The Daily Show: Ears Edition

This episode of the Precap was recorded on Thursday, January 22nd, prior to the ICE shooting in Minneapolis this weekend. This week's Daily Show host Desi Lydic is joined by writer Devin Delliquanti to recap the news of the week, and preview what's to come. They expertly analyze the Oscar nominees they haven't seen, unpack Trump's new Board of Peace's billion dollar subscription fee, and gossip like it's 2016. Looking ahead they anticipate a coming blizzard, and the premiere of the "Melania" documentary, which both have people staying home. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Take a look back at some interviews with great authors that stopped by The Daily Show. Jon Stewart talks book tour fashion with humorist David Sedaris and the day-to-day of revolutionaries with historian David McCullough. Trevor Noah talks to Roxane Gay about her memoir and life. Jon talks pessimism with David Rakoff, and American history with Sarah Vowell, and grapples with big ideas with Ta-Nehisi Coates. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Josh Johnson covers Trump's continued pitch for America to own Greenland and the president's ire at being snubbed for the Nobel Peace Prize, despite receiving one secondhand from Nobel winner Maria Corina Machado. Plus, Josh compares Trump's campaign promises to what the president actually achieved (for himself) in his first year back in office. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Josh Johnson gives a progress report on Trump’s first year in office based on his campaign pledges to generate more jobs, make Americans rich, improve healthcare, and protect free speech. Naturally, the only person to benefit from these promises is Trump, who now has everything but a normal-looking hand. Lewis Black takes on Gen Z’s nostalgic penchant for the past and the ridiculous “throwback” fads the younger generation is reviving, including cigarette smoking, “dumb phones” to help them think thoughts, tramp stamps, and the mall. Emmy award-winning documentarian Alexandria Stapleton talks to Josh Johnson about producing and directing the Netflix docuseries, “Sean Combs: The Reckoning,” including her shared concern with producing partner Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson not to indict the entire Hip-Hop culture along with the music mogul and how the sense of trepidation among the documentary crew and interview participants has shifted since the release of the series and the arrest of Sean Combs. They also share their personal theories of how Combs, a master of reinvention, might try to rebrand himself upon his release and how Stapleton hopes the series will lead to more conversations that can help push Hip-Hop, society, and justice systems forward. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Trump closes out his first year as president (again) with a finger-crushing book of accomplishments while he leans into his goal for Year 2: acquiring Greenland. Josh Johnson tracks how Trump’s mumbling about his need to own “Iceland” in Davos morphed into a vague "concept of a deal" with the president who never hears the word “no.” In another edition of Everything Is Stupid, Ronny Chieng details the rise and fall of an alleged scam that anyone with a sane mind could’ve seen coming: former New York City Mayor Eric Adams’s risky and unregulated crypto token, which he compared to Betsy Ross before it crashed spectacularly. “The Copenhagen Test” star Simu Liu sits down with Josh Johnson to discuss his new series on Peacock and his upcoming Broadway debut in “Oh, Mary!” He shares what it’s like to portray Mary’s Teacher on stage, the similarities and differences between acting on film and for a live audience, and his experience in stunt performance, inspired by the greats like Jackie Chan and Jet Li. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

After receiving a secondhand Nobel Peace Prize from the real winner, Maria Corina Machado, Trump decides peace is for chumps and doubles down on his plans to take over Greenland, angering both Emmanuel Macron and Emmanuel Macron's eye. Plus, while Josh Johnson thinks the president's plan to extort Greenland out of Europe's hands through tariffs will only hurt Americans, Michael Kosta demonstrates how kicking one's own ass is the ultimate fighting strategy. Trump still wants Greenland and is threatening our European allies if they don’t go along with his plan, but this story has been brewing for a while. As Jordan Klepper’s recent trip to Norway showed us, the president’s anti-peace reputation has long been the talk of the town. President and CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, Artis Stevens, sits down with Josh Johnson to discuss the power of mentorship. They talk about overcoming the barriers of time and perfection by being present, building social infrastructure to change communities, and the correlation between mentorship and educational, financial, and social success. To get simple, online access to personalized, affordable care for ED, Hair Loss, Weight Loss, and more, visit https://Hims.com/dailyshow Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week's Daily Show host Josh Johnson is joined by writer Nicole Conlan to recap the latest news, and preview what's yet to come. Together they try to wrap their heads around the "objectively bad" news cycle, including Trump's aggression toward Greenland, Venezuela, and the residents of Minnesota. They dig in to what individuals can to do be helpful wherever they are, and try to get inside the heads of agro, but outnumbered, ICE agents. Looking forward, they speculate on the upcoming Oscar nominations, and what else the news might have in store for us. To get simple, online access to personalized, affordable care for ED, Hair Loss, Weight Loss, and more, visit https://Hims.com/dailyshow Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Daily