Jon Stewart stopped by The Late Show to tell Americans we are still the good guys, as long as we still recognize right and wrong.
It’s no secret that after a long run on the Daily Show, Jon Stewart suffered some form of burn-out and had to leave the show and the constant cycle of horrible news. He retreated to the suburbs of New Jersey and with his wife, runs an adorable farm sanctuary. You can follow it here, and it will brighten your day.
While he spends plenty of time there, it is always a joy to see him back at it at the news desk, if only as a surprise guest like he was this week on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.
Whenever Stewart speaks from the desk, he appeals to the righteousness of the American people, often highlighting historical significance with his comedic slams.
This week on The Late Show, Colbert was starting off a segment, expressing exhaustion and the loss of emotional resources to process the latest presidential news. But have no fear, his buddy Stewart was there to help. If anyone understands political exhaustion, it’s Stewart.
Watch his appearance here:
Stewart gets right to it, directly addressing Trump’s bullying as “d–kish” behavior. It’s not enough when Trump gets his way, he also needs to punish all those who opposed him, or weren’t loyal enough, sycophantic enough, or in a woman’s case, physically appealing enough.
He lays it out in simple, clear terms. “You casually separated people seeking asylum from their children; from babies,” he states. He asserts that the recent “zero tolerance” policies are not in fact, about immigration but about Trump’s need to suppress and demean others.
Stewart addresses Trump as though he were a “super-villain.” Picking on his looks and love of cheeseburgers, saying “You may be orange. You may like hamburgers. You may be a clown. But you are no Ronald McDonald.”
Next, Stewart bargains with ludicrous ransoms Trump already has. Stewart offers a solid-gold house, a news outlet that praises him 24/7, destroyed land of his arch-rival (sorta). Is there any leverage we have?
Stewart, realizing there may not be, remarks “Clearly, we’re not going to be able to negotiate or shame you into decency, but there is one place where I draw the line. I won’t allow you and your sycophants to turn your cruelty into virtue.”
Continuing the theme that our current events may be as twisted as any movie, Stewart took on the role of motivational hero. He made it clear that as of right now, the American people are important and have the opportunity to be the good guys.
Quoting all-time favorite Republican Abe Lincoln, Stewart recites from the Cooper-Union speech. In a direct parallel to Lincoln’s words, he states to us:
"What Donald Trump wants is for us to stop calling his cruelty and fear and divisiveness wrong, but to join him in calling it right. This, we cannot do. And by not yielding, we will prevail."
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That, folks, is not burn-out. It is passion. Stewart’s powerful message reminds us that who we are is important. We do not have to be reduced to our worst if we can continue to rise to our best.