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\t\t\t\t\t\tPhotos: Comedy Central, ABC, Rosalind O\u2019Connor\/NBC\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n
Come on, folks. Give it up for late-night TV.<\/p>\n
Put away all that weeping, moaning, and rending of garments about this great American entertainment form being threatened with extinction.<\/p>\n
At least on a night devoted to celebrating a major sports championship, questioning a grand peace memo (of understanding), and mocking the takeover of the White House by half-naked men firing fists and feet at each other.<\/p>\n
How could this be a dead enterprise?<\/p>\n
The essential role played by the late-night comedy show has always been to seize on the events of the day and render them funny, or at least comically rueful.<\/p>\n
Across much of late night Monday, the stars of the form fashioned something like a classic expression of it.<\/p>\n
It was can\u2019t-miss: ride the wave of euphoria and craziness sweeping over New York following the win by the long-woebegone Knickerbockers; then segue into skewering the president of the United States for concocting a ceasefire agreement with Iran that was so unclear it might as well have been behind a shroud to match the one thrown over the name(s) on the front of the Kennedy Center; and finish it off with target practice at the bilious display of fisti-and-toesi-cuffs on the White House lawn.<\/p>\n
You had it all in the presidential takedowns of Jon Stewart<\/a> and Jimmy Kimmel<\/a>, balanced by a party of congratulations for the New York Knicks executed by Jimmy Fallon<\/a>. Farce and fun for everybody.<\/p>\n The Knicks could not be ignored. All three of those hosts had been rooting for the Knicks to finally win a championship, so of course they were going to rejoice. Fallon went all in, with orange and blue balloons, the host in a blue suit with an orange tie, and every single player on the stage.<\/p>\n It was an ideal choice for Fallon, who does best when he gets his fun on. And he did well interviewing some legitimately enthused Knicks<\/a>, from coach Mike Brown<\/a> to stars Karl-Anthony Towns<\/a> and Jalen Brunson<\/a>. Not to mention the consistently deadpan OG Anunoby<\/a>.<\/p>\n You could not fault Fallon for jumping on the Knicks mania. The team had been helping Kimmel\u2019s ratings throughout the finals. Why shouldn\u2019t he get a little of that sweet Knicks adjacency?<\/p>\n Stewart and Kimmel gave the Knicks big love too, but they also could not ignore the torrent of Trump-oriented news over the same weekend. That\u2019s what they do best.<\/p>\n Kimmel played clips of UFC fighters getting ready for Trump\u2019s big birthday fight night on the lawn by warming up in the Cabinet Room and the Oval Office, and declared that the event had \u201call the refinement and prestige of a Hooters at the Vatican.\u201d<\/p>\n He played a clip of Trump looking like he was dozing off Octagon-side. \u201cOnly Donald Trump could fall asleep at a birthday party sponsored by Monster Energy Drink.\u201d<\/p>\n Did Kimmel\u2019s audience boo Donald Trump<\/a>? Of course they did.<\/p>\n Mention of that name fared no better on The Daily Show<\/a>. Jon Stewart muted that as best he could, because he had a complete, almost symphonic melody that he played throughout his long monologue.<\/p>\n It was all Iran deal in the overture. But that was just prelude to Knicks exaltation. Stewart reveled in the win, which he was thrilled to share with a massive crowd outside in the city.<\/p>\n Stewart, who has been in peak form this season, then wove the city\u2019s victory explosion into a pointed, comic\u2014and very funny\u2014essay about the joy of a big city celebrating together, in all its messy, sometimes extralegal, but overwhelmingly joyous glory.<\/p>\n \u201cThe whole moment really showed the joy and beauty of life in this big city,\u201d Stewart said. \u201cI don\u2019t think there\u2019s anyone out there who could look at those celebrations and see anything other than America at its best.\u201d<\/p>\n Well, of course there were exceptions. Clips from Fox News, Newsmax, and other MAGA media showed people setting fire to a school bus and other acts of random vandalism\u2014to the horror of the anchors.<\/p>\n Stewart called them out, saying what he saw was an overwhelming sense of joy and solidarity and diversity and community. \u201cAnd we are just so sorry, right-wing media, that we couldn\u2019t live up to your definition of a peaceful gathering.\u201d<\/p>\n And there came the clips of mayhem on Jan. 6, 2021. \u201cThough to be fair to that mob, they lost.\u201d Stewart delivered that all-beef joke with extra relish.<\/p>\n And what would those on the right rather be watching? The punch-out at the People\u2019s House, of course.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat a god-awful mockery of an event that somehow managed to devalue both combat sports and our national dignity.\u201d Stewart was loaded up then, and he was willing to risk putting his money where his mouth was.<\/p>\n \u201cWho even dared to air this embarrassing shit?\u201d he asked. Of course it was Paramount+, the streaming service owned by his network\u2019s corporate parent. For a laugh, he pretended to shrink in fear at the implication of attacking his bosses. \u201cI am proud to stand with the Paramount family and whatever shows they decide to cancel or put on.\u201d<\/p>\n Even the one this weekend that ended with a repulsive smear of Michelle Obama?<\/p>\n No way. \u201cMy God, what a f***ing asshole,\u201d Stewart said of the boor who uttered that slur. \u201cI look forward to his performance on next week\u2019s Comics Unleashed.\u201d<\/p>\n Tweaking the corporate bosses? That\u2019s a memorable late-night moment for you.<\/p>\n Jon Stewart had thoughts on the UFC Freedom 250 fight at the White House\u2014right up until he was reminded it aired on Paramount+. pic.twitter.com\/msbPGKLVEw<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 LateNighter (@latenightercom) June 16, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n Stewart valorized the glory of living in a big, messy, high-energy city, but leavened the lofty words with jokes.<\/p>\n He also said some meaningful stuff.<\/p>\n \u201cNew York\u2019s a hard place to live, man,\u201d he said. \u201cBut that\u2019s why weekends like the one we just had are all the more magical.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe real division in America,\u201d he said, \u201cis between people anywhere who find joy in community versus those who seem to only find it in fealty.\u201d<\/p>\n Cut to Trump being embraced by a guy in a boxing glove.<\/p>\n Great weekend for New York; great night for the genre called late-night.<\/p>\n Get stories like this in your inbox:\u00a0Sign up for LateNighter\u2019s free daily newsletter<\/a>.<\/p>\n \t\t\t![\"YouTube](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1781601680_21_maxresdefault.jpg\"\/)
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