Late Night Last Week: Daily Show Dudes Tackle A Crazy Week

Late Night Last Week is a column highlighting some of the more notable segments from the previous week of late night television. Today’s installment features a trio of Daily Show hosts past and present and a roast of a normal guy on After Midnight.

This column has been celebratory of Jon Stewart in the past. Many loyalists in the Democratic Party were quick to criticize The Daily Show’s Monday host for pointing out the obvious when it came to Joe Biden’s pre-drop-out faux pas, accusing him of engaging in both-sidesism. He was, obviously, right. 

But for some reason, Stewart decided last Monday to pretend we were back in 2008 and have Bill O’Reilly on the program. Ya know, the O’Reilly who, political views aside, was fired from Fox News in 2017 after multiple sexual harassment allegations. Insert y tho meme here.

Stewart and O’Reilly took a trip down memory lane last week, even bringing up their 2012 live debate, The Rumble in the Air-Conditioned Auditorium. (Haters will point out that I was one of the people who paid $5 for the program). Back in the pre-Trump days, the two often appeared on each others’ programs, having some admittedly entertaining banner. Now, it all feels forced. Does Stewart really want to help O’Reilly on some kind of rehab tour? Talk about both-sidesism. 

John Oliver Disproves the “Migrant Crime” Narrative

Last Week Tonight began with the hilarious disclaimer that the program was filmed on Saturday, June 20, which, for those keeping score at home, was the day before the Biden Decision. Oliver, who returned from a long vacation this week, even mentioned in his monologue that it would probably be outdated by the time we watched. And he was right, as he so often is. 

But though Oliver was behind the politics of the day, the show itself very much had its eye towards the future. For years, right-wing media has been advancing all sorts of disinformation about the U.S. southern border. The latest example is this false narrative of a “migrant crime” wave. Oliver exposes many of the racist lies at the heart of the narrative. 

For example, the GOP has tried to label fentanyl deaths as instances of migrant crime. Among the problems with this lie, Oliver points out, is that more than 90 percent of fentanyl seizures at the border were from U.S. citizens because, ya know, that is how you would do it if you wanted to draw less attention to the smuggling. “I’m not telling you how to move drugs, But if you are going to, that is the only smart way to do it,” Oliver said. “So I actually have just told you how to move drugs.” 

You can watch the whole episode on Max.

Roy Wood Jr. on the Trump Assassination Attempt 

In keeping with our theme of Daily Show hosts and alumni, Roy Wood Jr. was on Jimmy Kimmel Live! last week. Anthony Anderson filled in for the regular late night host, whose summer vacation continued. Wood and Anderson, naturally, talked about the whirlwind of American politics, with the former ready to provide his usually insightful, hilarious commentary. 

Their discussion began with the attempted assassination of Donald Trump, which seems to have taken place a few years ago. And honestly, Wood Jr. made a great point. “I don’t think he milked the assassination attempt enough,” Wood Jr. said. “If somebody tried to kill me: I’m in the wheelchair, I got my leg laid up, I got the arm in the sling.” 

The conversation then turned to *checks notes* JD Vance. To Wood Jr.’s brilliant mind, Vance is the man on the ticket who is actually brave. “Somebody just got shot at and then they call you the next day and offer you a job. That’s bravery,” he said. “Because you know the job of the vice president on the campaign is standing next to the president.”

After Midnight Roasts Normal Guy

And now, the best for last. Over on After Midnight, a normal guy got his comeuppance. Host Taylor Tomlinson invited to the stage a “Normal Guy” (later revealed to be show writer Sam Taggart) to be roasted by a panel of guests: Gillian Jacobs, Alaska 5000, and Chris Fleming. Finally, a ritual typically reserved for the rich and famous was passed down to us through the medium of late night television. 

“How is it that you look like you’re divorced and a virgin at the same time?” Alaska asked.  I haven’t heard barbs tossed at a common man so brutal since The Roast of Peter Griffin on Family Guy. Then came Jacobs to have fun at the beret-wearing man’s expense: “You look like you’re on your way to ruin jazz.” Tough but fair. Watch the full roast below.