Desus Nice Dishes On His Guest Host Week as A Love Letter to NYC

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Yo yo yo, Hey Ears Edition listeners, this is your boy, Ashton Walmack, writer and digital correspondent for the Daily Show, and as you know, every week we want to give you guys an Ears Edition extra And aren't you guys so lucky because we have the podcast. God himself be ex legend, do'n know him? One of my favorite guest hosts to have on the show. Thank you for coming round of applause for the very wonderful, illustrious Jesus nice, everybody, Jesus nice, and.

Bill you're gear it up for me us the exit the building, and also give it up for the Daily Show for letting me host you guys. That the Ronks guy in the building. I had the time of my life shot to Ashton, the real homie. This is not my first time meeting him on the podcast. Because I'm a real person. I'll try to meet everyone on set. And we chopped it up in the what was it that the long kitchen?

It's the little Yeah, it's like a hallway lounge area.

Now we reunited on the podcast.

Get it bro, bro.

This is like I have to say before I even get started. This is definitely a dream come true. I'm nerding out obviously, from Complex to Vice to Showtime. I followed you. I'm telling you from Complex, when you're sitting on crates, my guy.

Sitting on crates looking looking ashy and broke.

You had behind the kids, it was fire.

It was yeah, the little quarter waters and then the one episode with the Hennessy.

Listen, listen, we got out the mud.

I moved to New York.

You were like one of the main reasons why this story, and I was like, bro y'all paying it. New York way too fire for me. I'm like, I'm going to La. No, New York sounds so much more fun. So thank you, Thank you. I would not have this job podcast genuinely, I can cite you as a source.

I'm not not even trying to guess it. Thank you, my brother. Thank you.

Listen. You told me that.

You told me that when we met in person, and I appreciate that wholeheartedly. And I also kind of relate to that because I just moved to LA you know, like temporarily, and like coming back the appreciation I have for New York now, like I look at New York. I guess in the vision that we described it on on the podcast, like it's.

Like little things like last night, three in.

The More and I ran to the bodego to go get hot wings and beer.

You can't do that in La.

Everything close it too. Every that's that's wild.

That's wild, it's wild. So just just little those little things.

Just you appreciate them so much, man, So I kind of see it the same way as you.

All Right, that brings me. Let me get into my first question of the day. We were on strike for five months. Yes, how did that affect you? You were supposed to host before the strike.

I was.

And the thing was when it was announced I was supposed to host, Like everyone was so excited.

I was like, everyone was like congratulating me. Everyone like Jesus, you got host daily. So that's so great.

Boom, strike happens, nothing, nothing, And I was like, yo, I didn't even know if it was going to come back. And then because of the strike, you know, everyone like I got a little depressed. I love working, I love being on TV. So I hadn't been on TV. Last time I was on TV before the strike was when I was on Jimmy Kimmel And that was like almost a year and a half ago.

So you know, you build don't want to extect me.

I was like daily show, daily So daily show, there's like nothing's like nothing.

Ain't nobody working, stay home.

Nobody come in.

But on the flip side of that, that made me appreciate hosting even more because after going through the strike and actually you know, going and protesting and you know, having this sad you know, just really learning to appreciate what I do when we make TV, not just what I do, what we do when we make TV.

Like when we all come together.

Like when we go in that writer's room, we're basically building an airplane while we're already in the air, you know what I'm.

Saying, Like, damn, that's hard. People don't even.

Realize like the amount of people it takes to make a TV show, and like everyone has like a role, and no one's role is smaller than another person's role. Like, yeah, I'm the talent, but if the writers don't do this, and if the camera people don't do this, and if the interns do this, we don't have a show at the end of the night. And so like coming in with that vision and realizing how fortunate I am to not only host the Daily Show, but to work in Hollywood and be able to.

Make people laugh.

It's just like, yo, I feel like I'm the person that's the winning on this and like it's like not even about the fans. I'm like, like you saw me, you saw me get an emotional on that.

Mic Man.

Yeah, Well, the happiest moment of this week probably right now, like.

Ty, right now, Like.

It's been four shows, this has been our best show. We're killing it, staff.

