Jon Stewart's Post-Kimmel Primer on Free Speech in the Glorious Trump Era | Maria Ressa

Summary

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Podcast Summary: The Daily Show: Ears Edition

Episode: Jon Stewart's Post-Kimmel Primer on Free Speech in the Glorious Trump Era | Maria Ressa
Date: September 19, 2025
Host: Jon Stewart
Guest: Maria Ressa

Main Theme

This episode of The Daily Show: Ears Edition focuses on the evolution and current state of free speech in the United States under President Trump, explored through the lens of satire, sharp political commentary, and a substantive interview with Nobel laureate and journalist Maria Ressa. Stewart and his news team lampoon the Trump administration’s approach to media and criticism, while Ressa provides a grave and insightful comparison to authoritarian trends she has witnessed internationally, particularly in the Philippines.

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Key Segments & Discussion Points

1. Jon Stewart’s Monologue: Satirizing Trump’s Free Speech Regime

• Satirical Opening — Stewart welcomes viewers to "the all new government-approved Daily Show" (04:19), immediately lampooning the idea of state-controlled comedy.
• Trump in England — Stewart mocks Trump’s ceremonial trip to England, referencing over-the-top praise, oratory displays, and the president’s attempts at literary name-dropping.
  • “He wowed the English with charm, intelligence, and an undeniable sexual charisma that filled their air like a pheromone packed London fog.” (05:14, Stewart)
  • He fiercely parodies Trump’s ego and the sycophantic deference expected from foreign and local politicians.
• Mock "Rules" of Free Speech — Stewart describes how, under Trump, "free speech" means speech favorable to the administration.
  • “There’s something called a talent O meter... and it tells the President when a performer’s TQ — talent quotient, measured mostly by niceness to the president — goes below a certain level. At which point the FCC must be notified…” (13:58, Stewart)
• Hypocrisy Montage — Stewart interweaves actual and fabricated clips of political figures using the same language and strategies they criticize, to highlight double standards about hate and misinformation (14:30–17:00).

Notable Quotes:

• "You can call that free speech or not. Shut the f** up. Yay.”* (12:55, Stewart, parodying administration’s rhetoric)
• "Technically anything you see is a sight. Even if... that is you punching a cop. I see, therefore I am sightseeing." (16:43, Stewart)

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2. The “Free Speech Primer”: Irony and Absurd Logic

• Stewart lampoons the supposed scientific process by which the government determines the limits of free speech for TV performers and media.
• He satirizes the censorship logic, showing how attacks on opponents are justified if convenient to the administration, illustrated by real headlines and grotesquely comic praise rituals.
• Satirical Loyalty Oath — The segment closes with the news team reciting a mock pledge praising Trump in grandiose and absurd fashion:
  • “O Donald, we pledge to thee our world from the hottest country in the... With no fake newses. And we don’t even notice your kinkles or your bruises. You ended eight to ten year wars and even though some of those countries don’t really exist, you deserve all the prizes... You have a massive penis, much bigger than normal...” (22:32–22:58, ensemble cast)
• This segment sharply underscores the climate of performative loyalty, self-censorship, and moving boundaries in American media and political life.

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3. Interview: Maria Ressa on Authoritarianism, Social Media, and Civic Resistance

(26:41–43:32)

Background & Setup

• Stewart introduces Maria Ressa, Filipino journalist, CEO of Rappler, and Nobel Peace Prize winner, whose work focuses on holding power to account under Duterte’s government and digital disinformation campaigns.

Parallels between the Philippines and the United States

• Accelerating Authoritarian Tactics: Ressa compares Duterte's collapse of Philippine democratic institutions in six months to similar patterns she observes in the US, emphasizing government and tech sector complicity.
  • “I have 11 arrest warrants, or had 11 arrest warrants in a little over a year.” (27:09, Ressa)
  • “It’s both déjà vu and PTSD. I mean... it’s identical to what happened in the Philippines.” (29:05, Ressa)
• Social Media as an Authoritarian Tool: Stewart and Ressa discuss how the Philippines was a testing ground for mass digital manipulation — foreshadowing what would later appear in US elections.
  • Ressa: “What [the Cambridge Analytica whistleblower] said was that they tested tactics of mass manipulation in our country, and if they worked for... they ported it to yours.” (32:44, Ressa)
• Algorithmic Disinformation = ‘Ultra-Processed Speech’: Stewart likens the flood of misinformation on social platforms to ultra-processed food — deliberately engineered to bypass natural human defenses.
  • “But nobody talks about ultra-processed speech. And that’s the difference. The algorithm is ultra processed. It’s not about adding a little bit of humor or a little bit of fear or a little bit of outrage. It’s about designing a machine.” (37:07–37:30, Stewart)
  • Ressa affirms: “By design, these platforms spread lies... at least six times faster. If you lace it with fear, anger and hate, it can go viral.” (34:58, Ressa)

