Comedy Central’s Monday host of The Daily Show, Jon Stewart, flipped conservative media the double bird for highlighting instances of violence that occurred in New York after the Knicks won the NBA Finals. He further claimed conservatives who were looking forward to the UFC fight at the White House were being hypocritical in their condemnations. Later in the show, Stewart welcomed Sen. Raphael Warnock to promote his new book in order to claim that liberals are the better Christians.
After playing some clips from Fox News and Newsmax, Stewart attacked, “They’re focusing on the bad stuff to portray that the prevailing emotion and behavior in New York City on that Saturday night was one of chaos and barbarity, but I was there. You're lying. It wasn't. It was an overwhelming sense of joy and solidarity and diversity and community, and a good amount of crying, and a lot of contact high, and we are just so sorry, right-wing media, that we in New York City can't live up to your definition of a 'peaceful gathering.’”
After some January 6 footage, Stewart displayed his double middle finger salute and continued, “Womp, womp. Womp, womp. Now that's how you behave in public. Although, to be fair to that mob, you know, they lost, so—anger justifiable.”
While Stewart wants to use January 6 as a "get out of criticism free” card, he eventually moved on to the UFC, “But honestly, some shit happened that wasn't great. The night was marred by some violence. I mean, what would you guys on the right rather be watching?”
After some more Newsmax clips, Stewart continued ranting, “So, you didn't care for New York's joyful night, marred by a small amount of violence, because it wasn't focused enough on the violence part? Yes, Sunday night gave the president and his acolytes an opportunity to rebut the joyous communion of teamwork that embodied the New York Knickerbockers for a joyless, Vegas-style trudge through the People's House, now transformed into a gold-plated pummeling center where the gladiators' god was praised for his forbearance, and of course, nutsack.”
Later, when Warnock joined the show, Stewart marveled about how Warnock was trying to make religious liberalism palpable, “Here is what I want to ask you. The reason why I bring it up is, there is certainly a tradition within the Republican Party to claim faith as the foundation for all of that governance should occur. That they would like to see more of that in there. And it feels like the argument you are making is with maybe some of your fellow politicians. I know you have sat down with Mike Johnson, who is obviously—and forgive me for not having the language of this because I do not come from a faith tradition other than… So, you are basically working off of the same book.”
Warnock eventually attacked Republicans for passing the One Big Beautiful Bill by recalling, “But I was struck by the fact that when they passed the One Big Ugly Bill, they got together, the Speaker of the House held hands with other legislators, prayed a prayer, then they went and cut a trillion dollars out of Medicaid. A trillion dollars. They kicked 15 million people off of their health care. They kicked veterans and seniors and children off of SNAP, and I don't understand how you read the Book that I read—I’m Matthew 25 Christian.”
Explaining himself, Warnock added, "The acid test of the authenticity of your faith is the depth of your commitment to the most marginalized members of the human family. You can’t pray and then crush the poor. Isaiah, upon which this Book is written, says, ‘God says I cannot endure solemn assemblies with iniquity. Your hands are full of blood.’ And so I asked—I raised that question, and the speaker wanted to meet with me, and I was happy to meet with him and talk to him. We had a very candid conversation. I hope we keep that going.”
What Warnock didn’t say and Stewart didn’t challenge him on Democrats marginalizing unborn babies or the bill’s work requirements for Medicaid or that Democrats desired that expanded Biden and COVID-era Obamacare subsidies be made permanent.
Here is a transcript for the June 15 show:
Comedy Central The Daily Show
6/15/2026
11:13 PM ET
JON STEWART: They’re focusing on the bad stuff to portray that the prevailing emotion and behavior in New York City on that Saturday night was one of chaos and barbarity, but I was there. You're lying. It wasn't. It was an overwhelming sense of joy and solidarity and diversity and community, and a good amount of crying, and a lot of contact high, and we are just so sorry, right-wing media, that we in New York City can't live up to your definition of a "peaceful gathering."
[January 6 footage]
STEWART: Womp, womp. Womp, womp. Now that's how you behave in public. Although, to be fair to that mob, you know, they lost, so—anger justifiable.
But I guess it's all about what side of the aisle you sit on. Where you see a mob destroying a school bus, I see people of all faiths and creeds and colors and sexualities coming together to destroy a school bus. It ain't a melting pot until you light that bitch on fire!
So, right-wing media, you cannot tear us apart. Our mayor is Muslim. Our bagels are Jewish. Our Timothee Chalamet, Knicks in five.
But honestly, some shit happened that wasn't great. The night was marred by some violence. I mean, what would you guys on the right rather be watching?
MARC LOTTER: The White House is getting' ready to rumble with UFC.
ROB FINNERTY: Very excited to see this.
KATRINA SZISH: Epic, epic day.
GREG KELLY: Hey, isn't that awesome? Fight night. I'm actually personally looking forward to it very, very much. I have a ticket—plus one. My brother. [jump cut] Gotta tell you, I'm pumped. I feel like my life is going to change this weekend.
STEWART: Is that guy trying to [bleep] his brother? I don’t know what’s going on here. “Let’s take my brother." They’re probably holding on to each other. "I don’t know what’s going to happen.”
So, you didn't care for New York's joyful night, marred by a small amount of violence, because it wasn't focused enough on the violence part? Yes, Sunday night gave the president and his acolytes an opportunity to rebut the joyous communion of teamwork that embodied the New York Knickerbockers for a joyless, Vegas-style trudge through the People's House, now transformed into a gold-plated pummeling center where the gladiators' god was praised for his forbearance, and of course, nutsack.
…
STEWART: Here is what I want to ask you. The reason why I bring it up is, there is certainly a tradition within the Republican Party to claim faith as the foundation for all of that governance should occur. That they would like to see more of that in there. And it feels like the argument you are making is with maybe some of your fellow politicians. I know you have sat down with Mike Johnson, who is obviously—and forgive me for not having the language of this because I do not come from a faith tradition other than--
RAPHAEL WARNOCK: He’s a fellow Christian. He’s a believer.
STEWART: Yes. Yes. Yes. So, you are basically working off of the same book.
WARNOCK: Well, yeah, we, that's right, we are people of the book, and let me be really clear because I don't want people to misunderstand, this a pastor who serves in the Senate. Let me be really clear. I am a Christian.
I don't want to live in anyone's theocracy. Christian, Muslim, Jewish, we are a country—the covenant that we have with one another as a covenant for freedom. Freedom of religion, freedom to choose your religion, freedom from religion.
And the covenant—and we agreed that we are going to have each other's back, and we are going to support that. But I was struck by the fact that when they passed the One Big Ugly Bill, they got together, the Speaker of the House held hands with other legislators, prayed a prayer, then they went and cut a trillion dollars out of Medicaid. A trillion dollars. They kicked 15 million people —
STEWART: Right.
WARNOCK: —off of their health care. They kicked veterans and seniors and children off of SNAP, and I don't understand how you read the Book that I read—I’m Matthew 25 Christian.
STEWART: Why wouldn't you be? Matthew 24 is like, "No." I remember when that's coming up--keep going.
[crosstalk]
WARNOCK: "I was hungry and they fed me, I was thirsty and they gave me something to drink.”
STEWART: Right.
WARNOCK: “I was sick and you came to visit me” and they asked the Lord, “when were you hungry? When were you sick, when were you in prison? When were you an immigrant?”
And He said “In as much you have done it to the least of these, you have done it also unto me."
And so, for me, the acid test of the authenticity of your faith is the depth of your commitment to the most marginalized members of the human family. You can’t pray and then crush the poor. Isaiah, upon which this Book is written, says, “God says I cannot endure solemn assemblies with iniquity. Your hands are full of blood."
And so I asked—I raised that question, and the speaker wanted to meet with me, and I was happy to meet with him and talk to him. We had a very candid conversation. I hope we keep that going.