Is killing it.

You guys are here. I'm actually like, like I'm probably gonna tear up at the end of this. So if you see that, don't call me a bitch on Twitter.

Was that exactly what you were feeling in that moment? You're just like it was all coming ahead. You're like, wow, I'm here, Yes, because.

The last episode was so good, like we killed and people like you killed it.

I'm like, no, we killed it.

Like all the writers, like the jokes hit, everything was so good, and it's just like the culmulation of the week.

And then also realized.

Like a sadness like damn, I'm not gonna see y'all no more, and like all of that just hit me at once and just also just being appreciative and kind, just just being like damn, like a lot of times.

No I hosted the daily Who are you?

Who are so?

And now I'm walking around to speak to New York and like random people are like coming up to me, like they're like, I'm so proud of you.

I'm so like I'm just like getting touched.

Like I have neighbors in my building who I've never spoken to me before, and now they're like, oh, you do comedy.

I'm like, you know what, man, now that I see you on TV, yeah, I'm not going to feel your package is no man, all right, I know, I ain't know it was you.

Now they're holding the elevated door open before they're hitting the button making the door.

Closer fast fire.

That's a man. That is awesome.

That is like, do people come up to you like in the street. You ever get like, oh yeah, yo, yo, I know you. You you're my old librarian.

They don't you know what that's that's the weirdest thing. Nobody that worked with previous jobs. I mean, shout out to my old office job. Like I still got the group chat going shout out to Darren and the homies out there. But like, nobody that worked in any of the other stuff I've done ever contacts me. My number is the same. And it's actually funny. I went out one night shout to Fatima and the homies. We went to a gay club after we was out drinking because

It was alcohol there, right.

So we go to the club. As soon as I walk in, the managers like, hello, Jesus at all you've been there? Was like you've been here before. And I go like this, tell them where you know me from? And the manager goes, he was my baby bouncer back in six.

What yes, what yes?

Funny is your baby bouncer that was the smallest guy.

Oh my god, bro, I've lived a life as wild.

That's so funny.

I'm trying to imagine you as, but you have lived a life God damn, bro.

But also you gotta think about this, and I imagine I have like mad layers on.

I have like a dicky jacket.

But of all the bouncers you see, you see this little small guy, You're like.

He must know m m a, I ain't gonna mess with him. Like so he was just he was like, oh, he's here for a reason.

Yeah, oh yeah, No.

It's like one of the people where it's like I'm I'm trained, I don't choose to use my hands. You're like, why don't you use your hands because I've killed before. You're like, don't play with that, dude.

Okay, brother, brother, don't don't take me back to the dark side. I'm trying.

I'm trying to I'm choosing not to use violence.

Never again. Never again. He's hands. I only praise the Lord now.

But honestly, to your point, like just from being in the writer's room, we get guest hosts every week. We don't really know what to expect from the guest host.

Bro.

You came in. The energy was genuinely I'm using your words, was immaculate. It was like it was fun. It felt like in order to be a writer's room, the person steering the ship, the person piloting the plane we're building, they got to be in with us, and you were one hundred percent in and that's what that's what makes it fun to come to work and write jokes and be able to do little goofy just all the little goofy stuff we do every week. The guest host is

But no, thank you for saying that, because like the whole experience did not feel like work, and coming into the writer's room it felt like hanging with the homies, you know, like we're watching the videos, we're laughing. And one thing I loved out to the Daily Show writers room and everyone in that room. It was so comfortable that people so able to say whatever, and people would say the shittiest jokes, jokes that full flat like no.

One in the room at everyone got quiet. But that's the good. That's the sign of a good writer's room for to do that.

Everything repercussions and no none, that's my favorite part.

You're comfortable and that's the thing. And when you're comfortable, that's when the good jokes come through.

People.

There's no like, I'm scared to like says everyone in that room feel is like has the same level of confidence and comfort and everyone feels equal and and that right there made it so easy to make the show. And that's why it was bro, I said again, it was just like hanging with the homies.