The Importance of Civic Resistance

• Civic Institutions Under Threat: Ressa remarks that both in the Philippines and America, checks and balances fail first through compliance or inaction, not direct opposition.
  • “If you don’t move and protect the rights you have, you lose them, and it’s so much harder to reclaim them.” (38:56, Ressa)
• A Call to Action, Not Despair: When asked if this is the end or just another crisis, Ressa distinguishes between “information apocalypse” and “information Armageddon," choosing the latter:
  • “Apocalypse is done. It’s the end of the world. But Armageddon is the battle. This is the battle.” (40:32–40:37, Ressa)
• Optimism and Persistence: Ressa stresses that sustained, mission-driven journalism and civic engagement can outlast authoritarian regimes—even if the result is not Heaven, “moving from Hell to Purgatory” is still progress.
  • “We just kept doing our jobs. A year where I had 11 arrest warrants and then was convicted... but in March this year, Rodrigo Duterte was arrested on alleged crimes against humanity.” (42:04–42:39, Ressa)
  • Stewart praises this persistence: “Preach that to the heavens. That is so true. And so missing.” (41:43, Stewart)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Jon Stewart (On Trump’s literary prowess):
  • “He didn’t have to look down once completely off book as he name checked his favorite authors from the top of his head.” (05:53)
• Stewart (On free speech rules):
  • “Read your constitution. Read it. Look, there are certain rules of free speech that we must all abide by. But in case anyone needs a refresher, we’re gonna go over the rules again.” (13:43)
• Ressa (On algorithmic manipulation):
  • “By design, these platforms spread lies... at least six times faster. So by design, lies spread faster. That’s the incentive. If you lace it with fear, anger and hate, it can go viral.” (34:58–35:17)
• Ressa (On optimism):
  • “Because I’m optimistic, I chose Armageddon... Armageddon is the battle. This is the battle.” (40:18–40:37)
• Stewart (On ‘ultra-processed speech’):
  • “But nobody talks about ultra processed speech. ... The algorithm is ultra processed. ... It’s about designing a machine.” (37:07–37:29)

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Important Timestamps

• 04:19 — Stewart’s satirical government-approved show opening.
• 05:14–06:10 — Trump’s UK visit parody.
• 12:55 — Stewart’s satirical breakdown of "free speech" logic.
• 13:43–17:00 — Montage and discussion of hypocritical speech standards.
• 22:32–22:58 — The mock loyalty oath and "Daily Show" musical segment.
• 26:41 — Start of Maria Ressa interview.
• 29:05–30:36 — Parallels between Philippine and US collapse of institutions.
• 32:23–34:58 — Weaponization of social media and algorithms.
• 37:07–37:29 — Discussion on “ultra-processed speech.”
• 40:08–40:37 — "Apocalypse or Armageddon" optimism dialogue.

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Tone and Style

The episode maintains Jon Stewart’s signature blend of biting satire, rapid-fire wit, and indignant political skepticism. The news satire portion deploys parody and absurdist humor to critique the Trump administration's control of free speech and media. The interview with Maria Ressa adopts a serious but hopeful tone, offering journalistic depth and comparative international perspective, without sacrificing Stewart’s comedic undercurrent.

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Conclusion

This episode uses comedy and international experience to critique the distortion of free speech and institutional integrity under authoritarian pressure. Maria Ressa’s contributions remind listeners that information battles are ongoing and winnable, provided citizens remain vigilant and committed to truth. The tone oscillates between sharply comedic and deeply sobering, leaving listeners with a sense of urgency—and, remarkably, optimism—for the fight to protect democratic principles and civic life.

Transcript

[A]

Buying a car in Carvana was so easy, I was able to finance it through them.

[B]

I just.

[A]

Whoa, wait, you mean finance? Yeah, finance. Got pre qualified for a Carvana auto loan, entered my terms and shot from thousands of great car options, all within my budget.

[B]

That's cool.

