Episode
The Daily Show: January 26, 2026 - Jason Rezaian
Overview
After the second murder of a Minnesota ICE protester by federal agents, Jon Stewart breaks down the increasingly unhinged gaslighting from Trump officials who are trying to paint victim Alex Pretti as a "domestic terrorist" & ICE agents as innocent kittens despite clear video evidence to the contrary. As MAGA & Kristi Noem ignore even their precious Second Amendment in their attempts to justify the shooting of a legally armed citizen, Jon points to the real weapon threatening this administration: cameras. Director of Press Freedom Initiatives at The Washington Post, Jason Rezaian discusses the deadly protests in Iran and the importance of collecting details of the Iranian experience despite the impermeable internet blackouts. How Trump's desire to make a deal with Iran would only empower the current oppressive regime, the benefits of including Iranian dissidents in the U.S. in policy conversations, and the humor that carried Rezaian through his 544-day wrongful prison sentence in Iran.
Details
- Series
- The Daily Show
- Season
- Season 31
- Episode
- Episode 12
- Air date
- 2026-01-26
- Runtime
- 43 min
Episode context
January 26, 2026 - Jason Rezaian is Episode 12 in Season 31 of The Daily Show. It aired on 2026-01-26. The runtime is 43 min.
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Episode 11: January 22, 2026 - Alexandria Stapleton
Josh Johnson gives a progress report on Trump's first year in office based on his campaign pledges to generate more jobs, make Americans rich, improve healthcare, and protect free speech. Naturally, the only person to benefit from these promises is Trump, who now has everything but a normal-looking hand. Lewis Black takes on Gen Z's nostalgic penchant for the past and the ridiculous "throwback" fads the younger generation is reviving, including cigarette smoking, "dumb phones" to help them think thoughts, tramp stamps, and the mall. Emmy award-winning documentarian Alexandria Stapleton talks to Josh Johnson about producing and directing the Netflix docuseries, "Sean Combs: The Reckoning," including her shared concern with producing partner Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson not to indict the entire Hip-Hop culture along with the music mogul & how the sense of trepidation among the documentary crew & interview participants has shifted since the release of the series and the arrest of Sean Combs.
Episode 13: January 27, 2026 - Michael Urie
Desi Lydic dives into the backlash over the Trump administration's immigration crackdown in Minnesota: GOPers push back against the DHS's attacks on Alex Pretti for carrying a legal firearm, Border Patrol Commander Greg Bovino gets a station reassignment and a screen time limit, and Trump resorts to finding Bovino's replacement via suggestions from "Fox & Friends" host Brian Kilmeade. Plus, Troy Iwata pitches a new look for Greg Bovino to match his demotion. Michael Kosta and Ronny Chieng duke it out on another edition of Sports War, debating who you should root for at the upcoming Super Bowl LX, the merits of "Heated Rivalry" putting NHL on the map, and "Nordick shame" after Olympic Norwegian ski jumpers were suspended for enlarging their crotches. Emmy-nominated actor Michael Urie talks with Desi Lydic about the new season of "Shrinking", his run Broadway, and getting his start on "Ugly Betty," where the legendary Vanessa Williams gave him the agency to take big acting swings.
More episodes from this season
Episode 10: January 21, 2026 - Simu Liu
Trump closes out his first year as president (again) with a finger-crushing book of accomplishments while he leans into his goal for Year 2: acquiring Greenland. Josh Johnson tracks how Trump's mumbling about his need to own "Iceland" in Davos morphed into a vague "concept of a deal" with the president who never hears the word "no." In another edition of Everything Is Stupid, Ronny Chieng details the rise and fall of an alleged scam that anyone with a sane mind could've seen coming: former New York City Mayor Eric Adams's risky unregulated crypto token, which he compared to Betsy Ross before it crashed spectacularly. "The Copenhagen Test" star Simu Liu sits down with Josh Johnson to discuss his new series on Peacock and his upcoming Broadway debut in "Oh, Mary!" He shares what it's like to portray Mary's Teacher on stage, the similarities and differences between acting in film and for a live audience, his experience in stunt performance inspired by the greats like Jackie Chan & Jet Li.
