U.S. and Iran Wage a Meme War as Pete Hegseth Blasts "Unpatriotic" Media | Lee Sung Jin

Summary

---

The Daily Show: Ears Edition

Episode Theme:
U.S. and Iran Wage a Meme War as Pete Hegseth Blasts "Unpatriotic" Media | Lee Sung Jin
Air Date: April 17, 2026
Host: Roy Cheng (with “news team” and guest Lee Sung Jin)

---

Episode Overview

This episode tackles the intersection of real-world conflict and online warfare as the U.S. and Iran engage in a "meme war" amid tension in the Strait of Hormuz. The show also lampoons Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth's tirade against the "unpatriotic" media, explores the effects of technology on physical health, and features a candid conversation with Lee Sung Jin, creator of Netflix’s Beef, about authentic generational storytelling, collaboration, and Asian culture in Hollywood.

---

Main Headlines and Satire: Global Oil Crisis & Meme War

(Starts ~01:12)

The Strait of Hormuz Crisis

• Roy Cheng recaps the ongoing oil choke point drama: "The Strait of Hormuz...turns out this thing we never heard of was the choke for the entire planet. Whoops." (01:12)
• Highlights global consequences: fuel shortages from Pakistan to Vietnam, Sri Lanka shortening workweeks, Bangladesh closing universities, and even Thai cremations being suspended due to lack of energy. (02:01–02:44)
• In South Korea, citizens are told to take shorter showers—"Times of global unrest are when people need to jerk off in the shower." (02:18–02:34)

American Economy's Bubble

• Despite global turmoil, the U.S. stock market hits record highs.
• Roy (sarcastic): "The stock market is like America's Instagram. No matter what's really going on in your life, always looks good on the stock market." (04:20)

---

Pete Hegseth vs. "Unpatriotic" Media

(05:03–07:05)

• Satirical recap of Pete Hegseth lashing out at the press for "relentlessly negative coverage":

  "You only seek the negative earning each and every day. The fake news label. It's incredibly unpatriotic. Where's the coverage of the new spirit in the country?" (05:33)

• Roy's punchline: “Show some headlines about spirit in America. Like, how about Spirit Airlines may have to liquidate due to rising fuel prices.”

AI-Generated Incendiary Memes

• A reporter asks Hegseth about an Iranian AI video showing "Jesus Christ bloodily killing President Donald Trump and casting him into hell":

  Hegseth: "As far as a video like that, of course, that's disgusting and detached from reality." (07:05)

---

Main Segment: U.S. vs. Iran Meme War

(07:05–14:47)

Key Discussion:

• Iran and pro-Iranian groups are flooding social media with AI-generated memes mocking Trump and U.S. policy.
• Roy: "Look, no offense, Iran, but you’re not exactly known as a cultural powerhouse, okay? So good luck impressing Americans with your little videos." (08:35)

America’s Meme Counteroffensive

• Field report with Michael Kosta:
  • Trump urges Americans: "In World War II, Americans planted victory gardens...Trump needs able-bodied Americans memeing as much as possible." (10:57)
  • Michael’s attempts:
    • “It's the I Can Has Cheezburger cat, but instead he's saying 'I can't has Strait of Hormuz.' It’s classic.”
    • Roy: "I know the meme, dumbass. I just don't know how America is gonna win by posting 20 year old cringe." (11:38)
  • A modern spin with a “distracted boyfriend” meme featuring the Strait, Iran, and USA, but the concept collapses on explanation, leading to an argument about “assets.”
  • Iran “claps back” with a meme of Michael labeled “bad at memes, great at micropenis,” to which Michael says:

    "I'm willing to sacrifice. They can make fun of my micropenis if it helps us win this war." (13:58)

Meta-joke: Weaponized Distraction

• Michael posits, “While they’re glued to their phones, laughing, we sneak our ships through the Strait of Hormuz.”
• Roy: “That…actually is kind of smart.” (14:26)

---

Tech Yeah!: The Ills (and Thrills) of Modern Technology

(15:34–20:42)

Host: Grace Kuhlenschmidt

Tech Neck and Digital Evolution

• Grace: “If tech neck is a thing, then call me the throat goat. I love it. Now when I breathe, I sound like a pug.” (16:26)
• Cites "tummy time" as the new adult solution. “Not appropriate at the office, but you can work this in at home, guys. I can't do it at work. My coworkers love when I act like a baby.” (17:11)

Robot Races in China

• Robots now run marathons; “Robot marathoners can’t shit their pants yet. Trust me when I say there’s absolutely no downside to teaching robots how to chase us down.” (18:23)

AI Clones & Zuckerberg

• Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg is training an AI clone of himself.
• Grace: “After decades of technological advancements, we finally invented a way to make Mark Zuckerberg seem lifelike…” (19:41)

Memorable laugh line:

• “Tune in next time when I show you how to turn off ad blocker.” (20:42)

---

Guest Interview: Lee Sung Jin, Creator of Netflix’s Beef

(21:16–36:21)

Breaking Through with Original Content

• On Selling the Show:
  • Lee: “It actually started with PowerPoint. I was like an econ major, and so all my pitches to networks are like, very involved PowerPoint.” (22:14)
  • The show was greenlit after Netflix execs saw his “macros and animation and everything.”

