Melania's $40 Million Docu-Bribe Movie Premieres & Dems Make ICE Demands

Summary

The Daily Show: Ears Edition

Episode: Melania's $40 Million Docu-Bribe Movie Premieres & Dems Make ICE Demands
Host: Desi Ly (a play on Jon Stewart/Jesse Lydic)
Release Date: January 30, 2026

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Episode Overview

This episode of The Daily Show: Ears Edition uses sharp satire and playful banter to unpack two major stories: the Democratic response to Trump's new immigration crackdown and mounting scrutiny over Amazon's record-breaking $40 million purchase of a Melania Trump documentary, rumored to be more bribe than biopic. The show also takes a detour into wild self-experimentation as it profiles a man who built immunity to snake venom, then wraps with a thoughtful interview with Emmy-winning actor Katherine LaNasa about her career and her hit show, The Pit.

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Democrats Push for ICE Reforms (01:07–03:25)

• The episode opens with the news that Democrats are pushing back against Trump’s aggressive immigration tactics and those engineering them (notably Kristi Noem and Stephen Miller).
• Chuck Schumer makes headlines for his fiery rhetoric.
  • Quote: Ronny Chieng as Schumer: “Kristi Noem and Stephen Miller are liars. Any administration that allows them to continue in office is rotten to its core.” (01:41)
• The panel lampoons Schumer’s dramatic delivery (“Samuel L. Schumer over here. You kiss your lobbyist with that mouth?” – Desi Ly, 01:53), then details Democrats’ ICE reform demands:
  • Roving ICE patrols
  • Updated Uniform Code of Conduct and Accountability
  • Body cams and proper identification (no masks) on agents
• Desi Ly’s self-interrogation highlights the limits of these reforms but allows a segue to the next story.

2. The $40 Million Melania Trump Documentary Scandal (03:25–11:51)

A. Suspiciously Lavish Amazon Deal (04:38–05:46)

• Amazon paid $40 million—three times the next-highest bidder—for exclusive rights to a Melania Trump documentary, fueling allegations of bribery linked to its government contracts.
  • Quote: Desi Ly: “Why would Jeff Bezos, a billionaire who has tons of business with a government run by a famously corrupt president known for loving bribes, overpay for a Melania documentary? … Well, that didn't help.” (04:52)
• Comments on Brett Ratner directing (“...from ‘Rush Hour’ or the #MeToo movement…” – Desi Ly, 05:07)

B. Lampooning Melania's Press Circuit (05:46–07:03)

• The hosts ridicule softball questions Melania faces in Fox News interviews, mocking the movie’s bland subject matter and its “original score.”
  • Quote: Desi Ly: “What is your favorite time of day? That sounds like the conversation you have with a co worker's spouse when they show up to the holiday party before your co worker does.” (06:02)
  • Quote: Desi Ly on the movie’s score: “It's called Melania's Vaults. … The original score for this movie was made for this movie, you say? And did they hit record when they were filming? Oh, how wonderful. Well, here's $40 million.” (06:41)

C. Unenthusiastic Crew, Critical "Reviews" (07:03–11:51)

• Two-thirds of the New York crew requested to have their names omitted from the credits (“People in Hollywood love taking credit… You know this is bad.” – Desi Ly, 08:29)
• Critic’s Corner Segment:
  • Ronny Chieng calls the film a disgraceful cash-grab and overt bribery: “Desi, ‘Melania’ was a terrible movie. It was nothing but pure bribery. I was disgusted by this naked attempt by Jeff Bezos to curry favor with the president. I give it thumbs down.” (09:03)
  • Michael Kosta facetiously praises it as “a real tour de force of corruption. Structurally, tonally… the movie worked in every way. I knew exactly what was going on in every single scene. — Crime.” (09:14, 09:34)
  • They riff on whether the movie’s “bribery” is appropriate for kids, and whether it’ll win awards solely due to sycophancy.
    • “Is the bribery in this movie appropriate for families? I'm kind of worried that my five-year-old might not be mature enough to see strong bribery themes or situations.”
      • Michael Kosta: “Oh, it'll be fine. The bribery will go right over her head.” (10:11–10:28)
  • Kosta drops: “I love this movie because…I love the story and the character arcs. And also, Jeff Bezos paid me 40—million.” (11:28)
  • Both conclude, tongue firmly in cheek, that it’s truly a masterpiece of corruption.
    • Ronny Chieng: “Cinema is an art that should not be compromised. Which is why I strongly recommend ‘Melania.’ It's truly a masterpiece.” (11:42)

