“Daily Show” host Jon Stewart on Monday night called out the polling industry for pushing uncertain data with wild swings – and the media for highlighting so much of it.
Stewart said “our little reptilian brains” don’t care about nuance and complexity on issues such as immigration, tariffs and Iran.
“We don’t care,” he said. “What’s the score?!?”
Stewart played clips of media figures hyping polls that predict a big win for Democrats in Tuesday’s midterm elections.
“Oh, my God. Thank you!” he said in mock relief as he took deep breaths. “I am so sorry I flipped out at you guys.”
But then another clip came in from CNN asking: “What if the polls are wrong?”
“Are you fucking kidding me right now?” Stewart shot back, slamming cable news hosts for hyping polls even when they show opposing results, and even when they admit the margin of error and other data points mean they could be deeply flawed.
“And let me tell you something right now,” he added. “The only thing worse than your fucking relentless, incessant coverage of polls is when you make it fun.”
Stewart rolled clips of CNN data analyst Harry Enten – known for his over-the-top expressiveness, extensive use of props and plugs for online betting markets – and nearly leaped over his desk in mock outrage.
“It’s not fun! It’s not cute!” Stewart said. “I don’t know if you know this, but enthusiastic bullshit is still bullshit.”
Stewart said the news should be offering “information and context” instead of amplifying speculation based on polls with little value.
“So to the cable news media, I am begging you,” Stewart pleaded. “Please reconsider spending so much of your valuable pre-election airtime hyping up polls that you know to be unreliable. I can’t think of anything more corrosive to your viewers’ well-being.”
But then he found something that might be even more corrosive. He played a clip of Enten talking not about a poll, but the Kalshi prediction market odds.
“You son of a bitch!” Stewart replied.
See more in his Monday night “Daily Show” monologue: