Episode
The Daily Show: March 30, 2026 - Cindy Cohn
Overview
Happy one monthiversary of the Iran war. With the Strait of Hormuz still closed, Jon Stewart looks at how global shortages are rippling outward, hitting everything from grain and helium to pickleballs. At home, Americans flood the streets for the No Kings protests while CPAC counters with Trump’s Yassss Kings rally. The U.S. also finally gets a detailed explanation of the president’s objectives and exit strategy—limited, for now, to the White House ballroom. Jon speaks with attorney Cindy Cohn about her book, Privacy’s Defender: My Thirty Year Fight Against Digital Surveillance, and her work leading the Electronic Frontier Foundation. She reflects on the post 9/11 surveillance fight, warns how internet regulation can backfire, and argues that meaningful reform requires strong privacy laws, new tech business models, and more choices for users. As she notes, the solution isn’t better dictators—it’s fewer of them.
Details
- Series
- The Daily Show
- Season
- Season 31
- Episode
- Episode 40
- Air date
- 2026-03-30
- Runtime
- 49 min
Episode context
March 30, 2026 - Cindy Cohn is Episode 40 in Season 31 of The Daily Show. It aired on 2026-03-30. The runtime is 49 min.
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Episode 39: March 26, 2026 - Eiza González
Josh Johnson breaks down a packed week in chaos, from Markwayne Mullin replacing DHS shopaholic Kristi Noem to Trump publicly auditing Mullin’s Native American identity. He also tackles Dr. Oz flash-mobbing his way into reduced health expenditures, Melania seemingly swapping out her husband for a humanoid stand-in, and an RFK Jr. anecdote involving a raccoon penis that permanently alters your brain chemistry. Meanwhile, Troy Iwata takes on international headlines that somehow make America look slightly less unhinged: Danish politicians woo voters in saunas, a French mayoral race boiling down to Hittler vs. Zielinski, Kenya shutting down an ant-smuggling operation, and Kim Jong Un fully embracing girl-dad dictatorship energy. Plus, actor Eiza González joins Josh to discuss her new film Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice, embracing comedy, playing a quirky femme fatale opposite James Marsden and Vince Vaughn, and reflecting on her journey from child stardom in Mexico to immigrating to the U.S.
Episode 41: March 31, 2026 - Julio Torres
Desi Lydic dives into Lindsey Graham's wartime day off at Disney World, Pete Hegseth's poetic take on the Iran War, Trump's flailing on the Strait of Hormuz as gas prices reach over $4 a gallon, and the leaked sexcapades of Kristi Noem's husband that make her fuck plane look tame. Ronny Chieng and Michael Kosta drive each other March Mad over a UConn "buzzer-beater" win against Duke and go head-to-head over big news in baseball, including instant replay for umpires and instant diarrhoea for ballpark foodies. Award-winning filmmaker and comedian, Julio Torres, sits down with Desi to discuss his new HBO special, "Color Theories". Torres invites viewers into an immersive experience in his whimsical world; he explains how Democrats and Republicans embody navy blue and burgundy because of what they hide, why everyone has a little bit of synesthesia, and whether anyone knows what color "puce" is.
More episodes from this season
Episode 38: March 25, 2026 - Joel Martinez aka "The Kid Mero"
Josh Johnson covers updates on the situation in Iran: Al Roker forecasts "haboobs" developing in the Middle East, Tehran defiantly refuses a ceasefire agreement, and Trump declares the war over and "won" while Pete Hegseth's loosened enlistment requirements say otherwise. Desi Lydic highlights the politicians striking out on social media in both short-form and long-form as they try to garner Gen Z's attention ahead of the midterms. From short cringey TikToks to long cringey podcasts, Desi is begging politicians to connect with young people by talking like actual human beings. Comedian, writer, and host of "Mornings with Mero", Joel Martinez aka "The Kid Mero" joins Josh to discuss making radio sound like New York again. They talk about evolving from a lifelong listener of HOT 97 to their newest host, connecting to listeners who call with open confessions, advocating for unhoused youth with Covenant House, and Joel shows Josh how to tie his Timberlands the "New York way".
