SCOTUS Deals Blow to Voting Rights Act & Trump Deals Blow to NASA Chief’s Ears | RZA

Summary

The Daily Show: Ears Edition — Episode Summary

Date: May 1, 2026
Host: Josh Johnson
Guest: RZA (Wu-Tang Clan founder, filmmaker)
Episode Theme:
Analysis of the day’s top news—focusing on the Supreme Court’s blow to the Voting Rights Act, Trump’s interaction with NASA, and RZA’s creative journey and new movie.

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Main Themes & Purpose

• Supreme Court’s Major Decision: Breakdown and comedic critique of the Supreme Court’s new ruling that weakens the Voting Rights Act, its political and civil rights implications, and reactions from both sides.
• Trump’s NASA Antics: Satirical coverage of former President Trump's odd behavior and comments during a meeting with NASA officials and astronauts.
• California Governor’s Race: The unique dynamics of California’s gubernatorial race, with analysis of candidates and the possibility of a Republican victory.
• RZA Interview: Insightful conversation with RZA about his film One Spoon of Chocolate, his creative process, and challenges in independent filmmaking and distribution.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

Supreme Court Rules Against Voting Rights Act

Timestamps: 04:15 – 12:09

• Decision Details:

  • (04:15) “The Supreme Court delivering a major blow to the landmark Voting Rights Act. … Conservative majority ruling 6 to 3 that Louisiana’s current congressional map, with 2 majority African American districts, is unconstitutional.”
  • Explained that the Court objected to explicit consideration of race in district drawing.

• Civil Rights & Political Satire:

  • (04:41) Josh Johnson: “The Supreme Court saw that Louisiana had two whole black congressmen and they were like, whoa, what is this, Showtime at the Apollo? Let’s dial this back.”
  • (05:30) On Justice Alito’s logic: “So just to be clear, for Alito, the map is not racist unless the guy drawing it finishes it and goes, man, I’m racist.”

• Biting Critique on the Decision:

  • (06:29) Josh: “Racism’s over. Oh boy. I can finally use my real voice. What’s up, dawg?”
  • Discussed the historical context: Progress credited to previous civil rights protections now being rolled back.

• Clarence Thomas & Irony:

  • (07:34) “It was voted for by a black guy from the South. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas is black. He might not know it… Clarence, you are like an uncle to all of us. Uncle Clarence Thomas. Uncle Thomas for short. Uncle Tom for shorter.”

• Trump and GOP Reaction:

  • (08:57) Trump (impersonator/clip): “Win for Republicans.”
  • Jordan Klepper: “I love it.”

• Satirizing ‘Post-Racism’ Rhetoric:

  • (06:13) “America has come a long way since the 1960s. Fortunately. It’s the end of pretending that this is a racist country.”
  • Josh on this logic: “This is like my uncle who threw away his medication because he said his heart wasn’t bothering him anymore. And…he did stop having heart problems because he’s dead.”

• Comedic Correspondent Fielding:

  • (09:32) Ronny Chieng: “They’re partying like it’s 1964. I’m talking multiple guys snorting cocaine off of Stephen Miller’s penis.”
  • Focus on how power and influence in Congress is for the rich, not ordinary communities affected by disenfranchisement.

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Trump and NASA: Ear Jokes & Awkwardness

Timestamps: 02:07 – 03:30

• (02:22) Josh on Trump’s use of “Telephonically”:
  • “Telephonically. Damn, that’s an impressive word. … He talks the way I play Scrabble. … How many points is that?”
• (03:10) Trump teasing NASA Chief:
  • “You heard that question with those beautiful Ears of yours. He’s got great hearing, you know, Super. He’s got super hearing.”
• (03:30) Josh: “He’s just standing there like, good one, sir. Haven’t heard that since grade school. … In my 40s, from the President.”

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California Governor’s Race: The Anal-ysis Zone

Timestamps: 13:28 – 19:34

• Absurdities of the Field:
  • (13:28) Jordan Klepper introduces the “Anal-ysis Zone”: “70% sure that’s how you pronounce it.”
  • (14:00–15:46) Democratic contenders lampooned as charisma-lacking and “rizzless.”
  • (15:46) On Digital Mayor Matt Mahan: “It’s going to be really strange when a new mom goes into that pod to breastfeed…Can I help you with that?”
• Republican Frontrunners' Oddities:
  • (16:44) On Sheriff Chad Bianco: “His vibe is kind of all the Village People at once.”
  • (17:19–18:29) On Steve Hilton: “He was born in England… worked for Margaret Thatcher… Did this guy move to America? Is he running for governor or govna?” Ultimately moved to CA in 2012.
• The Stakes:
  • (19:03) “Because of California's size and economic might, their laws often affect the rest of us.”