Advice for Aspiring Creators

• Lee on getting his directorial break: “We were just, like, really behind, and they’re like, you do it…just make it so chaotic that they don’t have time to process their decision making.” (23:09)
  • Roy: “Be late. Make everything super late, so they have no choice but to put you in charge.” (23:30)

The Creative Process

• On Inspiration:
  • Season one was inspired by Lee's own road rage incident.
  • For season two, inspiration came from overhearing a neighbor’s “heated argument”—and analyzing generational differences in response:
    • “When I told my Gen Z peers, they were all, like, aghast, you know, like, ‘did you call 911?’ And then when I told my peers, my age and older…‘Who amongst us hasn’t?’” (26:46)

Generational Commentary

• Roy: “You really did capture that very authentic representation of elder millennials now in 2026…for the first time, it feels like how it is to be a millennial right now.”
• Lee: “Our take on Elder Millennial was just leaning into the elder part…‘oh, no, we’re old now.’” (29:14)

On Boomers, Millennials, Gen Z, and Class

• Lee: “That’s why we set the season in a country club. Most members are boomers or Silent Gen. No matter how hard those employees work, they’ll never get to be members…a microcosm of what’s happening today.” (30:30)

Authentic Cultural Representation

• Roy: “You managed to integrate Asian culture without tokenism. Everything feels just…you’re trying to tell a story, happens to use Asian culture, but you aren’t trying to tick a box.”
• Lee: “Not to bring the crowd down, but that [suicide plot point] was actually based on my real personal [experience]…just write what you know.” (32:05)

Korean Culture and Capitalism

• Roy: “What is it about Korean culture that they’re doing such a great job of commenting on American capitalism?”
• Lee: “Maybe like, it takes one to know one…Korea is like capitalism on steroids. K Pop is just like music plus capitalism.” (32:48)

High Points & Personal Milestones

• Describes shooting with Yoon Yo Jung and Song Kang Ho, plus an impromptu visit from Director Bong Joon Ho:
  • “He jokingly said, are you sure you want to frame it like that? I was like, I’ll frame it however you want, Director Bong.” (34:08–34:41)
  • “My parents really didn’t take anything I did seriously until that movie.” (34:48)

Advice for Aspiring Writers

• Lee:
  1. “Put in the 10,000 hours…one good thing from us coming up with boomers above us, you know, like, it wasn’t, like, handed to us.”
  2. “Be yourself—you’re one in 8 billion, and that’s the thing that clawed AI has difficulty replicating.”
  3. “Maybe get really good at PowerPoint or something.” (35:36)

---

Memorable Quotes & Moments

• Roy (on the stock market): “The stock market is like America’s Instagram.” (04:20)
• Reporter (on Iranian AI meme): “Does the Pentagon have a response to this, including the fact that AI Jesus is casting Trump into hell?” (06:43)
• Roy (on American memes): “How is Trump bad at this? What was the point of electing a cyberbully if he sucks at cyberbullying?” (09:59)
• Grace (on tech neck): “If tech neck is a thing, then call me the throat goat. I love it.” (16:26)
• Lee Sung Jin:
  • “Just make it so chaotic they don’t have time to process their decision making.” (23:19)
  • “Be yourself…that’s the thing that clawed AI has a very difficult time replicating.” (35:36)

---

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Global Oil Crisis & Meme War: 01:12–14:47
• Tech Segment (Tech Yeah!): 15:34–20:42
• Interview with Lee Sung Jin: 21:16–36:21

---

Takeaways for Listeners

• Meme Warfare isn’t just a joke: digital propaganda matches (and sometimes surpasses) the absurdity of geopolitical conflict.
• Generational Insight: The millennial/Gen Z divide is real, and Beef season 2 explores this authentically through the lens of class, intergenerational tension, and cultural specificity.
• Artistic Advice: Success is a mix of craft, authenticity, and (satirically) being so late people let you take over in desperation.
• Tech’s Double-Edge: Whether it’s “tech neck,” robot marathons, or AI clones, technology is evolving faster than our bodies—or attention spans—can keep up.

