As part of the America 250 celebrations this year, a time capsule will be buried with things that represent America in 2026 and will be unearthed in another 250 years in 2276 for the country’s 500th birthday. On Wednesday, Comedy Central sent The Daily Show correspondent Troy Iwata out to see what “present-day patriots” think should be put into the capsule and got multiple excrement-related answers.
In a voiceover, Iwata declared, “So, in 250 years, when future Americans open this time capsule, will they be jealous of the golden age we are currently living in? I'm asking present-day patriots what they think.”
While interviewing some people, he sarcastically wondered, “Now why is 2026 the best year in American history to preserve for future generations?”
The Daily Show went out for a man-on-the-street thing where they asked what should be put in the time capsule that will be dug up on America's 500th birthday to represent America's 250th birthday and one man said, "I was thinking, like, a pile of shit, maybe?" He was followed by… pic.twitter.com/weZtf4n7ul
— Alex Christy (@alexchristy17) May 7, 2026
One particularly snarky woman replied, “‘Cause it’s not," while a man added, “Not really.”
A second man declared that, “I don't think it is the best year to preserve for future generations.” Meanwhile, a third echoed the sentiment, “I would say it is not the best. I’d say it’s the worst.”
Another woman simply asked, “Did you see how 2026 started?”
Keeping with the sarcasm, Iwata asked, “What do you think we can put into the time capsule that is representing America in 2026, the height of American society?”
The third man claimed, “I was thinking, like, a pile of shit, maybe?” while the second woman similarly mused, “I think if somebody went and took a shit right outside the White House, pick it up, put it in the time capsule.”
The fact that The Daily Show thinks Americans celebrating the country’s 500th birthday will be interested in reducing the country to Donald Trump says more about them than it does about Trump. The actual time capsule will include artifacts from the America 250 commission, all three branches of the federal government, and all 56 states and territories.
Here is a transcript for the May 6 show:
Comedy Central The Daily Show
5/6/2026
11:14 PM ET
TROY IWATA: So, in 250 years, when future Americans open this time capsule, will they be jealous of the golden age we are currently living in? I'm asking present-day patriots what they think.Now why is 2026 the best year in American history to preserve for future generations?
WOMAN: ‘Cause it’s not.
MAN: Not really.
IWATA: Oh.
MAN 2: I don't think it is the best year to preserve for future generations.
MAN 3: I would say it is not the best. I’d say it’s the worst.
WOMAN 2: Did you see how 2026 started?
IWATA: Yes, Zendaya released, like, nine movies.
What do you think we can put into the time capsule that is representing America in 2026, the height of American society?
MAN 3: Yeah, I was thinking, like, a pile of shit, maybe?
WOMAN 2: I think if somebody went and took a shit right outside the White House, pick it up, put it in the time capsule.
IWATA: Oh, that is gross.
