Only two shows into his part-time "Daily Show" return, Jon Stewart is not backing down to criticism, in fact, he's reveling in it.
After nearly a decade away from "The Daily Show" post, Stewart's triumphant homecoming last week resulted in more than 3 million viewers tuning into the half-hour political comedy show. While Stewart has been met with high praise from various critics and fans alike, not all the buzz about the episode was positive.
On Monday's latest episode, the comedian opened with a twist on his usual intro, "I'm your host Jon Stewart. Captain of this dying medium . . ."
He continued, "Television is dying and, in fact, I'm contributing to it. You're welcome," seemingly pointing out that he caused quite the stir in his first show back with commentary on President Joe Biden's age and memory.
Last week, Stewart called out how for yet another election, American people seem to be stuck with two candidates nobody really likes. Then he criticized Biden and Donald Trump for their public gaffes like Biden mistaking President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi as Mexico's president instead of Egypt's. He said the candidates "are both similarly challenged" and "they're objectively old." However, these comments were not met with open arms from liberals online.
"Quite frankly the response to the first show last Monday was universally galling," he said in his typical sardonic tone.
The show played a clip of the most viral criticisms online, which ranged from former MSNBC host Keith Olbermann, who called Stewart “a bothsidesist fraud” and a local Tennessee state election commissioner Chris D. Jackson who said. "Sorry, but I won't be watching you either."
Well after nine years away, there's nothing else to say to the bothsidesist fraud Jon Stewart bashing Biden, except: Please make it another nine years
— Keith Olbermann⌚️ (@KeithOlbermann) February 13, 2024
"OK, maybe not universal," Stewart said of the responses. "But that was on Twitter (X). Everything on Twitter gets a backlash. I've seen Twitter tell labradoodles to go to f**k themselves.
"I just think it's better to deal head-on with what's an apparent issue to people. We're just talking here!" he added.
However, the show then pulled up Trump's staunchly anti-Trump niece, Mary Trump's post about Stewart.
The writer and psychologist, who has been openly critical of her uncle, said of Stewart, "Not only is Stewart’s 'both sides are the same' rhetoric not funny, it’s a potential disaster for democracy. I have thoughts . . ."
Exasperated, Stewart said, "It was just one f**king show! It was 20 minutes. I did 20 minutes of one f**king show!"
He continued, "I guess as the famous saying goes, 'democracy dies in discussion . . .' But look, I have sinned against you. I'm sorry," he said unseriously in a Southern accent. "It was never my intention to say out loud what I saw with my eyes and then brain. I can do better. I can haz learning. I can haz it!"
"The Daily Show" airs Monday through Thursday at 11 p.m. on Comedy Central and streams on Paramount+.
