‘The Daily Show’: Jon Stewart Tackles Trump Verdict & Biden’s ‘Weird ’70s Sitcom’ Reaction

Jon Stewart of The Daily Show began Monday’s (June 3) show by talking about Donald Trump’s recent conviction and the odd response from President Joe Biden.

The former president was found guilty on all 34 counts of falsifying business documents pertaining to his payments of hush money to adult film actress Stormy Daniels to conceal an affair on Thursday, May 30.

When a reporter asked Biden to comment on the Trump verdict, Stewart played a clip from his press conference. In the footage, Biden can be seen turning around and stopping mid-step, all while grinning broadly.

“No, don’t give up!” Stewart pleaded. “Why are they unable to instruct him to simply f****** continue walking whenever he is in public?”

Stewart said, “Why does everything have to be so f****** weird?” after showcasing a video of the smile. Why? Say anything you want about [Trump’s conviction] if you have anything to say! Do not say anything about it if you have nothing to say about it!

“So you’re just going to stop and hit them with some kind of 70s sitcom freeze-frame?” he asked, playing back the video while adding some vintage sitcom music.

Stewart also discussed how the media reacted to Trump’s guilty judgment, showing a Fox & Friends Weekend footage in which Trump insisted he had never used the phrase “Lock her up” in reference to Hillary Clinton.

After that, the late-night presenter played a few clips in which Trump used the controversial term that served as the campaign’s catchphrase in 2016.

Stewart, though, was even more shocked that none of the three Fox co-hosts had refuted Trump’s assertion. “Three of them!” he said. It is plausible that one of them forgot that he had told her to “lock her up.” Did two of them forget? Three of them? And for that reason, ladies and gentlemen, courts are necessary.

“We all live in a single reality, and it can be the news media’s responsibility to dispute the specifics of that reality,” he stated. Reconstructing the events of the past and reconstructing their realities is what the courts excel at doing. The news media might act similarly, but instead they focus on the future and engage in reckless speculation.

Stewart’s entire monologue is available to view above.

Comedy Central’s The Daily Show airs weeknights at 11:30/10:30c.

The Daily Show

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Jon Stewart

HOST • WRITER • COMEDIAN • ACTOR • SATIRIST

Birth Name: Jonathan Stewart Leibowitz

Birth Date: November 28, 1962

Age: 61 years old

Birth Place: New York, New York

During one of the most chaotic periods in American history, comedian Jon Stewart—jovial anchor of the Emmy-winning faux news show “The Daily Show” (Comedy Central, 1996–) underwent a transition from being a frat boy comic to a sharp social and political satirist. In a sea of 24-hour news blowhards and politician-appealing media, Stewart rose from an unknown cable station to become one of the country’s few voices of reason amid war, government nonsense, and a more subservient national media.

Even though comedian Jon Stewart frequently claimed to be the host of a false news program, “The Daily Show” eventually became one of the most dependable news sources for the Gen-X audience, or “stoned slackers,” as Fox pundit Bill O’Reilly referred to them. Over time, Stewart’s Emmy-winning program gained the respect of influential figures in Washington, many of whom believed that sitting in his interview chair was essential to managing a campaign or even just selling a book.

No matter how much criticism he took, mostly from conservatives and media pundits who he frequently attacked, there was no denying that Stewart and “The Daily Show” played a crucial role in shaping the political conversation in the country. In 2015, following months of conjecture regarding his future intentions, Stewart declared he was departing from the venerable late-night program.

On November 28, 1962, in Lawrenceville, New Jersey, Stewart was born Jonathan Stewart Leibowitz. His parents were a special education mother and a scientist father. His parents separated when he was ten years old, leaving him emotionally damaged and cut off from his father. Early on in life, Stewart discovered he was a smartass, a trait he utilized to repel classmates who teased him for being Jewish. But he soon discovered that playing practical jokes, such as feigning to urinate on two main performers in a school play, was a better use of his time than making fun of the school bully.

Following high school, Stewart attended The College of William & Mary in Virginia, where he earned a psychology degree in 1984. Stewart later relocated to Jersey, where he took on a variety of odd jobs, such as bartending and doing puppet performances for young people with disabilities. Stewart then sold his car and took the bold decision to go to Manhattan to pursue a career as a stand-up comedian at the age of 23, realizing that life was about more than just playing baseball and slinging drinks.

