Trump Axes Kristi Noem & Hegseth Strong-Arms "Too-Woke" Boy Scouts | Mychal Threets

Summary

The Daily Show: Ears Edition

Episode: Trump Axes Kristi Noem & Hegseth Strong-Arms "Too-Woke" Boy Scouts | Mychal Threets
Date: March 6, 2026
Host: Michael Costa
Guests: Mychal Threets, Jordan Klepper, Katie Hopkins

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Episode Overview

This episode, hosted by Michael Costa with contributions from Jordan Klepper and guest Mychal Threets, takes a satirical look at current political headlines: Kristi Noem's ousting from the Trump cabinet, Pete Hegseth's culture war on the Boy Scouts, RFK Jr.’s crusade against sugary beverages, and right-wing conspiracy theories about "15-minute cities." The show closes with an uplifting interview with librarian and new Reading Rainbow host Mychal Threets on the importance of libraries and mental health.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Kristi Noem Fired from Homeland Security (01:36 – 07:20)

• Noem’s Firing: Costa opens with jokes about Kristi Noem being fired as Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, poking fun at the surrounding scandals—ranging from misuse of Ice in Minnesota to an alleged affair with Corey Lewandowski.
• Congressional Hearing Satire: The show lampoons Congress' blunt questioning about the affair, noting Noem's non-answers.

  Quote: "If you've got a question to ask Christy Noem, just ask it." (04:05, Michael Costa)

• Ridicule Over Replacement: Costa mocks the appointment of Oklahoma Senator Markwayne Mullen, joking about his double-barreled first name.

  Quote: "Mark will serve as Oklahoma Senator while Wayne will run DHS. I turn when I turn." (06:47, Michael Costa)

2. RFK Jr. and the War on Sugary Starbucks (07:21 – 09:05)

• Sugary Drink Ban: Segment ridicules Health Secretary RFK Jr.'s pivot from vaccine skepticism to sudden rigor about coffee sugar content.

  Quote: "Now you’re calling for data when it's the mocha Dunkachino… but when it comes to vaccines, you're like, 'I'm not really feeling these things.'" (07:53, Michael Costa)

• Fake Product Gag: Introduction of the “Beeficino” as a joke “protein-forward” coffee.

3. Pete Hegseth vs. "Woke" Boy Scouts (09:06 – 13:43)

• Defense Secretary Interference: Pete Hegseth pressures Boy Scouts (now “Scouting America”) to abandon diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), and the “citizen in society” merit badge.

  Quote: "They even welcomed the destructive myth of gender fluidity and transgenderism to infiltrate their membership." (09:22, Michael Threets voicing Hegseth)

• Militarization of Scouts: Costa and Klepper exchange mockery about new "manly" merit badges:

  Quote: "Traits that we now know are Canadian. These new badges embody Pete Hegseth’s idea of real American manliness. Like the three-times-divorced badge or the talking your way out of a DUI badge." (11:54, Jordan Klepper)

• Satire of Indoctrination: The segment escalates into parody, with Klepper arguing the changes are part of a long-term war effort.

4. “15 Minute Cities” and Far-Right Conspiracy Theories (15:14 – 22:02)

• Car-Free Developments: Grace Kuhlenschmidt reports from Cul de Sac, Tempe, a car-free neighborhood, with Mychal Threets and a combative Katie Hopkins (UK right-wing commentator).
• Conspiratorial Fears: Hopkins frames walkable “15-minute cities” as ‘prisons’ in a plot to subjugate humanity.

  Quote: "Covid and lockdowns were always going to pass over hand in hand to the 15 minute city lockdown. Part of a global decision to crush humanity by locking it down." (17:24, Katie Hopkins)

• Mocking Illogical Fears: The team lampoons paranoia about doors, cameras, and even misting systems as mechanisms of control.

  Quote: "A stupid person would say [the camera is] for security... But why do you think they help them? So that everyone can know that they're being watched." (20:24, Katie Hopkins)

5. Interview: Mychal Threets, Librarian & Reading Rainbow Host (22:02 – 31:12)

• Celebration of Libraries: Threets discusses his devotion to libraries, being called "America's favorite librarian," his journey from shy child to advocate, and carrying his grandmother's library card.