Episode 14: January 28, 2026 - Gov. Mikie Sherrill
Desi Lydic dives into the Trump administration's scramble to blame each other for the handling of Alex Pretti's shooting by federal agents in Minnesota, Trump's rally against Congresswoman Ilhan Omar, who was attacked at a town hall in the wake of his demonizing rhetoric, and the president's rollout of Trump Accounts, which he announced alongside MAGA's newest spokeswoman, Nicki Minaj. In this edition of In My Opinion, Whitney Cummings profiles the Democratic politicians lined up for the 2028 presidential race, from Josh Shapiro to Gavin Newsom, and the quirky penchants for cosplay, veganism, and convicted felons that they bring to the table. New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill, who recently became the nation's first woman veteran to be elected governor, sits down with Desi Lydic to discuss how her time serving in a gridlocked Congress motivated her to run for governor and the difference she's already seen in her ability to create change.
Episode 9: January 20, 2026 - Artis Stevens
After receiving a secondhand Nobel Peace Prize from the real winner, Maria Corina Machado, Trump decides peace is for chumps and doubles down on his plans to take over Greenland, angering both Emmanuel Macron and Emmanuel Macron's eye. Plus, while Josh Johnson thinks the president's plan to extort Greenland out of Europe's hands through tariffs will only hurt Americans, Michael Kosta demonstrates how kicking one's own ass is the ultimate fighting strategy. Trump still wants Greenland and is threatening our European allies if they don't go along with his plan, but this story has been brewing for a while. As Jordan Klepper's recent trip to Norway showed us, the president's anti-peace reputation has long been the talk of the town. President and CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, Artis Stevens, sits down with Josh Johnson to discuss the power of mentorship.
Episode 15: January 29, 2026 - Katherine LaNasa
Democrats express their outrage over the Trump administration's immigration crackdown, with Chuck Schumer calling Kristi Noem and Stephen Miller "fucking liars" and Hakeem Jeffries on accidental mute. Plus, Desi Lydic plunges into the world of Melania ahead of her documentary debut, which was produced by Jeff Bezos, directed by disgraced filmmaker Brett Ratner, and created by a crew too ashamed to have their names in the credits. Grace Kuhlenschmidt meets Wisconsin native and snakebite enthusiast Tim Friede, who has built up an immunity to 19 of the most venomous snake species, and learns that doing your own medical research can save lives... when done with the help of a team of medical science experts. Emmy Award-winning actress Katherine LaNasa talks with Desi Lydic about her starring role as Nurse Dana in "The Pitt". They talk about landing a job on her last day of radiation, her experience with ER nurses during treatment, and the insight "The Pitt" gives to broken hospital systems.
Episode 8: January 15, 2026 - Wagner Moura
Jordan Klepper covers the latest on Trump's "whole milk" antics, the president's push to take over Greenland that has Europe mobilizing, and Mayor Zohran Mamdani's burgeoning communist reign in New York City, which has unleashed terrors such as expanded access to childcare and free public restrooms. Grace Kuhlenschmidt breaks down the latest tech from the CES conference: candy that puts voices in your head, razors that botch your haircut for you, robots that can see you but can't hear you, and a chance to fulfill your dreams of beating up a machine! Actor Wagner Moura joins Jordan Klepper, fresh off his Golden Globe win for his performance in "The Secret Agent". Moura, a Brazilian native, describes how the film, which takes place in 1977 Brazil during a heavy dictatorship, was a way for him and director Kleber Mendonça Filho to process their perplexity after their country's return to dictatorship values with the election of far-right president Jair Bolsonaro in 2018.
