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00:00Hello and welcome. My name is Peter White. I am the executive editor of television at Deadline.
00:05Thank you for joining us for Deadline Contenders Television, Documentary and Unscripted.
00:09We have a big one here for you today, The Daily Show.
00:13It's been rather quiet in their world in recent weeks, given the news.
00:16There's not much going on, but I'm sure we'll find something to talk about with them.
00:21It's just been over a year since Jon Stewart returned to the show, winning an Emmy in his first year.
00:26And him and alongside four new hosts, Desi Lydic, Michael Koster, Ronnie Chang and Jordan Klepper.
00:35So joining us today is one of those is Desi Lydic alongside Jen Flans, a showrunner, executive producer and writer and keeper of the flame, according to Mr. Stewart.
00:45As well as Jubin Parang, who is a co-executive producer and writer.
00:49Thank you for joining us today. Before we kick into this conversation, let's see what they've been up to recently.
00:55Here we go again.
00:59It's been a good run, America.
01:02We've got so much to talk about tonight.
01:05Mass deportation.
01:06Potential measles outbreak.
01:08Grabbing Panama by the canal.
01:10RIP to DEI.
01:12Invading Greenland.
01:13Professional wrestling.
01:14Takeover Gaza.
01:15Tariffs.
01:15What was I talking about?
01:16Donald Trump.
01:17Elon Musk.
01:17Joe Biden.
01:18Melania.
01:19F***ing bank!
01:21Now let's focus on the price of eggs.
01:24You asked for it, we listened.
01:32The Democrats acted like Republicans for the last four months.
01:36They wore camo hats and went to Cheney family reunions.
01:41Do you know how dangerous it is to wear a hunting hat around Cheney's?
01:45We have been so concerned about all the scary things that Trump's going to do.
01:50We forgot he's also going to do some really stupid things.
01:54If you've been tuning out the presidential campaign so far, I get it.
01:57It's boring.
01:58My grandpa is also a rambling 80-year-old man.
02:01And let me tell you, I keep half an ear open for the word inheritance and I just ignore everything else.
02:06It used to be that you had to commit a crime to be pardoned.
02:10But now Biden has to do this weird, like, minority report tree pardon thing.
02:16Where it's like, hey, we know you didn't do anything, but Trump thinks you did something.
02:20So I'm going to pardon you for anything you did, even though you didn't do it.
02:23It's what our founders would have wanted.
02:26Think about how strange this moment is.
02:29I mean, years from now, children will be reading about this in history books.
02:33I mean, not in Florida.
02:37You want Dems to take action?
02:39They got to give Trump some action.
02:41You want Dems to stop jerking off and get to work?
02:44They got to get to work jerking him off.
02:47Yeah, no, I get it.
02:47I get where you're going.
02:48I get it.
02:50I bet you get it, you sex monster.
02:55Damn it.
02:55It's a letter from Donald Trump.
02:57Dear Troy, I saw you on TV, so you are now the new secretary of the interior.
03:02You're not qualified to run the interior.
03:04I'm gay, Jordan.
03:05He obviously thinks the head of interior is a decorating job.
03:09There's no paper swatches in here.
03:12These tariffs are going to help out all my N-words.
03:17You're, you're...
03:19My net gains, Costa.
03:21Right, right, of course.
03:22Of course, your net gains.
03:24Hey, hey, you're not an economist.
03:25That's not your word to say.
03:27Okay.
03:28You got a truck you want to show me?
03:29I wish the world a better place because I was here.
03:32Jesus Christ.
03:33President Trump.
03:34Same font, huh?
03:35Yeah.
03:36Jen, are you at all worried about that whole worshiping false idols thing?
03:39Not at all.
03:41Trump has ushered in the purge!
03:44You should celebrate.
03:46What?
03:47Right!
03:49Someone likes to kink shame, don't they, huh?
03:51Pew, pew, pew, pew, pew!
03:53Man, they're even funnier when they're all put together like that with just the punchlines.
03:59We should just do that for the show.
04:00You guys, we work with really funny people.