[A]

But financing through Carvana was so easy. Financed, done. And I get to pick up my car from their Carvana vending machine tomorrow. Financed, right? That's what they said. You can spend time trying to pronounce financing or you can actually finance and buy your car today on Carvana financing, subject to credit approval. Additional terms and conditions may apply. Does it ever feel like you're a marketing professional just speaking into the void? But with LinkedIn ads, you can know you're reaching the right decision makers. A network of 130 million of them. In fact, you can even target buyers by job title, industry, company seniority, skills and. Did I say job title? See how you can avoid the void and reach the right buyers with LinkedIn ads. Spend $250 on your first campaign and get a free $250 credit for the next one. Get started at LinkedIn.com campaign terms and conditions apply. You're listening to Comedy Central. From Comedy Central, it's the all new government approved Daily show with your patriotically obedient host, John Stewart. Hello, good evening, my name is John Stewart and welcome to the Daily Show. On, I'm going to guess Monday, I don't know, we have another fun, hilarious administration compliance show. What are you doing? Shut up. Blow this brace. So we're coming to you tonight from a real shithole with a crime ridden cesspool that is New York City. It is a tremendous disaster like no one's ever seen before. Someone's National Guard should invade this place. Am I right? Shut the up. If you felt a little off these past couple of days, it's probably because our great father has not been home. For father has been gracing England with his legendary warmth and radiance. Gaze upon him with a gait even more majestic than that of the royal horses that pranced before him. He wowed the English with charm, intelligence and an undeniable sexual charisma that filled their air like a pheromone packed London fog. And as part of this historic trip, the perfectly tinted Trump dazzled his hosts at dinner with a demonstration of unmatched oratory skill. A fifth of all. If humanity speaks, writes, thinks and prays in the language born on these isles and perfected in the pages of Shakespeare and Dickens and Tolkien and Lewis, Orwell and Kipling. Incredible people. He didn't have to look down once completely off book as he name checked his favorite authors from the top of his head. Trump employing restraint not to quote verbatim, these great authors our president has devoured voraciously. Incredible people indeed. I'll tell you whose client list Trump's name is on. Dewey Decimals. But of course, as great as those authors are, there can only be one most tremendous author in the English language. And I think we know that that author begins with a T and ends in T. Oh, how fortune has smiled upon us. For that very scribe is also our dear leader. We're joined by history and fate and by love and language. We're like two notes in one chord or two verses of the same poem, each beautiful on its own, but really meant to be played together. The whole room is enthralled. That's resting interest face. It was a most beautiful recitation, Mr. President. It brings me to tears almost as much as your favorite poem about that man from Nantucket and the variety of things that man can do that rhyme with Tuckett. Although, Mr. President, if I may humbly, I beg of you to take a small detour off this highway of adoration you have so richly earned for a bit of a comic repast. What the is on this guy's head? Hang all the mistletoe you want, Earl of Higgin Hoffenbaulam. Our president's luscious lips shall never grace your forehead. Or is that. Is that some sort of second rate Harry Potter scar? Shit. What's on his head? He, scarred with the mark of the fern. Leviachus growitosis. But the President, almost despicably humble, gave the royals a rare glimpse at his soft spoken yet prideful side. We had a very sick country one year ago, and today I believe we're the hottest country anywhere in the world. In fact, nobody's even questioning it. Nobody. Certainly not this. Am I right? You got something to say to me, King Chuck? Don't make eye contact, bitch. I'm the alpha dog. Trump knows USA is the hottest we've ever been, and not just because of climate change, which is a good thing. It's actually. Climate change is. It's a good thing. Cities should be part of the ocean, if you think about it. Because obviously, what's more important than staying hydrated? Four cities. Of course, this visit wasn't just an opportunity for President Trump to rub shoulders with lesser royals. He also met with political lessers like the British Prime Minister, who had to be Reminded that Trump has ended all the wars in the world, especially the one between Azerbaijan and Armenia. To think that we settled Azerbaijan and Albania as an example. I would like to apologize very quickly. I stand corrected. Astra Pajan is actually pronounced Auber Baisun and Armenia is pronounced Albania. I. I regret the erro. Trump ended the war between Auber Bajan and Albania. Do better. Do better. Do better. Dumb shit. That wasn't smart. He now. The visit to England couldn't have gone better for our President. Finally, a country affording our great leader the respect and deference that any sun God would command. We saw the dismissal of a very well known chat show host in America last night. Mr. Kimmel, is free speech more under attack in Britain or America? How dare you, sir? How dare you, sir? What. What outfit are you with, sir? The antifa Herald Tribune? Why I wouldn't even line my parents cage with your rag. There's a very reasonable explanation for what befell this scallywag Kimball. Well, Jimmy Kimmel was fired because he had bad ratings more than anything else. And he said a horrible thing about a great gentleman known as Charlie Kirk. And Jimmy Kimmel is not a talented person. He had very bad ratings and they should have fired him a long time ago. So, you know, you can call that free speech or not. Shut the up. Yay. You may call it free speech in jolly old England, but in America we have a little something called the First Amendment. And let me tell you how it works. There's something called a talent O meter. It's a completely scientific instrument that is kept on the President's desk. And it tells the President when a performer's TQ talent quotient, measured mostly by niceness to the president, goes below a certain level. At which point the FCC must be notified to threaten the acquisition prospects for billion dollar mergers of network affiliates. These affiliates are then asked to give ultimatums to the even larger mega corporation that controls the flow of state approved content. Or the FCC can just choose to threaten those licenses directly. It's basic science. Read your constitution. Read your constitution. Read it. Look, there are certain rules of free speech that we must all abide by. But in case anyone needs a refresher, we're gonna go over the rules again. He does not have a right to have a television show where he lies his ass off to the American people. There are repercussions to spreading lies. Exactly. And even though two months ago our president, because of his grand ability to see the future, it's a curse. Somehow knew that Kimball would be next as he explicitly said, you can't just make things up on television. People cannot just go on television and mislead viewers with made up comments. Crap. Millions of illegal aliens that border czar Harris brought into the country will be voting. The bottom line is this. There is massive voter fraud. Global warming is a hoax. Crime. Crime is at an all time high right now. 50 million on condoms in Gaza. They're taking people's pets and killing them and eating them. On January 6, two years ago, the overwhelming majority were peaceful. They were orderly and meek. These were not insurrectionists. They were sightseers. All true. Oh, your lordship, I do not know whence these peasants come. That last roll of clips. All true. Especially that last one about sightseers. Because technically anything you see is a sight. Even. Even if. Even if that is. Even if that is you punching a cop. I see. Therefore I am sightseeing. But of course, even before this Jason Kringle situation at abc, there were plenty of other people in America exercising their free speech incorrectly. So here's some examples of things you cannot say about your political opponents. You can't call someone who you disagree with a fascist. Leaders cannot call their political opponents Nazis and fascists and enemies of the state. How horrible and dangerous it is to view people with whom we disagree as somehow being less than human. Thank you. You can't say fascist. You can't say enemy of the state. You can't say less than human. These are simple rules that any responsible member of a society can easily follow. The Democrats, they're fascists. Joe Biden, he's an enemy of the state. It's a very demonic party. Nancy Pelosi said, please don't call them animals. They're human beings. I said, no, they're animals. Of course. I think she's an animal too. You want to know the truth? Technically correct. She's not a mineral. Anyway, he said that a long time ago, back when I was doing a semester abroad in Abu Baisan. You know what? It's not really about the specific words. It's about having a basic sense of humanity. People on the left are much likelier to defend and celebrate political violence. This is not a both sides problem. The First Amendment, though, does not protect entertainers who say crass or thoughtless things as Jimmy Kimmel did. Thank you. Thank both of you. Or I think we only have to be nice to one of you. You know it is true. I do. Point taken. Only a bad person would celebrate violence or make crass jokes about it.