---

Rich in satire, The Daily Show: Ears Edition delivers a sharp send-up of the headlines while also offering a thoughtful, funny, and insightful interview with one of TV’s most original creators. Highly recommended for fans of political humor and modern pop culture.

---

Transcript

[A]

This episode is brought to you by State Farm. You know those friends who support your preference for podcasts over music on road trips? That's the energy State Farm brings to insurance. With over 19,000 local agents, they help you find the coverage that fits your needs so you can spend less time worrying about insurance and more time enjoying the ride. Download the State Farm app or go [e-mail] like a good neighbor, State Farm is there. Pepsi Prebiotic Cola in original and cherry vanilla that Pepsi taste you love with just 30 calories and no artificial sweeteners. Pepsi Prebiotic Cola, unbelievably Pepsi.

[B]

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. Your host, Ronnie Stank.

[C]

Welcome to the Daily Show. I'm Roy Cheng. We got so much to talk about tonight. Iran has been enriching weapons grade memes. Pete Hegseth can't take a bad review. And good news. Your phone is making you ugly. Oh, wait, sorry. That's bad news. Sorry, my bad. But first, let's get into the latest on the war in Iran. Nothing bad can happen. It can only good happen. Let's start with the Strait of Hormuz. Much like Clavicular we all found out exists two months ago and now people won't shut the up about it. Well, we have an update. It's still closed. No one can get oil. Cause turns out this thing we never heard of was the choke for the entire planet. Whoops.

[A]

There are long lineups for fuel. From Pakistan to Cambodia to Vietnam. Sri Lanka shortened work weeks to save electricity. In Bangladesh, the energy crisis has forced universities to close. In South Korea, people are being asked to take shorter showers.

[C]

Okay, not cool. South Korea. Times of global unrest are when people need to jerk off in the shower. The and the war is not just making it harder to get clean, it's making it harder to be dead.

[A]

In Thailand, the strict measures have prevented this temple from refilling its tanks, meaning they would have to suspend cremations.

[C]

Are you telling me Thailand is filling up with dead bodies? Well, nobody tell RFK Jr. Did anyone call dibs on this? And while Thailand can set fire to its dead people, it also can't cool down its living ones.

[A]

The Thai government has ordered government employees to lower office air conditioning to save energy. During a morning show segment, Thai TV

[C]

news anchors ditched their suit jackets on air.

[B]

Let's just take it off so we can set an example of how to save energy too. By Wearing less clothing.

[C]

It can help with our moods and the coping with the weather. Yeah, yeah, it's kind of hot in here. Let's take off our jackets. Betty. Oh, oh, what's that? Breaking news. Looks like we have to shower together too, just to save water. Curse this war. Actually. Oh, my God. I just realized this whole oil crisis is gonna end with me seeing Wolf Blitzer's dick. This shows you what life is like for other countries in a world dominated by we start a war and now everyone else has to have swamp ass. But hey, if it's any solace to the rest of the world, I'm sure the American economy is suffering just as much.

[A]

The American stock market just hit a record high. Isn't that something?

[C]

That's right. The American stock market is as high as ever, thanks to the investment strategy of La la la la la. Everything's fine. Money, money, money, money. The stock market is like America's Instagram. No matter what's really going on in your life, always looks good on the stock market. Hey, happy anniversary, baby. Our marriage is perfect. And we definitely are sleeping in the same room. For most of the world, this war cannot end soon enough. And today we got an update from Pete Hegseth, Secretary of Defense and worst part of every Hooters waitress day. He came out.

[B]

Yeah, Hooters.

[C]

He came out at a press conference this morning, and you can tell he's laser focused on defeating Iran. A note to the press, to the press corps, to the American media, as I just can't help but notice the endless stream of garbage, the relentlessly negative coverage. Okay, right. Well, no, obviously he has to defeat the American media first, but then Iran. In the press, you only seek the negative earning each and every day. The fake news label. Okay, okay, I get it. We suck. We suck. Fine. Okay. But what about the Hormuz? Sometimes it's hard to figure out what side some of you are actually on. It's incredibly unpatriotic. Where's the coverage of the new spirit in the country? Yeah, yeah, you stupid fake news media. Show some headlines about spirit in America. Like, how about spirit airlines may have to liquidate due to rising fuel prices. Okay, well, You guys are so happy that spirit is. You know what I mean? Okay, stop with all the crybaby anti Trump questions. Like, why haven't we achieved any of the goals in the war? Just babies. Only good Christian patriotic questions from now on. Go.

