Hello there.
You're about to watch an episode of The Daily Show.
That means there's some news and some jokes on the way.
So if you like laughing at news,
you're in the right (bleep) place, honey.
After two long years,
The Daily Show is finally back with an audience.
(applause and cheering)
Yeah!
Let's hear how excited they are.
I'm so excited that we are the first audience
-in two years to be here. That's amazing. -In two years.
I flew in from Canada last night just for this show today.
How excited are you to see the show?
This is the line for the COVID test, right?
Yes. Yes, it is.
I'm from Miami. It's crazy to be here.
This is wilder than a South Beach party.
I couldn't be more pumped to cut work to be here.
Who are you excited to see here tonight?
-Well, I'm really excited to see Trevor. -Trevor, obviously.
-And, um... anyone else? -Ronny.
-Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, Ronny. Yeah. -Yeah, Ronny, yeah.
-Ronny, yeah. -Ronny, and, uh...
And I'm sure there's someone else you're excited to see.
-Um, who else? -Dulcé.
-Dulcé, yeah, yeah, yeah. -Oh, Dulcé's really great, too.
These look like fun people.
We love the show so much,
and it really helped us through quarantine.
I am so excited to be here!
Mom, I hope you're jealous.
So many fans here today.
Wait. Roy? Roy, you know you don't have to stand in line.
You can just go right in.
Nah, nah, nah, I don't want any special treatment.
I'm a man of the people.
Okay.
So excited to see the show live. I love it so much.
It's my first time in person anywhere in forever.
What's your name? How you feeling?
My name's Greg McFarly,
and I'm really excited to be in the audience today.
Greg McFarly?
That's the name of the man who killed my brother.
♪ ♪
Hey!
ANNOUNCER: Coming to you from New York City,
the only city in America, it's The Daily Show.
Tonight-- Washington has COVID,
KBJ goes all the way,
and Ben Stiller.
This is The Daily Show with Trevor Noah.
(cheers and applause)
Hey, what's going on, everybody?
Welcome to The Daily Show. I'm Trevor Noah.
And you may have noticed, you maybe have noticed
that we're back with a live audience.
We're back with a live audience.
Thank you very much. Thank you. Take a seat. Take a seat, guys.
Wow. Oh, take a seat. We're back.
Sit down, sit down. Thank you so much.
Oh, wow. Oh, this is fun.
I've missed you guys, man. I've missed you.
-(applause and cheering) -This is...
You know?
I'm so sorry that we were separated for two years.
You know, in hindsight,
I shouldn't have left my Tupperware open in Wuhan.
That was my bad, my bad.
The important part is that we're all back together,
and the reunion sex is gonna be amazing. Yeah.
It's been a while. It's just comedy. Don't stress.
You screamed like, "What?!" No, there's no sex.
Nothing has changed. We got a great show tonight
because Ben Stiller is our guest, everybody.
-(applause and cheering) -And, uh, I'm so excited
because we're gonna be talking about his hit show, Severance.
It's a really amazing show about people
who can't remember what they did at work,
which sounds like a documentary to me.
Also on today's show, we'll be celebrating
the Supreme Court's newest member,
Ketanji Brown Jackson, everybody! So let's do it.
Let's jump straight into today's headlines.
♪ ♪
All right, let's kick things off in Washington D.C.,
home of the world's most famous statue of a guy
watching TV I'm gonna guess? Is that what he's doing?
And those days... You know, these days,
it's also the home of America's most elite COVID outbreak.
And turning to the pandemic,
the list of high-profile government officials
testing positive for COVID is growing longer.
Last week's Gridiron Dinner, which hosted several members
of Washington's elite political class,
including those cabinet members,
has become the source of a major outbreak.
New tonight-- we've learned 67 attendees have tested positive.
That's about ten percent of that total crowd.
House speaker Nancy Pelosi's positive COVID test today
came less than 24 hours after she was standing next to
President Biden for a bill signing.
That interaction followed this one on Tuesday,
when the 82-year-old kissed the president.
White House Communications Director Kate Bedingfield also
said that it is conceivable, uh, possible that the president
President Biden will ultimately test positive for COVID.
But I do think it's important to note that, you know, it is
possible he will test positive for COVID at some point.
You know, the president is certainly living his life.