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Interview with RZA

Timestamps: 19:36 – 32:12

Wu-Tang in Rock & Roll Hall of Fame

• (20:36) RZA: “That made me feel like a kid again…just came in, had the biggest Kool Aid smile you could see.”

One Spoon of Chocolate: Creative Process

• (21:52) RZA on project evolution:
  • “As an artist, you gotta let yourself become a vessel…if you wait for it to come through, it comes out as a beautiful song…or a beautiful movie.”
• On mixing influences:
  • (23:28) “That is how I do it. … In hip hop, I sample, sample, sample. So in cinema I can do the same thing, sample different elements to tell my story.”
• Working with a diverse production team:
  • (24:59) “I had a great team…executive produced by Quentin Tarantino…legendary producer Paul Hall. … I wanted to surround myself with people that could let me do my thing, but if I went on the guardrails, they could be like, yo, hold on bro. Push a little left, push a little right.”

Dealing with Racism on Film

• (26:15) RZA on directing racist characters:

  • “[Actor Harry Goodwins] plays a very dangerous, racist white guy in this film. … He’s one of the nicest guys I ever met. As an actor you have to take on that role.”
  • (27:36) “I had two of those [slurs] in there…Three of them… Where’d that extra one come from?”

• On emotional authenticity of cast:

  • (28:05) “The energy that was starting to build up, it caused this visceral reaction. … This film is made to make you feel uncomfortable at times. … When you see how young people can relate…and how the older generation is holding on to old school shit… The film is like, let go of that.”

• (29:32) On the film’s central message:

  • “When is the world going to wake up and realize that all men are created equal…black, white, red, brown, yellow, man and woman, all created equal.”

Independent Distribution & Artist Empowerment

• (31:03) RZA explains why he built his own distribution channel:
  • “I wanted to make sure that if I could go through the funnel first, I can widen it up a little bit…get more artists that chance to be artists and not be caught up because of budget or even some gatekeeping, you know, some stereotypes of what a character can be.”

Closing Praise

• (31:55) Josh Johnson: “You are an incredible legend. And this film and all the things you’re doing…just add to your legend.”

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Memorable Quotes (with Timestamps & Attribution)

• On the Supreme Court Ruling:

  • Josh Johnson (04:41): “The Supreme Court saw that Louisiana had two whole black congressmen and they were like, whoa, what is this, Showtime at the Apollo? Let’s dial this back.”
  • Josh Johnson (05:30): “For Alito, the map is not racist unless the guy drawing it goes, man, I’m racist.”
  • Ronny Chieng (09:32): “They’re partying like it’s 1964. I’m talking multiple guys snorting cocaine off of Stephen Miller’s penis.”

• On Trump’s Odd Comments:

  • Josh Johnson (02:22): “He talks the way I play Scrabble…just throwing letters together.”
  • Trump (Impersonator, 03:10): “He’s got great hearing, you know, Super. He’s got super hearing.”

• On the State of Congress:

  • Ronny Chieng (10:16): “Why would I want more Asians in Congress? Congress is basically a nursing home for pedophiles…Congress doesn’t do shit, okay?...You want your voice heard? Just get super rich and you can buy whatever politician you want.”

• On California’s Candidates:

  • Jordan Klepper (16:44): “His vibe is kind of all the Village People at once.”
  • Jordan Klepper (17:53): “Did this guy move to America? Is he running for governor or govna?”

• RZA on Hall of Fame:

  • RZA (20:44): “That made me feel like a kid again. The little kid in me just bubbled up and came in, had the biggest Kool Aid smile you could see.”

• RZA on Artistic Process:

  • RZA (23:28): “In hip hop, I sample, sample, sample. So in cinema I can do the same thing, sample different elements to tell my story.”
  • RZA (28:52): “This film is made to make you feel uncomfortable at times…let go of that [old generational shit].”

• On Distribution & Community:

  • RZA (31:03): “If I could simplify it a little bit…get more artists that chance to be artists and not be caught up because of budget or…some gatekeeping.”

