
What Now is taking a summer break! Season 3 will return in September with new guests, new ideas, and the same classic Trevor and friends. In the meantime, we’ll load up a few mystery bonus episodes, including this one straight from Trevor’s stand-up show in London.
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Hey, happy summer holidays, everyone. Or if you're in the Southern hemisphere, happy wishing it was summer holidays, everyone. We're gonna be taking a break for a couple months on what now as we wrap up season two and prepare for a very exciting season three with Sirius xm. It's gonna be all new guests, new ideas, new topics, and the same world. Yes, we still live in it, so that's where we'll be. I think it'll be the same world. I mean, we don't know if there'll be a world, but let's see what happens. Let's see what happens. In the meantime, though, we're gonna be loading up a few fun, interesting episodes, bonus episodes for you to enjoy. So it could be stuff of me on the road, doing stand up, having conversations with audiences, or you never know, I might just bump into a random interesting person somewhere and decide to make a podcast episode with them. So stay tuned, stay listening, but most important, stay safe, enjoy yourself. And what now? Season 3 will be back in September.
Trevor Noah
It's been a good week. It's been a crazy week. Oh, my goodness. Like, I thought the week was just going to be about comedy in London. Then Israel and Iran happened, and then we were on, like, the brink of, like, World War iii. Like, you here are now Friday crowd, having fun. Monday, Tuesday crowd. Yeah, you try tell jokes when there's missiles outside. Like, everyone was here. Like. Cause that would be a weird way, like, to be. You know what I mean? Like, at the beginning of World War iii, people like, where were you? And you were like, what? Did you see what happened? No, I didn't. Where were you? Trevor was telling us about. About Brixton. It was such an insane story as well. Like, now I feel like the world we live in. I sometimes think about, like, parallel universes and timelines, and I'm not sure if I believe it, but when I do think about it, I go, like, I think we somehow slipped into the ludicrous timeline. Like, we were all in a very normal timeline, us as people. And then something happened around, like, Covid. And then we went into the crazy timeline, and then the other versions of us are now like, wow, things have become very boring and normal because, like, this is not normal. You know, like, the week starts off. I mean, it's been like, two weeks. Technically, it starts off Israel, Iran was negotiating a nuclear deal with America. Negotiating a deal. Negotiating a deal. They're making progress. Making progress. They're getting close. They're getting super close. And then Israel was like, no, no deal. Then Israel started launching missiles at Iran, right? And then it's hard to make a deal when, like, missiles hitting you. You know what I mean? Like, you try. It's like when you're, like, trying to break up with someone at a restaurant, and then the waiter keeps coming. Is everything great? Hold. Just wait. Just. I'm just. Let me just handle. Let me just handle. So what I'm saying is. I'm just.
Donald Trump Impression
Is.
Trevor Noah
How's everything going? Yeah, yeah, look, hey, we'll call you. It will call you. We'll call you. Please. So Iran was like, all right, I can't. I can't handle. I can't. And so then Iran was like, missiles back at Israel. Missiles, Missiles. Missiles. And then Israel was like, missiles, missiles. And then Iran was like, missiles, missiles. And it was going back and forth, back and forth. Israel was definitely winning it because, like, Iran has missiles, but not, like, Israel's type of missiles. You know what I mean? Like, Iran doesn't have much money and stuff, so their missiles are like those cheap fireworks. Your friends, you know, when your parents would, like, they'd feel bad. You'd be like, what are we doing for Guy Fawkes Day? And then your parents would be like, ah, do you want these ones? And you're like, do you like them? They're like, no, just throw them on the ground. I was like, pa, pa, pa. Do you feel like the other kids? No, I don't at all. So Iran has those ones. And then they were launching back and forth, back and forth, back. And the whole world was like, ah, man, this again. Middle east conflict. Middle East. And then at the peak of it, everyone was like, ah, man, how could this get worse? Donald Trump was like. And Donald Trump came in and he was like, I'm gonna help.
Donald Trump Impression
I'm gonna totally de escalate this situation. I'm gonna de escalate this situation.
Trevor Noah
And we were like, ah, my man, you've never de. Escalated a thing in your life. In your life, from your hair to your politics. Nothing is a de escalation. Nothing. Trump came in and he's like, I.
Donald Trump Impression
Don'T like how Iran and Israel are launching bombs at each other all the time. So many bombs. We can't have this. It' too many bombs. Too many bombs. We gotta stop it. No more bombs. No more bombs. We gotta stop it. We gotta fix it.
Trevor Noah
And they're like, all right, how are you gonna fix it?
Donald Trump Impression
He's like, by dropping bombs. I'm gonna drop bombs.
Trevor Noah
And no one expected it. Like, the whole world was like, okay, Trump is gonna mediate, or he's gonna. Because he said to them, hey, guys, let's sort this out. Peace deal. We're gonna do a peace deal. And then he dropped bombs on Iran. And everyone in the world was like, what the hell? And a lot of people in my.