-Ooh, you hear that? -(audience laughter)
The president's certainly living his life! (laughs)
I understand what she meant, but the way she made it sound,
it's like, "Oh, yeah, he's getting kissed by Pelosi.
"Oh, yeah. He's hitting the clubs. He's calling up
"Madison Cawthorn being like, 'Where's that orgy, boy?'
-Tell me where that orgy is!'" -(laughter)
You can relax. It's a safe orgy. Everyone's wearing masks.
But yes, but yes, COVID is ripping through Washington, D.C.
right now. And you know what? It's just nice to see capital
being overrun with something that doesn't
smear feces in Nancy Pelosi's office. This is a nice change.
It's respectable, COVID. And the good news is that no one has
gotten very sick. I think that's the main thing, you know?
Which is a big difference between now and the beginning
of the pandemic.
Yeah, the other difference is that now when COVID sweeps
through a house full of old people,
Andrew Cuomo isn't there to cover it up.
So this is a good change. We're moving forward.
And this just shows that, unfortunately, we cannot
let our guard down when it comes to COVID, people. All right?
The vaccine is one of the best defenses you have, and I hope
each and every one of you in this packed indoor audience
-remembers that, right? Stay safe. Stay safe! -(cheers)
COVID is no joke.
Yeah. In fact, t-tell the person next to you--
pull down your mask, so they can hear you clearly-- Yeah.
Tell them: "Stay safe!" "Stay safe!"
(laughs)
Also, I shouldn't have to say this, but why are we
kissing our co-workers? What are we doing?
It's not necessary, all right? Not now, not ever.
In the history of jobs, no one has ever needed a kiss
from their co-worker. All right?
No one, no one is sitting in the office, like,
"I work so hard, but my boss won't even smoosh his wet lips
"against mine cheek! This place is toxic! Why won't he kiss me?
"He said, 'Bring me the report', and I brought it, and then
"was just like, 'Thank you.' Where's the kiss? Mleh."
All right, let's move on to some big entertainment news.
It's now been two weeks since the craziest Oscars moment
in living memory. And yeah, I'm talking about the fact that
House of Gucci didn't win Best Hair and Makeup.
The whole movie was hair and makeup! How did they not win?!
That was truly the craziest thing that happened
at the Oscars. Yeah-- Oh! I almost forgot.
There was also the moment where Will Smith introduced his hand
to Chris Rock's face, which had everyone asking:
How will the Academy Awards punish Will Smith?
Well, now we're finding out.
It was the slap heard 'round the world,
and after slapping Chris Rock during the Oscars,
actor Will Smith has been banned from attending any
Academy events for the next decade.
NEWSWOMAN: The Academy issued a statement yesterday
saying this in part:
"The 94th Oscars were meant to be a celebration
"of the many individuals in our community
"who did incredible work this past year.
"However, those moments were overshadowed
"by the unacceptable and harmful behavior
we saw Mr. Smith exhibit onstage."
NEWSMAN: The board's move will keep Smith from attending,
presenting or performing at the Oscars.
It won't bar him from being nominated
or even winning an Academy Award in the future,
and he gets to keep the one he has now.
Damn, Will Smith has been banned from the Oscars
for ten years.
Ten years.
You realize by then,
I Am Legend is just gonna be real life.
(laughter and applause)
Although, I will say this. I will say this.
When I first read the headline,
I thought this was the worst punishment ever.
I was like, "Ten years. The Oscars, you're ridiculous."
But then, I won't lie. I got into the details,
and I realized he gets to keep his Oscar,
and he can still win Oscars even though he's banned.
So, in many ways, this isn't a punishment.
Yeah, this is a favor.
Will Smith doesn't have to go to the ceremony.
Yeah. He doesn't have to get dressed up.
He doesn't have sit through a bunch of boring awards
that he doesn't care about.
"Oh, Best Punctuation in a Digital Recycled Film."
Kill me!
He doesn't have to pretend to be happy when he loses.
I wish I could get banned from the Emmys.
I wish! Every year, I have to go
and act like I might beat John Oliver.
It's a nightmare!
Oh, put on my hopeful face.
"Oh, it could be me." It's not gonna be me!
It's not gonna be any of us.
(cheering and applause)
It's gonna be John Oliver.
I also think they should have at least consulted Chris Rock
before choosing the punishment, you know?