[A]

Iranian embassy accounts are sharing an AI video of Jesus Christ kind of bloodily killing President Donald Trump. Does the Pentagon have A response to this, including the fact that this AI Jesus is casting Trump into hell.

[C]

Now, there's a question. What does I quote? What does the Pentagon think of Iran's AI Video? Where Jesus kills Trump and tosses him into hell? Which, by the way, is too graphic to even show on tv. And as you all know, there's no other place besides TV to watch videos, so I guess you'll never see it. But what say you, Secretary Hegseth? Are you pro or con this video of Trump being sent to the fires of hell by AI Jesus? As far as a video like that, of course, that's disgusting and detached from reality. Yeah, okay, thank you for clarifying that Jesus punching Trump straight into hell was not reality. I don't think there were a ton of people going, so are they gonna arrest Jesus for this or what? Right? I mean, I was all set to go to my nearest church, find a priest, and be like, what the, man? Get control of your boy. But this leads. This leads to an important point about the Iran war. Memes are weapons now.

[A]

War with Iran isn't just playing out on the ground. It's exploding online. Iranian embassies and pro Iran groups are. Are flooding social media with AI Generated memes, many mocking President Trump and US Policy.

[C]

Mocking President Trump? No one's ever thought of that. Big deal. Look, no offense, Iran, but you're not exactly known as a cultural powerhouse, okay? So good luck impressing Americans with your little videos. The secrets are leaking, the pressure is rising.

[B]

We locked on the tar, and now

[C]

you are hiding loic. Holy shit. Did I. What was going on there? Is there a sequel to a Lego movie I don't know about? Did I just see Iran fire a loser rocket at Lego Trump? I mean, look, do I support Iran propaganda? No. Could it end up on my Spotify wrapped? Absolutely. I mean, I kind of can't wait for Iran to headline Coachella next year, but if Ayatollah can do that. You know what? I bet Donald Trump and his virgin maxing memelords can go even harder. All right, show him what you got, Trump. You want to see me do it again? You want to see me do it again? What the was that? That was the shittiest meme ever. How is Trump bad at this? What was the point of electing a cyberbully if he sucks at cyberbullying? I was worried we might be the bad guys in this war, but after seeing this diss track, I'm realizing it's much worse. What? Drake, For more on the meme war and who is winning it. Let's go live to Michael Car. Michael. Michael. Hey, Michael. It doesn't seem like America is winning the meme war.

[B]

Well, up to now, no, Ronnie, but things are about to change because President Trump is calling on all Americans to do our part and help make memes for the war effort.

[C]

He wants us to make memes, Ronnie.

[B]

In World War II, Americans planted victory gardens so the soldiers could have vegetables. Well, Americans don't eat vegetables anymore, so that shit's not going to help. Instead, Trump needs able bodied Americans memeing as much as possible. I'm doing my part right here. Check out this meme. Boom. Got him.

[C]

Iran.

[B]

Suck it. Usa. Usa. Usa. Wait.

[C]

Shout out. What the am I looking at?

[B]

It's the I can't has cheeseburger cat. But instead he's saying I can't has straight up Hormuz. It's classic.

[C]

Yeah, I know the meme, dumbass. I just don't know how America is gonna win by posting 20 year old cringe.

[B]

All right, well, I'm trying, okay? War is hell. But if you want something a bit more updated, check out my latest creation. Imagine you're the Ayatollah sitting all gay at your computer. When we drop this boom. We accept your surrender.

[C]

Aran, no. Stop. Yep. What are you applauding? I don't get this. What is this?

[B]

Okay, look, you see the guy in the middle? That's the straight of her moves. And he's supposed to be focused on this girl Iran, but instead he's focused on this girl, usa. And the straight is like, damn, America, you got a great ass. But his girlfriend Iran is like, oh, no, you didn't. And the straight is like, yes, I did. And then everybody.

[C]

Okay, Costa, Costa, your meme is making no sense, okay? I don't understand what any of this means.

[B]

It makes total sense. This meme is about how America is a country with a great ass, okay? What I'm talking about.

[C]

Stop it. The meme is not about assets.

[B]

Look, trust me, the Internet is gonna. Speaking of which, how do I get this on the Internet? Is there a PO Box I mail it to Costa?

[C]

No one in Iran will care about your super shitty memes.

[B]

Hey, man, at least I'm doing something, all right? What are you doing sitting there at your cozy desk while I'm knee deep in the shit out here risking my life for this country? I spent all week on these memes. Look at this one. Check this out. Aron Michael Jordan crying his eyes out.

[C]

Why does the text Say Michael Jordan. I mean, shouldn't it say, like, Iran?

[B]

It's not Iran. It's a picture of Michael Jordan. Have you ever seen this meme before?

