Trump's Tariff Boredom, Hegseth Goes Diet Woke, Sports War: Super Bowl | Jesse Eisenberg

Summary

The Daily Show: Ears Edition – Episode Summary

Episode Title: Trump's Tariff Boredom, Hegseth Goes Diet Woke, Sports War: Super Bowl | Jesse Eisenberg
Release Date: February 12, 2025
Host: Jordan Klepper
Guests: Jesse Eisenberg

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1. Trump's Tariff Boredom

Overview:
The episode kicks off with Jordan Klepper delving into former President Donald Trump's tariff policies. He humorously critiques the complexity and perceived tedium of Trump's approach to tariffs, particularly focusing on the 25% ad valorem duties on steel imports.

Key Discussions:

• Tariff Complexity:
  Jordan mocks Trump's explanation of tariffs, highlighting the confusion surrounding ad valorem duties.
  Quote:
  Jordan Klepper [00:01]: "Do you understand what that means? Do you understand what that means?"

• Trump's Boredom with Policy:
  The host satirizes Trump's apparent boredom with his own policies, illustrated by Trump's distraction with trivial office items.
  Quote:
  Jordan Klepper [01:49]: "This is Trump's own policy, and he's so bored by it."

2. Hegseth Goes Diet Woke

Overview:
The segment transitions to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's controversial decision to rename Fort Liberty back to Fort Bragg. Initially presented as a move against "woke" military policies, the renaming is revealed to honor Roland L. Bragg, an enlisted soldier, rather than the Confederate General Braxton Bragg.

Key Discussions:

• Fort Renaming Controversy:
  Jordan scrutinizes the rationale behind the base renaming, pointing out the loophole used to avoid honoring a Confederate general.
  Quote:
  Jordan Klepper [02:30]: "You renamed Fort Bragg after a different Bragg? So after all that bitching about not giving into WOKE history, you're basically admitting that we shouldn't name military bases after Confederate jets?"

• Critique of Hegseth's Approach:
  The host criticizes Hegseth for what he perceives as an insincere stand against "woke" culture.
  Quote:
  Jordan Klepper [04:15]: "Trying to find some kind of name loophole is just silly."

3. Justice Department Drops Corruption Case Against Mayor Eric Adams

Overview:
Jordan tackles the news that President Trump's Justice Department has decided to drop a federal corruption case against New York City Mayor Eric Adams. The mayor was accused of accepting luxury perks from Turkish nationals, raising questions about political favoritism and integrity.

Key Discussions:

• Political Favoritism:
  The host lambasts Trump's decision, suggesting it sends a message about corruption tolerance within political alliances.
  Quote:
  Jordan Klepper [06:00]: "Donald Trump is not about being a Democrat or a Republican. As long as you're criminally corrupt, you're his people now."

• Implications for Adams' Campaign:
  Jordan speculates on how the dropped charges might affect Adams' reelection campaign, hinting at potential backlash from within his own party.
  Quote:
  Grace Kulenschmidt [08:10]: "It complicates his reelection campaign because Democrats may punish him for appearing to be under Trump's control."

• Mock Interviews and Satire:
  Through a series of comedic interactions, Jordan and co-host Ronny Chieng exaggerate the absurdity of the situation, blending satire with sharp political commentary.

4. Sports War: Super Bowl Highlights

Overview:
In the "Sports War" segment, Jordan and Ronny provide a comedic recap of the Super Bowl, highlighting the Philadelphia Eagles' decisive victory over the Kansas City Chiefs and critiquing both the game and the halftime show.

Key Discussions:

• Super Bowl Blowout:
  The hosts mock the one-sided nature of the game, portraying it as the "most boring game you could expect."
  Quote:
  Ronny Chieng [13:25]: "Talk about a blowout."

• Halftime Show Critique:
  They criticize Kendrick Lamar's halftime performance, suggesting it was more focused on personal feuds than entertained the audience.
  Quote:
  Ronny Chieng [15:18]: "It's the knockout blow in his public battle with Drake."

• Gambling Advertisement Parody:
  Consistent with the show's satirical style, the segment includes mock advertisements promoting gambling, emphasizing the hosts' humorous disdain for betting addiction.

5. Interview with Jesse Eisenberg on "A Real Pain"

Overview:
The episode culminates with an in-depth interview with Academy Award-nominated actor Jesse Eisenberg. He discusses his latest film, "A Real Pain," which explores themes of grief and historical memory through the lens of a Holocaust narrative.