Because if Will was still going to the Oscars,
that's at least four hours
where Chris Rock knows where he is.
Now he could be anywhere.
(laughter)
Honestly, I don't think they should have banned
Will Smith at all. I'll be honest. Yeah.
I actually think they should have hired Will Smith
to replace the "wrap it up" music
that they play at award shows.
Yeah.
Do you know how quickly winners will finish their speeches
when they see Will Smith watching them
from the side of the stage?
"And I just want to thank my agent
"and my publicist and my agent's publicist.
-And I just want to..." -♪ ♪
"Oh, okay, I'm done! I'm done! I'm done!
"I'm done! I'm done! I'm done! I'm done!
I'm done, I'm done, I'm done!"
The main thing is... The main thing is
we can finally move on and stop talking about the slap.
All right? It's done now. The punishment is doled out.
The man made a mistake. We move on.
Let's move on.
(applause)
Now we can get back to talking about the story
that the slap pushed off the front page,
the war in Ukraine.
Yeah. So, let's move on and talk about that.
As Russian troops retreat from the areas around Kyiv
and other locations in Western Ukraine,
it now appears that Putin will be focusing
on trying to take over just the eastern regions
directly on Russia's border. All right?
And, so, in the latest show of support for Ukraine.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson
met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky
on the streets of war-torn Ukraine.
Yeah, look at that. That's them in Kyiv.
And, you know, it's crazy that even though he's wearing
a full suit, Boris is somehow the one
who looks like he's being kept up at night
by Russian bombs.
He's like, "Oh, another one."
(laughter)
But while the rest of the world is focused
on the Ukrainian victims of Putin's war,
many Russian Instagram influencers,
well, they feel like they're the real victims
of what's happening in Ukraine.
NEWSMAN: Over 600 companies have withdrawn their businesses
from Russia so far, some, like Chanel,
even refusing to sell products to Russians abroad
unless they confirm they won't use those products in Russia.
Enraged Russian influencers posted videos
showing them cutting up their Chanel bags in protest.
♪ ♪
(laughter)
Hey.
Yeah, on the list of people I feel bad for in this world,
Russian influencers is right at the top.
Definitely at the top for me.
I will say this. I mean, we have seen
that the economic pressure on Russia is having an effect.
You realize, that Instagram model
can't even buy pants anymore.
(laughter)
Clearly, the sanctions are working.
You know, I-I'm always confused when people protest companies
by destroying stuff that they already bought.
What are you doing?
What are you doing? "Oh, Chanel, we are going to show you,
as I go to cut my bag. Oh, this is going to..."
You-- Chanel's already got your money!
This doesn't hurt Chanel!
You think when you're cutting up that purse
Coco Chanel is in Monaco on a yacht feeling it
like a designer voodoo doll? Huh?
She's just like, "Oh, they're cutting me!
Oh! I feel it in my heart!"
No! She's just like, "Bring me more champagne. Yes!
"I know I'm dead. I don't care.
Bring me champagne."
All right, that's it for the headlines.
But before we go, let's check in with Roy Wood Jr.
with today's traffic report, everybody!
(cheering and applause)
-Yes. -What's going on in the traffic, Roy?
What's going on, man?
Now, we're gonna get ready to take a quick look at the roads.
But, first, let me-- let me just ask you a question
about these-- the-the whole COVID thing in D.C.
-Oh, the Democrats getting COVID? Yeah. -Yeah, they--
Everybody, they-they just now getting COVID?
-Well, yeah. -Well, they missed the sympathy window.
See, that's the messed up part, man.
Why it take 'em this long to get--
Everybody know-- you were supposed to get COVID
in that first six, seven months,
and that's when you get thoughts and prayers
and people would care about you.
I call it original recipe,
like, way back in the day.
And, like, that-that sympathy window,
that's important, man.
You get COVID now, don't nobody give a damn.
That's like... that's like telling people you got dandruff.
Don't nobody care.
Keep the shit off me, and I'll see you tomorrow.
That's...
-that's all it is. -I mean...
-So... -(cheering and applause)
I just don't...
I'm trying to understand it, but I just--
I just-- I-I don't-- I don't understand it, man.
But the-- And then here's another thing.
COVID.
The name "COVID"--
We'll get to that in a second.
Okay.
