The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Episode: TDS Time Machine | The Emmys
Date: September 14, 2025
Host: Jon Stewart + The Daily Show News Team
Overview
This episode of The Daily Show: Ears Edition is a spirited and satirical deep-dive into the spectacle of the Emmy Awards, past and present. Jon Stewart and the news team dissect Emmy night with their signature blend of irreverent humor, razor-sharp cultural critique, and affectionate jabs—not just at the industry, but themselves. The show celebrates TV’s biggest night while also tackling issues of diversity, showbiz absurdity, and the meaning of recognition in Hollywood.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
Opening Monologue: Emmy Awards Recap
[01:18] - [03:12]
- Jon Stewart kicks off by skewering CBS for “alienating viewers ages 18 to 34” with the Daytime Emmys.
- Susan Lucci’s legendary win after 18 nominations is lampooned (“won for her performance in Keeping a Straight Face while telling casting agents she's still 34”).
- Oprah and Rosie O’Donnell’s on-stage moments and Bob Barker’s never-ending career are teased.
- Stewart lampoons how the Emmys are “television celebrating television”—a self-congratulatory parade.
- Quote (Jon Stewart, 01:55): “The nation turns on television to watch television celebrate television.”
David E. Kelley and TV Industry In-Jokes
[02:40] - [03:12]
- Stewart jests about David E. Kelley’s Emmy sweep, cracks about Michelle Pfeiffer, and offers absurd tips for winning an Emmy.
- Quote (Jon Stewart, 02:48): “If you're gonna ask me the fastest or best way to win an Emmy, I'd say write a script and get Calista Flockhart.”
Satirizing the Ceremony: Hosts, Recipients, and Odd Moments
[03:12] - [07:31]
- Co-hosts David Hyde Pierce and Jenna Elfman’s intro is reduced to a joke on “a gratuitous display of David Hyde Pierce’s nutsack.”
- The Sopranos’ near-shutout turns into a joke about job opportunities for actors waiting for Scorsese.
- Stewart riffs on Hollywood’s big names and the “gayest Emmys ever”—with major wins for “Will & Grace” and LGBTQ-inclusive programming.
- Quote (Jon Stewart, 05:14): “Back here on Earth at LA's Shrine Auditorium, everyone else was coming out at what has already been dubbed the gayest Emmys ever.”
- A surreal run of music cutoffs for long-winded speeches (referencing Sela Ward et al.) leads to Stewart losing control of his own show.
- Quote (Jon Stewart, 07:31): “I got cut off with music on my own program.”
The Daily Show Team: Celebrating Their Own Win
[08:43] - [10:07]
- Stewart lightheartedly basks in their Emmy, joking about “phoning the show in” due to rampant arrogance.
- Quote (Jon Stewart, 08:52): “Since we won an Emmy, obviously we're going to be phoning the show in for a long, long ... enjoy our arrogance.”
- He transitions to reporter Stephen Colbert, still at the Shrine Auditorium.
Colbert’s Live Report—from Surreal to Sincere
[10:07] - [13:01]
- Stephen Colbert’s “live” remote is classic absurdity, describing the Governor’s Ball as descending into “a mindless hive of frenzied coitus.”
- Quote (Stephen Colbert, 10:30): “Gowns and tuxedos tossed like jetsam as their A list owners in the full bloom of arousal donned goat head masks and descended headlong into a world of sexual madness. ... All in all, a magical night.”
- Stewart tries to rein in Colbert, who jokes about blowing off work for Hollywood opportunities.
- Quote (Stephen Colbert, 12:09): “I love the people at the Daily Show. ... but the show has clearly peaked. So I'm gonna jump off now and pull the ripcord while I'm still high enough for my parachute to fully deploy.”
- Colbert wraps with a deadpan exit: “I gotta go. I'm having my chin done.”
Reflection & Gratitude
[13:07] - [16:16]
- Stewart expresses genuine pride in the team’s seven consecutive wins.
- Emphasizes the challenge, the teamwork, and the pride in their work.
- Quote (Jon Stewart, 15:08): “Every time a challenge was issued to the staff here and to the crew here, they rose up to it ... I just, I can't tell you the gratitude that I have for the crew here and the staff here.”
Emmy Diversity and Milestones
[17:22] - [18:40]
- Stephen Colbert and the team highlight increasingly diverse recognition at the Emmys:
- Donald Glover, Sterling K. Brown, and Lena Waithe’s historic wins celebrated.
- But the crew also wryly comments on the slow pace of “firsts” for black performers.
- Quote (Daily Show Correspondent, 17:51): “How are we still having first Black Anythings in 2017? ... It was a beautiful experience. ... But be ready for 2018 when Steve Bannon wins best actor in a drama.”
- A joke about nomination trends and the ongoing struggle for representation.
Game of Thrones and Emmy Bandwagon
[18:40] - [19:26]
- Game of Thrones’ record 32 nominations are discussed, with a twist—delighting in subverting expectations (suggesting Sesame Street should win Best Drama instead).
Ongoing Appreciation & Meta-Humor
[19:30] - [21:07]
- Continued shoutouts and playful ribbing regarding their own frequent nominations and wins.
- Jokes about Kevin Hart playing Queen Elizabeth, poking fun at diversity discourse taken to extremes.
- Sincere moments of gratitude, especially regarding Stephen Colbert and Bob Newhart’s overdue Emmy win.
- Quote (Jon Stewart, 21:07): “If anybody should have a house made out of Emmys, it's Bob Newhart. He was getting his first at age 135.”
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
-
“The nation turns on television to watch television celebrate television.”
– Jon Stewart, [01:55] -
“If you're gonna ask me the fastest or best way to win an Emmy, I'd say write a script and get Calista Flockhart.”
– Jon Stewart, [02:48] -
“All in all, a magical night.”
– Stephen Colbert’s surreal summary, [11:24] -
“I got cut off with music on my own program.”
– Jon Stewart, [07:31] -
“How are we still having first Black Anythings in 2017?”
– Daily Show Correspondent, [17:51] -
“If anybody should have a house made out of Emmys, it's Bob Newhart. He was getting his first at age 135.”
– Jon Stewart, [21:07] -
“Every time a challenge was issued to the staff here ... they rose up to it in a manner which I found surprising and impressive and joyful.”
– Jon Stewart, [15:08]
Timestamps for Key Segments
- [01:18] – Opening monologue, Daytime Emmys, Susan Lucci, Bob Barker
- [03:12] – Ceremony’s weird moments, HBO’s “Sopranos”, “Will & Grace”
- [07:31] – Stewart loses control of the show
- [08:43] – Stewart on Daily Show’s Emmy win
- [10:07] – Stephen Colbert’s wild remote report
- [13:07] – Stewart’s genuine gratitude to his team
- [17:22] – Discussion on Emmy diversity and firsts
- [18:40] – Game of Thrones’ record nominations
- [19:30] – More self-referential Emmy jokes from the team
- [21:07] – Reflection on Bob Newhart and Stephen Colbert’s wins
Tone and Style
The episode perfectly balances heartfelt thanks and biting satire. Stewart’s dry wit and self-deprecating humor set the tone, while his banter with the team (especially Colbert) adds an absurdist edge. Genuine pride and gratitude toward their colleagues shine through amidst playful skewering of Hollywood’s rituals.
Summary
For listeners, this episode is both a hilarious recap of the Emmys and a candid look at how The Daily Show views industry honors. From lampooning Hollywood’s navel-gazing to celebrating genuine cultural progress and their own victories, Stewart and the team offer a fast-paced, funny, and surprisingly heartfelt episode that captures the best of what The Daily Show does.