Donald Trump Impression
Life were like, oh, man, I can't believe that Trump did this. I can't believe.
Trevor Noah
And they were so stressed. And I was like, yes, but look on the bright side. And they're like, what bright side? I was like, on the bright side, Trump also can't believe that he did this. Like, that's the one glimmer of hope that I get from Donald Trump is that he also doesn't know what he's doing. He's in it with us, which is a nice change. Oftentimes we're at the mercy of those in power, but he's in the mercy with us. Like, we're all locked in a prison cell, but he's holding the key.
Donald Trump Impression
And he's like, we're all trapped. We're all trapped. What are we gonna do?
Trevor Noah
We're like, you use the key.
Donald Trump Impression
What? What are you talking about?
Trevor Noah
And the reason I say this is because Trump came out and he hosted a press conference about it. It was so wild. He hosted a press conference about dropping the bombs. And he was shocked in the press conference. He came out and he's like, earlier.
Donald Trump Impression
Today, the United States military. That's us. That's us. Launched missiles, bunker busters, launched missiles on Iran, on all their nuclear facilities. And, boy, you don't. You don't understand. You never see. Never seen bombs like that before. They came there and they dropped them, those bombs out. I couldn't believe what those bombs were doing. I couldn't believe it. I couldn't believe it. And I called. I called. I'm the one who called. I said, drop the bombs. I didn't know I was going to call. I said, two weeks. I said, two weeks. I told everybody, two weeks. It was going to be two weeks. And then I was on the plane, then I said, I'm calling, drop the bombs.
Trevor Noah
And the bombs were dropped.
Donald Trump Impression
I never seen bombs like that. I said, whoa, we're never dropping bombs like that again. I never seen bombs like that.
Trevor Noah
Those bombs were dropped.
Donald Trump Impression
And now it's over. Now it's over. We're all good. We're all good.
Trevor Noah
And so now, because America had dropped bombs on them, then Iran had to respond. But then Iran didn't want to get into a fight. No one wants to get into a fight with America. You know what I mean? And so, like, Iran was like, we are going to retaliate against you. And then they launched missiles at an American base in Qatar. But then they phoned America first. They did. They were like, all right, we are.
Donald Trump Impression
Launching bombs against you in like 45.
Trevor Noah
Minutes, an hour maybe. You tell us how long you need, then we will launch. We will launch the bombs. And then the Americans cleared out their base and everything important. And then the bombs fell. And then Trump, very, like, in an interesting way, he responded to Iran. Then he wrote on his, like, thing online, on his profile, he was like.
Donald Trump Impression
Thank you to Iran for giving us notice about the bombs. Now it's over. It's all over. There will be peace.
Trevor Noah
And then he said, iran, Israel, peace. And they were like, all right, peace, peace, peace. All good. Then Trump went to sleep, and in the four hours that he was sleeping, Israel, like, out of nowhere they came and they were like, iran launched more missiles. And then everyone was like, wait, what missiles? And Israel, you launched missiles? And everyone was like, no. And then Israel was like, too late, we're coming for you with more bombs. And then the world was like, what? And then Trump woke up. And this was the moment when I can safely say I have felt more connected to Donald Trump than I've ever in my entire life, because that man is not a normal human being. Very seldom have I looked at Trump and thought, yeah, yeah, yeah, I can relate to this. But he came out after Israel was about to launch a full scale bombing attack on Iran. And he came out, he heard about this man, didn't even put on a tie. Came out of the White House half dressed, ran straight into reporters. And he went into it, he was.
Donald Trump Impression
Like, I heard about what Iran is doing and what Israel is doing, and let me tell you, I'm angry at Iran, but I'm more angry at Israel. They said, peace. And I said, we're going to do peace. And they're launching, and I'm sick of them. Israel, you better not do. You don't do it. Israel said, peace, you don't do it.
Trevor Noah
He looked like a dad who had kids that were fighting in the backyard. And he was just going back and forth.
Donald Trump Impression
He's just like, israel, shut up. Come up, shut up. Sit up. How many times do you have to tell your kids that you're not gonna. I tell you once and I'll tell you again.
Trevor Noah
And then he looked at the reporter and he did something I've never seen an American president do in My entire life. He cursed live on tv into the camera, looked at the camera, and he was like. They were like, what do you think, mister?
Donald Trump Impression
He's like, I'll tell you what this is. You've got two countries that have been fed in so long, they don't know what the fuck they doing.