[B]

Nancy Pelosi, well, she's got Protection.

[A]

When she's in D.C. apparently, her house.

[B]

Doesn'T have a lot of protection.

[A]

Donald Trump Jr. Shared an image of a hammer in a pair of underwear that had the caption, got my Paul Pelosi Halloween costume ready.

[B]

Well, maybe Paul Pelosi needs the hammer instead of the metal.

[A]

Well, it's metal all right. Rachel, good to see you. It's metal. No, no, no. Stop. And by the way, there were consequences. This gentleman had to leave television. I'm not sure where he went, but I'm sure it's not some prestigious consequential position. He's not remotely qualified for these two. These two. These two could learn a lesson from our dear President, who, like Santa, knows that we are all God's children and would never. That is what Santa is, right? God's children. I'm not so up on the lore. I like that. I know he's good. But the President knows we're all God's children. And the President would never make light of a politically motivated attack. We'll stand up to crazy Nancy Pelosi who ruined San Francisco. How's her husband doing, by the way? Anybody know? You see, that's how it's done. You stop in the middle of a speech to inquire about the condition of an 82 year old man who was attacked with a hammer in his own home. He has a fractured skull, Mr. President, but thank you for asking. Your kindness is only outshined by your manliness. So I don't know who this. I don't know who this Johnny Dremmel Live ABC character is. But the point is, our great administration has laid out very clear rules on free speech. Now, some naysayers may argue that this administration's speech concerns are merely a cynical ploy, a thin gruel of a ruse, a smokescreen to obscure an unprecedented consolidation of power and unitary intimidation principle less and coldly antithetical to any experiment in a constitutional republic. Governance. Some people would say that. Not me, though I think it's great. For more we go to our correspondence who are live at the Donald Ham Link Trump monument. Very much appreciate it. Very much appreciate you joining us. But you know, all this swirling around are the naysayers and the critics, right? Is Donald Trump stifling free speech? Of course not, John. Americans are free to express any opinion we want. To suggest otherwise is laughable. Ha ha ha. We are a nation of diverse perspectives, and we are not afraid to be different. Ronnie, Ronnie, Ronnie, Ronnie. What's up with your tie? You're gonna get us in trouble. Look, this is. This is the only red tie I have.