I'm glad you said that brought that up, because my first day in the writer room terrified. You're sitting behind Trevor Noah and you're like, I'm not about to say a joke? Are you kidding me? You're like, you think you're gonna say a joke, and then the sad man from the Apollo go come in and will Yeah, you're fired, Bro. But I'm glad you said that, And that's my favorite part of the morning meetings. The writer's room. It's not

If you got a funny thought, that's the pitch.

If you could see the pitch list, everybody pitches a daily show, not just me, not just our head writers. We got interns, at pitch. That's what makes it so much fun.

Here.

It's a comedy place. We just we just hear for the jokes. That's why you're one of my the funnest guest hosts.

To have for sure. Thank you man, Thanks for show for show. Now, I guess going on to my next question, you do have experience hosting your own show. Your previous roles weren't as like politically oriented. How was that for you coming from a more pop culture background into political comedy.

It actually wasn't that difficult because in previous iterations of the show we had interviewed politicians, interviewed Obama, plug you' aoc so. But the way those interviews worked were different than the way you work on the Daily Show.

And as far as covering politics, we usually covered.

It more from a comedy aspect, more like, hey, here's this, here's it, not more like do.

You think we're doing?

No?

But no, usually use comedy when we talk about politics. Y'all doing it's fine, but but no, like you got.

Fact check in fact check, we were just like misprodounced names.

We didn't know. It was just like making up if they were a Democrat.

Republican, you were bit in. Facts don't matter. What are you thinking about it? They don't matter.

I regret that because now facts actually don't matter.

Like they took that fault. Bro listen black. Twitter creates the world tapes, so.

Damn you even dropping gyms to this podcast. I'm gona happy to do it.

But no, like that was part of the beauty of the Daily Show. It's like, it's kind of like sugar and medicine. It's like, hey, we're gonna give you this dry, boring ass information and you're gonna enjoy it.

You're gonna laugh through it.

And that's one of the things on the comments people were saying, like, you're really good at that. You're like, put a nice spin on it. That doesn't feel like news. It doesn't feel preachy. And people even the stadium piece, the long story short piece, shout out to the writers. I got Diallo for just hooking that up.

Go up.

I lived across the street from Yankee Stadium. I could hear the crowd, I could smell the glizzies, white people.

Those are hot dogs.

Then in two thousand and nine, they built a new Yankee Stadium right next to the old one, and it looked basically the same. It was like Drake's last two albums. You couldn't tell them apart. But there was one huge difference the cost to the public. The city handed over twenty acres of public parkland and a billion dollars of tax paper money. So the house that Ruth built really became the house that you and I built, Well most of you. I'm a softign sistant I don't pay taxes,

And that's the Beauda The Daily Show.

Like you you're gonna learn something and me personally, I hate learning. I hate watching TV and learning anything. I only have but so much space in my brain. I can't be losing stuff like you know, you learn and you I might lose the lyrics from mob.

Deep's Eye for an Eye. I can't risk that.

So you know, I'm sorry.

I can't learn your name right now. I'm holding on to the theme song of the Jeffersons.

I can't listen. I can't disrespect big noise, you know.

But no, you're right.

You're right, and that's what the whole infotainment is for, because we got to trick you in the spoonful of medicine then the spoonful of sugar meta whatever we do have to like quote unquote trick you. My favorite part is you were giving the information like your skill set is like being like a guy on a porch talking like you just the homie, and you were giving that information like a hood dude on the porch. The juxtaposition is funny. It's wow, it speaks to me, so is that.

Thank you.

The comments have been super positive online on social media, and I sold one comment and it was like, I don't know who this guy is, but I will continue to listen to him wherever he goes. And I was like, oh, thank you.

Thank you.

Shout out to the Daily Show audience. Y'all was so supportive, except for Chris nine two eight six. I see you every day on Instagram comments, BS, don't let me catch you on the streets.

Is that a real person? Uh?

No, I was messing around.

Okay, well you know what I did. Here's an interesting fact.

Every time I saw a negative comment, like on the IG and it was like you think Jesus is funny? I would be like, okay, let me research this hater and I go on their Twitter page, and ninety nine point nine percent of the time that person has tweeted like maybe back in like twenty sixteen, like y'all think Jesus is funny at Loki.

