Jon Stewart’s “government-approved” episode of The Daily Show on Thursday was complete with blinding gold accents, golden flourishes, and gilded graphics fit for President Donald Trump.
The parody of the president featured co-hosts of the late-night show wearing blue jackets and red ties, in MAGA fashion, as Stewart—tongue pressed firmly in cheek—praised America as the “hottest country on earth.”
Stewart’s desk displayed “The Daily Show” in glittery gold, and the graphics that surrounded him were all gilded. Some of the clips shown on air—like Trump’s snooze of a speech inside Windsor Castle this week—were even given a distinct golden filter.
The gaudy layout was an obvious dig at Trump’s Oval Office, which seemingly adds more golden trinkets and moldings by the month.
Stewart hosted Thursday’s show outside of his typical Monday night slot. The MAGA-fication of the episode was a direct reaction to ABC succumbing to threats from Trump’s FCC Chair, Brendan Carr, and pulling the late-night host Jimmy Kimmel off the air.
“We have another fun, hilarious, administration-compliant show,” Stewart said in his intro.
Stewart’s monologue was filled with MAGA talking points. He repeatedly shushed the laughing crowd, telling them, “You’re gonna blow this for us!”
Trump, who flew home from a trip to England on Thursday, has not weighed in on Stewart’s episode. It is possible he would have enjoyed its styling, however.
The president wasted no time remaking the Oval Office this year. On Inauguration Day, he reinstalled his famous “Diet Coke button,” hung a portrait of Former President Andrew Jackson, and set up military flags representing each service branch. He also began outfitting the historic office with golden trinkets and gold-accented appliques—some of which are nearly identical to a $58 “Ekena Millwork Onlay” available at Home Depot.
The amount of gold grew slowly over the following weeks, but exploded in amount to rival the Palace of Versailles by April. That rapid shift came shortly after he flew his “Gold Guy,” John Icart, up to Washington from Palm Beach on Air Force One.
White House officials told the Wall Street Journal that Icart added gold accents to the Oval Office’s mantel, walls, and the moldings that wrap around the office.
Andrew Harnik/Getty Images
Trump has proudly boasted about the makeover. First, in March, he told Fox News that the Oval Office “needed a little life,” so he opted for gold. He said it is symbolic of angels.
“They say angels bring good luck,” he said of his renovation. “And we need a lot of luck in this country with what they have done over the last four years.”
Those hoping to gain favor with the president quickly learned that the way to his heart is through gifting something gold. Apple CEO Tim Cook and the president of soccer’s world governing body, Gianni Infantino, both followed this playbook.
Infantino allowed Trump to keep the Club World Cup trophy in the Oval Office, having to send the winners of the cup—Chelsea FC in London—a replica. Cook delivered him a ‘unique’ piece of Corning glass with a 24-karat gold base, which said his name, displayed Apple’s logo, and read, “MADE IN THE USA.
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