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Important Segments & Timestamps

• [01:19–04:15] Headlines intro, Iran war, Trump/NASA ear moment
• [04:15–12:09] Supreme Court/Voting Rights Act discussion
• [13:28–19:34] California Governor’s Race analysis
• [19:36–32:12] Interview: RZA on Wu-Tang, filmmaking, creative process, industry barriers, One Spoon of Chocolate

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Tone & Style

• Language: Witty, sharp, irreverent, politically pointed, rich in comedic metaphors, and pop culture references.
• Style: Rapid-fire quips balanced by serious issues; shifting between comic panels, field segments, and guest interviews; original, at times biting, but also warm in the interview.

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Summary Takeaway

This episode presents a balance of hard-hitting political satire—lampooning Supreme Court decisions, Trump’s eccentricities, and the quirks of California politics—alongside a deep, inspiring conversation with RZA, exploring how culture, art, and independence intertwine in music and filmmaking. The sharp commentary of the News Team and host Josh Johnson is matched by RZA’s wisdom on creation and community, offering a meaningful, timely, and laughter-filled take on today’s America.

Transcript

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[Comedy Central Announcer]

You're listening to Comedy Central.

[Josh Johnson (Host Intro)]

From the most trusted journalists at Comedy Central. It's America's only source for news. This is the Daily show with your host, Josh Johnson.

[Josh Johnson (Host)]

Welcome to the Daily Show. I'm Josh. Giants. We've got so much to talk about tonight. The Voting Rights act gets sent to a farm upstate. The race for California governor is more packed than an LA freeway. And will tell you which body part Trump has started teasing people about. It's not the tank. All right, that was my first guess, too. So let's get into the headlines. Let's start with the latest update on the war in Iran, which is that there is no update. It's still happening. You know, I'm starting to get worried about about my river cruise this summer up the Strait of Hermuz. Man, I booked a balcony room, too. But don't worry, because Donald Trump is doing everything he can to wrap it up.

[Donald Trump (Impersonator or Clip)]

We're having talks with him now, and we're not flying anymore with 18 hour flights. Every time we want to see a piece of paper, we're doing it telephonically, and it's very nice.

[Josh Johnson (Host)]

Telephonically. Damn, that's an impressive word. You know, makes anyone with a phone sound like a wizard. I order large meat lovers telephonically. Now, to be clear, that is a word, but he didn't know that. He talks the way I play Scrabble. You know, just like, oh, wow, I was just throwing letters together. How many points is that? That was from yesterday during an event Trump did with the Artemis astronauts and the chief of NASA. And we all know Trump loves space, so he has the utmost respect for these professionals.

[Interviewer or Correspondent]

Sorry. Are you considering relocating NASA's headquarters out of D.C. once the lease is up? States like Texas, Ohio and Florida.

[Donald Trump (Impersonator or Clip)]

Well, the best man to tell you that is the man standing right over here. You heard that question with those beautiful Ears of yours. He's got great hearing, you know, Super. He's got super hearing.

[Ronny Chang (Correspondent)]

Trick of the trade, sir.

[Jordan Klepper]

Wow.

[Josh Johnson (Host)]

He's just standing there like, good one, sir. Haven't heard that since grade school. And I didn't think I'd hear it again, but I did. In my 40s from the President Trump just can't resist being a bully. He's sitting there like, hey, they say in space no one can hear you scream. Except for this guy, right? He can definitely hear it. Am I right? Am I right? And by the way, these astronauts do not look happy to be there. They're like, this is the most uncomfortable I've ever felt. And two weeks ago, I was pooping in zero gravity. But let's move on, because while Trump was ear shaming astronauts, the Supreme Court was busy at work this morning.

[Supreme Court Narrator]

The Supreme Court delivering a major blow to the landmark Voting Rights Act.

The court's conservative majority ruling 6 to 3 that Louisiana's current congressional map, with 2 majority African American districts, is unconstitutional, saying lawmakers allowed race to play a part in government decision making. Democrats blasting the ruling, arguing that other majority black districts are now vulnerable to being erased.

[Josh Johnson (Host)]

That's right. The Supreme Court saw that Louisiana had two whole black congressmen, and they were like, whoa, what is this, Showtime at the Apollo? Let's dial this back. But now, thanks to the Supreme Court, black districts are gonna get erased all across the south, which is horrible for civil rights, but pretty great for all the new civil rights movies we're gonna be making. You know, so this is fantastic from, like a Denzel only perspective. And obviously the Supreme Court didn't come right out and say that states can be racist, Justice Palpatine isn't that dumb.

[Donald Trump (Impersonator or Clip)]

All right.

[Josh Johnson (Host)]

He played it much smoother.