[C]

Oh, wait, hang on, hang on, hang on. Michael, I'm getting word that Iran has seen your memes, and they've actually posted a meme in response to your memes.

[B]

I'd like to see him try.

[C]

Okay. Yep, here it is. We can show it's breaking news right now. It just came in. It's a picture of you, and it says, bad at memes. Great at micropenis.

[B]

What the hell? How did they mail that to the Internet so fast? They really do have advanced tech over there. But you know what, Ronnie? Okay, I'm willing to sacrifice. They can make fun of my micropenis if it helps us win this war.

[C]

How would that help us win the war?

[B]

Think about it, Ronnie. We get Iran totally focused on fighting, with memes owning us, clowning us. And while they're all glued to their phones, laughing, we sneak our ships through the Strait of Hormuz.

[C]

Kosta. That. That. Okay, that actually is kind of smart. Exactly.

[B]

I know, Ronnie. In fact, it's genius. It's so genius that I made a meme of it.

[C]

Michael, that's. That's too much text. I can't even see the guy behind it.

[B]

Well, that's Michael Jordan, obviously.

[C]

Okay, let's. Michael Costa, everybody. When we come back, Grace will teach us the latest TED news. So don't go away. Welcome back to the Daily Show. Technology will one day kill us all. But until then, it's pretty cool. To find out more, we turn to Grace Cooling spin. In our ongoing segment, Tech. Yeah,

[A]

What's up? All my home keys and five GS. I'm Grace Kuhlenschmidt, but. But some people call me Grokkulenschmitt, because you can ask me anything, and I love picturing people naked.

[B]

Mmm.

[A]

Judi Dench. And this is Tech. Yeah. Where I tell CPU all about the biggest stories in tech. Let's start with a story about the spine, which is the HDMI cord that goes from your mainframe to your printer. Trust me, this thing never runs out of ink. But turns out tech is warping our necks, our backs, our shoulders, and our traps.

[B]

Increased smartphone use can lead to what's being called tech neck. It's when you lower your head just so while scrolling so that little lines form on your neck.

[A]

60% report spending at least five hours a day looking at their screens, which causes pain, stiffness, headaches, okay, if tech neck is a thing, then call me the throat goat. I love it. Now when I breathe, I sound like a pug. It's so cool. Not to mention tech neck is a badge of honor. Like a boxer's cauliflower ear or a twink's blown out back. It shows you've put in the work. And for all we know, this is the neck the of stage of evolution. First, man evolved to walk upright. Now we've evolved to walk around hunched over, re watching that video of Lenny Kravitz splitting his pants. But if for some weird reason you don't love your hot ass hump, there's a simple cure. Could the solution to all of our technic woes be as simple as getting some tummy time? That classic technique that babies use to strengthen their own necks and backs is now catching on with adults. Not a problem. Appropriate to do like at the office, but you can work this in at home, guys. Oh, come on. I can't do it at work. My co workers love when I act like a baby. Hey, Ronnie.

[C]

See?

[A]

He loves it. I have to admit, when I first heard the cure for tech neck is tummy time, I was like, hang on, I'm saving that for my wedding night. I'm kidding. I haven't been a virgin for weeks. Technology might be ruining our bodies, but don't worry. Robot bodies are stronger than ever. In China this week, dozens of humanoid robots will be racing against humans in a half marathon. It's going to feature more than 100 robots, some fully autonomous, others remote controlled. Last year, a human took home first place. This year, the teams are pushing the technology to see if the robots are going to take us all out. Wow. They invented a Kenyan robot. This is a huge, huge help for sanitation workers because robot marathoners can't shit their pants yet. Trust me when I say there's absolutely no downside to teaching robots how to chase us down. Think how early I'll be to everything if I'm running for my life. Plus, this is so awesome. As a lady who loves playing tag but doesn't have any children, I'm so sick of going to the playground and asking little boys if they want to be it. I get it, moms. You don't want me talking to your kids because they're slow as. But jocks aren't the only ones getting digital. Nerds are too, including the king nerd himself. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg is reportedly training an AI clone with his image and voice, along with his mannerisms, tone and public Statements. Metta may start allowing creators to make their own avatars if the Zuckerberg experiment goes well.

[C]

Unfreaking believable.

[A]

After decades of technological advancements, we finally invented a way to make Mark Zuckerberg seem lifelike. And it captures all of his signature facial expressions, like angry, happy, scared, and, of course, sunscreen. I was lucky enough to get a sneak peek at AI Zuck, and it did not disappoint. In our short conversation, I learned so much. Mainly that men aren't for me. But unfortunately, when Daddy Zuck opens an AI door, he closes an AI window, because he just announced they're shutting down a huge part of the metaverse. Sorry, I'm getting a little emotional. I'm gonna miss the metaverse. There's so much to do in there. Like this. Wow. This is so cool.