Key Discussions:

• Film’s Themes and Personal Reflections:
  Eisenberg reflects on his character's struggle with finding meaning in a seemingly safe yet personally unfulfilling life, drawing parallels with his family's history.
  Quote:
  Jesse Eisenberg [20:12]: "I just couldn't reconcile, like, why am I miserable when my life is so, like, fundamentally safe and fine?"

• Character Development and Performance:
  He describes the challenges of portraying a confident magician while grappling with personal insecurities, highlighting his collaboration with co-star Kieran Culkin.
  Quote:
  Jesse Eisenberg [24:21]: "I have no experience of feeling, you know? Good."

• Production Insights:
  Eisenberg shares insights into filming at historical concentration camps in Poland, emphasizing the respectful and collaborative efforts to honor their legacy.
  Quote:
  Jesse Eisenberg [27:03]: "It took a long time to get access... once we figured that we had a meeting of the minds, it turned into this amazing, beautiful relationship."

• Film’s Reception and Personal Impact:
  Discussing the film's positive reception and his personal feelings of confusion and lack of fulfillment despite professional success, Eisenberg underscores the film's exploration of complex emotional landscapes.
  Quote:
  Jesse Eisenberg [21:16]: "I still can't figure it out, but I suppose it comes from, like, some lack of meaning in my life."

Closing Remarks:
Jordan praises Eisenberg's thoughtful approach to filmmaking, acknowledging the film's depth and its ability to resonate with audiences grappling with similar themes of grief and meaning.

Quote:
Jordan Klepper [30:15]: "It's a truly remarkable film, and it feels like an adult film about grief that has so many entrance points for people who are sitting with these conversations in their own hands."

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Conclusion:
This episode of The Daily Show: Ears Edition masterfully blends sharp political satire with sports commentary and a heartfelt interview. Through witty humor and incisive analysis, Jordan Klepper and co-host Ronny Chieng engage listeners on pressing political issues, the spectacle of sports events, and the nuanced artistry of Jesse Eisenberg's latest cinematic endeavor.

Transcript

[Jordan Klepper]

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 Journey with your host, Jordan Clapper. Welcome to the Daily Show. I'm Jordan Klepper. We got so much to talk about tonight. Donald Trump is reaching across the prison yard aisle. The military gets half woke. And we'll tell you how New York's mayor stays smooth as a dolphin. But first, let's get into another installment of the second coming of Donald J. Trump. I'm gonna come. Donald Trump has been imposing a lot of tariffs since he took office. And if the nature and scope of these tariffs confuses you, don't worry, you're not the only one. Thank you, Sir. Next. In 2018, you imposed ad valorem duties, tariffs on imports of steel at a 25% rate. Since that time, a large number of exclusions and exceptions to that tariff rule have been implemented because of the damage to the United States steel industry that those exceptions and exclusions have imposed. Where now, this order would reimpose that 25% ad valorem tariff rate on imports of steel, and it's presented for your signature now.

[Ronny Chieng]

Okay.

[Jordan Klepper]