I respect the hater.

I respect a hater like you got you keep it consistently, if you stand the your business.

That's a fire ass hater. He's staying in your life. Nah no, no, baby, He like one.

Of them reverse fans. He like, I've actually been hating Jesus since six.

How are you a monogamous hater Listen.

I love it. This is a great segue in the haters, Oh my haters, because we have to talk about one of my favorite headlines this week.

I felt like it was iconic. The fact that all the universe is timing is so beautiful. The God's timing is real. I think we saw that this week. So I want to get into a headline we discussed DJ Envy being accused of fraud.

I know some people expect me to come out here and do my thing while you're just roast people by that. I have beflip. But this is a serious show. There's a serious chair, serious desk, and now I'm going to give you some important financial news so important I have to put on my spectacles. I report on this serious financial news.

Popular radio host DJ Envy now distancing himself from an alleged multimillion dollar frond scheme.

DJ vus that was never on my radar?

Go on, what was that like covering him for the show, and how did you decide what angle you wanted to approach for that story?

You know what that's like against out to the universe for just putting that, putting that right there, for us, putting on a tee. But no, it was like it was cool, but it also it showed growth because it's like when that happened, it was so early in my career, I didn't know how the game worked. Actually, one of the most hurtful aspects of that was the fact that when I came in this industry, I was.

Like, Yo, these people you meet, he's your friends, And it's like, Yo, no, that's not the case. These are just people you work with.

These are like people you go on you know, you go on their podcast and like they can switch it up on you and like they'll do it on camera. That was wild, you know, like, and it's like, I'm not a person trying to hold resentment for it. I've moved on past it. It's funny when it comes up

That now, Yeah, we're on the Daily Show.

Dog Like, oh, is that what's going on down there? I wouldn't know. I'm up here reading joking about Trump and all that.

I'm like, sorry, I'm about to I'm about to interview AOC. You have a little fraud problem over there, my guy.

You know, like you know, I know a few politicians, can I can might put in a good word.

Wow, dj Envy is in trouble for real estate fraud. What a serious story. It's definitely not funny. There's certainly nothing personal that makes it funny to me. It's not like Rashan accosted me on the radio for making a little joke about him and his wife, which.

I only thought we were friends.

It's not like you called me dickhead and then got so mad he locked himself in the studio for the rest of the show and then told the building security that was a threat. But even if that happened, that's all in the past.

I'm just reading.

That's it.

One of the better parts was being able to just like it wasn't like childish, it wasn't juvenile.

There was no name calling, there was no it was just like, yo, you're just.

Discussed the story.

You literally just discussed the story, you know, I mean who's the dickhead?

Now it's pretty funny. Let's not act like this.

But it was fun. And then also, you know, just it's like full circle.

It's like now, you know, like I'm on the Daily Show, baby, Like I was just like, you know, let's just cover this in a way where it's not cringey, in a way where it's just like it actually does come off professional. Also, you know, I was killing it in that suit. I put on the glasses as well. You know, the ladies love the glasses. Sadly, the glasses got a little fogged up towards the end, but only real professionals in Hollywood noticed that.

But it was it was a fun time and you know, like it was just it was playful.

It wasn't malicious. It wasn't like it wasn't it was just like even I don't know, if he laughed, he'd have to laugh. I mean it was very he has a lot to laugh about right now.

Well, actually you're talking about your suit.

You went from a suit at the beginning, you know, you Daily Show classic, but then you started loosening up, finding your own style.

That brown what was that like a brown jacket? Yeah, that was right, Yeah, yeah, did you have a style of you? Is that you stylist? What made you go stop doing the suits and find your own style for the show?

You know what that was?

Actually all of that was the same stylist. That was a shot to my guy, Dan Peelee. I've been working with him now. That was his first time doing a multi night gig on broadcast television, and me and him, we've been working together. We're like so in sync, like we don't even Like he gets an outfit and he knows that's exactly what I wanted to wear. And I mean, like I like the suit, you know, like I wanted

I'm always going to be a god for the Bronx. But that doesn't mean I have to, you know, be in like size thirty eight junko Jean.

Then that's insightful. I was wondering.