[B]

It's fine.

[A]

It's not red. It's pink. It's not pink. It's at least salmon. All right? That's a shade of red. It's not red enough. It's gotta be Muga red. Calm down. God, is this your first dictator? Listen, listen. They don't care about the exact shade, okay? It's just about being visibly uncomfortable while you praise them like a toddler. We love you, Donna. You did so good. You get all your po Be in your party. So good. So good. I couldn't have said it any differently without obviously getting into trouble. Now, before we go to our commercial break, we'd like to end this segment like we do every night here at the Daily show and have been ending our segments for years. O Donald, we pledge to thee our world from the hottest country in the.

[B]

World.

[A]

With no fake newses. And we don't even notice your Kinkles or your bruises. You ended eight to ten year wars and even though some of those countries don't really exist, you deserve all the prizes. I'm talking Nobel prizes. You have a massive penis much bigger than normal. Your operation warp speed got us the COVID vaccine, which we don't like, but it was a great thing. But don't take it. Y' all come back to me, please. He's a superhero who needs no cape. And he was not technically convicted of. Yeah, Donald, we love you, bro, because you're in the. Okay. Oh, Donald, we love you. When we come back, my guest is journalist Maria Resta. Don't go away. This episode is brought to you by FXX and Hulu. An all new season of Futurama is back. Blending heartfelt moments with razor sharp humor while accidentally saving the day. The Planet Express crew is back. Defying gravity and common sense. From the creator of The Simpsons comes 10 new episodes where the romance is hotter, the threats are bigger, and the action hits harder. Don't miss the all new season of Futurama. Watch it Mondays on FXX or streaming on Hulu. For the first time ever, you can get all of ESPN in the new ESPN app along with Disney plus and Hulu with one incredible offer. The most live sports, biggest blockbusters and most talked about shows. Get it all in one bundle for $29.99 a month for 12 months. Visit Disney plush hulu espnbundle.com for details. Add supported plan auto renews at regular price. Currently $35.99 a month. Subject to change unless canceled. Ends 1526 terms apply. Welcome back to the Daily Show. My guest tonight. My guest tonight is a Nobel Peace Prize winner, CEO of the Philippine news site Rappler, and author of the book how to Stand up to a Dictator. Please welcome to the program. Maria Ress. This is pretty. Very nice, people. You got it. You got to do it for the gram. That's all Maria's always said she does it for the gram. Maria, first of all, thank you for being available on. On short notice. Generally, I have a Rolodex of all Nobel Prize winners and I had to get to r. So that's how hard it is. Your Nobel Peace Prize, is there any chance you would give it to our guy and save us all?

[B]

I knew you were gonna ask.

[A]

Son of a. How are you doing? As you're watching, not really the market working, but the government interceding in putting pressure on various things. How much is this moment resonating with you, with your experiences? For those who don't know, you were imprisoned in the Philippines for writing truth.

[B]

I have 11 arrest warrants, or had 11 arrest warrants in a little over a year.

[A]

But only four were coke. Which is. I want to make sure people know that. But it's the same type of thing.

[B]

You know, I gotta say, since 2016, I've been saying over and over and over, and I guess I'm just gonna say, I told you so.

[A]

You've said it to me many times.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

And I've always said, we're resilient in our civic institutions.

[B]

And he really has.

[A]

I really have said that to him.

[B]

Yeah. He said, no, it's not gonna happen.

[A]

Right. Right.

[B]

Yeah. Hello.

[A]

What was it about how you were watching it? Are you at least surprised by the speed of it and the breadth of it?