04:03Who are you?
04:04I don't know why we bother with setups.
04:05I hate when I laugh at our stuff.
04:09I'm like, don't laugh.
04:11You're not going to show us on camera laughing at our own jokes.
04:14The strangest thing after watching that clip is that that suggests all of that has happened
04:20in the last 12 months.
04:23So, Desi, let's start with you.
04:26You've been hosting this week.
04:28It's been a rather strange week in the news.
04:31How does one handle a week like we might have had at the beginning of April?
04:37Oh, my God.
04:39With a lot of help from a lot of staff members and some opiates, if I'm being honest.
04:46No, this was, I mean, this was a bit of a rollercoaster news week.
04:50And we always, you know, we're watching closely over the weekend.
04:54Before I go into the hosting week, I'm watching the Sunday morning shows.
04:57I'm reading the stories.
04:58And I'm going, OK, what do I think I might want to talk about?
05:02What sort of themes am I seeing?
05:03And then it was just like it was obvious it was going to be tariff week.
05:08But, of course, we couldn't predict exactly how that was going to go.
05:12And Tuesday, I think it was Tuesday or Wednesday, we had an entire show written
05:18and then went through basically a page one rewrite at around, what, 4 p.m.?
05:24Yeah.
05:24And we were immediately thrust back into, oh, this is what Trump's America looks like.
05:29Jen, how does one handle a page one rewrite at 4 p.m.?
05:38I nag the entire rewrite.
05:41I'm like, guys, audience, waiting, let's go.
05:44No, we, you know, I think we handle it with, I don't want to say ease at this point,
05:50but like this, we have like the best team to do it.
05:54We're the, we are constantly pivoting, like Desi said, we're keeping an eye on the news
05:59and is it ideal?
06:01Would you like a little more time?
06:02Sure.
06:02But I think one of us said it in the room, like, oh, this one feels like a live show
06:07because it felt like we wrote it and then just like went out with it and didn't have
06:13that much time to belabor each of the jokes.
06:15You know, a lot of times we talk about the words and we, you know, go through a few options,
06:19we rehearsed it and this one, we just, you know, had to go with because the whole tariff
06:24story changed at like four o'clock.
06:27And, but then, you know, we did this in 2016.
06:31It's the chaos of the administration and it keeps us on our toes.
06:36We're in game shape, you know.
06:37And I just have to say, Jubin leads the way.
06:40He is an absolute machine and the way he gets in and goes, okay, rolling up the sleeves,
06:45let's do this.
06:46I'm like, I'm not going to panic because Jubin's got this.
06:49We're fine.
06:50Oh, no, you know, you guys, honestly, a lot of the credit goes to Donald Trump himself
06:55because, you know, as much as his erratic decision-making throws our show into chaos,
07:01it also throws his guys into chaos too.
07:04They also come out stammering, saying four to five different things at once.
07:09And that ironically gives us the material that we need to replace the material that he
07:14ruined for us.
07:15So it, it ended up being, you know, going through all the different ways they were trying
07:19to explain why they were a settler-versing terror policy and how they were contradicting
07:23themselves.
07:24So Trump, you know, he giveth as he taketh away.
07:27Is there anything enjoyable about that, that process, Jubin?
07:31I can't imagine, you know, five minutes before doing a show, you want to, you want to scrap
07:35it all.
07:35But, you know, something about working under pressure and having to, having to just do it.
07:40Is there anything that you and the writers actually enjoy about that?
07:45Oh, well, I mean, it's more like what Jen was saying.
07:48Like, it's more that this is sort of the, the furnace that we've, that we've forged
07:53ourselves in for the past, like eight to 10 years.
07:56We're very good now on all levels.
07:59The, you know, the, the, the production teams are, are always, they're always working.
08:04Our, our digital team is always gathering clips throughout the day.
08:07Anyway, the studio team is always looking for, for themes and patterns, what he said.
08:11So even when he changes or reverses course, we have five different departments that have
08:16material ready to go just based on what they've been gathering.
