the bases after Confederate generals.

[Desi Lydic]

No, Hitler. It's just Fort Hitler now. It's overwhelming, John.

[Jon Stewart]

All right, we'll try and stay safe out there, Desi.

[Josh Johnson]

And John, if I could say something.

[Jon Stewart]

I'm sorry. Yeah. Josh Johnson. Are you. Where are you?

[Josh Johnson]

I'm at the Martin Luther King Memorial. Today was also MLK Day. There was a march honoring a man that represented the best about America. Just wanted to put that out there.

[Jon Stewart]

Okay, fantastic. Good to keep in mind.

[Michael Costa]

John, can I interrupt?

[Jon Stewart]

Yes, Michael.

[Michael Costa]

I just thought of some more egg stuff. Egg salad, egg creams, eggnog, yawny eggs, eggplants. Thanks to Trump, these things are now super cheap. And the best part about eggs, John, they never expire.

[Jon Stewart]

That's definitely not true, Michael.

[Michael Costa]

Okay, well, we'll see what the new Secretary of Health and Human Services has to say about.

[Josh Johnson]

You know, speaking of the letters M, L and K, let me tell you about someone else we should be celebrating today. Black guy, preacher. And he talked a lot like this.

[Michael Costa]

The black guy from the movie Selma.

[Jon Stewart]

No.

[Josh Johnson]

Well, yeah, but.

[Desi Lydic]

No, no, John, I have an update from resistance headquarters that the Cheetos man is not gonna like.

[Jon Stewart]

Yes, Desi. New initiatives. Is there another march?

[Desi Lydic]

Not gonna be necessary. I'm hearing Rachel Maddow is coming back five days a week, and when she compares what's happening now to the shays rebellion of 1787.

[Jon Stewart]

Woo.

[Desi Lydic]

Boy, I would not want to be Trump.

[Jon Stewart]

Excuse me, excuse me. Grace. Cool trend. We're being recognized again. Why are you dressed like a caveman and a robot? Hmm? Oh, we were understudies for the Village People. Yeah, yeah, if the copper Native American gets sick, then cavemen and robots step in. Well, aren't you guys a little, like, ashamed at all about performing at the Trump inauguration, or do we look like we're capable of shame? John. Besides, this is fun. Much like it's fun to stay at the ysda. Yeah, that's, you know, where it's not fun to stand. How do we. How do we do that?

[Josh Johnson]

It's not fun to stay at a Birmingham jail.

[Jon Stewart]

Yeah, Josh, can't we just talk about.

[Josh Johnson]

It is literally the day to talk about it.

[Desi Lydic]

Damn it.

[Josh Johnson]

Am I the only one who thinks it's crazy that Martin Luther King Day is happening at the same time that Trump is taking power? A man who staged violent resistance is being rewarded with power to the diminishment of our greatest non violent resistance leader. This cannot hold.

[Michael Costa]

And it won't. It's just been renamed Martin Luther Trump.

[Jon Stewart]

So, best news team, everybody. When we come back, Brooke Harrington will be joining me. We'll be right back. Hello, everybody. Welcome back to the Daily Show. My guest tonight. My guest tonight is an economic support sociologist at Dartmouth College who studies the behavior of the ultra rich. Her latest book is called Offshore Stealth wealth and the New Colonialism. Please welcome to the program, Brooke Harrington. How are you?

[Desi Lydic]

I'm so happy to be here.

[Jon Stewart]

You have studied oligarchy. You have studied the ultra rich. As you were watching today, I'm gonna assume you were struck by the scenes of the collegial atmosphere.

[Desi Lydic]

Yeah.

[Jon Stewart]

Was that. Am I wrong? Was that odd? Do we normally see all the titans of industries and things in the front row, the box seats?

[Desi Lydic]

No, this is really different. And in fact, I was reflecting on how different this is even from Russian oligarchy, because.

[Jon Stewart]

Don't now. Okay, that hurts. Sorry. That actually hurts.

[Desi Lydic]

Sorry. Well, you know, at least Putin had a very clear red line with his oligarchs. The grand bargain of the early 2000s was he was going to let them get rich on condition that they Kept their noses out of his political business. At most, they would be his errand boys from some diplomatic missions in Europe, for example, on their super yachts. But that was it. And it ended there. And he made a huge example of Mikhail Khodorovsky, who was the Yukos Oil chairman, who dared to stand up for transparency and human rights in Russia. And that earned him almost a decade in Russian prison and seizure of all of his assets by Putin. He was lucky to escape with his life.