[B]

When we talked in March, I was saying, this is going much faster than in the Philippines when Rodrigo Duterte took office. So the Philippines has a constitution patterned after the United States. 3 CO. + branches of government, and he collapsed our institutions within six months. All right.

[A]

Do you think it's weird it's taken Trump 8.

[B]

I think he did it in the first hundred days.

[A]

No, he did. Yeah.

[B]

Yeah. Because if you think about it, 143 executive orders.

[A]

Right.

[B]

And then if you look at the way that shaped the reality of everybody. Right. I think that was why we spoke in March. Cause I was like, this is happening. If you do not reclaim your rights, if you don't stand up, it's going to be significantly harder to claw them back.

[A]

Let me ask you about you Know, you've got three branches of government. Were they compliant? I think in this moment they're compliant here. Right. It hasn't been at their objection, it's been at their inaction.

[B]

So it's identical to what happened.

[A]

Identical.

[B]

Identical to what happened in the Philippines.

[A]

Interesting.

[B]

And so I feel like it's both deja vu and ptsd. I mean, and you know, we have. You have an executive, very powerful, which by the way, our first President Marcos declared martial law by executive order. Right, right. That was in the 70s. Anyway, you have an executive, the legislature is the one that's supposed to hold him in check in real time.

[A]

Right.

[B]

And the judiciary maintains the rule of law. Right. Well, what happened in the Philippines was.

[A]

I want you to have a third hand to show me this. I want to see how this model actually works.

[B]

Well, so what happened? This collapsed.

[A]

Right, Right.

[B]

Which was shocking. Shocking to watch. But the very first line of defense you had were the Republicans. Right, right. And then when that collapsed, that meant in real time. I mean, are you gonna get USAID workers back? All of those things that happened that were implemented in the first crisis, appropriations.

[A]

And money, that was done, all of that has happened.

[B]

And that now is normal. Right. And you can, whether it's in the physical world or in the virtual world. And then the judiciary. I watched the same thing happen here that happened to us, which is the individual judges and justices become targeted and holding up rule of law becomes that much harder. But here's your other thing, and this is Silicon Valley is American after all. Right. How can you have rule of law if you don't have facts?

[A]

What is that last word? We were told. So here's what's been interesting. We've been told that any attempt to check facts was a curb on free speech. That any policing on public platforms of anything that occurred. And by the way, some of it was not right, some of it was unjust, some of it was censorious. But it didn't mean. And we were told that the principle here, they've said it. We're going to be the most free speech. We're going to be the most open. And they've just redefined what speech means. What free speech means is free speech is speech that supports the President. And that's the new definition.

[B]

Are you talking about the tech CEOs or the President's men and women?

[A]

Well, but are they different? I mean, when you have that kind of meshing. Right. Yes, it was. He threatened Mark Zuckerberg with jail because of Zuckerbucks, which Were bipartisan. They went out. It wasn't even electioneering.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Mark Zuckerberg went. Did you see jail? Which apparently is the only thing that's worse than being in the Metaverse, but I'm not sure which is worse, actually, he flips over. Now we've got tech. I mean, Elon Musk spent over $100 million to get this man elected. But that's not seen as interference. Joined together and they're consolidating their power.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

Is that a similar. You know, in Philippines, it's a little different. Basically, social media in Philippines was more like. It was Facebook.

[B]

No, I mean primarily Facebook. But, you know, I would say for six years. These are stats. For six years in a row until 2021, Filip spent the most time online and on social media globally.

[A]

Out of anybody.

[B]

Out of anybody globally. And so what the Cambridge Analytica whistleblower said. You guys remember that 2018, right?

[A]

I do indeed.

[B]

So what he said was that they tested tactics of mass manipulation in our country, and if they worked for. In our country, they ported it to yours.

[A]

Wait, this is like the McRib. They took a. They did a. They did a test sandwich and ran it in, like, some place in Columbus and were like, these people love this shit.

[B]

And we kept telling you this was happening, right, in 2016. I said this in Silicon Valley. I said, what is happening to us is coming for you, 2016. Right. And nothing was done. And if anything, all those safeguards that were tried, that they tried to put in place have been ripped off in time for the 2024 elections.

[A]

But it hadn't. To that point, in my mind, they had weaponized that brain hack for profit. They hadn't yet weaponized that brain hack for political consolidation and power. That's what feels different.

[B]

No, what happened in the Philippines is just happening to you.

[A]

Yes. No, I meant in our country.

[B]

In your country.

[A]

It felt like they weaponized the algorithm for profit. Now they're weaponizing it for both profit and political consolidation.