  Quote: "Libraries saved my life. I'm still struggling today, but I'm alive because of librarians." (23:47, Mychal Threets)

• Inclusivity: Emphasis on libraries welcoming everyone, regardless of background, mental health status, or neurodivergence.

  Quote: "The library is a place for everybody... There are no expectations. You don't even need a library card." (26:04, Mychal Threets)

• Mental Health Honesty: Threets shares candidly about his mental health, linking his wellbeing with libraries as inclusive, safe spaces.

  Quote: "I'm at one of the worst places in my life, mentally... but the library has always told me I belong." (27:02, Mychal Threets)

• Funding and Advocacy: The importance of library funding, what people can do for their libraries, and the cultural disconnect between militarism and public services.

  Quote: "You can go get your very own library card... If you don't believe us, go see it for yourself." (28:59, Mychal Threets)

• Representation: Shoutout to book illustrator Lorraine Nam and to inclusivity in children's books.

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Notable Quotes & Moments (with Timestamps)

• “You gotta imagine the first one to finally get canned would have to be a real embarrassment, an absolute disappointment. Just a totally incompetent, unprofessional dipshitty.” (02:18, Michael Costa)
• “Can you imagine being confronted about your affair with a picture of the actual bed?” (03:47, Michael Costa)
• “They now get to bang Markwayne Mullen on that plane!” (06:47, Michael Costa)
• “The Secretary of Defense is micromanaging which Boy Scout badges are ‘too DEI’?” (10:38, Michael Costa)
• “You look like the boy from Up if he joined the Village People.” (11:32, Michael Costa to Jordan Klepper)
• “With Pete Hegseth in charge, this guy’s spending all his time on merit badges.” (13:03, Jordan Klepper)
• “This feels 15 degrees cooler because there’s not a drop of asphalt.” (16:26, Mychal Threets)
• “The global overlords are the evil ones who want to crush us... Whereas Trump, to me, is the antidote to that.” (21:19, Katie Hopkins)
• "I'm still struggling today, but I'm alive because of librarians. Children’s librarians, school librarians.” (23:47, Mychal Threets)
• “You can just come on inside. And I love that so much about the library, that it’s for every single person.” (26:37, Mychal Threets)
• "Whether you did that or not, you’re worthy." (28:02, Michael Costa)

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Important Segments & Timestamps

• Kristi Noem and Cabinet Firings: 01:36 – 07:20
• RFK Jr. & Health Policy Satire: 07:21 – 09:05
• Boy Scouts Culture War: 09:06 – 13:43
• 15-Minute Cities & Conspiracies: 15:14 – 22:02
• Mychal Threets Interview: 22:02 – 31:12

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Summary Flow & Tone

The episode fuses biting satire with earnest advocacy, typical of The Daily Show. Costa’s acerbic hosting lampoons contemporary right-wing cultural battles, moving deftly between absurd controversies and the heartfelt closing interview. Highlights include the outlandishness of "culture war" politics and a counterpoint in Threets’s hopeful message about libraries as sanctuaries for all. For listeners who missed the show, this summary captures both the humor and the humanity on display.

Transcript

[Narrator]

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[Michael Costa]

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, Michael Costa. Wow.

[Correspondent]

I'm proud.

[Michael Costa]

Welcome to the Daily Show. I'm Michael Costa. We've got so much to Talk about tonight. RFK Jr. S coming for your Dunkachino, Pete Hegseth's coming for the Boy Scouts, and Kristi Noem just got deported from her job. So let's get into the installment of the worst wing. What a bunch of losers. Unlike in his first term, Donald Trump's cabinet in his second term has been a model of stability. It's been an entire year, and he hasn't fired a single cabinet member.

[Katie Hopkins]

Wow.