3. Immune to Snake Venom: The Wild World of DIY Research (12:33–18:55)

The Story of Tim Fried (Self-Made Snake Venom Survivor) (12:33–18:42)

• Grace Kuhlenschmidt profiles Tim Fried, who over 18 years built immunity to dozens of lethal snakes by deliberately getting bitten.
  • Quote: Tim Fried: “It's psychological. I mean you can't have a weak nerve. You have to trust yourself. And that's why I loved it.” (13:16)
  • Quote: Fried listed bites: “Black mamba bite, Taipan bite, Egyptian cobra…” (13:32)
  • His immunity ultimately leads biotech company Centivax to develop a new universal antivenom—moving beyond old methods (injecting horses) to using his antibodies.
  • Fried admits the process was rough: “The first six months was a complete failure. That was the ICU after I took two cobra bites and flatlined. Came back out of the hospital, coming out of a coma and you're like—” (15:49)
  • Quote: “I miss the pain. Swelling … It sounds amazing.” (18:17)
• Grace jokes about self-experimentation as a replacement for proper science but Centivax clarifies the necessity of years of disciplined research and actual biotech: “Well, Tim spent 18 years developing immunity. But in order to unlock it, he was searching … for a research group that had advanced biotechnology capabilities to mine through his immunity.” (17:25)

4. Interview: Katherine LaNasa, Emmy-winning Actress from The Pit (20:01–26:40)

• Desi Ly welcomes Katherine LaNasa, lauding her recent Emmy for The Pit and reflecting on how viewers find comfort in even such dark dramas.
• LaNasa discusses the personal struggles she faced before landing the role, including cancer treatment and losing work/insurance.
  • Quote: “I prayed… if you want me to keep acting, send me a sign. And I got a job on Daredevil here in New York City. That started on the last day of my radiation.” (21:08)
• She describes the detailed work that went into developing her character:
  • Researching with dialect coaches, drawing inspiration from real Pennsylvania accents.
  • “I couldn't really find the right coach, and I was listening to ‘Mayor of Easttown’ over and over again… I jumped out of the tub… and looked up the woman on IMDb Pro, and she set me up…” (22:29)
• Inspiration from real nurses—her own medical journey shaped how she viewed empathy and the reality of the health care system.
  • Quote: “Playing the role opposite people that are going through something… It really made me get on a visceral level that we really don't know what’s going on with people… it made me a little softer as a person and a little more compassionate.” (24:41)
• Personal anecdotes: Her father is a surgeon, mother trained as a nurse, her grandpa a dermatologist.
• Encouraging words for future nurses and a wish to play a queen someday:
  • Desi Ly: “You already are one. You don’t need to play a queen. You are a queen.” (26:40)

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Memorable Quotes & Timestamps

• 01:41 – Ronny Chieng as Chuck Schumer: “Kristi Noem and Stephen Miller are liars. Any administration that allows them to continue in office is rotten to its core.”
• 04:52 – Desi Ly on Amazon’s motives: “Why would Jeff Bezos… overpay for a Melania documentary?”
• 06:02 – Desi Ly: “What is your favorite time of day? That sounds like the conversation you have with a co worker's spouse at a holiday party...”
• 09:03 – Ronny Chieng: “‘Melania’ was a terrible movie. It was nothing but pure bribery… I give it thumbs down.”
• 09:34 – Michael Kosta: “I personally found the bribery artful and cinematic. I mean, that was a real tour de force of corruption.”
• 11:42 – Ronny Chieng: “Cinema is an art that should not be compromised. Which is why I strongly recommend ‘Melania.’ It's truly a masterpiece.”
• 13:16 – Tim Fried: “You can't have a weak nerve. You have to trust yourself. And that's why I loved it.”
• 17:25 – Centivax Rep: “Tim spent 18 years developing immunity. In order to unlock it, he was searching… for a research group that had advanced biotechnology capabilities...”
• 21:08 – Katherine LaNasa: “I had cancer… if you want me to keep acting, send me a sign. And I got a job on Daredevil...”
• 24:41 – LaNasa: “Playing the role opposite people that are going through something... it made me a little softer as a person and a little more compassionate.”

