The Daily Show on the Epstein Emails Won Late Night This Week

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The week began with a disappointing outcome – the Democratic Party quickly agreed to end the government shutdown. While many late-night comedians expressed frustration with the Democrats’ decision, Jon Stewart’s segment on The Daily Show really resonated with viewers. His comparison of being a Democrat to being a New York Giants fan was particularly striking. The Daily Show also delivered expertly crafted video clips, perfectly timed and introduced with Stewart’s signature irony – a return to the sharp satire of the Bush years.

The most significant news in late-night television this week is the passing of Cleto Escobedo III, the bandleader for Jimmy Kimmel Live!. Jimmy Kimmel honored his friend with a heartfelt and humorous monologue on Tuesday night. He struck a perfect balance between sadness and funny anecdotes, which is exactly what people want when remembering someone. Seeing Cleto’s parents in the audience made the tribute even more moving. It was a difficult moment for Kimmel, but he handled it with grace and strength.

With all that said, here were the week’s best non-rage and grief-inducing moments in late night.

5.
Joe Jonas Uses LinkedIn?

https://youtube.com/watch?v=watch?v=_iZwj36Ty1g

The Tonight Show’s team did an amazing job finding a guy who became a viral sensation! This week, a TikTok video showed someone spotting Scott Kelly at a Jonas Brothers concert and reviewing his résumé. The show then tracked Kelly down and invited him on to share his perspective. When they met him, Joe Jonas jokingly confirmed his identity by saying he recognized him from LinkedIn – a platform he apparently doesn’t usually use! It’s funny to think about Joe Jonas having to check someone’s LinkedIn profile!

It seems Kelly wasn’t actually trying to get a job. He and the person reviewing his résumé had served in the military together and were hoping to connect to support other veterans as they adjusted to civilian careers. Kelly did a fantastic job engaging with the audience and promoting his podcast – I’ve seen famous actors do a much worse job when first appearing on late-night shows.

4.
Pilaf Gets a Swag Bag From Stephen Colbert

https://youtube.com/watch?v=watch?v=y9G1iRuT6HA

Although Demi Moore didn’t win an Oscar, her dog, Pilaf, definitely gained popularity! Both Moore and Pilaf recently returned to The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, and Colbert showed his appreciation by giving Pilaf a special gift bag. Moore is smart to showcase Pilaf, who’s become a beloved and charming companion, reminiscent of Guillermo. With the recent loss of Frisbee, a longtime late-night favorite, Pilaf is quickly becoming the new go-to pup for fans.

3.
Morgan Fairchild’s Pee-wee Memories

https://youtube.com/watch?v=watch?v=OfsNgonpdQc

Morgan Fairchild, known for playing Chandler’s mother on Friends, absolutely nailed her talk-show appearance in the episode “The One With Mrs. Bing.” The scene cleverly features Jay Leno playing himself. Given Fairchild’s experience as a frequent guest on late-night shows, Jimmy Kimmel smartly booked her for his ’80s week celebration. She handled a tricky situation perfectly, managing to pay tribute to her character’s husband, Cleto, and his family while still being friendly and engaging. The best part? She shared a fascinating behind-the-scenes story about Pee-wee’s Big Adventure that I’d never heard before. Apparently, the famous “paging Mr. Herman” scene was largely improvised on set thanks to James Brolin – or “Jim,” as Fairchild calls him – who used his connections with Aaron Spelling to secure the hotel location as a favor.

2.
The Patti LuPone and Anderson Cooper Monologues

https://youtube.com/watch?v=watch?v=idrA5gMaptU

Let me tell you, someone really had it out for Anderson Cooper on Watch What Happens Live! Andy Cohen put his friend in a tough spot, challenging both him and Patti LuPone to perform iconic monologues from Real Housewives history. Cooper actually did surprisingly well with the ‘Haitian Mortician’ speech from The Real Housewives of Miami – he brought a real intensity to it. But the absolute highlight? Patti LuPone delivering Meredith Marks’ yacht freakout. The way she immediately launches with “You’re a liar!” before Andy even finishes the setup is pure gold. And honestly, watching Andy just beam at her as she tears through it? It’s a masterclass in reacting – it really proves the saying that acting is 90% reaction, and Andy Cohen is living proof.

1.
Troy Iwata: Punctuation Police

https://youtube.com/watch?v=watch?v=hx-qKVVxGLw

Okay, so Josh Johnson’s segment on the Trump-Epstein emails was amazing. He absolutely nailed it with a couple of jokes – the one about Republicans releasing the emails being like ‘hiding pee by pooping’ was brilliant, and his line about being glad Hillary ‘killed’ Epstein? Dark, but hilarious. But honestly, Troy Iwata’s freakout over the terrible spelling and punctuation in those emails made the whole thing. Epstein was a monster, and apparently, a terrible writer too! It was such a smart move to focus on that tiny, absurd detail – it took a story that could have been either too depressing or just rehashed, and made it genuinely funny. Seriously, masterful comedy.

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2025-11-14 21:57