[Michael Costa]

I mean, with that level of consistency, you gotta imagine that the first one to finally get canned would have to be a real embarrassment, an absolute disappointment. Just a totally incompetent, unprofessional dipshitty. Breaking news into cnn. Kristi Noem is out as Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security. Yes. Yes. And now that she's gone, the Trump administration is going to be great. Wait, I tricked you. But that's right, you heard Trump. Christy, time to turn in your badge and your cowboy hat and your bigger cowboy hat and your flak jacket and your night vision goggles and your firefighter costume. Oh, and also your camel. What was your job again? Now, this firing comes right after she was called into Congress for a hearing about her many controversies. There Was the handling of ice in Minnesota, accusations of corruption. There's also rumors she's been having an affair with her. Also, married Special Advisor Corey Lewandowski on a private jet with a bedroom in the back. But, I mean, I'm sure members of Congress, they're not going to go there. Could you explain this,

[Announcer]

Sir? I'm not looking at a picture of an interior.

[Michael Threes]

Looks like a bedroom of an airplane.

[Announcer]

Mm.

[Correspondent]

Yes, sir.

[Michael Costa]

God damn. Can you imagine being confronted about your affair with a picture of the actual bed that's so big the cameraman had to zoom out? But don't play. Don't play coy with us, US Congress. If you've got a question to ask Christy. No, just ask it.

[Correspondent]

So, Secretary Noem, have you had sexual relations with Corey Lewandowski?

[Michael Costa]

Holy shit. Finally, one of these hearings is gonna get interesting. You know, normally it's just, blah, blah, blah, human rights violations, blah, blah, blah, concentration camps, blah, blah, blah. This is probably the first time Kristi Noem wanted to be like, lo siento, no abloh ingles. But, hey, here's your chance to put this whole Corey Lewandowski rumor to bed. Bad choice of words. Either way, Christi, set these people straight.

[Correspondent]

I am shocked that we're going down and peddling tabloid garbage in this committee today in the federal government. So reclaiming my advisor. It is okay for you to be no authority. It is okay for you to be making decisions, but it is also a real question. So what I would say is, and you should be able to answer, what we do at the Department of Homeland Security every single and without every single

[Michael Costa]

day is, hey, hey, hey, hey. Let Kristi Noem finish. At least that's my advice to Corey Lewandowski. And by the way, I should point out that of all the words Noem said in there, none of them were in actual denial. Reminds me of the move I pulled in high school. Michael, did you poop in the urinal? To even engage in such a question. In a place of education, no less. Now, apparently, it wasn't even the affair that got her canned. If anything, the sex plane probably bought her a few weeks. You know, Trump was like, she's a huge embarrassment in every way except for that flying palace game. Recognized game. And don't worry too much about Christy. She's already got a new job that's every bit as important.

[Announcer]

The current secretary, Kristi Noem, will be moving to be special envoy for the Shield of the Americas, our new security initiative in the Western hemisphere.

[Michael Costa]

Ah, yes, yes, the special envoy for the Shield of the America's Western Hemisphere division. You know it's a promotion when the job was just invented 6 minutes ago using refrigerator magnets. I can't wait to see what outfit she'll wear for that. But now that Noem's out at Homeland Security, who's replacing her? You know what? I don't care who it is, just as long as it's someone with one first name.

[Correspondent]

The President has named Oklahoma Senator Mark Wayne Mullen to be the next DHS Secretary.

[Michael Costa]

God damn it. Now, obviously, Mark Wayne Mullen can't be Senator and a cabinet secretary at the same time. So the way it works is Mark will serve as Oklahoma Senator while Wayne will run dhs. I turn when I turn. Good luck to Mark Wayne. And congrats to Corey Lewandowski. He now gets to bang Mark Wayne Mullen on that plane. Hey, man.

[Michael Threes]

Hey, man.

[Michael Costa]

I come with the plane, and so do you. This is a hot seat, I'll tell you that much. Yeah, sex. Let's move on to Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. Health Secretary and piece of hard jerky you found under the seat of your car. He's in charge of the whole country's health, so let's hear the important things he's checking off his to do list.

[Announcer]

Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. Wants to restrict sugary beverages from both Dunkin and Starbucks.

[Michael Costa]

Dunkin Donuts and Starbucks. Show us the safety data that show that it's okay for a teenage girl drink an iced coffee with 115 grams of sugar in it. Hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on. Now you're calling for data when it's the mocha Dunkachino, you want to see the research, but when it comes to vaccines, you're like, I'm not really feeling these things. But in an effort to appease rfk, Dunkin has already introduced a protein forward health beverage that follows all of his MAHA guidelines. Introducing the Beeficino. Now, that's grisly. Holy shit. Let's move on. Let's move on to someone we hope is only starting their day with iced coffee. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth fighting an illegal war against Iran is his job, but he's still a Fox News host at heart. And that's why he's announcing a new wartime initiative.

