Comedy Central Host Criticizes Sen. Schumer

On Monday night, Comedy Central’s John Stewart took aim at New York Senator Chuck Schumer over a joke made during a press conference regarding the government’s shutdown.

The federal government shut down at 12:01 a.m. on October 1 after the Senate couldn’t pass a resolution even though the House had already approved a short-term funding bill on September 19. The Senate fell short of the 60 votes required to break a Democrat filibuster.

Schumer remarked, “Democrats are asserting that American health care must be protected,” which Stewart responded to by saying, “Um… a good point.”

Stewart brought up new data from the Kaiser Family Foundation, humorously announcing, “It’s not Kentucky Fried Fries. It could be KFF, Kentucky Fries. Yes, yes.” He expressed his disbelief by saying, “Who’s the joke? A six-year-old kid who watches C-Span? What are they doing? Chuck Schumer is a human flat tire.”

Democrats are pushing for over $1 trillion in funding for several priorities. This includes extending enhanced Obamacare payments that were put in place during the Covid-19 pandemic and restoring funding for Public Broadcasting, which is slated to face cuts due to a rescue package that failed in July.

Stewart continued his comedic criticism by lamenting, “Look at the poor crobucha ‘Kentucky Fries’! It’s the face of someone who spoke to my father who said, ‘Don’t add your Indian accent in the restaurant; that’s all I’m asking,’ but my father was like, ‘Chicken Tikka Masala.’

Schumer has faced backlash from left-wing media figures and fellow Democrats for choosing to support a GOP-backed spending bill aimed at preventing a government shutdown back in March.