Do you understand what that means? Do you understand what that means? I mean, why don't you tell me, President of the United States, what this means? Explain ad valorem to me like I was a child. This is Trump's own policy, and he's so bored by it. And you can tell because at one point, he gets so bored, he just starts peeking into a random folder on the desk. What's in here, Candy? Picture of boobs. What do we got? Oh, oh, oh. Just more folders. Why is this guy still talking? But Trump's not the only one making moves. Yesterday, there was a big announcement from Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, Trump's top cabinet member, if you go by blood alcohol level. Now, Hegseth got the gig by promising to go to war against woke. And yesterday, he won another decisive battle. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has renamed the army base Fort Liberty back to Fort Bragg. The previous name was changed, you'll remember, to Fort Liberty in 2023 as part of an effort to cut military honors bestowed on those who rebelled against the Union during the Civil War. There it is. I direct the army to change the name of Fort Liberty, North Carolina, to Fort Bragg, North Carolina. That's right. Bragg is back. Yeah. Suck it, libs. Ho ho. You didn't want this military base to honor a traitor to America. Ha ha. Too bad. Woke is dead. And Confederate General Braxton Bragg is alive. But this time, Bragg is not a reference to the Confederate general. The name now honors an enlisted army soldier named Roland L. Bragg, who the Pentagon says was awarded a Silver Star Purple Heart for combat during World War II. Okay, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. You renamed Fort Bragg after a different Bragg? So after all that bitching about not giving into WOKE history, you're basically admitting that we shouldn't name military bases after Confederate jets? Well, it's a good thing WOKE is over, because I think I can say this now. That's a pussy move, hag said. Just to be. Just to be totally clear, Roland Bragg is not a famous figure in military history. He's just someone who worked for this weird name switcheroo idea. Pete Hagseth basically said, find me a guy named Bragg who served in the army and didn't own slaves. I mean, he didn't even have a Wikipedia entry until today. Today, Today. Do you know how obscure you have to be to not even have a Wikipedia page? There's a Wikipedia page for cats that look like Hitler. Hegseth. Look, I say either commit to honoring a Confederate general or don't. But trying to find some kind of name loophole is just silly. I mean, why do I get the feeling Pete's gonna try to pull this with his wife? Baby, baby, I didn't cheat on you. Her name was also Susan. Okay? I'm restoring greatness to our marriage. Now with all this tariff imposing and fort renaming, you might be wondering, is there anyone who's benefiting from Trump's actions? Yes. The breaking news. President Trump's Justice Department moving to drop the federal corruption case against the New York City Mayor, Eric Adams. The mayor was accused of taking $100,000 in free plane tickets and luxury hotel stays from wealthy Turkish nationals and at least one Turkish government official. Oh, shit. If you're free tonight, head down to party at the Turkish Airlines lounge at jfk. Cause shit is about to be lit. You know what? You know what? I applaud Donald Trump for letting a Blue City mayor off the hook. This sends a message. Donald Trump is not about being a Democrat or a Republican. As long as you're criminally corrupt, you're his people now. I'm curious. I am curious. What was it about Adams case that convinced Trump to drop the charges? As soon as Donald Trump was elected, Adams began a campaign for reprieve. Flying down to Florida to meet with Trump. Driving overnight to attend Trump's inauguration. The Democratic mayor declining to criticize Trump Oh, God. Trump really loves getting his ass kissed, doesn't he? This probably explains why all his suit pants have that little trap door on the butt like old timey long underwear. Now, to be fair. Now, to be fair, the Justice Department didn't say they let Adams off because he kissed Trump's ass. They had an even dumber reason. The Justice Department memo said it reached this conclusion without assessing the strength of the evidence. Memo also said the case needed to go so Adams could devote his full attention to Trump's immigration policies. Yes, yes, of course. Trump didn't drop the charges so he could hold them over him for the rest of his term. Trump did it so Adams could focus on enforcing Trump's immigration policies. And now that Adams has the time, I'm sure he's bringing a new laser focus to the job. Mayor Adams has his plate full managing the day to day business of the city. How are you today?

[Ronny Chieng]

He's taking some time for some R.

[Jordan Klepper]

And R. Angela performed a 10 minute laser hair removal procedure. Adam spoke with me exclusively during the process. When I'm able to come into the.

[Ronny Chieng]

Community and say, okay, we did this.

[Jordan Klepper]

Policy, we put these millions of dollars, and now let's go see the results. You don't have to do an interview right now. I mean, should we go? This feels like a private moment for you. I mean, I thought I wanted more transparency in my government, but now I'm thinking perhaps some secrecy is for the best. So while Eric Adams might waste his workday getting pampered at local businesses, the hard work to get to the bottom of this story, starting with our very own Grace Kulenschmidt. Grace. Grace, what's the latest? Jordan? The Adams administration is happy to avoid federal charges, but it complicates his reelection campaign because Democrats may punish him for appearing to be under Trump's control. Excuse me, can I get some more cucumber water? Or even.

[Ronny Chieng]

Actually just some water?

[Jordan Klepper]

I have a cucumber. I can dunk. I'm. I'm sorry, Grace, are you getting your hair done when you should be working? Jordan, when Sebastien has a chair open, you take the appointment. Okay? Yeah, I guess it just doesn't seem very professional. How dare you. Sebastien is a complete professional. In fact, I can't believe he'd host this show without a fresh balayage. I mean, I am due for balayage analysis now from Troy Iwata. Troy, come on. I mean, come on, Troy. What's going on? Jordan?