[Correspondent]

Changes are coming to Scouting America, formerly known as the Boy Scouts. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has criticized the Boy Scouts, calling recent changes, quote, woke culture.

[Michael Threes]

DEI crept in. The focus on God as the ruler

[Michael Costa]

of the universe was watered down to

[Michael Threes]

include openness to humanism. And Earth centered pagan religions. They even welcomed the destructive myth of gender fluidity and transgenderism to infiltrate their membership.

[Michael Costa]

Well, look, I can see why conservative Scout leaders were upset about that. Hey, we signed up to molest biological boys, not these trans weirdos. Also, why is it that every time I think I have a handle on what conservatives, they slip in something new? Earth centered paganism. I don't even know what part I'm supposed to be angry about is that the paganism is centered on Earth instead of a different planet. But yeah, apparently the Secretary of Defense was upset enough that he threatened to end the military's hundred year history of providing support to the Scouts if they didn't get in line with his MAGA warrior ethos. And apparently, mission accomplished, Scouting America has

[Michael Threes]

agreed to comply immediately with the provisions of Executive Order 14173. No more DEI 0, the citizen in society merit badge that encouraged Scouts to explore diversity, equity, inclusion, and identity. That badge has been discontinued.

[Michael Costa]

I'm sorry, the Secretary of Defense. The Secretary of Defense is micromanaging which Boy Scout badges are too dei. Is this why we don't have. I'll focus on the Middle east tomorrow. Right now, I'm busy figuring out how to make neckerchiefs look manly. For more on the Boy Scout changes and their possible impact, let's go live to Jordan Klepper.

[Jordan Klepper]

Jordan.

[Michael Costa]

Jordan. My first question, obviously, is why the are you dressed like that?

[Jordan Klepper]

You know what? Don't sneer, Michael. This is because the Boy Scouts are manly. And in honor of that masculinity, I broke out my old uniform. You know, Come on, Acosta. What's more alpha than this, huh?

[Michael Costa]

You look like the boy from up if you join the Village People, you're just jealous.

[Jordan Klepper]

You probably spent your summers in a band camp or fat camp or on a birthright trip to Fire Island.

[Michael Costa]

Look, I'll have you know, it was band camp. And yes, most of us were, but that's besides the point. So what are some of Hagset's biggest changes with the Scouts?

[Jordan Klepper]

Well, first off, the old merit badges were focused on helping those around you and being a good citizen. Traits that we now know are Canadian. However. However, these new badges embody Pete Hegseth's idea of real American manliness. Like the three times divorced badge or the talking your way out of a DUI badge. And the let's all pull our genitals out and the floor the first one to get hard is gay badge. Fun fact, I already got that bad boy.

[Michael Costa]

Wait, so you were the first one to get hard.

[Jordan Klepper]

What?

[Michael Costa]

No.

[Jordan Klepper]

I was the last one to get hard. Finally, that skill paid off.

[Michael Costa]

But Jordan, Jordan, America just launched a war against Iran. Why is the Defense Department wasting time on the Boy Scouts when they should be focused on the war effort?

[Jordan Klepper]

Because this is a part of the war effort. I mean, who do you think is gonna be fighting that war in 10 years? These scouts.

[Michael Costa]

10 years? They said the war will be over in weeks.

[Jordan Klepper]

Are you kidding me? With Pete Hegseth in charge, this guy's spending all his time on merit badges.

[Michael Costa]

Yeah, but that's.

[Michael Threes]

That's.

[Michael Costa]

That's what I'm saying. He's incompetent.

[Jordan Klepper]

Don't you say that about Pete. He's a solid dude. He's a special envoy to my shield of best.

[Michael Costa]

Jordan, why are you defending Pete Hegseth so hard?

[Jordan Klepper]

Because covering for your boys is how you earn Hegseth's new Bros Before Hoes badge, so. Oh, by the way, if his wife asks, he was with me last night. Could you send someone to pick me up? Because I got lost in the woods and it's getting cold. Not a lot of layers.

