Podcast Summary: The Daily Show: Ears Edition

Episode: Trump in Epstein Files "a Million Times" & Lutnick Admits Lunch with Epstein | Tim Blake Nelson
Date: February 11, 2026
Host: Jordan Klepper
Guest: Tim Blake Nelson

Episode Overview

This episode, hosted by Jordan Klepper with appearances by Desi Lydic, Ronny Chieng, and guest Tim Blake Nelson, delivers a satirical breakdown of the latest headlines, notably the explosive new details from the Epstein files and their surprising connections—to public figures, academia, and yes, even the world of paleontology. The latter half of the episode features an insightful and entertaining interview with actor/author Tim Blake Nelson, discussing his new novel "Superhero" and the uniquely American phenomenon of superhero cinema.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Latest Revelations from the Epstein Files

(00:10–14:12)

• Congress Access to Unredacted Files

  • Members of Congress now have access to the unredacted Epstein files.
  • Jamie Raskin's Remark: Trump’s name reportedly appears “more than a million times.”
    • "Holy shit. A million times. There's not even that many references to Hamlet in the play Hamlet." (Jordan Klepper, 02:25)
    • Satirical suggestion: Rename the documents "The Trump Files featuring Jeffrey Epstein."
  • Mockery of the effort needed to redact so many Trump mentions.

• Howard Lutnick’s Contradictory Testimony

  • Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick claimed he only met Epstein once and found him “gross,” only to admit under Senate questioning he later lunched with Epstein on his private island in 2012.
    • His defense: He was with his wife, four children, and nannies.
    • "My wife was with me, as were my four children and nannies... I left with all my kids, okay?" (Howard Lutnick, paraphrased, 06:20–07:15)
    • Klepper skewers Lutnick’s justification for returning to Epstein’s island after denouncing him:
      • "Isn't the excuse you think it is. Good God damn, I hate to ask it. I hate it. Howard. I mean, come on. What happened on that island?" (Jordan Klepper, 06:25)

• Jurassic Park Paleontologist Named in Files

  • Jack Horner, inspiration for "Jurassic Park," is revealed to have visited Epstein's New Mexico ranch, thanking “Epstein and the girls” in a 2012 email.
    • "I hope it was just fossils because it would be so sad if we can't even trust paleontologists not to be pedophiles now." (Jordan Klepper, 08:04)
  • Further weirdness: RFK Jr., current Health and Human Services Secretary, also traveled with Epstein, Ghislaine Maxwell, and a paleontologist on a fossil dig in North Dakota.
    • "That is probably the most RFK way you could be in the Epstein files. RFK is such a weird guy. I actually do believe he would have called Epstein and said, I don't want to come to this next party, but call me if you want to dig up dino bones." (Jordan Klepper, 09:12)

• Paleontology Community Responds

  • Dinocon, a paleontology convention, bans anyone with Epstein ties.
    • "Finally, some accountability, just like we've always demanded. Our pedophilic ruling elite may stalk the halls of power, but they will never stalk the hallways of the Birmingham Hilton." (Jordan Klepper, 09:58)

• Ronny Chieng Live at the Natural History Museum

  • Outrageous comedic bit accusing dinosaurs—and by extension paleontologists—of complicity:
    • "Dinosaurs? They were the most beloved creature on Earth... until today. Shame on you, you Pervasaurus." (Ronny Chieng, 10:41)
    • Running gags on “pervy” dinosaurs, triceratops horns, and T. rex etymology.

2. Sports War Segment

(15:36–21:42)

• Super Bowl & Halftime Show

  • Bad Bunny headlines, becoming first Spanish-language performer and drawing record viewership.
    • "Ay muy caliente. Bad Bunny was hot. I mean, watching him swivel those hips, I haven't been this confused since college." (Jordan Klepper, 16:58)
  • Debate over halftime shows overshadowing the game.

• Winter Olympics

  • Athlete Gus Kenworthy writes “F ICE” in snow using urine; imagined as a new Olympic event.
    • "That is some gold medal pissing." (Jordan Klepper, 18:42)
    • Ongoing jokes about peeing in snow, with Desi Lydic decrying people who unwittingly eat yellow snow.