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Segment Timestamps

| Segment | Timestamp | |---------------------------------------------|--------------------| | Democrats vs ICE & Schumer's Outburst | 01:07 – 03:25 | | Melania Docu-Bribe Movie Analysis | 03:25 – 11:51 | | Snake Immunity, DIY Science (Tim Fried) | 12:33 – 18:55 | | Interview: Katherine LaNasa, The Pit | 20:01 – 26:40 |

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Tone and Style

True to The Daily Show, the episode mixes incisive wit, absurdist satire, and real reporting. Host Desi Ly (in classic Jon Stewart style) lets the news team riff and digress, keeping things sharp but always returning to smart commentary. Their running bit about the Melania documentary as a "bribery film" is delivered with deadpan glee, while the Tim Fried snake segment walks a line between mockery and awe. Katherine LaNasa’s interview shifts to warmth and vulnerability while still allowing for playful asides.

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Summary

This episode delivers a biting, clever critique of political corruption and media excess via the Melania Trump documentary scandal—relentlessly mocking both the movie and those orchestrating it. The segments on ICE reforms and outlandish DIY science complement the episode’s broader message about the absurdities and dark undercurrents of contemporary America. It closes with a smart, heartfelt interview reminding listeners of the very real human stories shaping the shows we watch and the health care system we all depend on.

Transcript

[Katherine Lanasa]

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[Grace Kuhlenschmidt]

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[Katherine Lanasa]

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[Grace Kuhlenschmidt]

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[Katherine Lanasa]

On features you need. Check out odoo@o d o o dot com.

[Grace Kuhlenschmidt]

That's o d o o dot com.

[Ronny Chieng]

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

[Desi Ly]

Welcome to the Daily Show. I'm Jesse Lydic. We've got so much to talk about tonight. Chuck Schumer puts a dollar in the congressional swear jar. Amazon offers two day shipping for bribes. And we give the Melania documentary two thumbs straight into my eyeballs. Let's get into the headlines. We begin with a battle over Trump's immigration crackdown. As the situation gets more and more out of hand, the people behind it are starting to feel the heat. And one person cannot be contained.

[Ronny Chieng]

Kristi Noem and Stephen Miller are liars. Any administration that allows them to continue in office is rotten to its core.

[Grace Kuhlenschmidt]

Oh, wow.

[Desi Ly]

Samuel L. Schumer over here. You kiss your lobbyist with that mouth? Guess a video like that is one way to get our attention. But I think it might be even more effective if you just cut it off a little bit earlier.

[Ronny Chieng]

Kristi Noem and Stephen Miller are.

[Desi Ly]

Okay now. I'm listening. Spill the tea, girl. So, yeah, Schumer came in pretty hot, but other Democrats are trying to bring down the volume just a little bit. What do you make of the president's full throated support of Kristi Noem? We don't have sound. I think we're muted here.

[Katherine Lanasa]

Ask it.

[Ronny Chieng]

Afternoon, Chris.

[Desi Ly]

Nailed it. I couldn't have not said it better myself. So let's assume that at some point the Democrats can express themselves at a normal volume somewhere between zero and Lewis Black. What do they want?

[Ronny Chieng]

They are demanding three specific changes and roving ICE patrols across the country, an updated Uniform Code of Conduct and Accountability for Immigration Enforcement, body cams on all agents as well as proper identification and no masks.

[Desi Ly]

Okay. Good to see Democrats pushing for some reforms. Is this everything that needs to change about ice?

[Katherine Lanasa]

No.

[Desi Ly]

Is it a start? Yes. Am I gonna keep asking myself questions and then answering them? No. This is my last one. Can I Ask one more. Fine. But let's move on to the big, exciting event that we have all been waiting for. Everyone's going. You know what I'm talking about. The new Melania Mov. Oh, someone didn't get their tickets in time. Don't be mad, but if you haven't seen the trailer, get ready to be blown away. Here we go again. Hi, Mr. President. Congratulations.

[Ronny Chieng]

Did you watch it?

[Desi Ly]

I did not. Yeah, I did not. Yeah, I was going to, but then I didn't. Now, when you first heard that there was going to be a documentary about Melania, you probably thought, oh, Or.

[Katherine Lanasa]

Huh?

[Desi Ly]

Or why, or can I undo my lasik? But Amazon believed in this movie a lot. Like, suspiciously a lot.

[Ronny Chieng]

Bezos and Amazon are paying $40 million for a documentary on Melania Trump, the most expensive licensing fee ever paid for a documentary. Amazon paid nearly three times more than the next highest bidder. The first lady will reportedly walk away.