Show unpacks the many ways Americans have found to misunderstand and misappropriate Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Leslie Jones confronts people on the streets about how they’re celebrating. Dulce Sloan reminds us our heroes aren’t perfect, they’re people. Roy Wood Jr. on the exploitation of the holiday. Vann R. Newkirk II and Trevor Noah discuss the civil rights icon’s real legacy. Charlamagne Tha God is celebrating MLK Day like it's his last, because with this president, it might be. To get simple, online access to personalized, affordable care for ED, Hair Loss, Weight Loss, and more, visit https://Hims.com/dailyshow Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Josh Johnson's freshman year at The Daily Show desk was filled with deep dives into the unraveling of the Epstein files, Trump's grudge against "treasonous" Obama, an accidental venture into socialism, a strange debate about pedophilia, and the president's ever-shrinking chances of getting into heaven. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jon Stewart digs into Trump claiming he's the acting president of Venezuela, dividing the country's oil between energy companies, and saber-rattling at Iran and Greenland. Jon also calls out MAGA's hypocrisy when it comes to the fatal shooting of Renee Good by an ICE agent vs. the January 6 insurrection. Jordan Klepper tackles RFK Jr.'s upside-down food pyramid, Pete Hegseth's latest alleged war crime, and the people of Minnesota fighting back against ICE. Plus, Klepper covers the president's push to take over Greenland and examines MAGA's criticisms of Mamdani's first two weeks in office as NYC mayor. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jordan Klepper covers the latest on Trump’s whole milk antics, the president’s push to take over Greenland that has Europe mobilizing, and Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s burgeoning communist reign in New York City, which has unleashed terrors such as expanded access to childcare and free public restrooms. Grace Kuhlenschmidt breaks down the latest tech from the CES conference: candy that puts voices in your head, razors that botch your haircut for you, robots that can see you but can’t hear you, and a chance to fulfill your dreams of beating up a machine! Actor Wagner Moura joins Jordan Klepper, fresh off of his Golden Globe win for his performance in “The Secret Agent.” Moura, a Brazilian native, describes how the film, which takes place in 1977 Brazil during a heavy dictatorship, was a way for him and director Kleber Mendonça Filho to process their perplexity after their country’s return to dictatorship values with the election of far-right president Jair Bolsonaro in 2018. They also discuss how this period piece resonates with Brazilians today, as well as audiences all over the world who are likewise facing authoritarian threats, the importance of retaining historical memory in order to avoid repeating past mistakes, and why he gravitates towards projects that merge art with politics. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Donald Trump gives a Ford factory worker the middle finger and delivers a message of “keep protesting” but only for Iranians, immigration raids escalate in Minnesota, ICE engages in blatant racial and accent profiling, and Jordan Klepper highlights the Minnesotans fighting back with music, costumes, and bologna. Musician Langhorne Slim joins Jordan Klepper to talk about his new album, “The Dreamin’ Kind.” They discuss the importance of dreamers and creativity, especially during uncertain times, how politics have changed the way his older music resonates, collaborating with Greta Van Fleet, and his mission to make joyful music that'll have you wanting to “shake it.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jordan Klepper rounds up the latest indiscretions from Trump's cabinet, including Pete Hegseth adding perfidy to his collection of alleged war crimes, Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer bringing back the good old-fashioned political sex scandal, and RFK Jr. making America heart attack again with his upside-down food pyramid, which Troy Iwata breaks down for us. Charlamagne Tha God is celebrating MLK Day like it's his last, because with this president, it might be. Thanks to the Trump administration’s backsliding on the national holiday, MAGA's disparaging remarks against Dr. King, and Elon Musk’s call for white solidarity, Donald Trump’s birthday is in the running to replace MLK Day. Award-winning director and screenwriter Joachim Trier joins Jordan Klepper to discuss his latest critically-acclaimed film, "Sentimental Value." They talk about the influence of early skateboarding films on challenging actors to take risks, developing a cast built on trust with Stellan Skarsgård, Renate Reinsve, Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas and Elle Fanning, using filmmaking as the setting to explore one family’s dynamics, and swapping antagonists for tender characters to bring understanding and hope into a complicated world. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jon Stewart digs into Trump announcing himself as Venezuela's acting president via Wikipedia, dividing Venezuela amongst cooperating oil companies, making a game-time decision to involve himself in Iran, and setting his sights on conquering Greenland so Russia can’t have it. Plus, Trump’s rules for January 6th rioters don't square with the MAGA rhetoric around the January 7th ICE killing of Renee Good. Civil liberties attorney and co-host of the podcast, "Previously Prohibited," Jenin Younes, joins Jon Stewart to discuss how MAGA’s rewriting of the Minneapolis ICE shooting signals a perpetual escalation in violating civil liberties. They talk about how Trump has transitioned from protecting free speech to supporting censorship, JD Vance’s justification over the legality of the Minneapolis shooting, how the Right’s anti-immigrant rhetoric appeals to working-class Americans’ frustrations, and why ICE is targeting blue states and sanctuary cities while exaggerating their “non-compliance.