[Supreme Court Narrator]

Just as Samuel Alito writing, race can only be taken into account when there's evidence that a state intentionally drew its districts to afford minority voters less opportunity because of their race.

[Josh Johnson (Host)]

That's crazy. All right, so just to be clear, for Alito, the map is not racist unless the guy drawing it finishes it and goes, man, I'm racist. Now, if you're watching this whole thing unfold and you're thinking to yourself, this seems pretty racist, Republicans have great news for you.

[Jordan Klepper]

I think after 160 years, after the Civil War, it's time that we didn't have a race based reason for doing

[Interviewer or Correspondent]

things in 2026 in the United States. The reasons to use race for line drawing deliberately that occurred to remedy discrimination in the South 50 years ago no longer exist. In America, the court said you have

[Jordan Klepper]

to have modern examples of how voters have been racially discriminated against. And fortunately, America has come a long way since the 1960s. It has. Fortunately. It's the end of pretending that this is a racist country.

[Josh Johnson (Host)]

Racism's over. Oh boy. I can finally use my real voice. What's up, dawg? I just thought when racism would be over, we'd hear about it from like a civil rights leader or something. Not a. Not a guy who looks like a racist version of the dad from Modern Family. It almost feels like we're going in reverse because the people from the 60s in black and white TV were like, wow, this country is being pretty racist. We should pass some legislation. And the people crippling that legislation are from now in 4K, just so we're all aware, newscasters who would do reports like that Jackie Robinson is the best colored player in the Negro League, believed in voting rights more than our representatives. Now, what these people don't get is that to the extent that there's less discrimination now, it's partly because we had the vra. So this is like my uncle who threw away his medication. Cause he said his heart wasn't bothering him anymore. And to be fair, he did stop having heart problems because he's dead. And one of the most brain breaking things about this ruling is it's literally taking power from black people in the South. And it was voted for by a black guy from the South. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas is black. He might not know it, but he is black. How could you of all people vote for this? Clarence, you are like an uncle to all of us. Uncle Clarence Thomas. Uncle Thomas for short. Uncle Tom for shorter. But look, we don't have to pretend here. At the end of the day, we all know that this decision was not about moving on from race. This is the Supreme Court majority handing a win to Republicans. I know that you know that. And the Republicans definitely know that because their leader said it out loud.

[Interviewer or Correspondent]

Mr. President, I wanna go back to the Supreme Court ruling on the Voting Rights Act. I know you said you haven't seen it yet.

[Donald Trump (Impersonator or Clip)]

When did it come out, just now?

[Interviewer or Correspondent]

No, it came out this morning. But basically very much narrows the Voting Rights Act.

[Donald Trump (Impersonator or Clip)]

Was he considered a win for who?

[Interviewer or Correspondent]

Win for Republicans.

[Jordan Klepper]

I love it.

[Josh Johnson (Host)]

You could always count on Trump to get right to the point. Like it's a win for Republicans. Did you guys hear? I know this guy did. For more on the peeling back of the voting rights, we go live to Republican headquarters with Rodney Chiene. Ronnie, Ronnie, what's the mood like over there?

[Ronny Chang (Correspondent)]

It's pretty lit here, Josh. Yeah, they're partying like it's 1964. I'm talking multiple guys snorting cocaine off of Stephen Miller's penis.

[Josh Johnson (Host)]

Oh, gross, Ronnie. This is gonna screw up the whole country.

[Ronny Chang (Correspondent)]

Oh, no, no, no, no. I don't think his penis is big enough to affect the whole country, Josh.

[Josh Johnson (Host)]

No, not Steven Miller's penis. I mean the Supreme Court ruling.

[Jordan Klepper]

Oh, all right.

[Josh Johnson (Host)]

Right, right.

[Ronny Chang (Correspondent)]

Hey, hey, guys, guys, I'm filing a report here.

[Interviewer or Correspondent]

Can you.

[Ronny Chang (Correspondent)]

Can you take it to the Oval Office? Okay. Thank you.

[Comedy Central Announcer]

Jeez.

[Ronny Chang (Correspondent)]

Sorry. Josh. Yeah. What were you saying about Stephen Miller's penis?

[Josh Johnson (Host)]

I wasn't. Black people are being disenfranchised. Aren't you worried about Asian people, too?