[Desi Ly]

With at least 28 million dol. Huh? Why? Why would Jeff Bezos, a billionaire who has tons of business with a government run by a famously corrupt president known for loving bribes, overpay for a Melania documentary? Hmm, let me think. Well, that didn't help. But whatever else this is, they made a real movie. They even got director Brett Ratner, who you might know from Rush hour or the MeToo movement, and they're. And they're spending a ton of money promoting it, which is why we're seeing Melania all over Fox News doing interviews, and they've been asking her fascinating questions. How does it feel being first lady.

[Katherine Lanasa]

For the second time around?

[Desi Ly]

It's quite extraordinary. What is your favorite part of the movie? When we all go to watch it.

[Michael Kosta]

This weekend when he's doing the ym.

[Katherine Lanasa]

How do you feel fostering the future, AI? I mean, what haven't you done?

[Desi Ly]

Tell us about the future. I've always been curious. What is your favorite time of day? I was told there'd be no gotcha questions. What is your favorite time of day? That sounds like the conversation you have with a co worker's spouse when they show up to the holiday party before your co worker does. So do you always eat hors d' oeuvres or. I gotta go to the bathroom. I will say I don't want to put all the blame on the interviewers because Melania's not really giving them a lot to work with. I got a special score for that movie, my original score, that. It's called Melania's Vaults.

[Michael Kosta]

Wow.

[Desi Ly]

And where does that original score come from it's specially made for the movie. How wonderful.

[Grace Kuhlenschmidt]

Wow.

[Desi Ly]

The original score for this movie was made for this movie, you say? And did they hit record when they were filming? Oh, how wonderful. Well, here's $40 million.

[Katherine Lanasa]

So.

[Desi Ly]

All right. This isn't one of those interesting Timothee Chalamet press tours, but that's not important. What's important is what this movie is about. Just what is it about? This story was never told before. So the audience will see me how I manage my business, my philanthropy, family. Preparation for the inauguration, and also establishing the East Wing for the White House. Oh, no one's told her. Oh, God. Oh, I love the East Wing. Especially how it will always be. There is this whole movie just her talking about things that she loves that are no longer here. Oh, my passions. Decorating the East Wing, chatting with Dilbert creator Scott Adams. Let's see, what else? But whether this movie was a legitimate piece of art or a cash grab. It was a cash grab. So I'm sure everyone involved with this project is very proud of the work that they've done. Rolling Stone is reporting two thirds of.

[Katherine Lanasa]

The film's New York crew asked not to be credited.

[Desi Ly]

You didn't want to be in the credits, but how will they know who to give the trophy to at the FIFA Academy Awards? And you know that this is bad because people in Hollywood love taking credit. It is their fate. Favorite thing to do. By the way, I was the first person to make that point. Of course, the big question is, is the Melania documentary worth seeing? To find out, let's go to our critics corner with Ronny Chieng and Michael Kosta. Michael, let's start with you. What did you think?

[Ronny Chieng]

Desi Melania was a terrible movie. It was nothing but pure bribery. I was disgusted by this naked attempt by Jeff Bezos to curry favor with the president. I give it thumbs down.

[Michael Kosta]

Okay, I'm sorry. I don't know what movie you were watching, Michael, because I personally found the bribery artful and cinematic. I mean, that was a real tour de force of corruption. Structurally, tonally movie worked in every way. I knew exactly what was going on in every single scene.

[Katherine Lanasa]

Crime.

[Michael Kosta]

I give it two thumbs up.

[Ronny Chieng]

Look, look, look, I'm not a prude. I'm not against a little bribery in a movie, but this was obscene. If I want to see bribery that hardcore, I'll watch it on my phone in the bathroom after my wife goes to sleep.

[Michael Kosta]

No, no, I'm sorry. I. I love the bribery in this. Okay? It wasn't gratuitous it was saying something relevant. All right? Every movie could use more bribery. I'm looking at you, Hamnet Wah. I'm Shakespeare. My b. Okay, I'm sorry. How does that enrich the President of the United States in 2026?

[Desi Ly]

Okay, guys, guys, let me. Let me just ask. Is the bribery in this movie appropriate for families? I'm kind of worried that my 5 year old might not be mature enough to see strong bribery themes or situations.

[Michael Kosta]

Oh, it'll be fine. The bribery will go right over her head.

