The Daily Show’s Josh Johnson and former NFL quarterback-turned left-wing political activist on a book tour Colin Kaepernick let it be known on Comedy Central on Wednesday that they are deeply disappointed in America. A decade after Kaepernick started kneeling during the national anthem, Johnson lamented that “it doesn't seem like America is better.”
Johnson began the interview by gushing over his guest, “I am a big fan of you," before wondering, “I have so many questions for you. I guess, one of the main ones is, it is now ten years since you first took a knee, and it doesn't seem like America is better. Do you know what I mean? How are you feeling now when you look around now?”
Kaepernick naturally joined in on the pity party, “It feels like a little bit like an episode of The Twilight Zone. This doesn't feel like reality because after ten years, there has been progress in some areas, but there’s also, like, we are seeing corruption at a level that feels like a fantasy.”
Naturally, Johnson agreed, “Yeah, it is cartoonish.”
Kaepernick echoed the thought as he continued, “It is cartoonish. Those components make you think about what should we be doing, how do we actually advance from here? I will say the part that gives me hope is while we are seeing the administration and the corporate side do wild things, what we're seeing more on the ground is people being fed up with it and starting to push back harder and harder. And that gives me hope.”
When Kaepernick started kneeling in 2016, “the administration” was not in power. He smeared the country as racist, wore socks depicting police officers as pigs, and praised communist dictators. If America can’t match Kaepernick's moral standards, then the problem isn’t with America.
Here is a transcript for the September 16 show:
Comedy Central The Daily Show
9/16/2026
11:27 PM ET
JOSH JOHNSON: I am a big fan of you.
COLIN KAEPERNICK: Well, thank you.
JOHNSON: What a coincidence. I have so many questions for you. I guess, one of the main ones is, it is now ten years since you first took a knee, and it doesn't seem like America is better. Do you know what I mean? How are you feeling now when you look around now?
KAEPERNICK: It feels like a little bit like an episode of The Twilight Zone.
JOHNSON: Yeah.
KAEPERNICK: This doesn't feel like reality—
JOHNSON: Yeah.
KAEPERNICK: —because after ten years, there has been progress in some areas, but there’s also, like, we are seeing corruption at a level that feels like a fantasy.
JOHNSON: Yeah, it is cartoonish.
KAEPERNICK: It is cartoonish. Those components make you think about what should we be doing, how do we actually advance from here? I will say the part that gives me hope is while we are seeing the administration and the corporate side do wild things, what we're seeing more on the ground is people being fed up with it and starting to push back harder and harder. And that gives me hope.