[Jon Stewart]

Oh, and so you're not expecting any of our oligarchs to be like, hey, watch what you're doing, like, none of that.

[Desi Lydic]

No. But what Trump has done is so extraordinary because he doesn't have that bright line with the new oligarchs of America at all. He's basically said, okay, you bought it, do what you want.

[Jon Stewart]

But he's blended them. I mean, this doge. I mean, he's brought them in to the table. But is there maybe something better about that? Because the explicit bargain is, now you have to give us money or you have to bring business to America.

[Desi Lydic]

Well, for me, as an American, this is not good news, because I like democracy.

[Jon Stewart]

Tell me more about this. I want to hear about this. Yeah, I like the sound of it.

[Desi Lydic]

Yeah.

[Jon Stewart]

But I'm afraid I'm going to have to be sold.

[Desi Lydic]

Yeah. Well, the thing about the broligarchs, and this is even different from oligarchs.

[Jon Stewart]

Stop, stop. Okay, if that's not trademarked proligarch. Nice.

[Desi Lydic]

So we've had oligarchs in the past in America. We've had Carnegie's and we've had Rockefellers. But aside from making sure they didn't get regulated or taxed too much, they kind of stuck to their own business. They just wanted to get rich. But the broligarchs really have an explicit political agenda and it is essentially anti democratic and almost monarchical.

[Jon Stewart]

So you see them more as like they're in the king's court and the world has been returned to the more natural order of noblesse oblige. Or something along those lines.

[Desi Lydic]

Well, they're going for noblesse without the oblige. They want all the privileges and none.

[Jon Stewart]

Of the obligations in terms of charitable.

[Desi Lydic]

Funding, philanthropy, any sense of social norms constraining them. I mean, what they're all about is nothing can constrain me. I mean, look what happened when the EU tried to impose its own laws on Elon Musk. JD Vance, not even the vice president yet rolls up on the EU and says, you leave our boy alone or we're going to pull out of NATO.

[Jon Stewart]

Wait, that's what he said. You made this sound very Crips versus Bloods. Well, there is JD Vance rolled up on the eu. He just got out of his bends and went inside and was like, listen.

[Desi Lydic]

To me with the eyeliner and everything, right?

[Jon Stewart]

Craziness. So they are explicitly. But then. And what is the political philosophy? Is it just the great man theory that, you know, the irony of a populist movement relying on the great men to control all that happens?

[Desi Lydic]

It sounds a lot actually like the divine right of kings, but with a pseudo scientific spin. So that's where you get all the Elon bros talking about being high T alpha males. That's just a 21st century way of saying God says I'm the king and you all need to bow down.

[Jon Stewart]

But don't, I mean, at some level, don't you think they're just trolling people with that? Like, do you actually believe they think I have a high sperm count? So I, I mean, I feel. Yes, I. Listen, I. I don't know how we went off the rails on that, but. But that feels a little bit like how much of this is trolling and memes and how much of it. For me, they feel a little bit like, look, we had a Gilded Age. It doesn't seem that different from the Gilded Age that ushered in industrialization, although now it's more on the digital side. Would that be a charitable way of putting it?

[Desi Lydic]

Well, I think it's different from the Gilded Age in two important ways. One is the sort of the release of the oblige part of noblesse oblige.

[Jon Stewart]

Right.

[Desi Lydic]

These guys are totally released from the constraints of social norms. That said, it was stigmatizing to sit on your wealth like a dragon on a hoard of gold. You had to show that you were doing something for society.

[Jon Stewart]

Is that why. So when you look at all those, like, national parks of Rockefeller or you look at all that, that's why those guys did that.

[Desi Lydic]

Yeah, I mean, they didn't necessarily have to be fans of humanity, but they cared about their reputation. And in order to keep a decent reputation, you had to be seen to do something, you know, throwing the public a bone, as it were.

[Jon Stewart]

But isn't that what these oligarchs now? Isn't that what their first wives are for? Isn't that like what it seems like now is they divorce their first wife and then their first wife is like, give this all to Planned Parenthood. Like, is that the. Is that the oblige that that's coming out.