Part of the problem with all this vaccination shit, man,
is that nobody's scared of the name "COVID."
You control Americans with fear.
We was done the moment they called it "COVID."
They should've called it "sky AIDS."
If you called COVID "sky AIDS,"
-you're telling me... -Sky AIDS?
Vaccination rate would be 97%.
If-if you knew AIDS was in the air,
you wouldn't be here right now.
Here's-here's a question. Why is this a job?
-Traffic man. -No, it's...
Why-why am I even here right now?
Because people like watching the news,
and they like watching the traffic on the news.
-That's how it works. -At night? They like the traffic at night?
-That's when they like the traffic? -Yeah,
-they watch the traffic all the time, Roy. -Like, it's traffic.
Like, why-why are you trusting a dude on TV
to tell you the traffic?
Bitch, you got a TV in your pocket.
You got a whole telephone in your--
If you got anything past a iPhone 2, you don't need me.
My job is irrelevant.
Me and Vanna White--
it's a scam.
It's a scam.
This job is a scam. But if you want to keep paying me...
-Just tell us what the traffic is, Roy! -Hey, hey. Hey.
-I'm-- That's fine. -I'm trying to make a news show here, Roy!
Look, I just don't know-- If you want better traffic,
stay at home. You're a part of the problem
when you leave the house.
You got the-the green.
Look at these people. Look at these people in the green.
See, they happy. They think they're not part of the problem.
Wrong. Bam! And then they hit the red.
And then you got the people up top.
Make them come down. "Oh, no, I'm smart.
I'm-a go this way." Wrong!
Red, bitch.
And I still feel sorry for them people
right there in the center. But you know what?
I feel sorry for the people stuck in traffic more
than I do anybody who finally catching COVID
two and a half years into it.
-We're gonna work on this. Roy Wood Jr., everybody! -I...
(cheering and applause)
And now you know what's happening in the traffic.
All right, when we come back,
we'll be getting judgy with Ketanji Brown Jackson.
And Ben Stiller's still joining us on the show!
You don't want to miss it, people!
(cheering and applause)
(applause and cheering)
Welcome back.
Welcome back to The Daily Show with human beings.
Welcome back, human beings.
Take a seat. Take a seat. Thank you so much.
Let's talk about the Supreme Court,
the only place where wearing a robe makes you more powerful.
The Supreme Court is one of the oldest institutions
in American society.
And after 230 years,
it's finally getting a fresh new face.
NEWSWOMAN: Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson
cementing her place in history, becoming the first Black women
to be confirmed to the Supreme Court.
On this vote, the yeas are 53, the nays are 47,
and this nomination is confirmed.
(applause and cheering)
NEWSWOMAN: Cheers erupting in the chamber.
Over at the White House, President Biden
watching that final tally come in
with the judge by his side.
Yeah.
(both laugh)
-(laughter) -Oh, wow. He didn't know his...
"Oh, wow. Oh..."
This is exciting, people.
Finally, a Black women will be on the Supreme Court.
-(applause and cheering) -Wow. Wow.
And this is happening just in time for the court
to eliminate all rights for Black people and women.
What a moment. No, this is really incredible, man.
Think about it. She will now be the most powerful Black woman
in the country to have her opinions entirely dismissed
by two thirds of her co-workers. Wow! This is huge.
And by the way, for anyone who wondered
how much of an impact Ketanji Brown Jackson would have,
well, she made history from the moment she was confirmed.
NEWSWOMAN: As Democrats rose to their feet with applause,
Republicans headed for the door.
Mitt Romney of Utah, one of three Republicans to vote "yes,"
standing alone, the only GOP Senator clapping.
-Really? Really? -(audience booing)
You know what? First of all, kudos to Mitt Romney.
(applause and cheering)
Yeah, man.
This is, like,
just decorum, you know?
All those other assholes-- think about it.
The first Black woman since this country was founded
gets confirmed to the Supreme Court,
and you can't find it in you to stay and clap?
Jus-Just clap. Even like a, like, a...
Yeah, I'm not saying you got to throw your panties on the stage
or anything. Just show some respect.
J-Just some respect. Those Republicans ran out of the room
like someone was handing out free N-Word passes in the lobby.
"Oh, boy, oh, boy!
I've always wanted to say that word! Oh, boy! In public."
Why would you leave? No one ever leaves. Doesn't matter whether
they like the person or not-- why would you leave?
