The Daily Show: Ears Edition

Melania's $40 Million Docu-Bribe Movie Premieres & Dems Make ICE Demands

33 min
Jan 30, 20263 months ago
Listen to Episode
Summary

The Daily Show covers Trump's immigration crackdown and Democratic demands for ICE reforms, Amazon's $40 million acquisition of a Melania Trump documentary (raising bribery concerns), and a feature on a man who spent 18 years getting bitten by venomous snakes to develop universal antivenom. The episode includes an interview with actress Katherine Lanassa about her Emmy-winning role in HBO Max's 'The Pitch.'

Insights
  • Amazon's $40M Melania documentary deal significantly exceeds typical documentary licensing fees, raising questions about potential quid pro quo arrangements with the Trump administration
  • Democratic ICE reform demands focus on accountability measures (body cameras, identification requirements, conduct codes) rather than systemic abolition
  • Citizen-led scientific research (snake venom immunity) can produce peer-reviewed medical breakthroughs when combined with institutional biotech resources
  • Healthcare worker shortages and systemic inefficiencies create bottlenecks in emergency departments that extend beyond individual hospital capacity
  • Entertainment industry professionals increasingly distance themselves from projects perceived as politically motivated or ethically compromised
Trends
Corporate appeasement of political figures through entertainment deals and licensing agreementsGrassroots scientific experimentation gaining legitimacy through peer review and institutional partnershipsDemocratic focus on police/enforcement accountability through technology (body cameras, identification) rather than structural reformHealthcare worker burnout and compassion fatigue becoming central narrative in medical dramasDocumentary market inflation driven by streaming platform competition and political motivationsCitizen science and DIY medical research gaining traction amid government science funding cuts
Topics
Trump Immigration CrackdownICE Reform and AccountabilityMelania Trump DocumentaryAmazon Prime Video Content AcquisitionPolitical Bribery and Corporate InfluenceSnake Venom Antivenom DevelopmentCitizen Science and Medical ResearchHealthcare System InefficienciesEmergency Department StaffingStreaming Platform Content StrategyDemocratic Policy DemandsBody Camera AccountabilityEmmy Awards and TelevisionHBO Max Original SeriesCancer Survivor Stories
Companies
Amazon
Paid record $40M licensing fee for Melania Trump documentary, raising questions about political influence and quid pr...
HBO Max
Produces 'The Pitch,' an Emmy-winning medical drama series featuring healthcare workers and emergency department oper...
Centevac
Biotech company developing universal antivenom using advanced vaccine technology and immunity research from citizen s...
Comedy Central
Network broadcasting The Daily Show: Ears Edition podcast and related content
People
Chuck Schumer
Democratic Senate leader who publicly criticized Kristi Noem and Stephen Miller as 'f***ing liars' regarding immigrat...
Kristi Noem
Trump administration official targeted by Democratic criticism over immigration crackdown implementation
Stephen Miller
Trump administration official criticized by Democrats for role in immigration enforcement policies
Melania Trump
Subject of $40M Amazon documentary; reportedly receives $28M from the deal; featured in Fox News promotional interviews
Jeff Bezos
Amazon founder whose company paid record $40M for Melania Trump documentary, raising political influence concerns
Tim Fry
Wisconsin native who spent 18 years deliberately getting bitten by 19 venomous snake species to develop immunity for ...
Brett Ratner
Director of Melania Trump documentary; known for Rush Hour films and Me Too movement allegations
Quotes
"Kristi Noll and Stephen Miller are f***ing liars. Any administration that allows them to continue in office is rotten to its core."
Chuck SchumerEarly in episode
"Why would Jeff Bezos, a billionaire who has tons of business with a government run by a famously corrupt president known for loving bribes, overpay for a Melania documentary?"
Host (Daisy Linden)Melania documentary segment
"Every day, roughly 350 people die from snake bite. So if I quit, I'm giving up on those people."
Tim FrySnake venom segment
"I think that's a masterclass in empathy and human compassion."
Katherine LanassaInterview segment
"We really don't know what's going on with people, you know, on the daily. And I think it made me a little softer as a person and a little more compassionate."
