Former WWE SummerSlam host Jon Stewart made his return to "The Daily Show" last year after spending nearly a decade away from the desk, and the comedian's documented love of professional wrestling has worked its way back into the series. On this week's "Daily Show," Stewart utilized a timely wrestling metaphor to poke fun at President Donald Trump's now-infamous meeting with Ukranian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
"The best way that I can explain what happened, and show Americans how to process this new reality, was with another shocking turn of events from this weekend," Stewart said, introducing an ESPN clip covering John Cena's heel turn at WWE Elimination Chamber.
Stewart then dove into an impassioned speech, filling his audience in on the details of Cena's betrayal and framing Cody Rhodes as Zelenskyy and Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson as Russian President Vladimir Putin. In Stewart's metaphor, the White House meeting served the same function as Cena's turn.
"America went to hug Zelenskyy, but when America looked up, somehow Putin had given John Cena the international sign for 'It's time,'" Stewart continued. "And rather than repudiate Putin, America smelled what The Rock was cooking, and through that borscht-y haze, America delivered the nut-shot!"
Stewart drove the metaphor further by playing clips from the Trump-Zelenskyy meeting, as well as comparing fan reactions from the WWE segment to media coverage of the Oval Office summit. He did acknowledge that there are differences between pro wrestling and real-world politics, primarily because in wrestling everyone agrees on who the heroes and villains are.
Later in the segment, Stewart suggested that cable news pundits might have a better idea of right and wrong if they watched more pro wrestling. The host then wrapped up by suggesting that Trump and his allies intend to do to the European Union what Cena did to Rhodes on Saturday.
If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit "The Daily Show" with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.