The first Black woman, and that's when you're gonna leave?
I mean, luckily, luckily the Republican hissy fit couldn't
spoil this historic moment. You know? Because it's not
every day that a Black person in America gets sent to a court
they actually deserve to be in. And on Friday,
K.B.J.-- she took her victory lap at the White House.
ANCHOR: Tonight, celebrating history on the High Court.
Judge Ketanji Brown-Jackson
at a moment centuries in the making.
It has taken 232 years
and 115 prior appointments
for a Black woman to be selected
to serve on the Supreme Court of the United States.
(cheering and applause)
But we've made it.
NEWSMAN: Jackson, a historymaker
and a barrier breaker,
reciting the poetic words of Maya Angelou.
"I am the dream and the hope of the slave."
NEWSMAN: And casting this as a moment
in which all Americans can take great pride.
We have come a long way
toward perfecting our union.
In my family, it took just one generation
to go from segregation
to the Supreme Court of the United States.
Ooh!
(cheering and applause)
What?
"From segregation to the Supreme Court."
Ooh! That was a line.
I almost feel like if you're a Black person who succeeds,
you've got double the pressure on you, you know?
Yeah, 'cause you-you don't just have to perform.
You've also got to come up with dope lines
when you get the job.
"From segregation to the Supreme Court."
What? Ooh! That was powerful.
And that quote from Maya Angelou?
All of it was fire. I mean, especially when you consider
Brett Kavanaugh's celebration where he just quoted
the words of Captain Morgan.
And, by the way, by the way, props to President Biden
for rocking those aviators during that speech.
Yeah, way to make a historic moment
look like a deleted scene from Top Gun, Mr. President.
You know Biden only breaks those out
when he's feeling his swagger. He's just like, "Oh, yeah."
Or when his eyes are bleeding again.
You never know which one it is. You never know.
-(audience groans) -Anyway...
I didn't make his eye bleed!
(laughter and applause)
Anyway, for more on the historic nomination
of Ketanji Brown Jackson, let's turn now
to our Supreme Court expert, Dulcé Sloan, everybody.
(cheering and applause)
Hello!
-Dulcé... -Hello.
Dulcé, I...
I know you're at the Supreme Court right now.
How are you feeling about this historic news?
Mm, fine, I guess.
(laughter)
Oh, wait, wait, that... That's it?
You're feeling fine?
Trevor, I'm devastated!
(exhales) Now, listen,
I know homegirl earned this,
but deep down, I was hoping
I would become the first Black woman
on the Supreme Court.
(laughter)
Well, no offense, Dulcé,
but why would you be qualified
to be a judge on the Supreme Court?
Oh, I'm not qualified?
I've been judging people my whole life!
Okay? Family. Friends.
Strangers. Dogs.
What?
Y'all know I don't mess with dogs.
I'm judging everybody.
I'm judging people who ask for directions,
people who can't use chopsticks.
People who can't calculate a tip.
You just move the decimal point one time! It's not that hard!
(applause)
I judge bitches who wear kitten heels.
Wait. I'm sorry, what's wrong with kitten heels?
It's either a heel or a flat, okay?
A tiny heel means you're unstable
and you can't make up your mind.
The point is I have been preparing for this job
since I came out the womb, okay?
Well-well, Dulcé, I'll be honest,
I-I had no idea you were so invested
in getting on the Supreme Court.
Yeah. I know you weren't,
and I'm judging you for that.
Well, look. No, no, no. No, no.
I know you're disappointed. I know you're disappointed.
But Ketanji Brown Jackson is one of the most qualified candidates
in the history of the process.
Of course she is.
She had to be. Okay?
She's a Black woman named Ketanji.
She's had to break glass ceilings
and teach white people how to say her name from day one.
Look, I don't want to come across as a hater.
If it couldn't be me, I'm glad it's her.
Well, that's very big of you, Dulcé.
Plus, there's still hope for you, too.
'Cause, I mean,
I think you'd make a great second female Black justice.
Second?
What? No!
Nobody cares about the person who's second, okay?
That's not a Black history fact.
See, if I can't be the first Black female judge
on the Supreme Court, I'm not interested.
So now I have a new goal--
to be the first Black female judge on Judge Judy.
(cheering and applause)
W-Wait, no.
No, I... I think only Judge Judy
can be the judge on Judge Judy.
Why? 'Cause she's white?
No, beca--
Y-You know what, Dulcé, chase your dream.
You chase-- Dulcé Sloan, everybody!
-(cheering and applause) -You'll do it!
The future Judge Judy.
All right, when we come back,
Ben Stiller is joining me here,
so don't go away.
Dulcé Sloan, everybody!
-(applause and cheering) -Welcome back to The Daily Show
with human beings.
They're all human. They're all here.
My guest tonight, my guest tonight
is Emmy Award-winning director, producer and actor Ben Stiller.
He's here to talk
about his thrilling hit series Severance.
So, it's tomorrow now?
Uh, yeah. Well, it's Monday.
-A weekend just happened. -Yeah.
I don't even feel like I left.
Yeah. That's how nights and weekends feel here.
-Like nothing? -Well, you get used to it.
I mean, I find it helps to focus on the effects of sleep
since we don't actually get to experience it.
You may feel rejuvenated or happy,
less tense in the shoulders, spry.
So it's 9:05.
Yeah, they stagger the entries, too,
so we don't meet on the outside.
It's important, apparently.
Please welcome Ben Stiller.
-(applause and cheering) -♪ ♪
I'm good. I'm good. I'm good. Yeah.
Oh, man. Oh.
-Oh, man, you-you okay? -Thank you.
-You okay? -I'm good.
-Are you good? You okay? -I'm good.
(applause and cheering swelling)
Thank you. Thank you.
-That's good. -You, uh, you good?
Yeah. You'll-you'll edit that out, right?
-I'll edit it out. We'll do another one. -Great. Cool.
-No one will know... -Great. Great.
...that you fell. No one will know.
-Ben Stiller, welcome to The Daily Show. -How are you?
This is so good to see. It's been so long
since I've seen you in person.
Um, it was maybe four years ago.
It feels like 40 years ago.
It feels like a million years ago.
It just feels like everything
feels like a long time ago, yet, it also just happened.
-Right? -It's really weird.
And you were talking in between a little bit about the weirdness
with how we're approaching COVID and where we are in COVID.
-Yes. -And you were so spot on with it.
Just, it's just so unclear what's happening.
-Yeah, we're just... we're just floating. We're float... -Yeah.
You know, I-I know that you didn't make this show
based on COVID, but really, for those who haven't watched it--
and I don't say this lightly, 'cause I know
people have time constraints in their lives-- watch this show.
I promise it is one of the best shows you will watch.
-Severance is amazing. Congratulations. -Thank you.
-Thanks, man. Thank you. Thank you. -Congratulations.
(applause and cheering)
-Well, let's-let's start with that. Like... -Yeah.
T-This new, uh, Ben Stiller, you know?
Like the, like the moody director. It's very, uh...
-(laughing) -I like this! I-- No!
I d-I didn't see this in you, like, as a person, you know?
You always, you always think of Ben Stiller the comedian...
-Right. -Ben Stiller doing, like, the funniest movies
-you've ever seen, but this is... -Yeah. My-my-my inner
circle knows me as the moody Ben Stiller. (laughter)
No, I mean, you know, it's been really fun to direct and not act
and I love... I've always wanted to direct, since I was a kid.
-Oh, okay. -You know, since I was, like ten years old and--
And I've been doing it over the years and usually acting, also,
but this has been really fun the last few years.
And I just loved this piece of material.
This script that Dan Erickson wrote. He had not had anything
-produced up to this point... -I find that hard to believe.
Yeah! I know. He's a-a brilliant writer who was trying to
get his work seen, and-- You know, out there, and, uh,
someone in our company saw it and I read it, I thought it was
amazing, and that was five years ago. It took a little while
-to get it to the screen, but... -Right. Right, right.
It's been really fun. And we made it totally during--
you know, in a bubble during the pandemic, really.
So, so we were about to start shooting, six weeks-- We were
six weeks from shooting when the pandemic hit, and then...
and then we stopped for a second, but it's been very much
insular, and then now, to have it out in the world
all of a sudden, and to have to have people interact with it,
It's been so satisfying. But it felt for a long time we were
just doing this for ourselves. Like, we-- it was...
I feel like everything felt like that during the pandemic.