[B]

They went hand in hand for most of the rest of the world. I mean, you're not exceptional in this sense. There is a dictator's playbook, right?

[A]

You think we fell for it? We're just a run of the mill country that falls for this. It really is a playbook. That's why they studied Hungary. They studied soft autocracy. They studied hard autocracy. They used the same man. When I watch them and they go on and they go, we fired a missile at a Venezuelan drug boat. I think about Duterte And I think.

[B]

About that's extrajudicial killings in our country. That's what we called it. Right. And.

[A]

And that's how we consolidated through the fear, anger, massacre.

[B]

Fear, anger, hate. Fear, anger, hate. So it's like we'll say this one more time. Cause I feel like, you know, Sisyphus and Cassandra combined, we kept saying this.

[A]

Hold on. That is a great idea for a movie. Hold on.

[B]

By design, these platforms spread lies. Social media spreads lies. By a 2018 MIT study, at least six times faster. So by design, lies spread faster. That's the incentive. And then in 2017, we saw in our country, in the Philippines, that if you lace it with fear, anger and hate, it can go viral. That's the incentive structure. So that was used to attack us. Now imagine if you're pumped full of. In the Nobel lecture, I called it toxic sludge. Online violence is real world violence. So they hacked our biology. Thinking fast, thinking slow. We're thinking fast. People, our emotions, they change the way we feel. Reptilian to change the way we look at the world, to change the way we act, to change the way we vote. And as of March this year, V. Dem in Sweden said that we are 72% of the world is now under authoritarian rule, that we are electing illiberal leaders democratically because of insidious manipulation.

[A]

Right.

[B]

So they go hand in hand with money and power.

[A]

And now with the horrific events in Utah, everybody has the Zapruder film of it in their pocket and it wasn't.

[B]

Taken down on social media, right?

[A]

No. Horrifying. And it's. You know what, I like in it too to some extent. Because this type of manipulation will always exist. You know, I liken it to this. It's like a shaft. A chef has a couple of tricks.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

You come into a restaurant, what's a chef going to do? He's going to be like, you know what? I want these people to come back. I'm going to throw in a little extra butter, I'm going to add a little bit of sugar to the marinara. But it's still within the realm of. But then you look at ultra processed food and you realize that's different. That's guys in lab coats trying to figure out how to bypass whatever biological signals you give that cause you to stop eating, to bypass that to make you sick. And it's so interesting because you watch Maha talk about we have to get rid of ultra processed foods. It's killing us, it's making us fat. And then big pharma comes in and they give us GLPs, and it's a big cycle. But nobody talks about ultra processed speech. And that's the difference. The algorithm is ultra processed. It's not about adding a little bit of humor or a little bit of fear or a little bit of outrage. It's about designing a machine.

[B]

Yes, absolutely.

[A]

Me and Maria won the Nobel Prize. I won it, too. We. Oh, my God. I can't. I can't believe we're both Nobel Prize winners. Maria, I want to talk about right now. In this country, so many people are living on eggshells, on the whims of one man. Whether you're a researcher in a university or a day laborer outside of a Home Depot or someone who shit posts on Twitter or any. There are so many people in so many spheres or whether you're a small business that doesn't understand the diabolical whims of tariffs and how they're being laid out just willy nilly. What do you do with that? I know that must have been what it's like in the Philippines. An authoritarian regime. Civic institutions and the way that they function, they can be abysmal, but they provide a certain stability. I've never seen this country where so many are living on eggshell.

[B]

And part of that is precisely because there hasn't been enough. I mean, we were talking about this. There hasn't been. It feels like Americans are like deer in headlights.

[A]

Yeah. You know, I feel that way.

[B]

But if you don't move and protect the rights you have, you lose them, and it's so much harder to reclaim them.

[A]

You know, they keep saying, our leaders, the ones that we elected to keep an eye on this, keep going on TV and going, you've got to speak up. And you're like, here, like, right now, out the window, like, for what? Like, there is no real sense of process or scaffolding that could create a ladder out of this hole.

[B]

But this is. This is.

[A]

You're about to choke me, aren't you? No, no, no, no, no, no.

[B]

You know, so let me just say what this. This moment is, right? I've been struggling, and I just came from Australia, and you're a very optimistic.

[A]

Person, I know that.

[B]

So this is.

[A]

For everything you've been through.

[B]

There were two ways I was gonna describe this moment, and it does start with the manipulation and the corruption of our public information ecosystem. Right? So I was saying, is this an information apocalypse or is it an information Armageddon?