I was like, I wonder what made him get out of the suit, because the suit, like you said, it is the classic Daily Show suit.

But I love it. I love it. I love it when the guests find their own.

Part of me was like, oh, shoot, wear a suit every night, and I was like, no, I just want to stand out, you know, I want people to see the real media.

Like then, Also, you have to be.

Careful with the suit because if the suits got done right, you're gonna look like a jehole witness.

Say what are you doing?

Yeah, you don't want to be up there looking like Steve Harvey at the desk.

Listen, Steve Harvey, he's been putting on lately.

Lately, he been wearing that shit lately.

I'm still stuck in three years ago when he was wild with them big ass suits.

But listen, what do you have against the suit with forty buttons?

Come on, it ain't the it's the zoot suitings of it. It's the fact that they stretch out.

The suit just goes below the knees.

Come on, that's crazy.

He's wearing this suit is a dress for a seventh day events.

I know, it's you got a suit kilt on.

I ain't never seen no shit, but I appreciate that, like the changing it up, because it did give you know, I have a personal like not it's not my show, but you know daily shows like oh, this is my show. So seeing like a new energy and like a fresher look coming out on our clips on our show, it gives it that new vibrancy. So I'm showing other guest hosts, Hey, remember make this shit look fla, I don't coming up dusty air.

Yeah, people were saying that online. They was like, Yo, this is like you're bringing like a younger energy to the show. You're bringing like a new energy, and I'm like, thank you. I was like, that's the whole thing.

Like the Daily Show is like an iconic brand, so it's just like, Yo, just bringing your energy to it, and it's just like the two and two match.

That's what makes it fun. That's what makes it fun.

So, Jesus, you used to be a part of a comedy duo, but now you've hosted Kimmel, You've hosted a daily show. How's that transition been for you going from a duo to now just Jesus nice.

You learn a lot.

You learn a lot, and it's different now because all the responsibilities is on me.

So it's like, if something goes wrong, that would be on me.

By at the same time, all the benefits are on me, so when I show up, that's just me representing. So like it's even like going to the Daily Show, They're like, be in the car at nine. I'm in the car at like eight fifty five. I'm there for every meeting. I'm fully prepared. I am just like you can ask people, I'm a pleasure to work with. And I know at the end of the day, that's what people are getting.

Jesus is what Jesus is.

And that's another thing that if you know we're Hollywood is such a small industry that everyone talks about everyone. So one thing that I've learned is if you're good in one set, word travels.

With the industry. That people are like, yo, Jesus is a pleasure to work with. Hire this guy. This guy is great.

Because the people at Kimmel they're calling me from the Daily Show thing and they're like, oh, I know this person at the Daily Show and they said it was so fun to work with you, and I was telling them about this.

And then also another.

Part that people forget, like a lot of people who work on the Daily Show used to work either on my old show or like a previous show, so it was like a real it was like union reunion, like the stage man and the directors. Like when I see these people, it wasn't even like dapping them up. It was like, yo, hug these people. These are people I missed five and.

They're like they know me.

So it's like like when I see those people, I'm like, oh, this is easy to do. Like Jesus, let's fucking get.

It, dude. That's fire. That's fire. You remember you remember like seeing like oh it was like reunion.

Yeah, no, I remember everyone I worked.

There's never like even like pas and interns and like in La I'll run into people and they'll be like

You don't have to burn.

You had a segment while you were at The Daily Show where you hit the streets of New York and ask what makes a real New Yorker and you had Bronx guest aoc Nana Kuame. How important was it for you to showcase New York City in your episode?

You know what, it was very important because being a native New Yorker that kind of adds a certain genesse.

Quah to be hosting The.

Daily Show because people like, even though I was out in LA, people like right away was like, oh, you're from New York because you hear my voice, you the way I can pronounce I'm in the store asking for kaffee.

They're like like, let me get a coffee in a sandwich.

You know, like you got that accent, but also it kind of felt like a love letter to New York because after not being in New York for so long and just you know, like I'm not trying.

To shit on La. La is a beautiful city.