Donald Trump

POLITICIAN • BUSINESSMAN • PERSONALITY

Birth Name: Donald John Trump

Birth Date: June 14, 1946

Age: 77 years old

Birth Place: New York, New York

Few could truly claim to have lived the American Dream of financial success and celebrity, but hotelier and casino tycoon Donald Trump did, however his wealth was not without its drawbacks. Trump, or “The Donald,” as his ex-wife Ivana dubbed him, was a virtuoso at closing deals. He began by making use of his natural charisma. Trump, who has achieved success in business, has also gained notoriety for his brash and outspoken demeanor, which has made him a media favorite and a scapegoat. Never one to pass up the newest fashion, Trump joined the reality television craze, co-starring and producing the NBC series “The Apprentice” (2004–2015). The show was an unexpected hit, making Trump’s now-famous slogan, “You’re fired!” part of popular culture.

Trump was an enormous influence in business and entertainment for decades, despite his public spats with both ex-wives, celebrities like Rosie O’Donnell, and former beauty queens like Carrie Prejean. After a protracted flirtation with American politics, Trump launched his candidacy as a Republican for president in the 2016 presidential election in 2015. He stunned seasoned politicians in July 2016 when he formally announced himself as the Republican party’s nominee. On November 8, 2016, Donald Trump was crowned as the 45th President of the United States following a fierce campaign.

Trump, who was born in New York City on June 14, 1946, was the third generation of businesspeople in his family. In 1896–1897, during the Yukon Gold Rush, Friedrich Drumpf, his grandpa, began his career as the manager of the Arctic Restaurant and Hotel in British Columbia after immigrating to the United States from Germany in 1885. Affordable housing was constructed by his father, Frederick Trump, who was a prosperous real estate developer in neighborhoods like Flat Bush, Coney Island, Brighton Beach, and Bensonhurst. As a young man, Donald helped his father in a variety of business endeavors and gained insight into the art of a good deal.

Following his graduation from the New York Military Academy in 1964, Trump attended the esteemed University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business to study finance. After arriving back in New York, Trump gained access to a private club on the understanding that he would not be able to take advantage of the wives of the more senior members. Using his membership as a tool, he established all the necessary connections to launch his empire.

The decision to join was wise. In the early 1980s, Trump rose to prominence as a real estate magnate by accumulating assets in New York City, such as Trump Tower and Trump Plaza.

Donald Trump Hush Money Verdict Reached: Guilty on All 34 Counts

In the landmark “hush money” trial of the former president, The People of the State of New York v. Donald Trump, the jury has returned a verdict. The trial ultimately reached its conclusion on Tuesday, May 28, when the prosecution and defense presented their closing statements following four weeks of heated testimony from prominent witnesses for both the prosecution and the defense.

The Manhattan jury deliberated for two days before reaching a decision following directions from the court, many requests for the same material, including parts of the evidence that was given to them, and jury instructions.
In the case, Donald Trump has been found guilty on all 34 counts. The scheduled time for sentencing is 10 a.m. ET on July 11.

District Attorney Alvin Bragg initially accused Trump on March 30, 2023, with 34 Class E felony counts of fabricating company documents to hide illegal activities and detrimental information from American voters prior to and following the 2016 presidential election.
Eleven counts concerned Michael Cohen invoices; nine pertained to Donald Trump’s general ledger entries; nine concerned Trump checks; three concerned general ledger entries from Trump’s revocable trust; and two concerned checks from Trump’s revocable trust.

For each of the 34 charges, Trump could receive a maximum sentence of four years in prison.

Following the trial, Trump spoke to the media, calling it a “disgrace” and insinuating that President Joe Biden was behind the proceedings. “We didn’t make any mistakes. He declared, “I’m a very innocent man,” after accusing the judge of being “conflicted” and labeling the trial as “rigged.”

In the meantime, a statement from Biden’s campaign read, “Today in New York, we witnessed that nobody is above the law. Voting at the polls is still the only surefire strategy to prevent Donald Trump from taking office. Whether or whether he has a criminal record, Trump will be the Republican nominee for president.

It was the first time a former US president had ever been charged with a crime, and it was also the first time a grand jury had ever found the former president guilty.

Judge Juan Merchan oversaw the trial, which got underway on April 15, 2024. During the trial, he concluded that The Apprentice star had been in contempt of court ten times because of his comments on social media against the case, the judge, and the witnesses.

Through his lawyer and fixer Michael Cohen, Trump was accused of paying adult film star Stormy Daniels $130,000 to keep her quiet about their romance during his campaign. Cohen testified against Trump during the trial after having previously been found guilty of charges pertaining to the case.