[Ronny Chieng]

I don't know, Ronnie. This bribery is so overt. She'd have to be pretty stupid to miss it.

[Michael Kosta]

Yeah, yeah, I guess. I guess that's true. Desi, how stupid is your 5 year old?

[Desi Ly]

Average stupid.

[Ronny Chieng]

Yeah, she'll be fine.

[Michael Kosta]

Should be okay. She'll be okay.

[Desi Ly]

Well, guys, I know it's early, but are you hearing any awards buzz for this thing?

[Ronny Chieng]

No way. Absolutely not. The only way this movie will ever win an Oscar is if the Academy Awards are desperate to stay on the President's good side. So yes, it will win an Oscar.

[Centivax Representative]

Okay?

[Michael Kosta]

I predict this thing is sweeping everything.

[Ronny Chieng]

Okay?

[Michael Kosta]

The Golden Globes baft MTV Movie Awards. The special effects alone are amazing. Okay? It almost looked like Melania had a ten foot son.

[Ronny Chieng]

Ronnie, Ronnie, Ronnie. That was her real son. Baron.

[Katherine Lanasa]

What?

[Michael Kosta]

Oh my God. This movie is blowing my mind.

[Desi Ly]

Ronnie, I just. I have to ask you something. You seem to love this movie and you hate everything. Why are you supporting it so much? What do you mean?

[Michael Kosta]

I love this movie because I love the story and the character arcs. And also, Jeff Bezos paid me 40.

[Desi Ly]

Million.

[Ronny Chieng]

To say what I just said.

[Tim Fried]

Right?

[Centivax Representative]

That.

[Ronny Chieng]

That is disgusting. Cinema is an art that should not be compromised. Which is why I strongly recommend Melania. It's truly a masterpiece.

[Desi Ly]

Okay, Ronny Chang and Michael Kosta, everyone. When we come back, we find out how to be roommates with the snakes that don't. Welcome back to the Daily Show. If you're the kind of person who loves to walk through tall grass but hates covering your ankles, then help might be on the way. Grace Kuhlenschmidt has more.

[Grace Kuhlenschmidt]

In recent years, doing your own medical research has become a trend among self care diagnosed geniuses.

[Ronny Chieng]

The MMR I think should be taken separately.

[Tim Fried]

This is based on what I feel.

[Ronny Chieng]

What is the cure for measles, chicken.

[Katherine Lanasa]

Soup and vitamin A?

[Ronny Chieng]

I've researched and found a protocol of taking a diluted strand of the virus. How are they even getting a diluted.

[Tim Fried]

Strand of the virus?

[Ronny Chieng]

I don't know. That. Exactly.

[Grace Kuhlenschmidt]

But Wisconsin native Tim Fried took his self experimentation to a whole other level. So some people like playing racquetball, some people like going on a long walk. You like being bit by venomous snakes? Why?

[Tim Fried]

It's psychological. I mean you can't have a weak nerve. You have to trust yourself. And that's why I loved it.

[Grace Kuhlenschmidt]

In fact, Tim loved it so much he spent 18 years getting bit by 19 species of the most lethal snakes.

[Tim Fried]

Black mama bite, Taipan bite, Egyptian cobra bite, monocle cobra bite, crates coral snakes, three rattlesnakes, a western diamondback bite compared to a black mamba. Bites night and day.

[Grace Kuhlenschmidt]

So different.

[Tim Fried]

100%.

[Grace Kuhlenschmidt]

I've always said that.

[Tim Fried]

I figured, well, if I get bit by a cold or a mamba, I don't want to die or lose a finger or hand or miss work.

[Katherine Lanasa]

Right.

[Tim Fried]

And I fixed that problem myself. I became immune.

[Grace Kuhlenschmidt]

Well, that is one way to avoid emergency room co pays. But even crazier than Tim self care method is that it might end up saving hundreds of thousands of lives.

[Centivax Representative]

There are somewhere between 2 and 5 million people a year that are bit by snakes. Of them, 140,000 die. Another 300 to 400,000 are permanently disabled.

[Grace Kuhlenschmidt]

And how much of that happens on airplanes?

[Centivax Representative]

I am unaware of the statistics on how many happen on airplanes.

[Grace Kuhlenschmidt]

So using advances in vaccine technology, biotech company Centivax set out to create a universal anti venom. But first they had to cut out the middle horse.