[Michael Costa]

Yep. You could always start a fire and

[Jordan Klepper]

rub two sticks together.

[Michael Costa]

Gay Jordan Klepper, everybody. When we come back, we explore the horrors of not owning a car.

[Jordan Klepper]

Don't go away.

[Michael Costa]

What?

[Announcer]

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[Michael Costa]

Welcome back to the Daily Show. Americans love our cars, but is it possible to thrive without them? Grace Kuhlenschmidt found out here in America,

[Correspondent]

the car is King. Route 66 drive throughs tailgating. The USA has a serious case of autoerotic asphyxiation but not everyone respects our sacred American car culture. A little bit, little tight. What happens when you got big boy? You know what I mean? So I burned rubber, headed for Tempe, a suburb of Phoenix. More turns here to check out a neighborhood that didn't get the memo.

[Michael Threes]

Welcome to Cul de Sac Tempe, the first car free neighborhood built from scratch

[Correspondent]

in the U.S. wait, so there's no cars?

[Michael Threes]

Residents don't have cars.

[Correspondent]

Okay, so it's just SUVs and trucks.

[Michael Threes]

No parking of any kind.

[Michael Costa]

What?

[Correspondent]

Cul de sac is a $170 million development with retail restaurants and housing for up to 1,000 residents and zero cars.

[Michael Threes]

There's so many reasons why walkable neighborhoods are better.

[Correspondent]

So this would be illegal in your city?

[Michael Threes]

We don't ban cars, we just don't have residential parking. And there's free or discounted rides on light rail buses. Lyfts, Waymo.

[Correspondent]

Phoenix is America's hottest city. And guess who Ryan blames for that?

[Michael Threes]

This feels 15 degrees cooler because there's not a drop of asphalt.

[Correspondent]

Wow. So on an average day it's only like 105 degrees.

[Katie Hopkins]

That's sick.

[Michael Threes]

Easy breezy.

[Correspondent]

The ridiculous idea that everything you need should be walkable or bikeable without requiring a car is a concept known as the 15 Minute City. It's being tried around the world as a way to increase sustainability and improve quality of life. There's just one problem.

[Katie Hopkins]

If you have 15 minute cities, you can decide who enters them and every single freedom that we know will be gone.

[Correspondent]

Meet Katie Hopkins, freedom fighter.

[Katie Hopkins]

Islam is taking over my country. I have been banned from South Africa for spreading racial hatred. I'm not a big fan of the feminazis.

[Michael Costa]

Anti Covid commentator will be booted out of Australia after joking about breaking hotel quarantine rules.

[Correspondent]

But Katie says Covid was a globalist plot and 15 minute cities are phase two.

[Katie Hopkins]

Covid and lockdowns were always going to pass over hand in hand to the 15 minute city lockdown. Part of a global decision to crush humanity by locking it down.

[Correspondent]

And Katie's not the only deep thinker sounding the alarm.

[Michael Costa]

Monitors, cameras, sensors in the street, everywhere.

[Michael Threes]

They become 15 minute prisons as opposed

[Michael Costa]

to 15 minute cities.

[Correspondent]

These 15 minute city truth seekers say that walkable neighborhoods are just the first step of permanent worldwide lockdown.

[Katie Hopkins]

It's about our global overlords deciding that the majority of humans, actually billions of them, are just useless meat eaters.

[Correspondent]

When you say global overlords, who are you talking about? Is it the government Is it the Deep State? Is it Big E Bike?

[Katie Hopkins]

The powerful people that control this planet, they want to turn us all into a barcode. They want to be able to control where we go, how we go, when we go, what we can access. They will put us in confined spaces, Cul de Sac. And they will just mine us for our data in order to help program future AI.

[Correspondent]

So, like the Matrix, but with desert adapted landscaping. Time to confront Cul de Sac's chief executive overlord. How much is the government paying you to build this Adobe Alcatraz?

[Michael Threes]

Actually, government regulation is one of the biggest barriers we faced.

[Michael Costa]

What?

[Michael Threes]

A lot of the reason we don't have walkable neighborhoods is because of zoning. And that's what.