[Ronny Chang (Correspondent)]

Uh, no. Why the would I want more Asians in Congress? Congress is basically a nursing home for pedophiles. Like, what are Asians gonna do? Hang out and get horrible, horrible hand job from Lauren Boebert? I can do that myself. You really think Asians want to sling back Jell O and applesauce with James Clyburn? No, thank you.

[Josh Johnson (Host)]

But we need to get people in Congress. Congress is where the people have the power to change things.

[Ronny Chang (Correspondent)]

The power to change things.

[Josh Johnson (Host)]

Oh, look, everybody.

[Ronny Chang (Correspondent)]

Well, Congress, we're gonna pass bills and fix problems. What the the. Is this a Schoolhouse Rock episode? Dude, Congress doesn't do shit, okay? They don't pass laws. They don't stop Trump from starting wars. Congress couldn't even pass the funds to scoop that turd off of Nancy Pelosi's desk.

[Josh Johnson (Host)]

Okay, but we have to do something. How do we push back if we can't get into Congress?

[Ronny Chang (Correspondent)]

Money. Duh, Josh. You ever heard of it? It's called moolah. It's the most powerful branch of government. You want your voice heard? Just get super rich and you can buy whatever politician you want. You can even make them do stuff. You can probably get Ted Cruz to vote on your bill or punch his own dick.

[Josh Johnson (Host)]

Okay, I'm listening. But how do we get rich enough to buy the politicians?

[Ronny Chang (Correspondent)]

Okay, look, one simple way is the insider trade, okay? And the easiest way to do that is to get elected to Congress.

[Comedy Central Announcer]

Oh, all right.

[Josh Johnson (Host)]

Well, Ronny Chang, everybody. When we come back, we check in on the midterms, so don't go away.

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[Josh Johnson (Host)]

Welcome back to the Daily Show. The midterm elections are just a few months away, so to analyze the all campaign stories, we turn to Jordan Klepper, who is in our new indecision analysis.

[Jordan Klepper]

I'm Jordan Klepper, and this is the anal A zone. 70% sure that's how you pronounce it. Tonight, we're talking about the election for governor in California. And after frontrunner Eric Swalwell dropped out, more time with his lawsuits. This race is wide open.

[Comedy Central Announcer]

For the first time in 20 years, a Republican could win statewide office.

[Interviewer or Correspondent]

And because of California's jungle primary, Democrats could wind up shut out of the general election if none of them make it to those top two slots.

[Jordan Klepper]

Okay, sure, a Republican could win, but this is California. All the Democrats have to do is find a candidate with the slightest bit of charisma and this thing is just over. How about former HHS secretary Javier Becerra?

[Josh Johnson (Host)]

Just finished the session to talk about the governor's race.

[Comedy Central Announcer]

I'm at the theater, finished my session. I deserve a little treat.

[Jordan Klepper]

Yikes. This feels like running into your math teacher at the mall. Wow. Great to see you out, Mr. Becerra. Cool drink okay, fine, fine. How about you? Billionaire Tom Snier? Let's see if you have that California cool.

[Josh Johnson (Host)]

Hello.

[Comedy Central Announcer]

Shh.

[Donald Trump (Impersonator or Clip)]

Oh,

[Jordan Klepper]

I never thought I'd say this, but I think I prefer the real love, actually. Okay, you know what? We're looking for someone with a little more energy here. How about Katie Porter?

[Josh Johnson (Host)]

I don't want to keep doing this. I'm going to call it. Thank you.

[Interviewer or Correspondent]

You're not going to do the interview with us?

[Comedy Central Announcer]

Nope. Not like this, I'm not.

[Jordan Klepper]

Okay, all right, maybe not that kind of energy. I just want a real human being. How about you, Matt Mahan? Some mayors have photos at the airport in the cities they represent. Others have plaques. Here in the capital of Silicon Valley, I have a hologram.

[Ronny Chang (Correspondent)]

Digital Mayor, what are your thoughts on giving me a raise this year?

[Jordan Klepper]

I'm focused on welcoming visitors and sharing Santa Ba. Oh, man, it's going to be really strange when a new mom goes into that pod to breastfeed before her flight. Hi, I'm Digital Mayor Matt Mahon. It looks like you're whipping out your bazongas to nurture your child. Can I help you with that? You see the problem? All these Dems are rizzless. And it's left the door open for Republicans like this guy, Sheriff Chad Bianco. Now, his vibe is kind of all the Village People at once. And I will admit, Chad Bianco is a virtual. It's the kind of name that gives you permission to speak about yourself in the third person. Chad Bianco will have the Sea Bash, thank you very much. So, you know what? Let's hear it from this macho man himself, Chad Bianco. What are you bringing to the table?