Episode 42: April 1, 2026 - Dr. Mary Claire Haver
Desi Lydic takes on Trump’s appearance at Supreme Court oral arguments on birthright citizenship as he argues the constitutional right should apply only to “billionaires”, while also pushing ahead with construction of the White House ballroom despite a federal judge ordering it stopped. Trump also unveils plans for a presidential hotel brary. Lewis Black breaks down prediction markets, where people are now betting on everything from future wars to Trump’s next insult, with some markets giving Jesus better odds of returning than the New York Jets have of winning a Super Bowl. Desi is also joined by board certified OB/GYN Dr. Mary Claire Haver, founder of The 'Pause Life, to discuss her book The New Perimenopause. Dr. Haver explains what perimenopause is, why early mental and neurological symptoms are often misdiagnosed, and how women can advocate for their health and navigate this “second puberty” without suffering.
Episode 37: March 24, 2026 - Sterling K. Brown
President Trump cheerfully accepts a mysterious “gift” from his enemies in Iran, yet forces TSA agents to work without pay as travelers slog through nine hour airport lines—all because he refuses to approve a bipartisan deal in Congress. He’s also sending untrained ICE agents into airports, and even though they’re not helping ease the chaos, Josh Johnson is at least relieved they’re not out on the streets. Meanwhile, AI is reshaping the world, warping young minds, stealing jobs, and maybe even plotting humanity’s downfall. Former OpenAI researcher and whistleblower Daniel Kokotajlo tells Ronny Chieng why he believes current AI poses a real extinction threat. Emmy winner and Oscar nominee Sterling K. Brown joins Johnson to talk about his series Paradise, why he became an actor “to entertain, educate, and edify,” and how struggling artists can stay motivated. Plus, Josh Johnson delivers the Mini Roast of Sterling K. Brown.
Episode 43: April 13, 2026 - Aziz Abu Sarah & Moaz Inon
Jon Stewart dives into the backlash over Trump Jesus-ifying himself with AI, the president claiming he was just depicting himself as a "doctor" (treating a bedridden Jon Stewart?), and Trump starting an Easter beef with Pope Leo. Plus, JD Vance fails to secure a deal with Iran while ALSO failing to get Hungarian strongman Viktor Orban re-elected. "We don't have to be on opposite sides. We can be on the same side, fighting for justice together, fighting for peace together". Peace activists and authors of "The Future Is Peace", Aziz Abu Sarah and Maoz Inon sit down with Jon Stewart to share their inspirational story of family loss and choosing reconciliation over revenge in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Through honest dialogue, visits to Holocaust and Palestinian sites, and confronting painful stories, they spread the message of how empathy can break cycles of violence and war. They also challenge the idea that empathy is naïve and share what it was like meeting Pope Francis.
Episode 36: March 23, 2026 - Jake Sullivan
Trump’s eventful weekend of golfing, sightseeing, and ignoring the imploding effects of the war in Iran has Jon Stewart wondering who the hell the president has been claiming to negotiate with overseas, and whether this "top person" even exists. Plus, airport chaos amid a government shutdown has ICE filling in for the TSA as part of Trump's escalating chaos rampage. Jake Sullivan, former National Security Advisor, Harvard Kennedy School professor, and co-host of “The Long Game” podcast, joins Jon Stewart to break down the war in Iran, U.S. foreign policy, and the future of nuclear negotiations. Sullivan shares his insights on President Trump’s approach to Iran and Iran’s “coherent and clear” strategy. Plus, Sullivan reflects on his time working on secret negotiations with Iranian officials during the Obama administration and tells the story of a historic first direct contact between U.S. and Iranian presidents since 1979.
Episode 44: April 14, 2026 - Bao Nguyen
Ronny Chieng dives into JD Vance's ill-prepared excuse for Trump's Jesus AI, the VP telling Pope Leo how to pope, RFK Jr. utilizing his best asset for podcasting, and Trump saying he'll "look into" FEMA head Gregg Phillips's Waffle House teleportation claims. In this installment of "In My Opinion", Nick Offerman sounds off on how Trump is injecting his self-aggrandising "jackassery" into America's 250th birthday - from slapping his John Hancock onto American currency to staging a UFC "battle" at the White House - and calls on citizens to find their own way to patriotically party down. Acclaimed film-maker Bao Nguyen sits down with Ronny to discuss his latest documentary, "BTS: The Return". They talk about following BTS's creative process as a fly on the wall, the big reunion after the band completed their national military service, the documentary narrative around honesty rather than facts, and the band's vulnerable moments when living out their normal lives.