[Correspondent]

When you say zoning, are you referring to herding people into their zones so they can never leave?

[Michael Threes]

No.

[Correspondent]

And Ryan claims that developments like Cul de Sac help protect our warming planet. But Katie says climate change is a load of something she calls bollocks.

[Katie Hopkins]

We've been around for 300,000 years, and at times in the past, it's been hotter than this. And no one ever had a truck back then. Where it gets really scary is that a new generation of young people are born, never having known their father's relationship with his car. Watched him clean it on the curb on a Sunday. Never understand what freedom actually means.

[Correspondent]

Wow, Katie was right. I headed for Cul de Sac to find out. Did these sheeple even know what they were missing? Can I ask you a really quick question? Have you ever seen your dad wash his car? My dad?

[Michael Costa]

Yeah.

[Correspondent]

Can't wash a car. He can't wash a car. If you don't have a car, where do you make rant videos?

[Michael Threes]

Yeah, I'm not really a rant video guy.

[Correspondent]

No rant videos. So how do you stand up to tyranny? I should be allowed to drive my truck onto the rides at Disneyland. I needed backup, so I threw Katie in the bed of my truck and brought her into the lion's den. Cul de Sac. With Katie's razor sharp intellect, she could identify threats that most rational people would miss.

[Katie Hopkins]

Look up camera.

[Correspondent]

Oh, my God. Kiss my ass. Kiss her ass.

[Katie Hopkins]

Why would you have that there?

[Correspondent]

A stupid person would say for security.

[Katie Hopkins]

But why do you think they help them? So that everyone can know that they're being watched. Cameras, doors that don't open. I bet you this one doesn't open. The whole point of a door is a door opens. None of these doors open.

[Correspondent]

That's literally the definition of a door. What kind of morons Lock their doors. Unless they were locked in.

[Katie Hopkins]

There's probably drones.

[Correspondent]

Jesus, it is like a prison.

[Katie Hopkins]

It is a prison.

[Correspondent]

I'm so freaked out. I almost feel like there's a camera crew following us. I could feel the tastefully landscaped walls closing in. Good thing I had Katie. But could I even trust her? What is that? Is that chemtrails?

[Katie Hopkins]

Actually, I'm totally fine with Mistus.

[Correspondent]

You're totally fine getting drenched in fluoride? Oh, my God. Katie was compromised. And then, for the first time, she said something truly unhinged.

[Katie Hopkins]

The global overlords are the evil ones who want to crush us.

[Correspondent]

No, not that part.

[Katie Hopkins]

Whereas Trump, to me, is the antidote to that. Sure, he's tweeted me quite a lot, which I think is just one step away from the bedroom.

[Correspondent]

Come on.

[Katie Hopkins]

Come on. The greatest guy to ever live. Donald J. Trump. You know what? Once I've done the unzipping and I've got his presidential member in my hand, which I imagine to be large.

[Announcer]

Do you?

[Katie Hopkins]

I have blown worse.

[Correspondent]

That's when I realized I might not be able to trust Katie's judgment. Time to ride like the wind. Sorry. As soon as I can figure out how to get the out of here.

[Michael Costa]

Thank you, Grace. When we come back, Michael Free will be joining me on the show. Don't go. Welcome back to the Daily Show. My guest tonight is a librarian and literacy advocate, new host of Reading Rainbow, and author of I'm so Happy youy're Here, a celebration of library joy. Please welcome Michael Threes. Come on, Michael. Hell, yeah. Libraries.

[Michael Threes]

They're the best.

[Michael Costa]

They're the best. You've been called America's favorite librarian. Please give this audience your best. Shh. Shh.

[Michael Threes]

But you never have to be quiet in the library. The library is for everybody. You can make noise. We have autistic people in the library, lgbtqi, all sorts of people.

[Michael Costa]

It's okay to make some noise in the library?

[Michael Threes]

Absolutely. I've seen concerts at the library. I've been a part of a wrestling show at the library. Right. Yes, I have. I was a special guest referee for a library show.

[Michael Costa]

Was it just a fight?

[Michael Threes]

It was just a fight. We were fighting over literacy, fighting over the good books, over everything good.