[C]

Hello.

[A]

Anyone want to do tummy time? Well, that's all for this edition of Tech. Yeah. Tune in next time when I show you how to turn off ad blocker. Back to you, Ronnie.

[C]

Great School intimate. Everyone, when we come back, Lisa and Jing will be joining me on the

[B]

show, so don't go away.

[C]

Hey. Welcome back to the Daily Show. Our guest, today's award winning writer, director, and creator of the Netflix series beast. Please welcome Mr. Lee Sun Jing. Thanks for coming on.

[D]

Thanks for having me.

[C]

Thanks for coming on, man.

[D]

Thanks for having me.

[C]

Yeah. You wrote created Beef Season 1. What a triumph.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

It's genuinely a rare triumph of original IP in America.

[D]

Thank you.

[C]

Yeah. How did you put it together?

[D]

Just a lot of sleepless nights and.

[C]

No, no, more specific question is like, how did you convince. Convince them to back original stories?

[D]

You know, it actually started with PowerPoint. I was like an econ major, and so all my pitches to networks are like, very involved PowerPoint. Like, I get like the macros and animation and everything going right. And Bella Bajaria and Ginny Howe at Netflix, they saw that PowerPoint and they were like, yes,

[C]

Right. But must have been one hell of a PowerPoint because not only did they let you write and make the show, they let you direct it as well. I think that was your directorial debut. The season one.

[D]

Yeah, the season one finale was. That was less PowerPoint and more like running out of time. Yeah, we were just like, really behind, and they're like, you do it.

[C]

Really? That's the big. No, you're being modest. That was a big break.

[D]

Yeah.

[C]

We're running late. So you do it.

[D]

Yeah, that's the trick.

[C]

You know, you have to time everything to where they don't oh my God.

[D]

Just make it like so chaotic that they don't have time to process their decision making.

[C]

I was gonna ask you to give tips to the kids.

[D]

Yeah, that's number one. Be late. Yeah, be late.

[C]

Make everything super late. So they have no choice but to put you in charge.

[D]

Exactly.

[C]

But it obviously paid out. I mean, and when you're directing the first season, I don't know, I just, it's so. I, you know, I, I just feel like I'm blowing smoke up your ass, but, like, I'm not. Season one just felt so inspired, you know, I don't know. Yeah, people here watch it. Yeah, it's very inspired. There's something in it. And I keep saying this, but it's very rare, you know, we got so much shit on the Internet right now to watch and you could be so many things and to make a show that breaks through, you know, this real triumph of writing and acting and directing and marketing even like for this to come together. I don't know, it's just, I don't know how the. Did you do it?

[D]

It's honestly like the collaborators, like, I'm just good at, I guess, like assembling Avengers, you know, and, and it's just a lot of very honest conversations. Like, even with like, you know, like you say like the marketing, like a lot of times you just hand off the marketing. But then we like have a two way conversation about it and we're like, you know, like season one, it was the middle finger, you know.

[C]

Oh, that was you?

[D]

Well, it was a, it's actually a conversation amongst many people.

[C]

And so just so people don't know, the season one, like the billboard was like, yeah, you invented the middle finger.

[D]

So season two, you know, we were like running out of ideas and then someone like flipped the middle finger over and like squashed the ant and we're like, that works. And so it's just a lot of back and forth, I guess. It's certainly not born of one person. I think the joy of what we do is the alchemy of when like a bunch of people come together and you achieve something like bigger than yourself.

[C]

I tell everyone to shut up. And no, collaboration is obviously the one of the joys of it. And you, But I mean you. When you went into it again, I say that it just felt very inspired. This, this first that, the first season and the second season for that matter. But the first season, and I'm wondering like, did you see, did you have the vision for it all in your head or how much of it was you discovering as you were making it?

[D]

You know, a lot of it is discovery. You know, I have a pretty limited imagination, so I kind of. I depend on the real world just showing me things. So season one was based on, like, a real life road rage incident that I was involved in. Very loosely based, or I wouldn't be here today. And season two, again, you know, I was. I didn't have any idea. Well, I had a lot of ideas. Netflix just kept saying, no. Yeah, we were like, sweeping awards. And, you know, I was, like, pitching them all ideas, and they were like, no, thanks. Yeah, I'm like, what's a guy gotta do to get a pickup around here?

[C]

You think you make beef and you guys just shut the up and let me make what I want.