Is completely different than New York, and it has its own great qualities. And it's like comparing the two is like comparing like ketchup and mustard. They're like total opposites. But being away from New York, being away from my friends in New York, being away from just like little like you start missing little things that you took for granted,

Like we're always rushing.

We're always rushing at the point that we don't even have time to enjoy this incredible city.

You know, like it's corny.

But like once you leave New York you hear Empire state of Mind and you start crying.

You're like, I see why little Mama jumped on that stage.

Bro.

Bro, you be in a bar in LA with other New Yorkersire state of mind.

You think nine eleven just happened. It's incredible. You really have one hand in the air for the big city. You're like, we're gonna rebuild these towns.

I never cared about that Frank Sinatra song. I'm from Texas. I'm from Houston, Texas. Bro, I ain never cared about that Frank Sinatra song. I lived here for six years. Now I walk down the street. What's new New Yo. I'm like, I'm like jugging to Frank Sinatra, and I'm not feeling this place is magical.

Like I'm just I'm just drunk on the trains. If you can make it, you can make it anywhere. Oh?

Is that is that a subway master?

Bator?

How have I missed you?

So?

Oh?

Keep the city great.

Last question, man, last question, let's go.

You asked your guests fuck Mary kill, Tony Morrison, Jordan, Neil Hurston or James Baldwin. I think it's only fair for you to play fuck Mary kill New York edition. I'm gonna give you some New York options.

You tell me Mary kill. Okay, fat Joe, Cardi b DJ.

Vuh put him in hour in a hard position immediately.

Hey, yo, hey yo, all right, I guess you. I guess I would marry Cardi.

B uh and oh god, you know what I'm just gonna be X all right.

Acceptable answer, acceptable answer.

I love that. I actually actually tried to solve that problem.

I know you're like, you got that. I'm not like this.

There's no way I can answer like even if I answered the right way, like either, like I could say, like DJ everybody, then it's like kill fat Joe.

Then I can never go back to the Bronx.

Well, as soon as you would have said fat Joe, he would have clipped it and used that. Yeah, and then.

I got a fact. I did a call for fat Joe, Like, yo, what the fuck?

Yo? Fuck me?

It was terror spot with the chop cheese.

Bagel New York Slice. I probably should have started with that one chop.

Bigel in New York Slice.

Uh, you know what, I'm gonna have to go with a New York Slice because something about eating a New York sites in New York. Because there's Prince Street Pizza in LA. It's exactly like Prince Street Pizza here. But it's not just something off about the environment, like you have to like you have to have that dirty New York you know.

Like you gotta have building juice drop and land on your pizza. You know, that's like the extra that's like pineapple.

You want to walk over the subway great and just get a faith full of that hot suwhere era, you know, really make you feel that home.

I hate that, Like that is why I love me. I'm like, damn, I hate like those are the things that make thing like beautiful.

Like this weekend, it was like we had that freakish Saturday and it was like eighty degrees.

Everyone was outside and the whole time the beauty of New York. I was like, you know what, I.

Can't tell who has on a Halloween costume or who's just wearing their regular ass clothing.

Oh I love that game Brooklyn or Halloween is my favorite. I'm like, I love your costume, like this is me.

This is me. I dress like a mermaid every day.

I am hell Razor. This is like cool.

Okay, okay, okay, good day, good day.

Enjoy your enjoyer. This has been like fucking top tier conversation. Man. Thank you so much for joining us. Obviously, oh, thank you man.

And this is so much fun. You're so you're good at this. You're good. Your very natural questions are good. They weren't corny.

Questions, you know, say every every now and then, I'm going on the podcast and like ask who does a podcast? I can see what people are struggling, you know. It's like again like watching this for you're like, yo, oh they're nervous.

Well let me not line and act like I wouldn't nervous.

But more importantly, shout out to the podcast team everybody who, like you said, putting everything together man.

Shout to the podcast scene.

Thank you, thank you, thank you bro.

So much fun.

This has been the Daily Show Ears edition. I've been your host, Ashton Walmack, joined by the illustrious Jesus nice y'all catch us every week.

Be extra dig shouts The Daily Show. I Love y'all.

Hey, weal peace Peace.

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