[Josh Johnson (Host)]

I am the antithesis to California's state government.

[Jordan Klepper]

Ooh, you whiffed on that antithesis there, Chad.

[Josh Johnson (Host)]

You know what?

[Jordan Klepper]

I guess that's why this primary is somehow being led by Republican Steve Hilton, who, despite what you might think, isn't part of the hotel family or the Moby family. No, Hilton is a former Fox News host, and he's got Donald Trump's endorsement, which would put him at odds with most California voters. So he must have a background that resonates with them.

[Steve Hilton]

It all started with freedom. I was born in England. My earliest political memory was Mrs. Thatcher.

[Jordan Klepper]

Oh, okay. He was born in England, but I'm. I'm assuming he came to America as a young boy.

[Steve Hilton]

My parents were so proud when I made it to Oxford University, and then when I got a job with the Conservative Party working for Margaret Thatcher.

[Jordan Klepper]

Okay, still in England through college. Worked for Margaret Thatcher, et cetera, et cetera. Okay, then, but. But then. Then it was. It was time to move to America.

[Steve Hilton]

I started a business. Even a couple of restaurants later, I helped elect a prime Minister. Worked in 10 Downing street when the.

[Jordan Klepper]

Did this guy move to America? Is he running for governor or govna? Huh? Did he decide to enter the race on the flight over? Do you have anything to Claire at customs? Uh, yeah, my candidacy for Govda. California. Okay, so when did this guy finally move here?

[Steve Hilton]

In 2012. We moved to America, to California.

[Jordan Klepper]

2012. The office came to America before he did. And on behalf of the Comedy Central programming department, we thank you all right, Stevie, enough about Mary old Englund. What's your vision for California?

[Josh Johnson (Host)]

Great jobs, great homes, great kids.

[Steve Hilton]

Great jobs, great homes. Great kids. Great jobs, great homes, great kids.

[Jordan Klepper]

Great kids. This British guy just fell out of the sky and now he's gonna tell you how to raise your kids. He's like bald Mary Poppins over here.

[Josh Johnson (Host)]

Hello. Hello.

[Jordan Klepper]

I'll fix up your wake of kids. Cheerio, innit? Look, now, you might not care which of these freaks or duds gets elected as governor, but you should. Because of California's size and economic might, their laws often affect the rest of us. And handing that power to the wrong person is simply the. The. What's the word?

[Josh Johnson (Host)]

The antithesis.

[Jordan Klepper]

Yes. It's the antithesis of what we want.

[Josh Johnson (Host)]

Thank you, Jordan. When we come back, Rizzo will be

[Donald Trump (Impersonator or Clip)]

joining me on the show.

[Josh Johnson (Host)]

Don't go. Welcome back to the Daily Show. My guest tonight is a legendary rapper, producer, and founder of the Wu Tang Clan. He wrote and directed the new film One Spoon of Chocolate. Please welcome rza. You're really here. Thank you so much for coming.

[Comedy Central Announcer]

My pleasure.

[Josh Johnson (Host)]

I appreciate you. Oh, and congratulations to you and all. Wu Tang getting inducted into the Rock and Roll hall of Fame.

[Donald Trump (Impersonator or Clip)]

Rock and Roll hall of Fame.

[Comedy Central Announcer]

How you gonna beat that?

[Josh Johnson (Host)]

I know.

[Comedy Central Announcer]

That was. That made me feel like a kid again, you know?

[Donald Trump (Impersonator or Clip)]

Yeah.

[Comedy Central Announcer]

Like, out of all things of this year, when I got that news, the little kid in me just bubbled up and just came in, had the biggest Kool Aid smile you could see. So that was a big moment for me.

[Josh Johnson (Host)]

I'm so glad. Like, it just seems like when you have such a. Like, a legendary storied career and you rack up all these achievements over a catalog, it's like sometimes you wonder if people just get used to, like, that love and that recognition. But it's nice that.

[Comedy Central Announcer]

Yeah, certain accolades that really hit you harder. You know what I mean?

[Josh Johnson (Host)]

Yeah.

[Comedy Central Announcer]

This is one of those. Yeah.

[Josh Johnson (Host)]

That's awesome. That's awesome. Congratulations.

[Comedy Central Announcer]

Before we go further, let me take a moment, too and say congratulations to you. I've been watching the show. You're doing a great job, man. I just want to say Bong Bong,

[Donald Trump (Impersonator or Clip)]

Man.

