Even Elon Musk’s clever DOGE plans. On the episode of The Daily Show that aired Monday, Feb. 24, 2025, Stewart comes up with his own cost-cutting measures with his trademark ion and enthusiasm… with a different ending than his usual monologues.
With his “wannabe ant starter kit” ready (a coffee mug that says “World’s Most Dad,” a hat, and a calculator), Stewart asks where the government could decrease spending rather than firing countless employees and asks: “How about we just take $3 billion in subsidies we give to oil and gas companies that turn billions in profits? How long did that take? Oh, wait!” He then suggests ending the hedge fund carried interest loophole (that would save $1.3 billion annually) and not spending $2 trillion for a fighter jet. He says he figured out billions of dollars of savings in just a few seconds.
After Stewart mentions the ongoing frustration of corporations making money “at the expense of the taxpayer” and how Americans spend more for drugs than any Western country, he hits his coffee mug so hard that it smashes into pieces. He looks as surprised as viewers are and smiles before saying, “I will be going to the hospital soon.”
What got Stewart so worked up? While he’s of course critical of Donald Trump and Musk, he brings up a fair point about Joe Biden’s deal that would lower the price of 10 prescription drugs. As The Daily Show host points out, it’s not a good thing that “The companies we subsidize with billions of dollars” are granting Americans the chance to pay less for drugs. That would make anyone hit a coffee cup in frustration! (But hopefully not so hard that they need medical attention… or that they lose any precious caffeine.)
Several fans commented on the YouTube video of the episode and asked if Stewart was alright. One said they attended the live taping and remarked: “The mug bit was real and an incredible moment.” Stewart posted about it on X and joked about the “bloody good” show.
We’re back! New Daily Show tonight! It’s a bloody good episode…emphasis on bloody…I’m an idiot…
— Jon Stewart (@jonstewart) February 25, 2025
Thankfully, Stewart is fine. His monologue drives home just how sick and tired everyone, even late-night talk show hosts and political commentators (or maybe especially them), is of the revolving door of employees being laid off and MAGA going on and on about how terrible the government supposedly is. Even though, you know, they’re the government now. But it’s okay, because they’re going to keep firing people and they’re going to fix everything! Just like that.
This wasn’t the first time Stewart has criticized Musk in his The Daily Show opening monologue (and won’t be the final time, that’s for sure). In early October 2024, Musk said the Second Amendment is necessary to “ensure that we have the First Amendment.” Stewart replied, “Guns don’t protect our free speech.” It’s interesting to take a trip down memory lane and recall that, back in 2012, Musk appeared on The Daily Show to talk about creating SpaceX. It’s hard to imagine the two sitting down for a similarly pleasant conversation today… although maybe Stewart could get Musk to explain what five things he’s accomplished in his job in the past week.
Published: Feb 25, 2025 12:02 pm