Episode 35: March 19, 2026 - Rebecca Traister
Trump bombs a Pearl Harbor joke at a meeting with Japan's prime minister after a reporter asked him about the Iran war, and Jordan Klepper finds the optimism in Afroman winning a defamation suit against the police who raided his home, preserving free speech through relentless mockery, brutal infidelity jokes, & lemon pound cakes. Michael Kosta delivers the latest get-rich-now opportunities from the hottest business headlines: The Fast Food Wars get a greasy relaunch, Topo Chico mineral water dries up in the U.S., and rare Pokemon cards have collectors collecting fat stacks. Rebecca Traister, author and writer for New York Magazine, talks to Jordan about her latest book, "Angry Girls Will Get Us Through". They discuss the constructive power of anger to bring people together & affect social change, and the mission of her book to tell the under-recognized stories of angry women, girls, & nonbinary people who sparked some of the most impactful moments of change throughout American history.
Episode 45: April 15, 2026 - Zoe Lister-Jones
JD Vance continues his apology tour on Trump's behalf at a TPUSA event, begging Gen Z not to leave MAGA over Iran and Epstein frustrations, and Ronny Chieng tries to make sense of Trump's "Diet Coke is healthy" logic. Also, since Trump's Jesus AI images won't stop, Grace Kuhlenschmidt steps in as a fully supportive, temporary "war pope". Professional naming expert Marco Glennwald III is losing his mind over the president's insistence on naming every goddamn thing after himself. Filmmaker and actress Zoe Lister-Jones sits down with Ronny to discuss starring in the Peacock series, "The Miniature Wife". They talk about co-starring as a billionaire and an evil scientist, portraying power dynamics in relationships through a fantastical lens, being exposed to feminist filmmaking from her video artist mother, and giving her TV series "Slip" – which she wrote, directed, and starred in – a "new life" on Peacock.
Episode 34: March 18, 2026 - Steve Zahn
Jordan Klepper breaks down how Republicans are addressing Americans' concerns about rising gas prices from the war in Iran by telling them to suck it up and quit whining, DHS secretary nominee Markwayne Mullin finds his Senate confirmation hearing dominated by an old beef with Rand Paul, and Grace Kuhlenschmidt encourages politicians to settle their differences the right way: a duel at 10 paces! On another edition of Sports War, Jordan Klepper and Desi Lydic bicker about the use of AI to fill out March Madness brackets and backlash against an NBA event honoring a strip club. Emmy-nominated actor Steve Zahn sits down with Jordan Klepper to discuss his new film, "She Dances." They talk about wearing many hats as producer, co-writer, and actor, using his "dance dad" background to write a comedy that deals with grief, why no one else could play the part but his own daughter, and evolving with co-star Ethan Hawke from playing slackers in "Reality Bites" to being veteran actors.
Episode 46: April 16, 2026 - Lee Sung Jin
Ronny Chieng dives into America’s escalating clash with Iran, from global fuel shortages that leave Thai news anchors visibly sweating to Iran’s AI generated video of Jesus condemning Trump—and whether it qualifies as “patriotic” by Pete Hegseth’s standards. Somehow, the chaos is also buoying the American stock market. Iran’s surge of online “slopaganda” even inspires Michael Kosta to join the meme war. Grace Kuhlenschmidt rounds up the latest tech absurdities in Tech Yeah!, covering “tech neck”, marathon runners racing robots in China, and an AI avatar that might finally make Mark Zuckerberg seem lifelike. Writer director Lee Sung Jin joins Ronny to unpack how "Beef" evolved from a PowerPoint pitch into an award winning Netflix hit, exploring its real life inspirations, generational tensions, and a return to Korea to film with legends Youn Yuh jung and Song Kang ho—complete with a surprise visit from Parasite director Bong Joon ho.