Katherine LanassaInterview segment
Full Transcript
You're listening to Comedy Central. From the most trusted journalists at Comedy Central, it's America's only source for news. This is The Daily Joe with your host, Daisy Linden. Welcome to The Daily Joe, I'm Daisy Linden. We've got so much to talk about tonight. Chuck Schumer puts a dollar in the congressional swear jar. Amazon offers two-day shipping for bribes and we give the Melania documentary two thumbs straight into my eyeballs. Let's get into the headlines. We begin with the battle over Trump's immigration crackdown. As the situation gets more and more out of hand, the people behind it are starting to feel the heat and one person cannot be contained. Kristi Noll and Stephen Miller are f***ing liars. Any administration that allows them to continue in office is rotten to its core. Wow, Samuel L Schumer over here. You kiss your lobbyist with that mouth. Guess a video like that is one way to get our attention, but I think it might be even more effective if you just cut it off a little bit earlier. Kristi Noll and Stephen Miller are f***ing liars. Okay, now I'm listening, spill the tea girl. So yeah, Schumer came in pretty hot, but other Democrats are trying to bring down the volume just a little. What do you make of the president's full-throated support of Kristi Noll? I'm not gonna lie. I'm gonna lie. I'm gonna lie. I'm gonna lie. We don't have sound. I think we're muted here. Ask it afternoon, Chris. Nailed it. I couldn't have not said it better myself. So let's assume that at some point the Democrats somewhere between zero and Lewis Black. What do they want? They are demanding three specific changes and roving ice patrols across the country, an updated uniform code of conduct and accountability for immigration enforcement, body cams on all agents, as well as proper identification and no masks. Okay, good to see Democrats pushing for some reforms. Is this everything that needs to change about ice? No. Is it a start? Yes. Am I going to keep asking myself questions and then answering them? No, this is my last one. Can I ask one more? Fine. But let's move on to the big, exciting event that we have all been waiting for. Everyone's going, you know what I'm talking about? The new millennium movie. Woo! Woo! Oh, someone didn't get their tickets in time. I'm joking, man. But if you haven't seen the trailer, get ready to be blown away. Here we go again. Hi, Mr. President. Congratulations. Did you watch it? I did not, yeah. I did not, yeah. I was going to, but then I didn't. Now, when you first heard that there was going to be a documentary about Melania, you probably thought, oh, or, huh, or why? Or can I undo my lasec? But Amazon believed in this movie a lot, like suspiciously a lot. Bezos and Amazon are paying $40 million for a documentary on Melania Trump, the most expensive licensing fee ever paid for a documentary. Amazon paid nearly three times more than the next highest bidder. The first lady will reportedly walk away with at least $28 million. Huh. Why would Jeff Bezos, a billionaire who has tons of business with a government run by a famously corrupt president known for loving bribes, overpay for a Melania documentary? Hmm. Let me think. Well, that didn't help. But whatever else this is, they made a real movie. They even got director Brett Ratner, who you might know from rush hour or the Me Too movement. And they're spending a ton of money promoting it, which is why we're seeing Melania all over Fox News doing interviews. And they've been asking her fascinating questions. How does it feel being a push lady for the second time around? It's quite extraordinary. What is your favorite part of the movie when we all go to watch it this weekend? When he's doing the YMCA, how do you feel? Fostering the future AI. I mean, what haven't you done? Tell us about the future. I've always been curious. What is your favorite time of day? I was told there'd been no gotcha questions. What is your favorite time of day? That sounds like the conversation you have with a co-worker spouse when they show up to the holiday party before your co-worker does. So do you always eat or dervse, sir? I gotta go to the bathroom. I will say I don't want to put all the blame on the interviewers because Melania's not really giving them a lot to work with. I got a special score for that movie, my original score, that it's called Melania's Vaults. Wow, and where does that original score come from? It's especially made for the movie. How wonderful. Wow. Wow, the original score for this movie was made for this movie, you say? And did they hit record when they were filming? How wonderful. Well, here's $40 million. All right, this is one of those interesting Timothy Shalame press tours, but that's not important. What's important is what this movie is about. What is it about? This story was never told before. So the audience will see me, how I manage my business, my philanthropy, family preparation for the inauguration, and also establishing the East Wing for the White House. Oh. No one's told her. Oh God. I love the East Wing, especially how it will always be there. Is this whole movie just her talking about things that she loves that are no longer here? Oh, my passions, decorating the East Wing, chatting with Dilbert Crueyther Scott Adams. Let's see what else. But whether this movie was a legitimate piece of art or a cash grab, it was a cash grab. So