The Daily Show: Ears Edition – The Precap | Josh Johnson on Speedrunning the End of an Empire

Date: January 20, 2026
Host: Nicole Conlon
Guest: Josh Johnson
Episode Theme:
A darkly funny yet sobering preview and recap of a week where the news (impending wars, ICE operations, fractured politics) veers ever further into dystopia, and the comedy team wrestles with finding humor amid escalating crises.

Episode Overview

What happens when the chaos of global politics collides with the machinery of a late-night comedy show? This episode peels back the curtain as Nicole Conlon and guest host Josh Johnson react to fresh crises—potential war in Greenland, ICE’s alarming activity in Minnesota—while debating whether it’s even possible (or moral) to be funny about America’s accelerating dysfunction.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The State of the News – "Objectively Bad" (00:54–06:45)

• Nicole and Josh kick things off marveling at how increasingly impossible it is to separate their “great job” from the “bad” focus of the news, remarking on the constant seep of politics into all aspects of life.
  • “There is a contrast between my job is great, but the focus of my job, not great.” — Nicole (01:36)
• The pair joke about Trump’s obsession with Greenland and the arrival of European troops there, using dark humor to underline the absurdity and danger.
  • “That seems very bad that your NATO allies are like, we may have to shoot you.” — Josh (03:18)

The Greenland Crisis & The Trump Doctrine (04:10–11:44)

• Josh and Nicole dissect the supposed rationale for targeting Greenland (security, minerals) and mock how transparent the administration’s ulterior motives are.
  • “It's like breaking into your neighbor's house to make sure they weren't about to break into yours.” — Josh (04:44)
• Discussion shifts to how the government’s true motives (oil, minerals) are sometimes blurted out, skipping past pretexts used in past conflicts.
  • “He tells the truth when he feels like it. When he's tired of keeping up with the lie…” — Josh (08:45)
• The conversation questions who actually benefits from such moves—not everyday Trump voters but business interests.
  • “If you’re just a farmer in Kentucky, I'm not sure how those minerals are going to benefit you.” — Josh (09:20)
• Notable comic melancholy:
  • “I think the minerals themselves will probably trickle down into their water supply.” — Nicole (10:42)
  • “That’s why it feels like we are speed running the end of an empire for no reason.” — Josh (11:36)

ICE Crackdown in Minnesota & Protester Resistance (14:55–22:11)

• Nicole transitions to recent ICE activity in Minnesota, noting the outrage and also the unique protest culture (Vietnam vet in giant fur coat, clips combined with Nas tracks).
  • “If you put Nas under most things, it does enhance them.” — Josh (16:21)
• Josh reflects on the struggle to summon humor in the face of genuine horror:
  • “Sometimes every once in a while something is happening that is so bad...it’s like trying to pull from it to be funny... Feels like if you witness someone be stabbed...” — Josh (16:46)
• He argues that history is not just repeating, but happening now, and that how we respond defines us:
  • “Whatever you’re doing now is what you would have been doing then.” — Josh (21:16)

The Ethics and Practicalities of Resistance (22:11–28:53)

• Nicole asks if not being on the protest “frontlines” makes her a bad person; Josh philosophically responds with the “brick road” metaphor, suggesting everyone must play their part where they are best suited.
  • “Every brick working together...is how you get a smooth road from point A to point B.” — Josh (23:19)
• They discuss the leak of ICE agent data and the limited scope of ICE manpower, with Josh framing the crackdown as an unsustainable “road show.”

Power, Police, and Panic (28:53–36:11)

• Josh and Nicole skewer official slogans and immunity claims, pointing out how legal realities, public resistance, and massed protests matter.
  • “Your slogan is, 'You are stronger than me.'” — Nicole (28:53)
• Talk of ICE’s composition: not all agents are zealots; some are “having their are-we-the-baddies moment” out of sheer self-preservation.
  • “They leave when you throw snowballs at them and they have guns. Do you know what I mean?” — Josh (30:55)
• They joke about the general lack of far-right counter-protesters lately—because many have “joined ICE.”

The Trump Factor & National Leadership (36:11–38:23)

• The hosts mock the surreal incoherence of Trump’s public remarks, the influence of Stephen Miller, and the oddity of governing via “soup brain.”
  • “That’s devastating—to have a leader whose brain is such soup.” — Josh (37:44)
  • “Like a cold, racist alphabet soup where the only letters are slurs.” — Nicole (38:14)

Lighter Fare: Oscars and Hollywood Money (38:23–43:24)

• Nicole and Josh pivot to awards season, highlighting Oscar hopes (Jacob Elordi, Teyana Taylor) and especially rooting for Ryan Coogler’s "Sinners" as a triumph over Hollywood saboteurs. They lament the industry’s self-destructive greed and how even “success” is twisted.
  • “Greed is a sick poison...There are people so greedy, it’s not even their money and they want to help.” — Josh (41:00)

Daily Show & Tell (43:31–53:03)

Nicole: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s Sherlock Books (43:31–45:23)

• Nicole recommends Abdul-Jabbar’s Mycroft Holmes series, praising the audiobooks for respectful multicultural characterizations.
  • “If you're ever going to do it [a Chinese accent], it has to be at exactly the level that this guy nails.” — Nicole (45:24)
• Josh reflects on American awkwardness with accents, telling a story about mistaken accusations of racism due to cultural ignorance.

Josh: Early Tech & Internet Mysteries (48:30–53:03)

• Josh shares podcast learnings about early “phone hacking” and how absurd and mysterious early tech seems now.
  • “If there is some Internet on this disc right now...” — Josh (51:51)
• Nicole tells a story about having a childhood Garfield.com email—highlighting the weirdness of internet history.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments (with Timestamps)

• “That seems very bad that your other NATO allies are like, we may have to shoot you.” — Josh Johnson (03:18)
• “Breaking into your neighbor’s house to make sure they weren’t about to break into yours.” — Josh Johnson (04:44)
• “He tells the truth when he feels like it. When he's tired of keeping up with the lie...” — Josh Johnson (08:45)
• “That's why it feels like we are speed running the end of an empire for no reason.” — Josh Johnson (11:36)
• “If you put Nas under most things, it does enhance them.” — Josh Johnson (16:21)
• “Whatever you’re doing now is what you would have been doing then.” — Josh Johnson (21:16)
• “Every brick working together...is how you get a smooth road from point A to point B.” — Josh Johnson (23:19)
• “Your slogan is, 'You are stronger than me.'” — Nicole Conlon (28:53)
• “They leave when you throw snowballs at them and they have guns.” — Josh Johnson (30:55)
• “That’s devastating—to have a leader whose brain is such soup.” — Josh Johnson (37:44)
• “Greed is a sick poison...There are people so greedy, it’s not even their money and they want to help.” — Josh Johnson (41:00)

Key Timestamps

• 00:54 – Nicole/ Josh open with why “the news is so bad”
• 02:45 – European troops in Greenland/ dystopian future riffing
• 04:20 – Trump’s “security” pretext/ actual motives
• 10:42 – “Trickle down” satire about minerals
• 11:36 – “Speed running the end of an empire”
• 14:55 – ICE’s new crackdown in Minnesota/ protester highlight
• 16:00 – Nas “Ether” remix of protest
• 16:46 – Comedy vs. real-world horror
• 21:16 – “What you do now is what you’d have done then”
• 23:19 – Josh’s “brick road” metaphor for resistance
• 27:02 – ICE agent data leak/ manpower discussion
• 28:53 – Absurd slogans and immunity claims, Philly police response
• 30:55 – Snowball vs. ICE agent anecdote
• 36:11 – “Soup brain” presidency/ Trump anecdote
• 38:23 – Oscars/ Ryan Coogler “Sinners” discussion
• 43:31 – Daily Show & Tell
• 45:24 – Discussion about doing accents
• 48:30 – Early tech nostalgia (AOL discs, dial-up, and phone hacking)
• 53:03 – Nicole’s Garfield.com email story

Tone & Style

True to The Daily Show’s brand: irreverent, sharply satirical, and deeply concerned about the state of American democracy. Nicole and Josh effortlessly switch between gallows humor, media criticism, and empathetic, earnest reflection—demonstrating how comedy can both mock and illuminate even as the news itself seems to outpace parody.

For Listeners Who Missed It

If you want to hear confident, weary comedians grapple with how to make sense—and occasionally, jokes—out of a country that feels like it’s coming apart at the seams, this episode is a must. You’ll get both sharp punchlines and genuine insight into what it means to cover the news right now, plus a few strong recommendations to pass the time between existential dread.