[Michael Costa]

I mean, you are the new host of Reading Rainbow. You're the resident librarian for PBS and PBS Kids. Why are libraries so important to.

[Michael Threes]

Libraries are so important to me because I grew up loving libraries. I have a library card tattooed on me. I've had a library card since I was. Since I was Five years old. I was very shy. I'm still shy as an adult, but libraries saved my life. I'm still struggling today, but I'm alive because of librarians. Children's librarians, school librarians.

[Michael Costa]

You said you have a library card tattooed.

[Michael Threes]

I do. Absolutely.

[Michael Costa]

Can you show us?

[Michael Threes]

Yes, absolutely. It's right there where I'm looking. But it's Arthur Reed's library card. Arthur Reed. R, E A D. He is an aardvark, if you didn't know. I did not know as a kid. I thought he just had very, very funny ears. But he is an aardvark.

[Michael Costa]

Yeah. But that also proves that whether you're reading, you're a kid or an adult, you don't always have to know everything about a book. You just need to read the book.

[Michael Threes]

Exactly.

[Jordan Klepper]

Yeah.

[Michael Threes]

Yeah.

[Michael Costa]

Is it true that you still have your grandmother's library card?

[Michael Threes]

I do. I actually have it with me.

[Michael Costa]

On you. Yes.

[Michael Threes]

Yeah. This is my grandmother's library card.

[Michael Costa]

San Jose. Yeah.

[Michael Threes]

It's from the San Jose Public Library. She used to live in Arkansas when she was a little girl. She grew up not having library cards. It was forbidden. She couldn't go to libraries. She wasn't allowed to read. So she didn't have any childhood favorites. And she made her way to California. And now she's raised probably a grandson who probably loves libraries more than anybody in the entire world. And now I carry her precious library card with me everywhere in the world. I'm so proud to be her grandchild. That's amazing. Her name was William B. Fleece.

[Michael Costa]

This book is great. Wow. I've already read it to my kids.

[Michael Threes]

Here we go.

[Michael Costa]

I'm so happy you're here. It's beautifully illustrated. There's a great message at the end. One of the things I love, too, is you show you don't just have to read books. No musical instruments. Play a board game.

[Michael Threes]

Yes.

[Michael Costa]

Do some gardening. I don't know if you can do gardening at my local library, but maybe they can start. Maybe they can start. Why was it important for you to write this book?

[Michael Threes]

Before we talk about that, I think the illustrator is here today. Her name is Lorraine Nam. I'm very.

[Michael Costa]

I was wondering why there was one audience member with their head down the whole time.

[Michael Threes]

Yes. No, I'm very proud of you. She's here. Some of the Random House children's book teams are here. Editor, publicist. So many people who help make this come true. And I always tell people, I'm so happy you're here at the library. Because the library is a place for everybody. For autistic people, for dyslexic people, ADHD people are having a hard time, people who are LGBTQI plus, people who are anxious, people who are panicking, people just like myself. But also people who are so happy, so joyful to find out that there is something for everybody at the library. There are no expectations. You don't even need a library card.

[Michael Costa]

True.

[Michael Threes]

You don't have to flash it like it's Costco. Here's my card. You can just come on inside. And I love that so much about the library that it's for every single person. There's something for everybody all the time.

[Michael Costa]

You know, you've been really open.

[Narrator]

Yeah.

[Michael Costa]

You've been really open with some of your mental health strength, and I commend you for that. And you've said. You said it even here, that a library saved your life. Explain a little bit of that to me.

[Michael Threes]

Yeah, I mean, I'm honestly, honestly, I'm at one of the worst places in my life, mentally. Honestly. I've struggled with wanting to be alive, just feeling like, worthy, feeling worthy of the role of host of Read Rainbow, feeling worthy of that book. But the library has always told me that I belong. They've always said, you can come in here with your panic attacks, try not to have a panic attack, but you can come inside. And I just appreciate their honesty, that they've always been vulnerable with me. And same for library kids. Library kids are the one. I mean, library kids struggle with mental health. Mental health is not just an adult problem, teen problem. It affects us all. I think being able to talk to kindergarteners, pre K kids, fourth graders, and say, hey, I'm just like you. You are not alone. We are not alone. And library kids, library people, authors, illustrators like Lorraine, have always been there for me, always been in my corner, and just be able to dedicate that book to them means the world.