08:19So it is really a full staff, you know, input on, on how to change things out.
08:27So we're very lucky that it's not, even, even when it's a patron rewrite, we have so
08:31much material gathered from so many different areas of the show that we're ready to like
08:34to rock it.
08:35And a lot of that is because we've had so much experience working with Donald Trump.
08:40I was going to say, yeah, even yesterday, like we're constantly prepared.
08:44We try and prepare as much as you can and anticipate.
08:47So like yesterday, um, he was talking about shower heads and water again, and we have
08:53like a running file of all the times, you know, so we're able to really quickly throw
08:57together this amazing montage over the last year.
09:00He's been fixated on this and it's a daily show classic, you know, just, you know, actually
09:06also reminds me last week, we had been slowly building up a file because we began noticing
09:10that he kept, keeps talking about groceries and a very wistful way.
09:15Like it's such an old fashioned word, but it's, it's so important.
09:18And it means, it means food.
09:21Uh, and we just slowly started building up like, well, let's, let's figure out at some
09:24point we can use this.
09:25And then last week he happened to say it while he was disrupting another, uh, uh, show
09:29and we thought, well, let's, let's lock and load with this.
09:32And then this week he said it again.
09:34Like he, he always just giving us opportunities.
09:36Like I know the daily show has, has got some stuff they want to use.
09:39So I'm going to give them a lot of opportunities to, to bring it up.
09:42I feel at this point, Trump just needs a plumber and someone to take him to Ralph's.
09:49Desi, you've, uh, you've talked to me in the past about the sort of long-term issues versus
09:53the news of the day, talking about climate versus weather.
09:56I mean, it's just pouring in both right now.
09:58Right?
09:59Absolutely.
09:59Yeah.
10:00I think we, you know, we do what we can to think about, to think ahead.
10:04And like Jubin was saying, like themes that we're noticing or things that the administration
10:09continues to do, or I, you know, and to start gathering those, uh, materials and thoughts
10:15to put a thesis together.
10:17But then when the news hits that day, you sometimes have to just put it all aside and tackle the
10:22news of the day because that's what people are watching.
10:24And that's what people are talking about.
10:27Jen, uh, your ratings have been very good this year or certainly in the first quarter
10:33of 2025.
10:34Is there a sort of perverse, uh, joy in the fact that people might tune into the daily
10:40show to see what kind of shit show that is happening this week?
10:44Um, I, I am always happy for any reason that people want to tune into the daily show.
10:49Um, so, uh, I, I do think people come to the show to laugh about what's going on in the
10:54world and maybe people want to have wanted to laugh and like let off a little steam more
10:59in the last few months.
11:00And if we can provide that, that's awesome.
11:03You know, that's the main goal of the show, but really, and really just to like call out
11:07either side, listen, we've been hitting the Trump administration and the Dems, you know,
11:12we are not here to make friends.
11:15This is about comedy, right?
11:17So any reason anybody wants to watch, I'm, I'm happy about it.
11:22Yeah, that's absolutely clear.
11:23Jon Stewart's return.
11:25So it's been just over a year, Desi.
11:26Uh, how is it, uh, having the old man at the desk on Mondays, uh, for the last 12 months?
11:32You know how they say, never meet your heroes.
11:35I say, meet your hero and then immediately get on his payroll.
11:39I think that's the, that's the advice that everyone should follow.
11:42I, I adore him.
11:45Um, I mean, so many people have so much reverence and respect for who he is and what he brings
11:51and his perspective, but to get to watch him come in every Monday and do his thing and come
11:58in with a clear idea of what he wants to talk about, but then for him to have flexibility
12:03in the process and be an open collaborator and then to see how he molds the show throughout
12:09the, throughout the day with the team, um, is just a masterclass.
12:15It's an absolute masterclass.
12:16And then watching his performance and, you know, one thing I'm completely, you know, I'm
12:22reminded of watching him again at the desk is just how much joy he has, how much fun he
12:29has.
12:31And like Jen said, times are tough right now.
