Back from the holiday vacation, Jon Stewart began his Monday night stint at The Daily Show in desperate need of “some good news.”
“I need some relief. And I’ll tell you why. Because as many of you know, that big Freedom 250 concert that I’ve so been looking forward to,” he began sarcastically, pausing for audience laughter, “has run into some problems.”
Like his Sunday late-night counterpart John Oliver before him, Stewart had plenty of jokes about the legacy acts who dropped out of the nation’s semiquincentennial over political concerns — all of whom share the same booking agent in Jeff Epstein of Universal Attractions Agency.
“Jeff Epstein of Universal Attractions is in charge of — forgive me — recruiting talent for a Donald Trump party? That’s what you’re telling me?” Stewart said, incredulous.
“He finally thought he was going to get his happy end— but nope. Once again, they leave him hanging. Uh,” he said, before some in the crowd jeered. “Oh, I’m sorry. I’m sorry. Too soon? Too soon? I didn’t know we had so many Epstein sympathizers in the room!”
The political comic then transitioned to jabs about the continued drawn-out process of the Iran-U.S. peace talks.
“You’re the greatest negotiator in the world, and you’re saying that it’s difficult to bring together two differing sides with competing interests? If only there was a word for closing that gap, a person who could help close it. I don’t know, a gap-a-closenator,” Stewart quipped.
Toward the final minutes of the host’s monologue, Stewart was interrupted by none other than Olivia Munn.
“Jonathan, tonight is about you. I am here to honor you on one of your biggest, final special sendoff shows. Just like [Stephen] Colbert had a big production, huge stars — everyone loved it — I’m here for you, for that,” she said, as Stewart tried to affirm that he was not leaving anytime soon and that “this is a normal Monday show.”
The Your Friends & Neighbors actress then pulled out an acoustic guitar, singing the lyrics to an original song, which Stewart pointed out was clearly written for Colbert. “You’re right,” she said. “No one cares if you leave.”
“OK, that’s not necessary,” he said, as the crowd booed in support.
Munn noted she had missed out on Colbert’s sendoff when bookers passed on her, and Stewart assured she’s welcome any time. “Really? Oh my God, thank you so much ’cause there’s really not a lot of options left. It’s basically just you or the Hot Ones guy [Sean Evans],” she said.
When Stewart added that she could return to the desk without needing to “pretend” to play an instrument, Munn scoffed: “I can play guitar. How do you think I got booked [for] the Freedom 250 concert?”