-Yeah. -There were moments when I was making The Daily Show
where I was just, like, "Is anybody anywhere?"
No, because, like, the home work felt, at some point,
it was just, like, you. You wake up and do the thing, you do
-it again. It's, it's in a bubble. You know? -Right. Right.
And-and you're doing comedy where you're talking and
making jokes, and there's nobody in the room, right?
-Yeah. Nothing. -Yeah. And how could you tell
-if you were funny? -I couldn't.
You just, you just, you just go, like, I just became
-a crazy person. -But don't you think it might have made you
funnier? Because you kind of didn't care? You could just...
M-M-Maybe. Maybe, in, like a way that I'll go to therapy for.
-Yeah. Yeah, definitely. -Right. Understandable.
No, I get-- I wonder if COVID affected the show. Because--
I don't want to spoil it for anybody who hasn't watched it,
but I-I will tell you something you'll learn quickly, and that
is: It's a show where people have found a way to "sever"
their world and their memories from their work world and
-their memories. So basically, the people go to work... -Yup.
...and they don't remember anything that happened at work.
And when they're at work, they don't remember
anything that happens in life.
-That's right. -And when you're watching,
it felt COVID-y.
It felt like a... Do you know what I mean?
It's almost feels like it's the perfect show for the time.
Yeah, and it felt... it felt like that
when we were making it, also, 'cause we were shooting
at this stage in the Bronx, actually.
And we would go there,
and we'd go into the testing tent,
-which felt very postapocalyptic. -Uh-huh.
And then we'd walk into the studio,
and it was a five-minute walk
-down these white hallways. -That's hilarious.
-So you were doing the thing. -To get to the studio.
-Yeah. -And then we get to the studio,
and the set was white hallways that we'd walk down.
So, it was... And then we'd leave at night,
and nobody would see each other,
and then we'd come back and test.
It was... It was so weird.
-It's beautiful, I will say that. -Thanks, man.
-Yeah, well, we had a great crew of people. -Every-every shot
that you have feels intentional.
You know, sometimes you'll watch a show,
and the show is great. Maybe the cast is great.
Maybe it's terrible, as well. Whatever.
But sometimes you watch a show like this
where the cast is amazing, you know,
the-the setting is phenomenal,
but the way you shoot it feels really intentional.
Like, you'll hold some shots for a long...
Sometimes it feels like you want us
to feel a certain kind of way.
Like, have you ever worked in a shitty office?
-That's what I wondered. -I...
You know, I have... I have worked as an intern.
The worst job I had was... Actually, it wasn't that bad.
I was a talent intern on a talk show.
-So I... -Oh, that's-that's bad
-depending on the talent. -Yeah.
So, I had to take care of the stars who would come in.
This was when I was in college in California
on a show called Thicke of the Night.
Alan Thicke had a talk show.
And, um, so I'd, like, walk Charlton Heston to his car.
-Wow. -Yeah. Or I'd lend Rick Ducommun, the comedian,
20 bucks and then never get it back.
-Um... -(laughter)
So, and that's the clo...
I mean, I worked in a camera store,
but I never worked in that office...
Sort of, like, that drudgery of...
-You... -It's mo... mainly from watching television.
-You capture it. Like, it feels like cubicles... -Yeah.
I think Dan... Dan, the writer, did that.
-Oh, okay. Right. -He worked many of those jobs,
and he took his frustration, and he put it all into his work.
-You feel it. -Yeah, yeah.
That's what you... When you watch the show,
you go like, "Oh, yeah, this reminds me of it."
'Cause I... Like, my mom worked most of her life in an office,
and then she couldn't afford, like, childcare or whatever,
so she'd put me under the desk like a puppy.
-Right. -And then... No, I'd come back from school,
and then I'd be, like, under the desk. It was great.
Don't worry about me. It's not like I was struggling.
-I was having a great time. -Yeah.
But I just remember, like, watching everyone
in those cubicles, and I was like,
"This is... Is this life? Is this..."
-Right. -And the way you-you captured...
What... I would love to know
what you're trying to make us feel as the audience.
Well, you know, for me, it's honestly, these characters
are human beings who are put
-in this really weird, abnormal situation. -Mm-hmm.
And it's kind of like any--
You know, I-I did a prison, uh, show before this,
and it's kind of similar in that people are gonna be
human beings, no matter what--
-you know, what environment you're in. -That's true.