I'm sure everyone involved with this project is very proud of the work that they've done. Rolling Stone is reporting two-thirds of the film's New York crew asked not to be credited. Oh. Oh. Oh. Oh. Oh. You didn't want to be in the credits, but how will they know who to get the trophy to at the FIFA Academy Awards? And you know that this is bad because people in Hollywood love taking credit. It is their favorite thing to do. By the way, I was the first person to make that point. Of course, the big question is, is the Melania documentary worth seeing? To find out, let's go to our critics corner with Ronnie Chang and Michael Costco. Michael, let's start with you. What did you think? Desi, Melania was a terrible movie. It was nothing but pure bribery. I was disgusted by this naked attempt by Jeff Bezos to curry favor with the president. I give it thumbs down. Okay, I'm sorry. I don't know what movie you were watching, Michael. Because I personally found the bribery awful and cinematic. I mean, that was a real tour de force of corruption. Structurally, totally movie worked in every way. I knew exactly what was going on in every single scene. Crime. I give it two thumbs up. Look, look, look. I'm not approved. I'm not against a little bribery in a movie, but this was obscene. If I want to see bribery that hardcore, I'll watch it on my phone in the bathroom after my wife goes to sleep. No, no, I'm sorry. I love the bribery in this, okay? It wasn't gratuitous. It was saying something relevant, all right? Every movie could use more bribery. I'm looking at you, hamnut. Well, I'm Shakespeare. My baby died. Okay, I'm sorry. How does that enrich the president of the United States in 2026? Okay, guys, let me just ask. Is the bribery in this movie appropriate for families? I'm kind of worried that my five-year-old might not be mature enough to see strong bribery themes or situations. Oh. It'll be fine. The bribery will go right over her head. I don't know, Rowney. This bribery is so overt, she'd have to be pretty stupid to miss it. Yeah, I guess that's true. Does he how stupid is your five-year-old? Average stupid? Yeah, it should be fine. It should be okay. Yeah, it should be okay. I know it's early, but are you hearing any awards buzz for this thing? No way. Absolutely not. The only way this movie will ever win an Oscar is if the Academy Awards are desperate to stay in the president's good side. So yes, it will win an Oscar. Okay, I predict this thing is sweeping everything. Okay, the Golden Globes, BAFTAs, MTV Movie Awards. The special effects alone are amazing. Okay, it almost looked like Melania had a 10-foot son. Rowney, Rowney, that was her real son, Baron. What? Oh my god, this movie is blowing my mind. Rowney, I just, I have to ask you something. You seem to love this movie and you hate everything. Why are you supporting it so much? Why would you mean? I love this movie because I love the story and the character ox. And also, Jeff Bezos paid me $40 million to say what I just said. Yeah, right? Jeff, that is disgusting. Cinema is an art that should not be compromised, which is why I strongly recommend Melania. It's truly a masterpiece. Okay, Ronnie Chang and Michael Costa, everyone. We come back, we like out. How do you really sit the chase to dump all away? Welcome back to the Daily Show. If you're the kind of person who loves to walk through tall grass but hates covering your ankles, then help might be on the way. Grace Cool Instrument has more. In recent years, doing your own medical research has become a trend among self-diagnosed geniuses. The MMR I think should be taken separately. This is based on what I feel. What is the cure for measles? Chicken soup and vitamin A. My research and found a protocol of taking diluted strand of the virus. How are they even getting a diluted strand of the virus? I don't know that exactly. But Wisconsin native Tim Fri took his self-experementation to a whole other level. So some people like playing racquetball, some people like going on walk. You like being bit by venomous snakes. Why? It's psychological. I mean, you can't handle a weak nerve. You have to trust yourself. And that's why I loved it. In fact, Tim loved it so much he spent 18 years getting bit by 19 species of the most lethal snakes. Black mama bike, type hand bike, Egyptian culber bike, model culber bike, crates. Coral snakes, three rattlesnakes. Western Dime bike, compared to the black mama bike, it's a different day. So different. 100%. I've always said that. I figured, well, if I get bit by a culber or a mama, I don't want to die or lose a finger or hand or misswork. Right. And I fixed that problem myself. I became immune. Well, that is one way to avoid emergency room copays, but even crazier than Tim's self-care method is that it might end up saving hundreds of thousands of lives. There's somewhere between two and five million people a year that are bit by snakes. Of them, 140,000 die, another 300 to 400,000 are permanently disabled. And how much of that happens on airplanes? I am unaware of the statistics on how many happen on airplanes. So using advances in vaccine technology, biotech company Centevac set out to create a universal anti-vendom. But first, they had to cut out the middle horse. Historically, what people have done is taken snake venom injected into a horse. The horse's immune system then makes antibodies that go and block the toxins in the venom. Do horse