Episode 16: February 2, 2026 - Heather Ann Thompson
Trump declares himself "absolved" by the latest release of Epstein files, while Elon Musk's Christmas wish for a trip to the sex island is put on blast, and Jon Stewart finds himself on Epstein's list… for documentary voiceovers. Plus, as MAGA continues to shield the president from all accountability, Jon Stewart shines a light on the double standard of sanctuary given to Trump vs. immigrants. Historian and Pulitzer Prize-winning author Heather Ann Thompson sits down with Jon Stewart to discuss her new book, "Fear and Fury: The Reagan Eighties, the Bernie Goetz Shootings, and the Rebirth of White Rage." They talk about how big a figure Bernie Goetz was in 1980s New York, hailed as a "vigilante" for shooting four young Black men on a subway train despite the attack being unprovoked, the story's parallels to ICE shooting protesters in Minneapolis, the costs of violence, and how these types of injustices paved the way for Donald Trump.
Episode 7: January 14, 2026 - Langhorne Slim
Donald Trump gives a Ford factory worker the middle finger and delivers a message of "keep protesting" but only for Iranians, immigration raids escalate in Minnesota, ICE engages in blatant racial and accent profiling, and Jordan Klepper highlights the Minnesotans fighting back with music, costumes, and bologna. Musician Langhorne Slim joins Jordan Klepper to talk about his new album, "The Dreamin' Kind." They discuss the importance of dreamers and creativity, especially during uncertain times, how politics have changed the way his older music resonates, collaborating with Greta Van Fleet, and his mission to make joyful music that'll have you wanting to "shake it." Langhorne Slim performs "Rock N Roll" from his upcoming album, "The Dreamin' Kind," which is due to be released on January 16.
Episode 17: February 3, 2026 - Paul Rosolie
Conservatives amp up their mission to MAGA-fy America by overshadowing Bad Bunny's Super Bowl performance with Turning Point USA's own D-list halftime show, and Michael Kosta connects the dots between Trump's call for Republicans to "nationalize" voting and the president's never-ending claim that the 2020 election was stolen. Plus, Troy Iwata explains why Trump's pitch to cancel the midterms is peak comedy. With Amazon's $40 million documentary about the first lady premiering at the Trump Kennedy Center, Jordan Klepper ventured to Washington, D.C., where he chatted with attendees about director Brett Ratner's appearance in the Epstein files, whether the film's purchase was a bribe, and why this is what our country should be focused on right now not Minneapolis. Amazon rainforest conservationist, wildlife filmmaker, and author Paul Rosolie talks to Michael about his latest book, "Junglekeeper: What It Takes to Change the World."
Episode 6: January 13, 2026 - Joachim Trier
Jordan Klepper rounds up the latest indiscretions from Trump's cabinet, including Pete Hegseth adding perfidy to his collection of alleged war crimes, Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer bringing back the good old-fashioned political sex scandal, and RFK Jr. making America heart attack again with his upside-down food pyramid, which Troy Iwata breaks down for us. Lenard McKelvey (aka "Charlamagne Tha God") is celebrating MLK Day like it's his last, because with this president, it might be. Thanks to the Trump administration's backsliding on the national holiday, MAGA's disparaging remarks against Dr. King, and Elon Musk's call for white solidarity, Donald Trump's birthday is in the running to replace MLK Day. Award-winning director and screenwriter Joachim Trier joins Jordan Klepper to discuss his latest critically acclaimed film, "Sentimental Value." They talk about the influence of early skateboarding films on challenging actors to take risks, developing a cast built on trust.
Episode 18: February 4, 2026 - Patricia Lee aka "Ms. Pat"
Michael Kosta dives into Trump's recent moves to steer the country back on track, which include the release of lame new "America Is Back" hats, telling CNN's Kaitlan Collins to get over the Epstein files and smile more, & continuing his D.C. makeover by building a massive arch across from the Lincoln Memorial. Plus, Grace Kuhlenschmidt shares further updates on the president's construction rampage. The state that brought you President Ronald Reagan and Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger offer a thrilling new contender for the White House: Governor Gavin Newsom. Patricia Lee aka "Ms. Pat", comedienne, actress, & co-creator of the hit BET+ series, "The Ms. Pat Show," sits down with Michael Kosta to discuss the show's fifth season. They talk about fighting through network pulls for the chance to speak out about immigration, portraying a unique-yet-universal mother to viewers, preparing for a doomsday scenario, & learning to believe in herself after being shot, abused, and incarcerated.