[Michael Costa]

You know, I'll tell you, we all are very. We're all very happy you're the new host of Reading Rainbow. We're all very happy that you wrote this book. But whether you did that or not, you're worthy.

[Katie Hopkins]

Thank you.

[Michael Costa]

You're valuable. Thank you.

[Michael Threes]

Okay.

[Michael Costa]

I'm serious. And whether or not I'm the host of this show, I'm valuable.

[Announcer]

Yeah,

[Michael Costa]

no, but it. You said that. And it just connects with me on so many levels. For all of. We have these. We tie so much value and worth to accomplishments that aren't even in our control. And this is such a beautiful Book. You know, on Saturday, I was trying to return some books to the library, my kids books. And I get up there and it's like, hey, we're only open Tuesdays to Thursdays because of budget cuts. Sure. And then I'm turning on the radio and here we are launching billion dollars worth of missiles at Iran. And I'm thinking, this is all up Michael. And you might not be able to say that, but I can say that. How important is a library's funding? What can we do better without library's funding?

[Michael Threes]

You know, I love that there are so many people in the world who are supporting libraries. You have the Jason Reynolds, Jerry Kraft, but you also have the Ms. Rachels, the Sarah Jessica Parker of the world, who are like, libraries are the best. And I think, honestly, what we can do is you can go get your very own library card. You can show up at the library, you can tell your friends about the library. You can tell your family about the library, your neighbors. I'm a big fan of Mr. Rogers. I believe Mr. Rogers would even want us to tell our enemies about the library. I think honestly, the more hype we have for libraries, the better we can say the library is important. It is for everybody. If you don't believe us, go see it for yourself. The more people who cross that threshold, the more people will have no choice but to fund the library. Because it's gonna become everybody's favorite place in the entire world, just like it's always been mine.

[Michael Costa]

There's literally no barriers to entry. I mean, yes, exactly.

[Narrator]

Great.

[Michael Costa]

If you have a card, great. But you can also just go sit and read for eight hours there. And you see people doing that all the time. And very rarely do you walk out of there going, I just wasted my day. I read to my kids. They like books. I try to teach them. Books are our friends. Don't step on them, don't throw them. But I really want to supercharge it. Like, I really want him to be bad mother when it comes to literacy. What else can I do?

[Michael Threes]

Just keep going. You know, I think it's something special that Lorraine did with the illustration is show people that there is library. It really is for everybody by having a kid in a wheelchair on the COVID Having a kid who's blind reading a book in braille. And now there's even a version of the book in Spanish. I was actually at a school library the other day.

[Correspondent]

No way.

[Michael Costa]

Yes.

[Michael Threes]

I was at library the other day. And the kid was like, I was asking him, do you want a version in English or Spanish and they're like, you know what, Mr. Michael? My mom only speaks Spanish. Can I have the Spanish version? I want to talk to my mom about library joy. And I think that's what we can keep on doing. We have to listen to the library kids.

[Michael Costa]

Let them shine through.

[Michael Threes]

There are so many stories out there.

[Michael Costa]

I so appreciate your energy, your positivity, you know, your excitement for books and enthusiastic for the library. It's contagious. And I know you know that, but I'm here to tell you, even just sitting next to you, I can feel it. We can all feel it. Thank you so much for being here.

[Michael Threes]

Thank you.

[Michael Costa]

I'm so happy you're here.

[Jordan Klepper]

It's available now.

[Michael Costa]

Michael Freez we'll take a quick break. We'll be right back after this. That's our show for tonight. Now here it is, your moment of Zen.

[Announcer]

Tom, how significant is the concern that

[Correspondent]

U.S. air defense may not be able

[Announcer]

to intercept many of these Iranian drones?

[Michael Costa]

It is significant and it is growing.

[Jordan Klepper]

Pam Wolf, let's take a look at

[Michael Costa]

what the US Is doing right now. They are fielding a previously unused military asset. I'm going to show you a life size model that we bring into our virtual studio here. This is the Lucas Drone. 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.