12:32You know, people are going through difficult times and they want to laugh and they want
12:36to escape and he's, you know, the absolute master at that.
12:41Yeah, absolutely.
12:41And he called the, the, the phrase I used earlier to describe, uh, Jen was the keeper of
12:46the flame.
12:47That is something that John said on stage at the Emmys.
12:50I wonder, uh, you sort of mentioned the fact that you can't do this without the writers
12:53and, and two of them are here with us.
12:56How is it working with, uh, with this group, Desi?
13:00Oh man, like it, it blows me away every, every day.
13:06Cause I think, oh, how are we going to tackle this today?
13:08And somehow we find our way through, um, yeah, I, there are days when I might have a very
13:16clear idea of what I want to tackle.
13:18And then there are days where I go, I don't know how we're going to talk about this, but
13:21I know for a fact that Jubin and Jen are going to lead the charge and that we're all, we're
13:27all going to find it.
13:28I think as long as you're keeping that, that collaborative spirit in the room, that we're,
13:34we're, that we feel free to throw out ideas and have honest conversations, that's usually
13:40what, what helps us find our way.
13:42And also kill each other's jokes.
13:44That's always, it has to happen.
13:47It has to happen.
13:48That is, uh, the best part of being in the room with any of us is really just making fun
13:53of each other and telling, you know, listen, if it's not funny, you're going to hear it.
13:57I mean, I mean, there, there is like legitimately, like, uh, you have to really trust somebody
14:02to, to tell them that's not a funny joke that you just said.
14:06And we all really trust each other.
14:08And we know that we, that, you know, everybody, the show like knows that we think we're all
14:12funny and that we are going to find the best, uh, version of the best, uh, joke and the
14:16best headline.
14:17And, and that gives us a lot of joy and energy to go tackle whatever the show is going to be
14:22that day.
14:22Whose job is it to say no, uh, Jubin?
14:24Um, oh, it's, I mean, it's everybody's every, uh, it's, I will say to, to Jen has a, um,
14:33a unique bluntness when, uh, something is not funny.
14:37And we'll, we'll say this is when everyone else has stammered to try to find a more,
14:41uh, diplomatic way of saying it, she'll be like, well, it's not funny.
14:44So we're not going to do it.
14:46Yeah, that's, yes, that's what I was going to, Jen said it for us.
14:49I come in with, there is a base level.
14:51We are, we are all funny and smart and not kind.
14:54And we, we know that we're walking into a room.
14:56It's, it is, hopefully, hopefully nobody's ever offended by my bluntness, but yeah.
15:01If it's not funny, it's not going to make it to air.
15:03You have to have it, yeah.
15:04No time for nicety.
15:05But this is a daily show.
15:07We don't have time to sugarcoat things.
15:09That's right.
15:10It's also, I have trouble in my brain making it nicer, which is.
15:12It's a, it's a daily show that's been, uh, been on air coming up to 30 years, Jen.
15:18Uh, we had SNL 50 this year and we've got the daily show 30 next year.
15:23Um, there, there's still some life in late, late night, right?
15:27There's still some life left, despite what some of the naysayers are saying.
15:30Listen, I, I've read the articles.
15:32I've heard all, I've heard it all, but I will tell you when I'm out with friends, family,
15:37I, I like when the streets are talking, like when just normal people that don't work in
15:43television are talking to me, they all watch the show and are reciting jokes.
15:47Somebody called me the other day about one of Ronnie's jokes at the desk about the signal
15:51chat.
15:51And it was like, um, and they're really quoting jokes from the show.
15:55So it's relevant and people use it as an outlet.
15:58And I think it's great that there's other platforms and the streamers and social media
16:03and whatever to, to put out other content.
16:05But I think that late night will always have a voice, um, you know, and I think it's important
16:11to have like a central area that people can go to laugh.
16:14Absolutely.
16:15Well, you certainly, yes.
16:17Yeah, you certainly do that.
16:19So, uh, Jen, Jubin, Desi, thank you for joining us today.
16:22Oh, thank you.
16:23Thanks for having us, Peter.