[Ronny Chieng]

Eric Adams has promised to not be.

[Jordan Klepper]

Affected by the pardon, but that remains to be seen. I'm sorry, Troy, are you getting your teeth whitened? Yeah, you're supposed to be working. What's going on?

[Ronny Chieng]

Okay, Jordan, when Dr. Buccini has a chair open, you take the appointment, okay?

[Jordan Klepper]

Is he really that good? Yes, she is.

[Ronny Chieng]

Women can whiten teeth, too, you sexist. Okay, where is that ditzy bitch?

[Jordan Klepper]

Okay, forget it. Let's go to Michael Kosta. Michael, look. Okay, good. Thank you. I'm glad someone's taking this seriously. What's your take on the Adams situation? It's a disgrace, Jordan. I mean, what we have seen today is naked corruption, pure and simple. And the message it sends to the American public is that they cannot trust their leaders to have integrity. I'm sorry to say that tonight I pray for the future of our republic. Yes. Yes, Jordan. Michael, can you please not get your anus waxed during your report? Hey, when Dr. Buccini has an opening, you take the appointment. Wait, is she the same Bucatini who does the teeth whitening? Yes, Jordan, women who whiten teeth can wax anuses at the same time, too. You sexist. And for the record, Jordan, this is technically work because we're putting all of this on the Daily show credit card. No, you can't put your spa services on the show's credit card. That's embezzlement. Michael, that's a felony. It's not a felony. We're working. When it comes to my job, I am the utmost professional. And, hey, if it is a felony, then I just make a trip to Mar a Lago, and I tell the gracious Donald Trump to pardon me with his enormous penis. Hey, yeah, me, too. I would like some penis Mercy, Mr. President. Yay.

[Ronny Chieng]

Penis mercy.

[Jordan Klepper]

All right, you know what? It's Troy and Michael, everyone that's totally youthful. We come back, we decide who won the Super Bowl. Stick around. Welcome back to the Daily Show. I think I speak for everyone when I say politics drools and sports rules. For a full recap of the biggest stories in the world of jocks and straps, we turn to Sports War. Get ready for battle. It's time for Sports War, brought to you by gambling. Gambling. It's the super bowl of addiction. I am Ronny Chan. I'm Jordan Klepper. This is Sports War, the show where we are legally not allowed to agree with each other. So if I say the super bowl should have fewer commercials, then I say all the players should be dressed like Flo from Progressive.

[Ronny Chieng]

Oh, come on.

[Jordan Klepper]

No one wants to see Travis Kelce in an apron. Yeah, tell that to my porn up search history, Ronny. Now, Sunday officially marked the end of the football season. We laughed, we cried. Ronnie tried to kiss me after every touchdown. And we crowned the Philadelphia Eagles our new champions. Utter domination. There is no other way to describe what the Eagles did to the Chiefs.

[Ronny Chieng]

Talk about a blowout.

[Jordan Klepper]

Woo.

[Ronny Chieng]

Is there a mercy rule here?

[Jordan Klepper]

The most boring game you could expect. I mean, some people might have gone to bed because they turned. He was an old school clunker. That was the worst super bowl in history. The Eagles dominated the entire evening. And just like Ronnie, after eating dairy, the Chief shit the bed. You know what? I think I speak for everyone when I say no more. NFL, you had a good run. You ended racism, cured breast cancer, and found a woman under 30. Who wants to see Bill Belichick naked? Jordan, have you been doing ayahuasca of Aaron Rodgers again? Okay, we can't cancel the Super Bowl. It's the only thing keeping Gronk from going through our garbage at night. Plus, I don't know about you, but this was the best super bowl of my life. I mean, yeah, it had touchdowns, Tom Brady's new seal as a seal, and Jordan losing an ass ton of money betting on the Chiefs. I mean, what happened, Mahomes? You look like Ronnie out there. Completely lost with a terrible haircut. The Chiefs were my ticket out of this hellhole. And now I owe a lot of money to a very, very bad man. Which brings us to my Jordan owes me a lot of money. Better than night. Which big Italian man will I send to Jordan's house tonight? As always, brought to you by gambling. Gambling? You have two kidneys for a reason. While Philly dominated the big game, it's important to remember the Chiefs weren't the only ones getting dragged all over the field on Sunday. For 13 minutes, Kendrick Lamar provided the world with a halftime show that stayed true to himself. Just as we thought it might not happen, Kendrick took the elephant in the room for a walk around the Superdome. King Kendrick went hard, leading the stadium in his accusatory taunt. Ain't you tired Trying to strike a.