So there's a humanity to these characters
who don't know who they are,
-don't know... Yeah. -They start developing their humanity,
-in fact. Yeah. -Exactly. They're almost like children.
Because they've only been cognizant for a few years.
So they're trying to figure out who they are.
And I think that's really interesting.
Also, the idea of, like, what memories and emotions
can seep through if you're severed.
Because, you know, d-- is-- does love transcend severance?
-Yeah. -Right, right. Do you remember those things?
-Right. -So-so does this mean we've lost you
as Ben Stiller the comedy guy?
Um, n-no. No.
-I didn't like that there was an "um." -(stammers)
-No, I was just thinking about how I... -Like, a straight no
-immediately. -You're gonna edit that out,
-when I walk out, right? -Yeah, the falling--
-no one's gonna see that. No one will see that. -Um, cool. Uh...
You have. There's no more comedy guy.
Um, no, I-I think-- I love acting and I love doing comedy.
It's just been a while since I've actually decided to do it.
I'd love to do it in the future.
It's just kind of figuring out how to, you know...
-how to jump back in. -You know when I felt
like you were in a-- one of your own comedy movies
is when-- there's that clip that went viral
of you with the-the Australian tennis player.
-You're right. -Right? I don't know if you've seen this.
-And people misconstrue what's happening. -Yeah.
'Cause I think he was talking to someone else in the crowd.
It was the weirdest thing. Yeah.
So we were, like, in the front row. It's Indian Wells tennis.
And, um, basically, what happened was,
-uh, it was Nick Kyrgios. He was... -Yes.
-He talks to himself a lot during the matches. -Yes.
And he kept on saying, "Oh, man, get your first serve in.
Get your first serve in." And there was an--
a gentleman next to me who decided,
when he started to serve, to tell him,
-"Yeah, get your first serve in." -(laughs)
And so Nick Kyrgios, like, turns, he goes,
"What are-- Why-why are you talking to me?
Do you play tennis? Are you a good tennis player?"
And the guy's like, "No."
And then he looks-- he looks at me and he goes,
"Do I tell him how to act?"
And I'm, like... And I didn't even quite hear it,
so I thought he might've been talking to me.
-I didn't-- It was so weird. -(laughs)
And then that was it. And then, apparently, it went viral.
-Yeah. -Oh, no. Everywhere. So-so, some people understood
what was happening, but other-- most people thought
-that you had beef with a tennis player now. -Exactly.
And the thing is, you're just sitting there, like, smiling.
Like, it literally looked like a scene from one of your movies.
I know. And I didn't know what to do.
'Cause everybody's telling me, "Oh, Nick Kyrgios
really let you have it." I'm like, "No. I don't know.
I think he's good."
Oh, man. Um, y-your life has been,
I mean, a constant journey,
that we've shared with you, by the way.
Thank you for everything you've done for it.
-Thank you for making us laugh. -Oh, wow. -(cheering)
You know, thank you for brightening our days.
-Um... -Thank you.
It's a pleasure seeing you.
-Congratulations on an amazing show. -It's great to see you.
Wonderful having you here. Thank you so much for being here.
(cheering and applause)
Season one of Severance is available to stream
on Apple TV+.
I promise you, I promise you you're gonna love it.
All right, we're gonna take a quick break,
but we'll be right back after this.
Yeah, man. Thank you. For real.
Such a pleasure, man. Thank you so much.
(applause)
(cheering and applause)
Well, that's our show for tonight,
but before we go, the UN Refugee Agency
has stepped up operations in Ukraine
and neighboring countries to help the millions of people
who have been forced to flee.
So if you can, please donate at the link below
to help provide lifesaving protection
to Ukrainian refugees.
Until tomorrow, stay safe out there.
And, remember, if you're a Russian
who doesn't want your Chanel bags,
send them to me. I'll cut them.
I'll cut them for you.
Now here it is, Your Moment of Zen.
♪ ♪
NEWSWOMAN: It's a loo with a view.
This bathroom is at a Japanese café,
and it's going viral because it is surrounded by an aquarium.
Look at that. How cool.
Can you imagine if a fish just locks eyes with you though?
You're like-- Then you get stage fright.
Yeah! You're like-- Then I'm not going!
Then I'm like, "I can't go now."