[Josh Johnson (Host)]

I honestly don't know if we're going to top that. I think I have so much that I want to talk to you about your movie, One Spoon of Chocolate. The way that you constructed this movie, the way that you built it together. You've been working this since 2012.

[Comedy Central Announcer]

Yes. Yes.

[Josh Johnson (Host)]

And I'm curious how many times something changes and something evolves over that much time. Cause it's one thing if you take this much time for a first draft, but, like, you're shooting and you're probably reshooting. What changed about the story as you started to tell it?

[Comedy Central Announcer]

I mean, the story evolved, but, you know, times have changed, and by the time we got to set in 2024, I think when we finally got to set to shoot it, I just felt like the story had become pure. Like as an artist, you gotta let yourself become a vessel. And sometimes you try to force the music out and it's a bad note, but if you sit there and wait for it to come through, it comes out as a beautiful song. Or for this particular thing, a beautiful movie. And thanks to Shamik Moore, Paris Jackson, Blair Underwood, and a great cast of others, man, I think I got something that is timely and on time at the same time.

[Josh Johnson (Host)]

Yeah, absolutely. The other thing that I'm really. What I'm really interested about when it comes to process is that, you know, for your music, you're taking so many different things, so many different influences. You've got, like, New York grit, you've got jazz, you've got, like, Asian film culture, mixing it all together.

[Comedy Central Announcer]

I like how you.

[Josh Johnson (Host)]

Yeah. And I'm wondering if for the movie, you almost make it the same way, where you take a bunch of these influences and you wrap it up into something new.

[Comedy Central Announcer]

That is how I do it. And that's a great way to do it. You know, a story could be told like a song. You can write a song. You can make it acoustic, you can make it with a bass and drum, or you can make it with a hip hop beat. So with a film, the story that I created remained the same, but the style to tell it. So I went and pulled ideas or cinematography ideas from classic movies in the 70s, movies in the 80s. There's a shot in my movie that is inspired by a movie called Chris Stainless. All right, so that's a horror film about a car. Now, my movie is not about that. Right, but you know what I'm saying? But the way the headlights were in that movie when I saw it as a kid, I wanted my film to have that same headlight effect. So when the audience is watching it and this truck that's kind of going through the town, when they see those lights, they go, oh, something about to happen now. You know what I mean? So that's the beauty of. Of cinema. I like to call myself a hip hop director because in hip hop, I sample, sample, sample. So in cinema, I Can do the same thing, sample different elements to tell my story.

[Josh Johnson (Host)]

Got you, Got you. That's amazing. And, you know, this thing seems like such a. I mean, you already said pure, like such a holy passion project, you know, you direct it, you produced, you did the music, like, so much went into this one project, right?

[Ronny Chang (Correspondent)]

Yeah.

[Comedy Central Announcer]

Well, first of all, I had a great team. It's executive produced by Quentin Tarantino. All right? I went and got legendary producer Paul hall, who did movies like Higher Learning and Shaft and some Tyler Perry's. And what I wanted to do was, was to surround myself with people that could let me do my thing. But if I went on the guardrails, they could be like, yo, hold on, bro. Push a little to the left. Push a little to the right. So writing is one thing and directing is another, but most directors, when they get stuck on a scene or a script, they go, hold on, let me call the writer. So I was like, okay, let me just talk to myself, you know? So hold on, let me figure this out. Yeah, we could do it this way. So that was the benefit. And then one of the beauties of this, Josh, is that my wife is a producer. And so my office is right here. Her office is right there. Her office is much nicer than my office. Flowers and all that. But when there was something that I personally felt challenged with, I could go knock on the producer's door, go sit in her office and sneak a kiss, and then go back to work.

[Josh Johnson (Host)]

And you. When you were directing this, you had to direct white people to be very, very racist. Was that awkward to, like, be like, I'm not feeling it from your heart.

[Josh Johnson (Host Intro)]

You know what?

[Comedy Central Announcer]

No, no. There are some scenes in this movie where, you know, when you do a film, you get H and R, right? Human resources, and you gotta have these speeches, and there are scenes and times where we had to have meetings. My cast, my. My main villain is played by Harry Goodwins, and he plays a very dangerous, racist white guy in this film. And he's married to a black woman with two children. And he's from London. Yeah, okay. So he had to, you know, really act out some of this stuff. And he's one of the nicest guys I ever met. So when you're an actor, you have to take on that role. Now, there's one scene in the film where my buddy James Thompson, James Thomas, who plays like, one of the most ruthless guys in the film, and he, you know, he just seemed like he got lost a little into it, you know, he was like, blah, blah, blah, Blah, blah, blah.