[Ronny Chieng]

Chord and it's probably a minor.

[Jordan Klepper]

The knockout blow in his public battle with Drake. I've had it with these mother Drakes on this mother plane. Hey, Kendrick, the world's on fire, the president's in the stands, and you're using the biggest stage on the planet to go after Drake again. We get it. You don't like him. Save your petty beef for the group chat like Ronnie's Fake accent. You're overdoing it. All right, well, I disagree with you, Jordan, because unlike you, I love black people. And I thought Hendrix performance was incredible. I mean, he proved what I've been saying for decades. The halftime show should always be about petty grievances. I mean, next year, I want to see Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni jousting to the death. Presented by gambling. Of course. Gambling. Unlike Drake, you can come back from this. And finally, let's not forget about each other. Huge update. Rocking the world of gambling. The former interpreter of Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani was sentenced today to nearly five years in prison in a sports betting case that made world headlines. Ippei Mizuhara pled guilty last year after impersonating Ohtani in a bid to steal millions to cover his gambling bets and debts. Asian representation. We shouldn't be sending Shohei's interpreter to jail. We should be giving him a medal. I mean, you think Shohei has talent? It takes real skill to steal money from someone you work with, right? Especially when you have to guess their mother's maiden name. What? What is it again? Jordan Pakowski. Is that with a K? Oh, it's with a C, you dipshit. And you keep my mother's maiden name out of your mouth. See, this is my point. Gambling shouldn't be about hurting the people closest to you. Whatever happened to doing it the old fashioned way? Making dogs fight each other? As someone who had their identity stolen by a certain Japanese co worker, this is a disgrace. Well, I know you can't be talking about me because I'm Malaysian. Oh, stop making up new types of Asians. It's offensive. Which brings us to my Jordan's big dinger bet of the night. Which Malaysian celebrity will go to jail next for Ohtani's gambling? As always, brought to you by gambling. Gambling got Pete Rose into heaven. Why not you? Well, that's all the time we have for Sportswar. Join us next week when we debate whether the NFL should expand to a feature 52 game season. 52. It should be at least 104. That way they have no time to get injured in between games. 52 makes the most sense. That's what you need. You need more games. Welcome back to the Daily Show. My guest tonight is an Academy Award nominated actor who wrote, directed and starred in the Oscar nominated film A Real Pain. Please welcome Jesse Eisenberg.

[Ronny Chieng]

Beloved Jesse, this is what my life is like now. It is, right? No, no, no, no.

[Jordan Klepper]

I just walked down the streets of New York. Can people just Erupt in cheers.

[Ronny Chieng]

Well, they're standing already. When we pass on the stage, there it is.

[Jordan Klepper]

Yeah.

[Ronny Chieng]

But they will start clapping.

[Jordan Klepper]

That's respect right there.

[Ronny Chieng]

Right.

[Jordan Klepper]

That's what a career in the arts gets you.

[Ronny Chieng]

In America, almost no one sits down when I pass them on the street.

[Jordan Klepper]

God bless you. God bless you. The movie is great.

[Ronny Chieng]

Thank you. Thank you.

[Jordan Klepper]

Were you thinking, like, oh, thank you. Were you thinking, I'm going to do a Holocaust, but with humor? Were you like, oh, that trope again.

[Ronny Chieng]

Yeah, yeah, exactly. Another hysterical Holocaust film.

[Jordan Klepper]

Here we go.

[Ronny Chieng]

No, I was. I was thinking the exact. I mean, I was thinking, like, really, like, if I'm gonna do a movie about, like, this theme, and it's something that's on my mind all the time, as, you know, third generation American Jew from Poland. Yeah. You know, I wanted to just make something that felt like something I had not seen before. Something like, not sanctimonious or academic. There are a lot of Holocaust movies that give you the sense that. That, like, they're punishing you for being in the audience and not being brave enough to be in this film.

[Jordan Klepper]

Right.

[Ronny Chieng]

You know, so I didn't want to do that.

[Jordan Klepper]

Well, this film really dissects grief and how we deal with grief, how we internalize it, but it also places grief next to historical grief.