scrolls know about this? I don't know what a horse girl is. A horse girl's a girl who loves horses. I imagine some of them do. The problem with that approach is it only works against one snake, and there's a whole bunch of side effects. So what we were looking for was the living person who survived snake venom so that those antibodies I knew were protecting that person, and we could turn into a medicine to protect others. And that person was, you guessed it. What I did is I milked the snakes. I slowly built up my immunity three years. Now, why do they call it snake milking? It kind of goes back to milking the cow, the otters. When you milk cattle, you're milking the snake. They smell the otters? No, no otters. They're fangs. They're milking the fangs to get the venom. Shouldn't it be called snake juice instead of snake milk? You can call whatever you want. OK. While milking the snake is usually a solitary activity, Tim was initially excited to share his newfound passion with his family. Two bites, nice. Who was the first person that you told? I am going to be getting myself bit by snakes so that I can create an antiventum. My ex-wife. And what do you think of that? You're an idiot. Uh-huh. The first six months was a complete failure. That was the ICU. After I took two cobra bites and flatlined, came back onto the hospital, it's coming out of a coma. And you're like, this is a good time to keep going. Yeah. Every day, roughly 350 people die from snake bite. So if I quit, I'm giving up on those people. So in a way, the key to not dying from a snake bite is to get bit by even more snakes. Nope. And in addition to doing good for mankind, conducting personal snake venom research also makes for one hell of a party. Ah. A while back, I'll get stoned as f*** and then get dead. And then that's where I went to cry. Guy who gets bit by snakes also smokes weed. I can see it. No f***ing way to get it. Yeah. It was crazy. One time, I was like taking an edible and I was like 15 minutes later, like I'm not f***ing high. So I took like three more. And all of a sudden, I turned completely bit. No, I don't like them in there. Yeah, not worth it. After 18 years of letting snakes go full vampire diaries on him, a peer reviewed medical paper in 2025 finally confirmed that Tim had achieved immunity, which made me wonder, should we all be doing our own research? So our current administration wants to cut a lot of science. And I hate to say it, but I think what I'm learning about Tim is proving that we don't need science. We just need crazy guys. Well Tim spent 18 years developing immunity, but in order to unlock it, he was searching as I was to synapse with a research group that had advanced biotechnology capabilities to mine through his immunity. So when can I safely get bitten by a snake? Because my 30th birthday is coming up and I really want to wow the crowd. In terms of our timelines, we're looking at commercialization five to six years from now. So maybe for my 30th birthday. Again, I would really discourage you from deliberately getting bitten by a snake. I know, but like, imagine how cool that would be. Nonwithstanding open bar, I get bitten by a snake. I recover. But in order to save others, Tim has had to make the ultimate sacrifice. As part of his contract, the scent of acts, he is no longer allowed to be bitten by snakes. Do you miss it? Yes. Have you done it? Yep. I miss the pain. Swelling. Oh my god, it sounds amazing. And you do it in my arms? Yeah, that just heaven on earth, no? Beautiful. Yes, doing your own research is more painful, difficult, and divorce inducing than most amateur scientists will ever understand. But it does have its rewards besides immunity to snake poison. The best relationship I've ever had, you know why? Because they want to kill me and they have his survive. And that's the contract that we have. It's like fail, I die. There's no ups. It's you, Lib or you die. I think you're a genius, but I also think you're an idiot. Yeah, I am sometimes. Yeah. Thank you, Chris. When we come back, Katherine, the NASA will be joining me on the show, so go away. Welcome back to the day, Lucio. My guest tonight is an actor who won an Emmy for her role as Nurse Dana in the HBO Max series, The Pit. Please welcome Katherine Lennasa. A fan. Beautiful, Katherine. Thank you so much for being here. Yes. I have a great time. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. It's because the people care. Yes. So it makes everyone feel secure. But it's very odd to me. I think that's so true. Yes. You have had a phenomenal career working steadily alongside some of Hollywood's heaviest hitters, Will Farrell, Robert DeVole, Billy Bob Thornton. Yes. And now you've won this Emmy. And you're. Woo! Woo! Woo! Woo! And you're so well known as Nostana now. How, I hear that the pit came into your life at kind of the perfect moment. Yes. Yes, I was tragically unemployed. Yes. It's always a good time. It's always a good time to get a job. Yeah, I would like. I actually, I had cancer, and I couldn't get a job. I hadn't gotten a job for about a few years. And I was really worried about losing my insurance. And so I actually prayed. I said, if you want me to keep acting, whatever it is, whatever you are, please. She, um, her. Yes. I'd like to say Father Mother God. If you want me to keep acting, send me a sign. And I got a job on Daredevil here in New York City at that started on the last