[Centivax Representative]

Historically what people have done is taken snake venom, injected it into a horse. The horse's immune system then makes antibodies that go and block the toxins in the venom.

[Grace Kuhlenschmidt]

Do horse girls know about this?

[Centivax Representative]

I don't know what a horse girl is.

[Grace Kuhlenschmidt]

A horse girl is a girl who loves horses.

[Centivax Representative]

I imagine some of them do. The problem with that approach is it only works against one snake and there's a whole bunch of side effects. So what we were looking for was the living person who survived snake venom so that those antibodies I knew were protecting that person and we could turn into a medicine to protect others.

[Grace Kuhlenschmidt]

And that person was, you guessed it.

[Tim Fried]

What I did is I milked the snakes. I slowly built up my immunity through years.

[Grace Kuhlenschmidt]

Now why do they call it snake milking?

[Tim Fried]

It kind of goes back to milking a cow. The udders. When you milk cattle, you're milking its snakes.

[Grace Kuhlenschmidt]

Snakes have udders?

[Tim Fried]

No, no otters. But fangs, steer milking the fangs to get the venom.

[Grace Kuhlenschmidt]

Shouldn't it be called snake juice instead of snake milk?

[Tim Fried]

You can call it whatever you want.

[Grace Kuhlenschmidt]

While milking the snake is usually a solitary activity. Tim was initially excited to share his newfound passion with his family.

[Tim Fried]

Two bites. Nice.

[Grace Kuhlenschmidt]

Who was the first person that you told? I am going to be getting myself bit by a snake so that I can create an anti venom.

[Tim Fried]

My ex wife.

[Grace Kuhlenschmidt]

And what'd you think of that?

[Tim Fried]

You're an idiot. The first six months was a complete failure. That was the ICU after I took two cobra bites and flatlined. Came back out of the hospital, coming out of a coma and you're like.

[Grace Kuhlenschmidt]

This is a good time to keep going.

[Tim Fried]

Yeah. Every day roughly 350 people die from snake bite. So if I quit, I'm giving up on those people.

[Grace Kuhlenschmidt]

So in a way, the key to not dying from a snake bite is to get bit by even more snakes.

[Tim Fried]

Yep. Yep.

[Grace Kuhlenschmidt]

And in addition to doing good for mankind, conducting personal snake venom research also makes for one hell of a party.

[Tim Fried]

A while back, I'd get stoned as and then get bit, and that was a trip.

[Grace Kuhlenschmidt]

Guy who gets bit by snakes also smokes weed.

[Tim Fried]

I did. It was crazy.

[Grace Kuhlenschmidt]

One time I was like taking an edible and I was like 15 minutes later like, I'm not high. So I took like three more and all of a sudden I turned completely British.

[Tim Fried]

No, I don't recommend it.

[Grace Kuhlenschmidt]

Yeah, not worth it. After 18 years of letting snakes go full Vampire Diaries on him, a peer reviewed medical paper in 2025 finally confirmed that Tim had achieved immunity. Which made me wonder, should we all be doing our own research? So our current administration wants to cut a lot of science, and I hate to say it, but I think what I'm learning about Tim is proving that we don't need science. We just need crazy guys.

[Centivax Representative]

Well, Tim spent 18 years developing immunity. But in order to unlock it, he was searching as I was to synapse with a research group that had advanced biotechnology capabilities to mine through his immunity.

[Grace Kuhlenschmidt]

So when can I safely get bitten by a snake? Because my 30th birthday is coming up and I really want to wow the crowd.

[Centivax Representative]

In terms of our timelines, we're looking at commercialization five to six years from now.

[Grace Kuhlenschmidt]

So maybe for my 35th birthday.

[Centivax Representative]

Again, I would really discourage you from deliberately getting bit by a snake.

[Grace Kuhlenschmidt]

I know, but like, imagine how cool that would be. Nonwithstanding open bar, I get bit by a snake. I recovered. But in order to save others, Tim has had to make the ultimate sacrifice. As part of his contract with Centavax, he is no longer allowed to be bit by snakes. Do you miss it?

[Tim Fried]

Yes.

[Katherine Lanasa]

Every day.

[Tim Fried]

Yep. I miss the pain. Swelling.

[Grace Kuhlenschmidt]

Oh, my God. It sounds amazing.

[Tim Fried]

A needle in my arm is.

[Grace Kuhlenschmidt]

Yeah, that. Just heaven on earth. No.

[Tim Fried]

Beautiful.