[Ronny Chieng]

Exactly.

[Jordan Klepper]

Is that something that you were grappling with early on in the writing process? Is that sort of the nugget you wanted to unpack?

[Ronny Chieng]

This is the nugget I've been trying to unpack for, like, 20 years. Like, once I learned about my family's history, I. I just became so aware of, like, my own good fortune, but also my own misery compared to their horrible fortune and the way they appreciate the world. And, like, I just couldn't reconcile, like, why am I miserable when my life is so, like, fundamentally safe and fine? And why did they seem happier than me when they suffered? And I still can't figure it out, but I suppose it comes from, like, some lack of meaning in my life. And so that's kind of what the script came out of.

[Jordan Klepper]

And so after going through this process, you still have that lack of meaning and clarity.

[Ronny Chieng]

For some reason, the lack has gone deeper.

[Jordan Klepper]

Wow.

[Ronny Chieng]

Is that right?

[Jordan Klepper]

Yes. Just like a worthless pursuit.

[Ronny Chieng]

It's even worse because, like, now, I mean. And I thank you so much for, like, clapping everything, but, like. Because I'm like.

[Jordan Klepper]

But a waste of time. But a total waste of time.

[Ronny Chieng]

No, no, no, no, no, no. But, like. But, like, being, like, celebrated for something where I was trying to, like, find, like, meaning in my good life, and now my life got, like, let's say, 3 or 4% better because of the movie. People like it. And now I don't even know what to do.

[Jordan Klepper]

Yes. So are you happy or.

[Ronny Chieng]

No? That's what I'm saying. Not at all.

[Jordan Klepper]

It's not even 3% happier.

[Ronny Chieng]

No. No. Because the abyss got bigger, and so now I'm just, I think, more confused.

[Jordan Klepper]

Yes.

[Ronny Chieng]

Yeah.

[Jordan Klepper]

Is that what your next film will be about? Like, ambition and the emptiness there and the confusion you have?

[Ronny Chieng]

Exactly. Exactly. Exactly. It's called the Abyss.

[Jordan Klepper]

The Abyss, yeah. Oh, I got. I got bad news for you. That movie might exist.

[Ronny Chieng]

Does it really?

[Jordan Klepper]

Yeah.

[Ronny Chieng]

Then I'm not gonna make it. I'll make something else.

[Jordan Klepper]

Yeah. We get something completely different. I really. I love this. I want to talk about a scene. I don't. I don't think. I think it's a spoiler. There's a scene in this movie where Kieran Culkin is a complicated, difficult person. And he says goodbye to the tour guide after some time with this tour guide. And there's this beautiful scene where the tour guide sort of explains to him how meaningful he was, even though he was so difficult. And then he says goodbye to you in a heartbeat and walks away.

[Ronny Chieng]

Right.

[Jordan Klepper]

And we laughed. I was in the theater. Everybody laughs. It was a very funny moment. And I talked with my wife about this afterwards. I was like, who do I want to be in this moment?

[Ronny Chieng]

Yeah.

[Jordan Klepper]

Like, I'm curious. There is this character who is complicated but consequential.

[Ronny Chieng]

Right.

[Jordan Klepper]

And in a lot of pain. And this other character who lacks consequence in other people's lives.

[Ronny Chieng]

That's right.

[Jordan Klepper]

But in some ways, less pain.

[Ronny Chieng]

It's stable.

[Jordan Klepper]

It's somewhat stable.

[Ronny Chieng]

Yeah. Exactly.

[Jordan Klepper]

When you are writing that and working through that, like, where do you project yourself in who should I be in that situation?

[Ronny Chieng]

Yeah, that's my big question. I mean, like, my character and also me, Jesse. I'm so envious and jealous of people like Kieran's character who kind of walks in late to a room, but somehow everybody loves him. And I get there early and I'm help setting up the chairs, and everybody's kind of annoyed that I'm like, you know, and for just some reason, the world loves that person and doesn't like me. And a lot of that just has to do with that. That person seems, like, real, you know? And so I think about people all the time like that. And I think, like, I'm so envious I wish I could light up a room like that. But then I get home to my relatively stable life and I wonder, like, what those people are doing now. Like, what happens when the. And what are they left with when they're alone? And it makes my envy turn into something like sympathy, you know? And that's kind of what this movie is like. You're kind of annoyed by this character that Kieran plays, but by the end, hopefully kind of, like, brokenhearted about who this person is and what they have to deal with when they're alone.