[A]

Okay, Those are our. So you are a very optimistic person. And that. And our choice is Apocalypse or Armageddon.

[B]

But that's why. Because I'm optimistic. I chose Armageddon.

[A]

Yup.

[B]

Right.

[A]

Yep. Because.

[B]

No, think about it, think about it. Part of it is Apocalypse is done. It's the end of the world.

[A]

Apocalypse is the end.

[B]

But Armageddon is the battle. This is the battle. Right, Right.

[A]

Peaceful. Peaceful. Peaceful. And by the way, so without this going in that direction, then I want to do. Talk about this was. When was Duterte. When did he take power?

[B]

2016.

[A]

He's gone.

[B]

Oh, yeah. Okay.

[A]

So this isn't. It didn't last forever. And your work, your lone voice crying out from the apartment that they forced you to be in and the imprisonment that they were looking for, it's over. He's not there anymore.

[B]

So it wasn't. I wasn't jailed for very long. I'm very lucky in this. Right. But let me put it this way. Our lawyers told us I was crazy and I had a company. And by the way, nothing puts a news organization coheres, makes it feel so good to be a journalist than a news organization that is mission driven. When we came under attack, Rappler came together in ways we could never have done.

[A]

Preach that to the heavens. That is so true. And so missing.

[B]

So what we saw was that if you stand up, if you just keep going. Because our lawyers told us I was crazy. Right. Do you negotiate with President Duterte or not? How can you negotiate when you can't give him what he wants?

[A]

Right.

[B]

So we did it.

[A]

Which is fealty.

[B]

That is you can't do your job.

[A]

Right.

[B]

Right. So. And then here's what happened. We just kept doing our jobs. We just kept putting one foot in front of the other. A year where I had 11 arrest warrants and then was convicted. And I still have. I have to ask for permission to travel from the Philippine Supreme Court until today. But in March this year, Rodrigo Duterte was arrested on alleged crimes against humanity. And he is now in jail in the Hague waiting for his trial.

[A]

Wow. Wow. And it's not. Listen, and that doesn't mean it's. And I understand that, you know, in the Philippines, his daughter, and certainly the Philippines, has a long tradition of family dynasties. And that still exists there. And there's still, I'm sure, choppy waters ahead for Maria Ressa.

[B]

Well, let's say we move from hell to Purgatory. Right?

[A]

It's not bad.

[B]

It's not bad. You gotta take a win.

[A]

So this book has gotta be from Apocalypse to Armageddon. A story of optimism. Maria Russell Maria, I can't tell you enough what a sav for the soul you always are. Whenever I get a chance to talk to you, whenever I get to see you. Thank you so much for coming by in this unbelievably strange deer in headlight time. And I so appreciate you coming on.

[B]

No, thanks for having me.

[A]

It's such a pleasure. We're going to take a break. We'll be right back. Maria Russell Foreign I'm Christian McCaffrey, pro running back, and Abercrombie is an official fashion partner of the NFL. I'm not kidding when I say NFL by Abercrombie broke the Internet last year and I think this season's lineup is even cooler. And so does my wife, who keeps stealing all my hoodies. Stay fit for the season and Abercrombie's newest arrivals shop NFL by Abercrombie in the app, online and in Store Store. This episode is brought to you by Jack Daniels. Jack Daniels and music are made for each other. They share a rhythm in the craft of making something timeless while being a part of legendary nights. From backyard jams to sold out arenas, there's a song in every toast. Please drink responsibly. Responsibility.org, jackDaniels and Old Number 7 are registered trademarks. Tennessee Whiskey 40% alcohol by volume. Jack Daniel Distillery, Lynchburg, Tennessee hey everybody, that's our show for tonight. Here it is, your mom and his dad. Mr. President, you have spoken of your pride in your British roots. In fact, not only have you set foot on British soil twice in the last two months alone, but I understand that British soil makes for rather splendid golf courses. 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. This has been a Comedy Central podcast. Martha listens to her favorite band all the time in the car, gym, even sleeping. So when they finally went on tour, Martha bundled her flight and hotel on Expedia to see them live. She saved so much, she got a seat close enough to actually see and hear them. Sort of. You were made to scream from the front row. We were made to quietly save you. More Expedia made to Travel savings vary and subject to availability. Flight inclusive packages are atoll protected. Your sausage McBuffin with egg didn't change your receipt did. The sausage McMuffin with egg extra Value meal includes a hash brown and a small coffee for just $5 only at McDonald's for a limited time. Prices and participation may vary.