Trevor Noah
You're like, oh, dad is mad. Dad is mad. And I don't know what was crazier, the fact that he cursed on live TV as an American president or the fact that that somehow became bigger news than the actual bombs that were dropped. The bombs was like half a day of news. The biggest bombs ever dropped on a country randomly out of war was barely any news. And then Trump came out and he swore. Every news outlet, Guardian, BBC, Al Jazeera, cnn, you name all of them. All of them. Trump curses. Trump swears. Trump says, F word. F, F word. And I was like, damn. So the F bomb was more important than the bomb. Bomb everyone on tv. We've never seen this before. We've never seen an American president curse on national television. This has never. I don't even understand what we're seeing right now. Donald Trump. And I must warn. I must warn sensitive viewers. I must warn sensitive. Yo. You showed footage of cities being leveled by bombs. You said it just casually. Let me show you some of the bombs that were dropped here. Let me show you some of the bombs. All right, Now, Trump said something. I must warn you. If you have children in the room, you might want to cover their ears. You might want to cover their ears. Because he said the F bomb, like, people cared more about the words than the. It was the wildest thing. Wildest thing.
Donald Trump Impression
I can't believe.
Trevor Noah
I can't believe it. They were doing it as if the people in Iran were just like, yeah, no, no, no, no. The bombs are one thing, but what.
Donald Trump Impression
He said.
Trevor Noah
You can take bombs back.
Donald Trump Impression
But words, words are forever.
Podcast Summary: "Between the Seasons: Trump Dropping Bombs for Peace"
Podcast Information:
Introduction
In the episode titled "Between the Seasons: Trump Dropping Bombs for Peace," host Trevor Noah delves into a complex and satirical exploration of international relations, specifically focusing on the tumultuous dynamics between Israel and Iran. Through his signature blend of humor and incisive commentary, Noah imagines a scenario where former President Donald Trump attempts to mediate peace between the two nations—with explosive results.
Setting the Stage: A Turbulent Week
The episode begins with Noah reflecting on a particularly chaotic week marked by escalating tensions between Israel and Iran. He humorously juxtaposes the gravity of international conflict with everyday life, highlighting the absurdity of maintaining normalcy amid potential World War III scenarios.
"It's been a good week. It's been a crazy week. Oh, my goodness. Like, I thought the week was just going to be about comedy in London. Then Israel and Iran happened, and then we were on, like, the brink of, like, World War iii." [01:09]
The Escalation: Missiles and Negotiations
Noah sets the scene by describing initial attempts at diplomacy between Israel, Iran, and America. Negotiations seem to be progressing until Israel abruptly halts talks and commences missile launches against Iran. This back-and-forth exchange of missile fire underscores the fragility of peace efforts in the Middle East.
"At the beginning of World War iii, people like, where were you? And you were like, what? Did you see what happened?" [02:00]
He likens Iran's missile capabilities to cheap fireworks, emphasizing the disparity between the two nations' military resources.
"Iran doesn't have much money and stuff, so their missiles are like those cheap fireworks." [04:00]
Trump's Intervention: Bombs for Peace
Amidst the escalating conflict, Donald Trump steps into the fray with a purported mission to de-escalate tensions. However, Noah humorously critiques Trump's approach, suggesting that his methods are anything but calming.
"Donald Trump was like, I'm gonna totally de escalate this situation. I'm gonna de escalate this situation." [04:16]
Contrary to expectations, Trump's solution to peace involves further bomb-dropping, catching the world off guard.
"By dropping bombs. I'm gonna drop bombs." [04:53]
Noah narrates the global confusion and disbelief as Trump announces his plan, highlighting the paradox of using violence to achieve peace.
"And no one expected it. Like, the whole world was like, okay, Trump is gonna mediate, or he's gonna... and then he dropped bombs on Iran." [05:00]
The Aftermath: Chaos and Curses
Following Trump's bombings, Iran retaliates against an American base in Qatar, escalating the conflict further. Noah vividly describes Trump's erratic behavior during this crisis, including his live press conference where he controversially curses on national television—an unprecedented act for a sitting American president.
"He cursed live on tv into the camera... You can take bombs back." [09:37]
This outburst overshadowed the actual bombings in the media, underscoring the unexpected nature of Trump's leadership style and its impact on international relations.
"They were doing it as if the people in Iran were just like, yeah, no, no, no, no. The bombs are one thing, but what..." [11:19]
Insights and Reflections
Throughout the episode, Noah employs satire to critique the unpredictability and often counterproductive nature of political leadership in times of crisis. By personifying Trump as a disorganized yet influential figure, Noah underscores the precarious balance between power and responsibility.
"The one glimmer of hope that I get from Donald Trump is that he also doesn't know what he's doing. He's in it with us, which is a nice change." [05:46]
Noah also touches upon the broader theme of how personal behaviors of leaders can have profound implications on global stability, emphasizing the importance of measured and thoughtful diplomacy.
Notable Quotes
Conclusion
In "Between the Seasons: Trump Dropping Bombs for Peace," Trevor Noah masterfully intertwines humor with sharp political satire to paint a vivid picture of international tensions exacerbated by misguided leadership. Through exaggerated scenarios and witty commentary, Noah invites listeners to reflect on the complexities of diplomacy, the weight of leadership decisions, and the often surreal nature of global politics.
This episode serves as both an entertaining narrative and a poignant critique of real-world geopolitical dynamics, showcasing Noah's ability to engage and provoke thought through compelling storytelling.