[Jordan Klepper]

Yeah. I mean, when you originally were conceiving this, you imagined yourself playing the other character, correct? Yeah.

[Ronny Chieng]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Jordan Klepper]

And so you find yourself flipped and playing this character. How would this movie be different if you had flipped? Would you be happy?

[Ronny Chieng]

Whatever. Money it.

[Jordan Klepper]

Yeah.

[Ronny Chieng]

Yes. You know, it's so funny. Yes. I'm delusional. I just did this movie. Now youw See Me Three. Okay. And it's like a big. That's right. No, but, like. So the movie's like a big Hollywood movie and everything, but I play this very confident, like, magician, and I'm incredibly confident performer in the movie. And I end every day on those sets going, I did great. And I never. I never have that feeling on sets ever. But because my character's so confident, I'm standing in a different way. My face is doing different things that are tricking my brain into thinking it's really happening. And it's, like, the most amazing thing. So in this movie, yeah, I kind of felt, like, diminished at the end of every day because Kieran's character's, like, diminishing me. Yeah. Yeah.

[Jordan Klepper]

But you're also wearing. You're a director, writer and actor there.

[Ronny Chieng]

Yes.

[Jordan Klepper]

You feel like somebody who's thinking through every moment there.

[Ronny Chieng]

I am. But, you know, Kieran, I was, like, technically his boss. But because the nature of our characters in the movie, where he's, like, constantly condescending to me and making fun of me, he would do that, like, in between takes.

[Jordan Klepper]

Yeah.

[Ronny Chieng]

And so I did not have one feeling on the set one day of feeling, like, in control. He was constantly just, like. So he'd be kind of mean to me in a take, and then we'd call cut and then he'd say, what stupid shot are you gonna do now? And so, like, I had no experience of feeling, you know? I guess. Good.

[Jordan Klepper]

Now, do you see that as, like, part of his genius, or is he just sort of being a dick to you and unprofessional?

[Ronny Chieng]

I truthfully don't know. He came to the set a day before shooting. He was like, gave this unbelievable performance. I don't know if he read the script before he got to Poland, like before shooting. He sleeps like two hours a night. He was walking around Poland all night. I don't know. We got a call that his mattress was on the floor. Like, he's so unusual and so brilliant and so it was so great. I just didn't want to tell him, like, hey, could you be nice? Because he was so great in the movie. Yeah, he's nice. He's nice. He's a lovely, lovely person. But this dynamic we had was so all encompassing that I didn't know how to separate out what was like the character and what was him or what was I doing. Maybe I was also being self deprecating in a punishing way because I was playing my role. I don't know.

[Jordan Klepper]

Are you open? Is there improv in a process like this? Does it start with open space to like, find and discover as somebody who wrote this and sat with this for quite some time? No.

[Ronny Chieng]

I mean, I don't like improv. I'm not gonna come up with something like, funny, you know, on the set, you know, so, I mean, maybe, but it's like, you know, it's always like last minute jokes that people improvise about spaghetti, you know, something stupid.

[Jordan Klepper]

But like, as somebody who spent 30 years of my life doing improv, I want to tell you that that is spot on.

[Ronny Chieng]

No, but I just. You weren't doing a holocaust movie.

[Jordan Klepper]

You know what I mean? Well, we got some, you know, we got some pretty risque suggestions back in the day, right? Yeah. Give us a location. Okay, well, maybe a new location.

[Ronny Chieng]

Yeah, exactly. Okay, well, no, so, but this, it.

[Jordan Klepper]

Feels like Kieran is a. If not an improviser, is loose in his performance style.

[Ronny Chieng]

He's loose, but like, he, you know, he wouldn't stand on a mark I gave him. So I had spent like, you know, three months in Poland with my amazing Polish cinematographer, you know, blocking out the shots and shot listing. And you have an idea of, you know, all of the, you know, this character standing here because the tree is on their left, which represents the, you know, lack of roots and their whatever. And, you know, and Kieran's like, I'm not gonna stand anywhere near there. And I'm like, where are you gonna stand? And he was like, I don't know, let's shoot it, see what happens. So like. But he was so good. He's so brilliant. You just said okay, yeah, let's just follow him. And I can't make this great rootless metaphor anymore.