[D]

But it wasn't until I was walking in my neighborhood, and I'll speak very vaguely because I still live in said neighborhood, but I heard a very, like, let's call it a heated argument coming from a couple's home.

[C]

What race? What race? No, it doesn't matter. But it kind of does.

[D]

You know, no cops came, so I think, you know, okay. But, you know, for me, it was actually when I was retelling the story to friends where inspiration struck, because when I told my Gen Z peers, they were all, like, aghast, you know, like, did you call 91 1?

[C]

Did you follow up?

[D]

And then when I told, you know, my peers, my age and older, they were just kind of like, I mean, Who amongst us has it? So I thought that dichotomy was really interesting. So, you know, luckily Netflix agreed.

[B]

Right.

[C]

And that actually brings up a good point, is that one thing you've done with season two of Beef, which we'll get into about how it's an anthology in a second. But, like, season two of Beef is really. I feel like you really did capture that very authentic representation of elder millennials now in 2026. And I feel like this is the first show to do that because we've captured millennials before, but it was always, it's from 10 years ago. That's the impression of millennials in pop culture that we haven't really solidified in the blockchain. And it was like a caricature of millennials by boomers or Gen X. Yeah, but you as a millennial yourself, this show, you know, one of the themes of second season is this generational thing which you just described, and you really, really dialed in the. It was like, spot on how it feels to be a millennial right now. And then you also managed to get Gen Z in there too.

[D]

Yeah.

[C]

So, I mean, how do you manage to capture those guys? Have you seen them? They're crazy. They're like breaking bones in their faces. They're like. I don't.

[D]

Yeah, I feel like this is a trap for me, so.

[C]

No, you can shit that. It's okay. Well, I think it's okay. It's a God given right. Every generation can shit on the next generation. You know how much shit I took from baby boomers for like 20 years? Yeah, 20 years of shitting. What the hell did millennials ever do? We didn't even do anything.

[D]

No, we didn't.

[C]

All we did was eat avocado. It made it sound like we were Nazis. All we did was avocados.

[D]

Yeah.

[C]

Shitting on us for like over a decade. Shut up, boomers. Shut the up. I shit on both sides. Yeah, that,

[D]

yeah, that rant was just like, literally season two. That should be our promo video. No, I mean, I think our take on Elder Millennial was just like leaning into the elder part of it, you know, I think that's what's new, is that millennials are all like, oh, no, we're old now. You know, And I think with Gen

[C]

Z,

[D]

I tried to self reflect and think about when I was in my 20s and I was on writing staffs, you know, and I would judge the older writers so hard. They were like 37, you know, and I'd be like, oh, my God, we're staying till 7.05pm they must hate their families. You know, and here I am, 44, and I'm like routinely at work till like 11pm I also like to think

[C]

that we will be more gracious with letting Gen Z giving them space to work.

[D]

Yeah.

[C]

Versus how these boomers were when I was. They were awful. I came in, they were entrenched and just boxing everyone out. You couldn't do anything, couldn't get fired because they were just too entrenched in the system. Man, these boomer.

[D]

Well, that's actually a big reason why we set the season in a country club. Because from my observation, most members are boomer or silent Gen. And in my mind, no matter how hard those employees work, they'll never get to be members. And I think that's like a perfect microcosm of what's happening today in 2026. Like, everyone feels like, you know, everyone before us grabbed the bag before we could. So we're just gonna be employees for the rest of our lives. And so, yeah, we took that metaphor and try to make a somewhat comedic show. I hear a lot of ooh. So

[C]

there's, like, boomers in this audience. Okay. Who were like. There's audible like, oh, you got it. Yeah. So, I mean. Yeah, it's good. And the other thing is, you kind of nailed in Beef Season one, and I don't want to give away what happens in two, but, like, this idea of you really managed to bringing, like, this authentic integration of Asian culture into these storytellings, which doesn't feel like tokenism or doesn't feel shoehorned. You know, everything feels really just. You're trying to tell a story, happens to use Asian culture, but you want. Trying to, like, tick a box at anything, which I thought was very cool. Season one, when Steven Yeun's character tries to kill himself with a hibachi grill, Like, I wasn't like, oh, they just did that for dei. I was like, you know, this makes sense in the story.

[D]

Like, yeah, well, that. That. Not to bring the crowd down, but that was actually based on my real personal.

[B]

Okay.

[D]

Yeah. But, you know, obviously, I didn't do it or else, you know, but, you know, just write what you know.

[C]

That kind of. Yeah, it's that kind of authenticity. And, I mean, I gotta give my flowers to Koreans right now, I guess. For those who don't know he's Korean. Not that it matters, but I'm just. I'm just saying.

