This week’s host of Comedy Central’s The Daily Show, Desi Lydic, joined the cast of Monday’s CBS Mornings to promote her upcoming episodes. Throughout the segment, Lydic and her hosts would hype the fellow Paramount property as a place that people can go to get not only entertaining, but informed takes on politics, and also start conversations they wouldn’t otherwise have. It all sounded nice, but was completely disconnected from The Daily Show that exists in the real world.
Co-host and Sports Illustrated swimsuit edition cover model Gayle King began the segment by introducing Lydic, “Viewers know her for her dry sense of humor and clever takes on politics and current events. She is hilarious. She joined the Emmy Award-winning show in 2015. Recently, she poked fun at Nebraska for being one of only two states that splits its electoral votes by congressional district rather than the winner takes all.”
In the clip that CBS showed, Lydic was actually arguing that Nebraska’s system is better than a winter-take-all and condemning those who sought to switch to such a system. Her main point, however, was that the Electoral College should be done away with and replaced with the popular vote, which King eagerly embraced, “I think she might be onto something.”
Later, co-host Nate Burleson asked Lydic, “When it comes to comedy, especially during these times, I feel like there's an appetite for intelligent, political comedy because it gives the people the information they need while making them feel comfortable about the chaos that they are currently living in. Not that this hasn’t always been here, but nowadays I feel like there is a bigger stage for entertainers like you. Do you feel like that's the case?”
Lydic claimed a special ability to build cross-aisle bridges:
Well, it does feel like things are so polarized and people are getting the news from the sources that reflect back their own opinions. You know, it feels like we're all kind in echo chambers and, you know, I personally am certainly more on the left-leaning side. The Daily Show tends to be a more progressive show, but I grew up in Louisville, Kentucky. My parents are Republicans, have been Republicans for quite some time, so, you know, those conversations can be challenging, and humor at its best can be sort of disarming and maybe start conversations that wouldn't happen otherwise.
That sounds nice, but speaking of Kentucky, last year, Lydic took a field trip to the state with the Washington Post’s Perry Bacon Jr., who used the interview to urge people to harass Republicans at church and the grocery store. In the same interview, Lydic reveled in Sen. Rand Paul getting his “ass kicked” by his neighbor.
Regardless, Lydic did Jon Stewart’s classic clown nose on, clown nose off routine as she added “So, we want to entertain people. We’re not out to change the world.”
Burleson was not prepared to let Lydic sell herself short, “But that helps when you write, that you understand both perspectives.”
Lydic agreed, “I think it's important to get curious about what other people feel and if you're at odds, you know, ask questions. Have a little empathy. Try to have a meaningful conversation about it.”
Again, that sounds nice, but Lydic doesn’t put her money where her mouth is. She could interview a conservative, but that is not scheduled to happen. Instead, we’ll probably get more claims like “having a vagina does not make you a woman” or that Jesus would approve of Transgender Visibility Day.
Here is a transcript for the May 14 show:
CBS Mornings
5/14/2024
9:42 AM ET
GAYLE KING: Our next guest, Desi Lydic is hosting The Daily Show alongside Jon Stewart and The Daily Show news team. Viewers know her for her dry sense of humor and clever takes on politics and current events. She is hilarious. She joined the Emmy Award-winning show in 2015. Recently, she poked fun at Nebraska for being one of only two states that splits its electoral votes by congressional district rather than the winner takes all.
DESI LYDIC: Nebraska should really truly keep the system, though, because it's certainly a more fair way to divide up the votes than winner take off. What if everybody did that like Nebraska by district or maybe even by person, you know, then whoever whips the most persons would be president. That would be pretty popular. Oh, we could call it the popular vote. I don't know. I'm just spitballing.
KING: I think she might be onto something, that Desi Lydic joins us in the studio. Hello, Desi. We're so glad you're here today.
…
NATE BURLESON: You know, when it comes to comedy, especially during these times, I feel like there's an appetite for intelligent, political comedy because it gives the people the information they need while making them feel comfortable about the chaos that they are currently living in. Not that this hasn’t always been here, but nowadays I feel like there is a bigger stage for entertainers like you. Do you feel like that's the case?
LYDIC: Well, it does feel like things are so polarized and people—
BURLESON: Yeah.
LYDIC: -- are getting the news from the sources that reflect back their own opinions. You know, it feels like we're all kind in echo chambers and, you know, I personally am certainly more on the left-leaning side. The Daily Show tends to be a more progressive show, but I grew up in Louisville, Kentucky. My parents are Republicans, have been Republicans for quite some time, so, you know, those conversations can be challenging, and humor at its best can be sort of disarming and maybe start conversations that wouldn't happen otherwise.
BURLESON: Yeah.
LYDIC: So, we want to entertain people. We’re not out to change the world.
BURLESON: But that helps when you write, that you understand both perspectives.
LYDIC: That's right.
KING: Which you do, which you do, yeah.
LYDIC: I think it's important to get curious about what other people feel—
BURLESON: Yeah.
LYDIC: -- and if you're at odds, you know, ask questions. Have a little empathy. Try to have a meaningful conversation about it.