[Desi Lydic]

I only know about the case of Mackenzie Bezos doing that.

[Jon Stewart]

I think Melinda Gates also gives a tribunal.

[Desi Lydic]

Oh, she too? Yes. She is doing her part, but it almost seems as like a middle finger to the ex husbands. Like, I'll show you the proper use of wealth. Usob.

[Jon Stewart]

Really? Yeah. So this. So let's talk about, though, when we look at the Russian oligarchs you talk about, Putin is utilizing the wealth of these men, I guess, to fund some of his endeavors, or just the amassing of that money covers his own corruption.

[Desi Lydic]

My understanding, I'm not a Russia expert, but my understanding from reading the work of people who are is it's sort of like a pyramid scheme or a mafia operation where the capo de Tuticapi sits at the top and takes a percentage of what the lower level henchmen are getting. So, you know, he takes a chunk of Yukos oil and he takes a chunk of Gazprom, and that way he stays the wealthiest man in the world.

[Jon Stewart]

Yeah, they're earners. So Vladimir Putin, like, runs Herbalife. Like, that's what this is.

[Desi Lydic]

Yeah.

[Jon Stewart]

And for Trump, he looks at it as like, I will take my power that I have in government and I will amplify it through industry. But through industry. Look, it's almost better to me that it's this explicit. Like, I feel like now we have a number on what this type of crony capitalism looks like. Elon gave $270 million to get Donald Trump elected. He made after the election, I think something like 210 billion. So now we have a number on it. We know what their access to government is worth. Is that transparency better for us to even know? Can we do anything about it if we don't even know?

[Desi Lydic]

Well, I think you make a good point. It's better that we know and that it not be happening sub rosa. And, you know, in whispers that we can't really define in any way. It's all cards on the table now, and it's almost like it's being rubbed in our faces.

[Jon Stewart]

Right. How do you battle? So when you have something that's the state power of the United States, which is utterly enormous, combined with the corporate power. I mean, I always viewed government in some ways as hopefully a check on corporate power. But if it's a lubricant, what does that turn into? And again, I apologize. I just realized.

[Desi Lydic]

You went right from scrape to liberty.

[Jon Stewart]

Yeah, I'm not good.

[Desi Lydic]

Well, it's obviously something very dangerous because what we're seeing Here is the total release of all democratic constraint and all pretense to social norms that used to constrain these people.

[Jon Stewart]

Right.

[Desi Lydic]

They're totally unfettered in their access to power and in their sense of what is okay to do with that power.

[Jon Stewart]

But were we kidding ourselves in some ways? You know, I saw a gentleman who was trying to become the new DNC chairman, General Martin, I think his name was, and he had said about money in politics, oh, yeah, we're going to get all that money out. You know, we're going to have our good billionaires, but we're not going to take any money from the bad billionaires. And it reminded me I once had Nancy Pelosi on it. She said, money corrupts in politics. What about the money Democrats raise? Oh, no, that doesn't corrupt us. There's this sense that, oh, no, it's only those actors that are bad. I mean, the oligarchs gained trillions during the Biden presidency.

[Desi Lydic]

Yeah.

[Jon Stewart]

So are we kidding ourselves that this wasn't in place? Just not maybe as stated as clearly.

[Desi Lydic]

I would want to move away from individualistic explanations of like, good billionaires and bad billionaires and talk about, like, what do we as a society say we're not now? We're not going to let you get away with that because historically that's been the only thing that's constrained the really rich. If you go all the way back to the Medici in the 1400s, they weren't necessarily good people, but they were the richest people in Europe. And the reason we have the Renaissance and all of its great works of art is because their society wouldn't let them get away with just sitting on their hoards of wealth and enjoying it for their own benefit. They had to do something for their society.

[Jon Stewart]

Does that mean we're allowing ourselves to be bought off? Is the idea being like, look, you guys amass what you need to amass at the top. You pull the strings you want to, you know, pull. We need two parks. Like what? How? And this gets to a larger conversation about labor and capital. How does American labor tap into that money stream? Because that money stream is built on the backs of American labor, yet they don't have access to it. What if we allow them their excess? But rather than philanthropy, is there a way to attach to make American labor also a shareholder in that?

