Jon Stewart‘s hot take on Punch the monkey got a chilly reception from the Daily Show audience that braved a New York area blizzard to attend Monday’s taping.
Punch aka Punch-kun is a baby Japanese macaque at the Ichikawa City Zoo in Japan, who quickly became a social media sensation due to his attachment to a stuffed orangutan toy.
After going hard on President Trump’s antics of the past week when Daily Show was dark, Stewart said, “You know what we need? We need one of them stuffed comfort monkeys that poor Punch has.”
“Although…” And this is where Stewart’s punchy take began.
“No disrespect,” he said, measuring his words at first, “but clearly there is probably something wrong with that [f*cking] monkey.”
As the audience began tsk-tsking his turn of tone, Stewart begged, “Hear me out. It’s adorable. And he’s breaking my heart. But that being said… who are we to question the wisdom of the tribe?”
Punch had been abandoned by his mother soon after birth, and as such has experienced trouble socializing with other monkeys—despite the Ichikawa City Zoo’s best efforts.
“I’m just saying, they’re the ones that know him best,” he ventured. “They’ve decided he’s problematic.”
With the audience now roaring with disapproval of his jabs at Punch, Stewart shouted back, playfully, “What the [f*ck]? Oh, you know monkeys better than the monkeys, is that it…? All the little monkey experts alldecided in the middle of a blizzard to come here tonight…?!
“F*ck all y’all!”
Doubling down, Stewart said, “Even that [f*cking] stuffed monkey looks like, ‘Hey, I don’t want to be here. I could be living The Life of Riley in a nice bedroom in Westchester. Instead, I’m being dragged through the gravel in the middle of Ichikawa.'”
To his wounded audience, Stewart maintained, “I’m sorry, I’m standing by this. Sometimes it’s going to go from funny to mean. That’s just what happens. That’s just what happens.”
Watch the segment on Punch above.
Followed by “Anyway, the point is folks… [tries to maintain composure] we’re on the brink of war with Iran.”
give it up John, that skit was a loser. The other hosts of daily show do a much better job with the headline news. Your pauses and snickering are tiresome and a waste of time. Your interview skills are great, maybe stick to that.
As someone being bullied as a kid by adults and other kids…My heart goes out to Punch. And who the hell named a creature Punch? Jeeezus … shame on Jon Stewart … he’s quite the role model isnt he?
I wont watch any more.
Good riddance