day of my radiation. I actually went to my last radiation, got on a plane, and went to a costume fitting. And my radiologist was so sweet that they came in extra early, so I could do it. And they took pictures. And they were like, oh! Oh! Yeah. It was really sweet. It was really sweet. And now you get to take all of that and pour that into Dana. Yeah. I love hearing about all of your preparation for the role. It is so, the way you approach her just seems so thoughtful and how you created all this backstory, just even in the audition process. Yeah. Higher to dialect code. Yes, yes, yes. I was a lot of tears. I like to say a lot of tears learning that accent. How did you learn it? Did you just get drunk at a Steelers game? Yeah. Go Sturk. The last thing. Yeah, there it is. I couldn't really find the right coach. And I was listening to a mayor of Easttown over and over again, which isn't the exact right accent, but at least it's in the realm. And I was listening to it. I was in my bathtub. And it was playing in the other room. And the extras came on. And they started talking about the dialect, and about their dialect coach. And I jumped out of the tub, and I, you know, whoo! And I looked up the woman on IMDB Pro. And she sent me up, not with the person that did Kate Winslet, but the person that did basically everybody else, who's actually from Pennsylvania. She works on tasks, too. Oh my god. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So you're not only an incredible actress, but you could be an investigative reporter. Yes. That's so impressive. I'm a detective dog. You truly, Dana really is the heartbeat of the show. And I'm just curious if there were any real life nurses in your life that you were inspired by. Yeah. So I was pretty held together during my cancer journey. Like I thought, you know, why not me? So many people get cancer. And I was like, OK, this is just my turn with this. And but it wouldn't really go away. It felt like my disease wouldn't go away. I kept going back to the emergency department for different complications afterwards. And the last time it just kind of broke me. And I was sobbing in triush. And the nurse said, listen, I just need to tell you, like this isn't going to last forever. The first six months after cancer are really bumpy. And do you want an out of hand? Oh. Oh. They've got a lot of healthcare workers. But you know, all of that. It's funny. It's everything that the pit is. It's warm. It's compassionate. And then it's funny. It is. And it really, really shines a spotlight on all of the cracks or gaping holes in our healthcare system. And also, the toll that it takes on the healthcare workers. But more than anything, I truly feel like it's a masterclass in empathy and human compassion. How has playing this role changed your perspective on the healthcare system and healthcare workers? Well, you know, I like so many people have gone in, like with a child with something wrong with them. I mean, they're for 12 hours. And you just wonder why. And it's really not about the emergency department. It's about the hospital as a whole. And then the healthcare system as a whole. Because anybody can go to the emergency department. It's just hard for the emergency department to get them where they need to go afterwards. And so the whole thing gets really backed up. So that's sort of misunderstood. But also just in playing the role, opposite people that are going through something, it really made me get on a visceral level that we really don't know what's going on with people, you know, on the daily. And I think it made me a little softer as a person and a little more compassionate. You know, people are going through a lot. Yeah, they are. Yeah. Yeah. How, have you ever, when you go in for your own doctor's appointments, do they ever give you notes? No, but my dad does. Oh! Yeah, my dad does. Yeah, my dad is a surgeon. Yeah. Yes. And did your mom study nursing at one point? Yes, she did. She went to Tulane, yeah. And my dad, he had a friend of his. I guess so. Do people ever come up to you on the street and ask you for medical advice? No, but like when people have to take their mother to the emergency department, they call me and I'm like, I just want to stay. Oh, that's how I feel. Yeah, there's no one I would trust more than you and Noah Wiley. I know. Oh my god. By the way, I have a rash on my elbow. I'd like you to take a look at the urine seat in the dead. Probably help you with that. My grip, oh, that was a dermatologist. Oh. Oh, I just, I think, I imagine that you playing this role is going to inspire so many young people to want to get into the field of nursing. Are there any, I want you to play Nurse Dana for the next 20 seasons, because I love this show so much. But are there any other roles that you dream about that you think might be inspiring for people? For people or for me? Well, either one. Either one. I really want to play a queen. Oh. Honey, you are ready for one. You don't need to play a queen. You are a queen. New episodes of The Pitch, if you Thursdays on HBO Max, Queen, Catherine, Lanassah. Yes. We'll take a few breaks. We'll be right back after that. I'm just like now again. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. That's our show for tonight. But before we go, New York City is currently in an emergency blood shortage to help address this urgent need. 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