[Desi Lydic]

Yes, but you could say it's the hard way, so to speak. One of the wealth managers I spoke to in the course of studying offshore finance over 17 years, he was a historian. And I Mean, he trained as a historian at one of the Oxbridge schools in the uk and he said he's.

[Jon Stewart]

One of the finest historian institutes.

[Desi Lydic]

And he was very candid about his role in making rich people richer at the expense of the rest of us. And he said, well, once that ball gets rolling, it becomes quite difficult to stop it, short of like, revolutions or mass general strikes. And I think historically, that's what we've seen. We're at levels of wealth inequality unseen since the Gilded Age. And you know, what happened then? Well, we had a world war, we had a pandemic, and then we had the rise of fascism. And in between then, we had a lot of labor action in the U.S. so if labor unions are able to muster enough power to stand up to some of these oligarchs, they could be a force for good.

[Jon Stewart]

It's so dispiriting to hear that same message for labor of like, you guys just need to get together and get better lobbyists. And there is something here that seems almost more difficult, which is this rise of populism mirroring this Gilded Age. You know, fascism was not blended with the Gilded Age. The Industrial Age was. And so I don't know that we've. We've seen this before. And I hesitate to say that, but it does seem unusual.

[Desi Lydic]

And, you know, what's really kind of surprising to me about this is that what's really needed here is a way for people to coalesce and organize themselves to stand up to these individual accumulations of power in the hands of the brologarchs.

[Jon Stewart]

But the law is not on our side. The law is basically now saying, corporations are people, money is speech. And so how do you. Boy, I hate to see someone who studied this for so long to you go like, you know what's terrible to me? And I'm like, what?

[Desi Lydic]

No, sorry.

[Jon Stewart]

You study this.

[Desi Lydic]

Well, as you correctly point out, like, where does the wealth actually comes from? It comes from labor. So if labor gets together and says, we're not going to stand for this anymore, or if consumers get together and say, we're not going to stand for this anymore, there are way more of us than there are of them. The problem is that the weird twist in the wonderful world of the Internet and social media is that rather than giving us a means to coalesce and come together, it's divided us into these little bubbles or camps that are at.

[Jon Stewart]

War with one another, which I'm guessing now is maybe the overt strategy.

[Desi Lydic]

Yeah.

[Jon Stewart]

Because that's in many ways how they generate the income because that the overt strategy of the algorithm is to conflict and outrage.

[Desi Lydic]

Just last week, there was a scholarly journal article published by some some political scientists in the Netherlands that looked at who generates the most misinformation on social media and they found it was really asymmetric. It's almost all coming from right wing populists. And it's not an accident. That's their strategy.

[Jon Stewart]

Holy shit. You know, for a second there, I thought you were going to say me. Made me really nervous. Thank you so much for this. Offshore is the book. It's available now. Brooke Harrington. We're going to take a quick break and we'll be right back. Hey, everybody, that's our show for tonight. Before we go, I'm going to check in with your host for the rest of the week, Mr. Ronny Chang. Ronny, what do you got for the rest of the week? My friend?

[Michael Costa]

John, before we lean into the Trump years, I'm going to spend this week fondly remembering the incredible four years America had under Joe Biden, a president of faith, compassion, and courage.

[Jon Stewart]

You. You know he's out of office and can't give out any more pardons, right? You know that.

[Michael Costa]

Oh, I see. I see. Well, then I'll be spending this week talking about the Biden crime family and how only President Trump has the courage to take them down.

[Jon Stewart]

Thank you so much, Ronny Chang, everybody. Great brain. Here it is. You're moving it down.

[Donald Trump]

I just want to say, say you're a younger, far more beautiful audience that I just spoke to and I want to keep it off the record. This Chaney is a disaster. She's a crying lunatic. And crying. Crying. Adam Kinzinger, he's a super. Crying. I never saw the guy not crying. I talked about inflation, too. But, you know, how many times can you say that? An apple has doubled in cost to get into a stagecoach. Now you get into a helicopter. Times change. I mean, they got like 60, 70 pounds of drug and they go. As fast as you can walk, they go. And I would attack a karate champion. Get Slightly Rebel. I think this was a better speech than the one I made upstairs. Okay.

[Jon Stewart]

I think this was better.

[Jon Ste]

JD 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.

[Desi Lydic]

Paramount Podcasts.