• Figure Skating with a Twist

  • Skater performs program to “Despicable Me” (Minions) soundtrack, mocking the evolution of artistic standards in sports.

3. Interview: Tim Blake Nelson on "Superhero"

(24:14–37:33)

• On Writing a Novel vs. Filmmaking

  • Nelson appreciates both the solitary and collaborative aspects of storytelling.
    • "With writing a novel... you're the costume designer, the director of photography. You're doing all the acting, you're doing all the writing, and you're directing it. And that's an interesting change of pace." (Tim Blake Nelson, 25:00)

• Satirizing Superhero Cinema

  • The novel is both a satire on the superhero industry and a love letter to filmmaking's collaborative chaos.
    • "It's a great story about the making of a superhero movie... with some really interesting characters... but the archetypes... are very familiar to people." (Tim Blake Nelson, 26:12)

• On Movie Sets as Microcosms of Society

  • Nelson likens the film set’s hierarchy and interdependencies to society at large.
    • "Movie sets are, to me, a kind of microcosm of greater society... Every action has a reaction and a ramification and a ripple effect." (Tim Blake Nelson, 29:41)

• Why Are Superheroes So American?

  • Traces the genre’s roots to American attitudes about optimism, good vs. evil, and postwar prosperity.
    • "I think the primary one is our sense of optimism, our sense of good and evil, and an absence of gray in between..." (Tim Blake Nelson, 31:49)
    • The Manichean worldview is both empowering and problematic.

• Can Superhero Movies Be Art?

  • Defends them as artistic achievements, albeit with commerce in mind.
    • "I think superhero movies are art. I think they are artistic... I'm sorry, but the character of Thanos is artistic." (Tim Blake Nelson, 34:37)

• Culture, Stratification & The Future

  • The novel covers industry stratification, from stars to crew, echoing larger American tensions.
    • "Just like in real life, where you have stratification culturally and economically, this book deals with that as well." (Tim Blake Nelson, 36:11)
    • Reflection on the possibility of a “sequel to America” as the country and its stories evolve.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Trump’s million appearances in the Epstein files:
  "It's like trying to remove the pee from the water park at this point. You just need to accept that it's in there and try not to think about it."
  —Jordan Klepper (03:00)
• On Lutnick’s defense:
  "I went to Epstein Island. But don't worry, I brought my kids. Isn't the excuse you think it is?"
  —Jordan Klepper (06:22)
• On paleontologists' unexpected link to Epstein:
  "I mean, you’re supposed to be into really, really old stuff, that's literally your whole thing."
  —Jordan Klepper (08:05)
• Ronny Chieng on scandal in the fossil world:
  "Dinosaurs? They were the most beloved creature on Earth… until today. Shame on you, you, Pervasaurus. Who are you protecting?"
  —Ronny Chieng (10:41)
• Tim Blake Nelson on novel writing:
  "You're the costume designer, the director of photography. You're doing all the acting… it's an interesting change of pace."
  —Tim Blake Nelson (25:00)
• On the American superhero myth:
  "Our sense of good and evil, and an absence of gray in between, which is often great, and that's often a really bad thing."
  —Tim Blake Nelson (31:49)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Epstein Files/Trump Mentions: 00:10–04:22
• Howard Lutnick & His Testimony: 04:22–07:40
• Jurassic Park Paleontologist, RFK, Dinocon: 07:40–10:41
• Ronny Chieng at the Museum: 10:41–14:12
• Sports War (Super Bowl & Olympics): 15:36–21:42
• Interview: Tim Blake Nelson: 24:14–37:33

Conclusion

This episode offers an expertly blended dose of biting satire and thoughtful cultural commentary, lampooning the dizzying fallout from the Epstein files while holding a funhouse mirror to America’s pop-media obsessions. The interview with Tim Blake Nelson provides a smart, nuanced look at superhero storytelling’s roots, its cultural significance, and why the pursuit of artistry remains alive within even the most commercial genres.