[Grace Kuhlenschmidt]

Yes. Doing your own research is more painful, difficult, and divorce inducing than most amateur scientists will ever understand. But it does have its rewards. Besides immunity to snake poison, it's the.

[Tim Fried]

Best relationship I've ever had. You know why? Because they want to kill me. And I have to survive. And that's the contract that we have. If I fail, I die. There's no oops. It's you live or you die.

[Grace Kuhlenschmidt]

I think you're a genius, but I also think.

[Katherine Lanasa]

Think you're an idiot.

[Tim Fried]

Yeah, I am sometimes.

[Grace Kuhlenschmidt]

Yeah.

[Desi Ly]

Thank you, Grace. When we come back, Katherine Lanasa will be joining me on the show, so don't go away. Welcome back to the Daily Show. My guest tonight is an actor who won an Emmy for her her role as Nurse Dana in the HBO Max series the Pit. Please welcome Kathryn Lanasa. Beautiful, Katherine. Thank you so much for being here.

[Katherine Lanasa]

Yes. I have to say, last time I saw you, I gave you an Emmy. Yeah.

[Desi Ly]

Why didn't you bring one? I know.

[Katherine Lanasa]

I should have brought mine.

[Desi Ly]

You should have. And then I watched you win an Emmy right after. Congratulations.

[Centivax Representative]

Thank you.

[Desi Ly]

Thank you. So well deserved. You are fantastic in the show. I love the Pit. You know that the world is in shambles when you can't wait to get home and just unwind and escape through the Pit.

[Katherine Lanasa]

People actually find it relaxing. I think it's because the people care.

[Desi Ly]

Yes.

[Katherine Lanasa]

So it makes everyone feel secure, but.

[Desi Ly]

It'S very odd to me. I think that's so true. That's so true. You have had a phenomenal career, working steadily alongside some of Hollywood's heaviest hitters. Will Ferrell, Robert Duvall, Billy Bob Thornton.

[Katherine Lanasa]

Yes.

[Desi Ly]

And now you've won this Emmy, and you are. And you're so well known as Nurse.

[Katherine Lanasa]

How.

[Desi Ly]

I hear that the Pit came into your life at kind of the perfect moment.

[Katherine Lanasa]

Yes. Yes. I was tragically unemployed. Yes.

[Desi Ly]

It's always a good time.

[Katherine Lanasa]

Yeah. It's always a good time to get a job. Yeah. I was like, I actually. I had cancer and I couldn't get a job. I hadn't gotten a job for about a few years, and I was really worried about losing my insurance, and so I actually prayed. I said, if you want me to keep acting, whatever it is, whatever you are, please. Yes. As I like to say, father, mother, God, if you want me to keep acting, send me a sign. And I got a job on Daredevil here in New York City. That started on the last day of my radiation. I actually went to my last radiation, got on a plane and went to a costume fitting, and my radiologist was so sweet. They came in extra early so I could do it, and they took pictures, and they were like, go. Yeah, it was really sweet. That was really sweet.

[Desi Ly]

And now you get to take all of that and pour that into Dana.

[Katherine Lanasa]

Yeah.

[Desi Ly]

I love hearing about all of your preparation for the role. It is so. The way you approach her just seems so thoughtful, how you created all this backstory, just even in the audition process.

[Katherine Lanasa]

Yeah.

[Desi Ly]

Hired a dialect coach.

[Katherine Lanasa]

Yes. Yes, yes. Yeah. It was a lot of tears, I like to say. A lot of tears. Learning that accent.

[Desi Ly]

How did you learn it? Did you just get drunk at a Steelers game? Yeah.

[Katherine Lanasa]

Go Steelers.

[Desi Ly]

There it is. There it is.

[Katherine Lanasa]

Yeah, there it is. I couldn't really find the right coach, and I was listening to Mayor of Easttown over and over again, which isn't the exact right accent, but at least it's in the realm. And I was listening to it. I was in my bathtub, and it was playing in the other room. And the extras came on, and they started talking about the dialect and about their dialect coach. And I jumped out of the tub, and I. You know, and I looked up the woman on IMDb Pro, and she set me up not with the person that did Kate Winslet, but the person that did basically everybody else who's actually from Pennsylvania. She works on task too.

[Desi Ly]

Oh, my God.

[Katherine Lanasa]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Desi Ly]

So you're not only an incredible actress, but you could be an investigative reporter. Yes. That's so impressive.