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week's host Jordan Klepper sits down with Daily Show writer and producer Matt O'Brien to recap the latest news, and preview what's coming up. Jordan labels it "Don't Believe Your Eyes" Week as political leaders and the media ask the public to disregard video evidence and facts in favor of partisan interpretations of the ICE shooting in Minnesota, Trump's attack on Venezuela, and the anniversary of January 6th. Plus they unpack RFK Jr.'s new upside-down, rotisserie chicken forward food pyramid, and look forward at what's coming down the pike this week in news. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Trump's been extra busy this year with his corrupt and chaotic handling of DEI, immigration, the trade war, SNAP benefits, foreign bribes, and more, but Jon Stewart managed to sum it all up with one big, beautiful word: Bulls**t! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As the U.S. takes apparent control of Venezuela, after capturing its head of state Nicolás Maduro, take a look back at how we got here with The Daily Show's coverage of Venezuelan political unrest through the years. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Minneapolis tells ICE to “get the f**k out” after an agent fatally shot a woman, Kristi Noem smears the victim as a terrorist while MAGA decides she deserved it, and Ronny Chieng questions ICE’s PR push to recruit highly aggressive, unqualified agents and unleash them on American cities. Americans are known for spoiling their living pets, but what about the ones who’ve passed? Michael Kosta explores the rising popularity of pet psychics, like Danielle MacKinnon, who claims to have the intuitive ability to communicate with all animals, past and present. Kosta learns about her process, meets her very real clients, and attempts to glean some insight into his relationship with his own dog, Walter. Actor and producer Lucy Liu sits down with Ronny Chieng to discuss her new film, “Rosemead,” which is based on a true story about a terminally ill mother and her son. They talk about Liu’s connection to the film and how its themes of mental health and grief affected her, why every role feels like a way of documenting her life, the time she directed Ronny onscreen, and how taking risks has led to the biggest rewards in her career. Plus, Simu Liu makes a cameo! Refresh your winter wardrobe with Quince—visit https://quince.com/DAILYSHOW for free shipping and 365-day returns. Let Rocket Money help you reach your financial goals faster—join at https://RocketMoney.com/DAILYSHOW with promo code DAILYSHOW. Join the thousands of parents who trust Fabric to help protect their family. Apply today in just minutes at https://meetfabric.com/daily Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ronny Chieng covers how Trump is taking charge of Venezuela's oil industry and replacing their old dictator with a new one: himself. Plus, this Venezuela takeover is so much fun, the president adds a bunch of other countries to his To-Be-Overthrown list, including Greenland, and Michael Kosta couldn't be more excited to be part of Trump's nation-extorting mafia. Jordan Klepper profiles Benny Johnson, social media star turned White House press commentator, who caught Trump’s eye with his generic vitriol, Russian backing, penchant for plagiarism, and unyielding obsession with Batman. Stephen J. Dubner, host of "Freakonomics Radio" and co-author of "Freakonomics," sits down with Ronny Chieng to discuss the book’s 20th anniversary edition. They talk about how Dubner and his co-author Steven Levitt wove together storytelling and data to present case studies without imposing their own judgment, and how their publisher, doubtful of the title, liberated them to write the book they wanted. Dubner also offers some Freakonomics insights for 2026 pertaining to animals and artificial insemination, and why one should never go before a judge just before lunch. Let Rocket Money help you reach your financial goals faster—join at https://RocketMoney.com/DAILYSHOW. Refresh your winter wardrobe with Quince—visit https://quince.com/DAILYSHOW for free shipping and 365-day returns. Join the thousands of parents who trust Fabric to help protect their family. Apply today in just minutes at https://meetfabric.com/daily Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ronny Chieng unpacks former Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro’s abduction and first day in court, where he and his wife got some good couples time pleading not guilty to cocaine trafficking charges. Meanwhile, MAGA attempts to justify Trump’s intervention by downplaying the episode, citing Christianity, and downright playing the bully. The latest scientific studies show that microplastics are in just about everything, and we’re ingesting them at an alarming rate. Thankfully, there’s a new product that's sure to help us take advantage of all the plastic we’re downing each day — eventually. Legendary Korean filmmaker, Director Park Chan-wook, sits down with Ronny Chieng (without any translation help from Ken Jeong) to discuss his new film, “No Other Choice,” which he adapted from an American novel. They discuss what attracted him to this story, which follows a devoted company man who is fired and directs his rage toward his competitors on the job market, and the similarities between the plot and his own 15-year struggle to get the film made. He also reflects on why Korean directors are so adept at satirizing capitalism and how the demise of movie theaters is the biggest threat to filmmaking. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices