On Monday’s edition of Comedy Central’s The Daily Show, host Jon Stewart tried to have it both ways. On one hand, Stewart mocked Vice President JD Vance for blaming immigration for the French riots because, according to him, rioting is just what French people do. On the other hand, however, Stewart tried to blame President Trump for the riots because of the Iran War’s effect on gas prices.
At one point in his monologue, Stewart asked, “I'm sorry, Vance, are you seriously suggesting that immigrants have brought a culture of revolution and protest to France? What are you talking about? Have you ever been to the theater? Can you not hear the people sing? Do you know why Versailles is a museum? It used to be someone's house! Full of people with heads. Do you want to know how French, real French these protests were?”
Jon Stewart doesn't like blaming immigration for the French riots because France has been rioting ever since 1789, "Do you know why Versailles is a museum? It used to be someone's house! Full of people with heads...They stormed the bastille! Other than adultery, it's the most… pic.twitter.com/RzFndhwNdo
— Alex Christy (@alexchristy17) October 20, 2026
After a brief news clip showing people storming The Bastille, Stewart continued, “They stormed the Bastille! Other than adultery, it's the most French thing you can do! It's like blaming immigrants in America for remembering the Alamo. Riots are just a part of the general ambiance in France!”
It is actually fair to point out that a culture that honors street violence and public beheadings as part of its history is one that is likely to experience constant rioting interrupted by periods of calm. However, there were no Palestinian flags at Bastille in 1789, so immigration probably has at least something to do with it.
Yet, Stewart also had his own alternative explanation. Later he cued up a clip of President Emanuel Macron by wondering, “Why are they protesting?”
In the clip, Macron passed the buck to the Middle East via a translator, “These demonstrators expressed concern about the cost of living and fuel prices, which stem from the conflict that began in the Persian Gulf.”
Later, Stewart tries to blame Trump for the riots. After a clip of Emanuel Macron claiming people are concerned with high living costs and gas prices, Stewart says "Holy shit. In France, they've burned down an entire city because of a war they didn't start and aren't even any… pic.twitter.com/ND7vd3meVc
— Alex Christy (@alexchristy17) October 20, 2026
This time Stewart was happy to play along, “Holy shit. In France, they've burned down an entire city because of a war they didn't start and aren't even any part of. And here, in the country that started the war, we're not even sure we're going to get to take back the House! I mean, we are so mad about this war, we might vote! But at least now—yeah. Get out there!”
Just because Macron says something doesn’t make it true. In the U.S., a gallon of gas currently costs $4.28. In France, it is $9.37. In the U.S., taxation accounts for about 12 percent of the cost, while in Europe it is about 47 percent. The media likes to tell us the French riots are ostensibly about the underfunding of education, but these riots have also highlighted France’s debt crisis, which would be made worse if the rioters get their way. The real story in France is that socialism is easy to implement but harder to fix when the bill comes due. That is what every journalist interviewing a Democrat with outrageous spending proposals, that Stewart supports, must be asking now and during the upcoming 2028 campaign.
Here is a transcript for the October 19 show:
Comedy Central The Daily Show
10/19/2026
11:05 PM ET
JON STEWART: I'm sorry, Vance, are you seriously suggesting that immigrants have brought a culture of revolution and protest to France? What are you talking about? Have you ever been to the theater? Can you not hear the people sing? Do you know why Versailles is a museum? It used to be someone's house! Full of people with heads. Do you want to know how French, real French these protests were?
KATRINA SZISH: The latest demonstrations saw protesters swarm Paris's historic Place de la Bastille.
STEWART: They stormed the Bastille! Other than adultery, it's the most French thing you can do! It's like blaming immigrants in America for remembering the Alamo. Riots are just a part of the general ambiance in France!
***
STEWART: Why are they protesting?
EMANUEL MACRON [VIA TRANSLATOR]: These demonstrators expressed concern about the cost of living and fuel prices, which stem from the conflict that began in the Persian Gulf.
STEWART: Holy shit. In France, they've burned down an entire city because of a war they didn't start and aren't even any part of. And here, in the country that started the war, we're not even sure we're going to get to take back the House! I mean, we are so mad about this war, we might vote! But at least now—yeah. Get out there!