[D]

Two woos.

[C]

Yeah, but I'm just saying that it just feels like in this moment, like, what is it about Korean culture that they're doing such a great job of commenting on American capitalism? Like, what is that? Why is that? Why are they just nailing it?

[D]

Maybe, like, it takes one to know one, perhaps. I think, like, Korea is like capitalism, like, on steroids. You know, we're just, like, very, very good at it. Like, K Pop is just like music plus capitalism, you know, And I say that with great reverence, as I know that K Pop fans are very fervent online.

[C]

There's no overlap with this YouTube video. They don't come to this part of the Internet. But Yeah, I mean, YouTube, you know, you say it's on steroids, but, I mean, this is the capital of capitalism. But somehow these Koreans are just like. You filmed some of this Season two in Korea, right?

[D]

Yeah, we did. We shot for a month out there. That was probably the peak of my career, honestly, to go back. I hadn't been back in 20 years, probably. I went to elementary school there, and I was shooting the scene with the great Yoon Yo Jung, who won an Academy Award for Minari, and. Yep.

[B]

And

[D]

it was the.

[C]

That guy was not Korean. So shout out for, you know, Minari for Crossing Culture.

[D]

And she was shooting her first ever scene in Korean history with the great Song Kang Ho, the dad from Parasite, who's one of my favorite actors of all time. And we were shooting at this beautiful building, Amore Pacific, that no one ever gets to shoot at. And in the middle of shooting, Director Bong Joon Ho showed up on set and surprised us. And he kind of, like, went up to the monitor and elbowed me, and he jokingly said, are you sure you want to frame it like that? I was like, I'll frame it however you want, Director Bong. And that was like, peak for me. Right?

[C]

Yeah. That's really cool. That's really cool that you got to go back to Korea and see that and get your flowers from Koreans, as you should.

[D]

Thanks. Yeah, that's. I mean, my parents really didn't, like, take anything I did seriously until that movie.

[C]

And I mean, I just kind of. I just kind of want to end the interview with a bit of a, you know, with your success and how you managed to navigate the industry, your information and knowledge base right now is very current. So I'm wondering if you could share something to the kids watching this. But we don't. First of all, the kids will never make it to the end of this video because they.

[D]

No, no.

[C]

These Gen Z's are the attention span of goddamn gold. But you should reward the ones who do make it to the end of this video.

[D]

Yes.

[C]

And you should kind of give them, if you could, if you don't mind, like, kind of give them. I mean, how. How would you see if you were to advise someone right now who has a story in them who's, you know, believes it can be the equal of your show? How would. How should they navigate it?

[D]

I think it's probably maybe like, two things. Like, one, just get really good at your craft, you know, like, put in the 10,000 hours. I think that's one good thing from us coming up with boomers above us, you know, like, it wasn't, like, handed to us. We had to put in a lot of hours. And then I think while doing that, the most important thing is to just, like, be yourself, you know, I think everyone in this room, you're like 1 in 8 billion people. And that's, like the most unique thing. That's like the thing that, like, clawed AI has very difficult tasks in trying to replicate. And so I think that's priceless. So you, like, you know, try to do those two things at the same time, and, I don't know, maybe get, like, really good at PowerPoint or something.

[C]

All right. That's all you can hear. Hey, all new episodes. All episodes of a new season of Beef are streaming on Netflix right now. Hey, it's Lee Sun Jin, everybody.

[B]

Hey, Sweet Janet.

[C]

We're gonna take a quick break. We'll be right back after this. Hey, what's awesome? You kidding me?

[A]

Stitch Fix shopping is hard. Let's talk about it.

[D]

I don't have time to shop, so I buy all my clothes, where I buy my seafood.

[C]

I just want someone to tell me

[B]

what shirt goes with what pants.

[C]

I just want jeans that fit.

[A]

Stitch Fix makes shopping easy. Just show your size, style, and budget, and your stylist sends personalized looks right to your door. No subscription required, plus free shipping and return.

[C]

Man, that was easy. That looked good.

[A]

Stitch Fix online personal styling for everyone. Take your style quiz today@stitch fix.com.

[B]

hey, that's our show for tonight.

[C]

Now here it is, your moment of Zen. He's done a fantastic job.

[B]

He's got a very difficult job.

[C]

Pope's got a tough job.

[B]

You know, got issues in the church.

[C]

But Donald Trump has a very, very difficult job to do.

[B]

The toughest job in the world.

[C]

I believe that Donald Trump is better than sliced bread. I think he's.

[B]

He's almost a second coming, in my humble opinion. 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.

[C]

Plus,

[B]

This has been a Comedy Central podcast.