[Josh Johnson (Host)]

Did he say anything that wasn't in the script?

[Comedy Central Announcer]

Yeah, there was one word that wasn't in. Well, it wasn't that. It wasn't in the script. It was like, okay, I had two of those in there.

[Jordan Klepper]

Yeah, he's there.

[Comedy Central Announcer]

Three of them.

[Josh Johnson (Host)]

It's like, where'd that extra one come from?

[Comedy Central Announcer]

But it made Shamik Moore. Cause Shamik Moore is such a gentle soul, you know, He's a special guy. And this is my third project with him. And I just love the fact that, you know, he's now evolving to a. I call him a man actor versus being a young adult or a child actor. But when that energy came at him, and it's the scene where he holds his basketball, he's gonna pop this guy in the face with it. On one take, the ball slipped out a little early, you know what I mean? But don't worry, the ball is plastic. It's not real. Right. But the point was that the energy that was starting to build up, it caused this visceral reaction. And for the cameras, that's what I want. You know, I know it's delicate. I know that certain words, certain languages are trigger points. But this film is made to make you feel uncomfortable at times. It's made to make you feel warm and relaxed. When you see how young people can relate to each other and how the older generation is holding on to old school shit, that. I can say that.

[Jordan Klepper]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Comedy Central Announcer]

Okay, this is cable. I can let loose a little bit, right? But holding on to old school crap, I'm gonna say that that's passed, bro. The film is like, let go of that. You know what I mean? And then there's moments in the film where no matter who you are, you're gonna root for the hero. Because the insidious things that is happening in this film, if you see yourself on the screen with some of the people that's doing the evil, you need to check yourself, okay? And if you don't feel the. You know, there's a scene with Paris Jackson and Shamik Moore kind of like put their two hands together and then, you know, they kind of embrace each other. And then a tear comes out of her eyes. I didn't tell her to cry, but the character, I know that she felt the weight of, like, yo, what's going to happen to our town? What's going to happen to him? What's going to happen to me? When is the world going to wake up and realize that all men are created equal? Self evident. It's self evident, as our forefathers wrote it, said it's self evident that all men are created equal. Black, white, red, brown, yellow, man and woman, all created equal.

[Josh Johnson (Host)]

That's amazing. There is also something on my mind. You created distribution for this film like, you have what I would say is one of the, like, four most creative minds in doing deals, like, whether, whether it was with Wu Tang back in the day or it's what you're doing now, you always really think artist forward and like the way that the artist can work without getting lost in sort of whether it's jargon or legalese, whatever. The thing is, and I see you making this distribution for yourself, for the film. Is that something you want to do more broadly, or did you feel like it was the only vehicle that you could get into theaters the way you wanted?

[Comedy Central Announcer]

Well, it's a little bit of both. I wanted to make sure that if I could go through the funnel first, I can widen it up a little bit, make it a little wider, and then get other artists to come through. You know, look, it's not easy making a movie. It's a 30 hurdle jump, all right? To get it in cinema, there's another 30 hurdle jump. I formed 36 cinema and 36 distribution to maybe make it a 12 hurdle jump. You gotta jump something, all right? But if I could simplify it a little bit and get more stories into the system and get more artists that chance to kind of be artists and not be caught up because of budget or because of even some gatekeeping, you know, some stereotypes of what a character can be, you know, I'm trying to, like, at least crack that door a little more so a little more could get in. You know what I mean?

[Josh Johnson (Host)]

Absolutely. You are an incredible legend. And this film and all the things you're doing, the deals that you make, the people you uplift, just add to your legend. So thank you so much for being here.

[Donald Trump (Impersonator or Clip)]

Thank you.

[Comedy Central Announcer]

Good to see you.

[Donald Trump (Impersonator or Clip)]

Thank you. Thank you.

[Ronny Chang (Correspondent)]

Thank you.

[Josh Johnson (Host)]

One Spoon of Chocolate will be in theaters May 1. RZA.

[Josh Johnson (Host Intro)]

Explore more shows from the Daily show podcast universe by searching the Daily Show. Wherever you get your podcasts, watch the Daily show weeknights at 1110 Central on Comedy Central and stream full episodes anytime on Paramount. Plus,

[Comedy Central Announcer]

This has been a Comedy Central podcast.