[Katherine Lanasa]

I'm a detective dog.

[Desi Ly]

Truly, Dana really is the heartbeat of the show. And I'm just curious if there were any real life nurses in your life that you were inspired by.

[Katherine Lanasa]

Yeah, so I was pretty held together, like, during my cancer journey. Like, I thought, you know, why not me? So many people get cancer. And I was like, okay, this is just my turn with this. But it wouldn't really go away. It felt like my disease wouldn't go away. I kept going back to the emergency department for different complications afterwards. And the last time, it just kind of broke me. And I was sobbing in triage, and the nurse said, listen, I just need to tell you, like, this isn't gonna last forever. You know, the first six months after cancer are really bumpy. And do you want an Ativan?

[Desi Ly]

Oh, thank God for our healthcare workers.

[Katherine Lanasa]

But, you know, all that, it's funny. It's everything that the pit is. It's warm it's compassionate and it's funny.

[Desi Ly]

It is. And it really, really shines a spotlight on all of the cracks or gaping holes in our health care system and also the toll that it takes on the health care workers. But more than anything, I truly feel like it's a master class in empathy and human compassion. How has playing this role changed your perspective on the health care system and health care workers?

[Katherine Lanasa]

Well, you know, like, so many people have gone in, like, with a child with something wrong with them, and they're for 12 hours, and you just wonder why. And it's really not about the emergency department. It's about the hospital as a whole and then the health care system as a whole, because anybody can go to the emergency department. It's just hard for the emergency department to get them where they need to go afterwards. And so the whole thing gets really backed up. So that's sort of misunderstood. But also, just in playing the role opposite people that are going through something, it really made me get on a visceral level that we really don't. What's going on with people, you know, on the daily. And I think it made me a little softer as a person and a little more compassionate. You know, people. People are going through a lot.

[Desi Ly]

Yeah, they are.

[Katherine Lanasa]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Desi Ly]

How. Have you ever. When you go in for your own doctor's appointments, do they ever give you notes?

[Katherine Lanasa]

No, but my dad does. Oh, yeah, My dad does. Yeah. My dad's a surgeon.

[Desi Ly]

Yes. And did your mom study nursing at one point?

[Katherine Lanasa]

Yes, she did. She went to Tulane. Yeah. And my dad, I guess so.

[Desi Ly]

Do people ever come up to you on the street and ask you for medical advice?

[Katherine Lanasa]

No. But, like, when people have to take their mother to the emergency department, they call me and I'm like, I just want nurse date.

[Desi Ly]

That's how I feel. There's no one I would trust more than you and Noah Wylie.

[Katherine Lanasa]

I know. Oh, my God.

[Desi Ly]

By the way, I have a rash on my elbow. I'd like you to take a look at the urine sample.

[Katherine Lanasa]

My grandfather was a dermatologist. Oh.

[Desi Ly]

I just. I think. I imagine that you playing this role is gonna inspire so many young people to want to get into the field of nursing. Are there any. I want you to play nurse Dana for the next 20 seasons because I love this show so much. But are there any other roles that you dream about that you think might be inspiring for people?

[Katherine Lanasa]

For people or for me?

[Desi Ly]

Well, either one. Either one. You know what?

[Katherine Lanasa]

I really wanna play a queen.

[Desi Ly]

Oh, honey, you already are one. You don't need to play a queen. You are a queen. New episodes of the Pit debut Thursdays on hbo. Max Queen Katherine Lanasa. We're gonna take a quick break. We'll be right back after this. I was like, no, I. That's our show for tonight. But before we go, New York City is currently in an emergency blood shortage. To help address this urgent need, the first 500 blood donors who register at the link below and come to donate at one of these New York City donor centers between Sunday, February 1st and Saturday, February 7th will receive two tickets to a future taping of the Daily Show. If you can please register and find out more now, here it is, your moment of Zen.

[Ronny Chieng]

Studies have shown that the main impediment is getting the account open, that people who don't save, they don't have a vehicle to save.

[Desi Ly]

My deep, dark secret is I have a Dr. Pepper for breakfast.

[Ronny Chieng]

Not allowed to do it in the house with the children.

[Desi Ly]

That's your breakfast secretary. Breaking news. Don't tell Bobby Kennedy.

[Katherine Lanasa]

All right.

[Ronny Chieng]

Don't tell Bobby Kennedy. 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, This has been a Comedy Central podcast.