Comedy Central’s Jon Stewart is the pioneer of the dishonest idea that comedy show hosts can use humor to talk about serious political issues, but the moment you criticize the argument behind the jokes, they retreat to the idea that they are just a comedian and should not be taken seriously. On Wednesday’s episode of The Weekly Show podcast, the clown nose was definitely off as he admitted to his producers that he had “no idea” people would be mad at him for opining on things he knows nothing about despite being on TV for over 30 years.
Lamenting the previous week’s episode, Stewart declared, “I have to say, I don’t know what shit I've stepped in this week, because I, after talking to Richard Thaler, who was the economist from last week, I was very pleased with the conversation. I thought, 'Well, that was really interesting and spirited and said some things back and forth,' but I had no idea how mad the economists—and they were fucking mad.”
Jon Stewart admits to be surprised how people were "fucking mad" that on last week's The Weekly Show podcast he didn't know what he was talking about on economists. He also "the summary seemed to be like, 'Well, you're just fucking stupid.' And I was like, well, that, I don't… pic.twitter.com/XrV1vPGGxA
— Alex Christy (@alexchristy17) February 12, 2026
Stewart is referring to Thaler informing him that his belief that economics, as a discipline, in a capitalist system is concerned with maximizing profits is incorrect, and when economists argue on behalf of a policy, they do so on the basis that it would be good for society, not whether it’s politically popular. Thaler had to inform Stewart that most economists actually favor one particular liberal wish list item: a carbon tax.
The reaction to Stewart’s ignorance was harsh, and not just from conservatives. For example, Obama economist Jason Furman recalled that his interview with Stewart was “the single worst” one he’s ever done and that he “basically lost it.”
As it was, Gillian Spear observed, “I will say though, I was looking at a lot of the response, and they weren't really from economists. They're just people that ride for economists for whatever reason.”
Although The Weekly Show is a Comedy Central property, unlike The Daily Show, there is no pretense of comedy in it. Nevertheless, the reason is that Stewart has built a career on mocking the supposed absurdities in other people’s arguments, only for him to expose himself as clueless on the policy matters on which he speaks.
Committed to being on brand, Stewart could only mock the idea, “Wait a minute, there's a BeyHive for economists?” Spear confirmed that “Yeah, apparently there's people really eager to just jump in for their defense.”
Stewart then continued lamenting, “But also the, the summary seemed to be like, ‘Well, you're just fucking stupid.’ And I was like, well, that, I don't know if that's a really a cogent critique of he—‘this guy…A lot of it was just shock, like, ‘How can this guy have been on television for 30 years and not understand anything?’ and I'm like, I mean, Richard Thaler, he's a Nobel Prize winning economist. He could have very easily said, like, ‘I think you're completely misunderstanding.’”
He also recalled, “People were literally writing articles like “Jon Stewart is what's wrong with the American electorate,” and I'm like, I think that's hyperbolic.”
It isn’t. There was a time when Stewart was considered the most trusted man in news. Jon Stewart isn’t some young college student learning about new things. He’s a 63-year-old man who has been paid to opine about politics for decades. He taught many people that snark for its own sake was an acceptable substitute for substance, but when discussing policy issues that do not have anything to do with the moral failings of individual people, snark isn’t enough, and economists, apparently, finally had enough.
Here is a transcript for the February 11 show:
Comedy Central The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
2/11/2026
JON STEWART: And I have to say, I don’t know what shit I've stepped in this week, because I, after talking to Richard Thaler, who was the economist from last week, I was very pleased with the conversation. I thought, “Well, that was really interesting and spirited and said some things back and forth,” but I had no idea how mad the economists—and they were fucking mad.
BRITTANY MEHMEDOVIC: They were mad.
GILLIAN SPEAR: I will say though, I was looking at a lot of the response, and they weren't really from economists. They're just people that ride for economists for whatever reason.
STEWART: Wait a minute, there's a BeyHive for economists?
SPEAR: Yeah, apparently there's people really eager to just jump in for their defense.
LAUREN WALKER: The summary just seemed to be not all economists as well.
STEWART: But also the, the summary seemed to be like, “Well, you're just fucking stupid.”
WALKER: Well, that too.
STEWART: And I was like, well, that, I don't know if that's a really a cogent critique of he— “this guy—”
SPEAR: Is that constructive criticism?
MEHMEDOVIC: Not really.
STEWART: A lot of it was just shock, like, “How can this guy have been on television for 30 years and not understand anything?” and I'm like, I mean, Richard Thaler, he's a Nobel Prize winning economist. He could have very easily said, like, “I think you're completely misunderstanding,” or like, he's a big boy. He could have handled the—
SPEAR: He said you passed his class.
STEWART: People were literally writing articles like “Jon Stewart is what's wrong with the American electorate,” and I'm like, I think that's hyperbolic.
WALKER: I love that headline. It's like, I don't really know what I'm getting into with this article. It could be a few things.
STEWART: It was bad, man. I was just like, “Whoa.”
