It has been a particularly brutal election season made even worse by the lack of Jon Stewart, who used to serve as our nightly pressure release valve who screamed back at you “I AM DUMBSTRUCK ABOUT THESE THINGS TOO YOU’RE NOT CRAZY.” He decided to quit The Daily Show last year before he had to suffer through another election of the same predictable patterns (and who can blame him), but as he left he blew his comedy dandelion into the wind, scattering seeds of smart political talent across the entertainment landscape.
He’s been popping up a few times to check in on his proteges since, with appearances on Samantha Bee’s show and a brief but welcome return to Daily Show form on Stephen Colbert’s show last week. Last night he showed up to check in on another of his former squad in our own backyard: Stewart was the surprise guest at the live taping of the 2 Dope Queens podcast from Daily Show alumna Jessica Williams and comedian Phoebe Robinson. He talked about what he’s been doing since he left the show, how he hired Williams and, like all comedians who come to the Bell House for the first time, made fun of Gowanus.
“I thought I was getting back in show business,” Stewart told the crowd. “Where the fuck am I?”
He went on to say: “This is one of those prank shows where they pretend to have a dead body in the trunk and I have to help them dump it in the Gowanus.”
Watch the whole video on Facebook here. (the quality isn’t great but the interview is coming to the podcast next season in the fall).
Stewart also talks about how he used to visit his Brooklyn grandparents, who lived above a candy store in Bensonhurst.
“We were the original people, the little, small goitery Jewish people, that made Key Foods what it is today,” he said.
He also gives Williams the life advice “just try not to get hit by Poke balls.”
All these guest appearances are a hopeful sign that Stewart may return to standup someday soon. May we suggest the Bell House as the perfect place to do it?
And the show was in celebration of Williams’ birthday. Happy birthday, Jessica! Sorry I accidentally drunkenly bumped into you at the House of Vans that one time.