[Jordan Klepper]

You film at a concentration camp in Poland. What is that process? Like?

[Ronny Chieng]

It took a long time to get access. Like, they. These concentration camps are museums and cemeteries, you know, so they're not. They don't want movies shooting there because most movies want to turn them into, like, you know, 1942 war movies where they have extras and Nazi uniforms. But what we did is it's a modern day Holocaust tour. That's what the movie is. And so it took a long time to try to, like, explain to them what we were doing and show that we actually had the same mission. Like, their mission is to show kind of modern tourists what these places are. And my mission, in a roundabout way, is to show modern movie audiences what these places are. So once we figured that we had a meeting of the minds, it turned into this amazing, beautiful relationship. And I also have to say, the people who run these concentration camps, they're not Jewish. They're young academics who could do any job that they want in Poland. They're brilliant, highly educated people. And these are the people that choose to spend their lives driving every day to a concentration camp and eat lunch at a concentration camp because they believe that they're doing good work, which they are. And I just felt, as an American Jew who never thinks to memorialize family history. I just had such indebtedness to these people who are doing it for no other reason than, like, the good of their hearts.

[Jordan Klepper]

Oh, this film is very thoughtful. A lot of very deliberate choices. One choice I was curious about you throughout the film. Are wearing a shirt that you button. One button.

[Ronny Chieng]

That's right.

[Jordan Klepper]

Not on the top, but the second button. And none of the. The bottom buttons beyond that.

[Ronny Chieng]

That's right.

[Jordan Klepper]

What is that choice all about?

[Ronny Chieng]

Listen, Jordan, if that's not obvious. Well, my character talks about, like, OCD in the movie, and it's like, you know, I know what that is. And, you know, sometimes like, you know, that is like more of like a fixation rather than like a fashion choice. So my character's not like a fashionable kind of person, but this is like a fixation kind of thing from his ocd. Yeah, yeah.

[Jordan Klepper]

So that's why I should have known it. I should have known it.

[Ronny Chieng]

You know, pretty much everybody else who saw the movie, like, got it.

[Jordan Klepper]

I know, I know. I need to watch these things closer. You've sat in this movie, you've created this film. It's now out in the world.

[Ronny Chieng]

Yeah.

[Jordan Klepper]

People really enjoy it. So much so that you have Academy Award nominations.

[Ronny Chieng]

Yeah. Thank you so much.

[Jordan Klepper]

With that comes promotion for Academy Award nomination. So you're on shows like this, you're doing all of this publicity tour.

[Ronny Chieng]

Yeah.

[Jordan Klepper]

How does that sit with someone like you? Do you like doing publicity for a movie like this?

[Ronny Chieng]

Well, I've been wanting to do this show for 20 something years. I mean. Yes. So this is amazing.

[Jordan Klepper]

And. And does being here with me make you just a little bit happier?

[Ronny Chieng]

This is amazing. Like, it's. Stuff like this is totally surreal. It really is.

[Jordan Klepper]

Yeah.

[Ronny Chieng]

And like. Yeah, that's been. I was on, like, Terry Gross last week and I didn't. I felt.

[Jordan Klepper]

Stick on this. Stick on this one. Stick on this.

[Ronny Chieng]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. And I was telling her, this is terrible compared to the Daily show with Jordan Klopper. And she said, I get it.

[Jordan Klepper]

She gets it, right?

[Ronny Chieng]

She gets it. And she said, I might actually quit. So I didn't want to announce that here. But she's quitting because of the show.

[Jordan Klepper]

Yes. Hang it up, Terry. It's about time. It's a truly remarkable film, and it feels like an adult film about grief that has so many entrance points for people who are sitting with these conversations in their own hands. So thank you for making that.

[Ronny Chieng]

Thank you so much. What an honor to be here.

[Jordan Klepper]

A Real Pain is in theaters. It's streaming now on Horizon. Jesse Eisenberg. We're gonna take a quick break right back after that.

[Ronny Chieng]

Thank you so much, Jesse Eisenberg.

[Jordan Klepper]

That's our show for tonight. Now here it is, your moment. It's Zen. I've been told I have 30. So I am going to tell you that we do have to.

[Ronny Chieng]

I don't swear in public very well, but we have to trump.

[Jordan Klepper]

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 Paramount podcasts.