Digest

John Stewart introduces his new podcast, "The Weekly Show," which will be released every Thursday and cover a variety of topics, including the election, economics, and current events. He then interviews Asif Mannby, a former course manager and current star of "Evil" on Paramount Plus, about his experience joining The Daily Show. Asif recounts his unexpected audition, being hired on the spot, and his initial imposter syndrome. He discusses the challenges of creating field pieces, emphasizing the importance of finding the "gold" moments amidst hours of footage. Asif shares two of his favorite field pieces: the Boise, Idaho piece where he almost got arrested in a two-headed fish costume and the North Carolina piece featuring Don Yelton, who made racist remarks and ultimately lost his seat. He also recounts his experience confronting Rick Scott, then governor of Florida, about his drug testing policy for welfare recipients, which went viral and received unexpected attention. Asif discusses the creation of the "Koazby Show" parody, a massive budget project that was ultimately trimmed down to a three-minute segment. He explains how it evolved into a web series called "Halal in the Family," which won a Peabody Award. Asif shares his experiences covering political conventions, particularly the 2008 DNC in Denver, describing the chaotic atmosphere and the feeling of being a "beetle" amidst a sea of Daily Show fans. He discusses his current work on the show "Evil" and reflects on how his experience on The Daily Show helped launch his career, acknowledging the show's impact on his visibility and the recognition he gained. John Stewart reiterates his podcast announcement, highlighting the topics that will be covered and emphasizing the unique Thursday release schedule. He encourages listeners to subscribe to "The Weekly Show" wherever they get their podcasts.

Outlines

00:00:00

The Weekly Show Announcement and Asif Mannby's Journey

John Stewart announces his new podcast, "The Weekly Show," and interviews Asif Mannby, a former course manager and current star of "Evil" on Paramount Plus, about his experience joining The Daily Show. Asif recounts his unexpected audition, being hired on the spot, and his initial imposter syndrome.

00:00:33

The Challenges of Field Pieces

Asif discusses the challenges of creating field pieces for The Daily Show, emphasizing the importance of finding the "gold" moments amidst hours of footage. He shares his early experiences, including his first piece with Miles Conn and the difficulties of capturing compelling content.

00:10:46

Asif's Favorite Field Pieces

Asif shares two of his favorite field pieces: the Boise, Idaho piece where he almost got arrested in a two-headed fish costume and the North Carolina piece featuring Don Yelton, who made racist remarks and ultimately lost his seat.

00:15:46

The Rick Scott Piece and its Impact

Asif recounts his experience confronting Rick Scott, then governor of Florida, about his drug testing policy for welfare recipients. He describes the viral nature of the piece and the unexpected attention it received, including a call from his father who saw him on the local news.

00:25:32

The Koazby Show and Halal in the Family

Asif discusses the creation of the "Koazby Show" parody, a massive budget project that was ultimately trimmed down to a three-minute segment. He explains how it evolved into a web series called "Halal in the Family," which won a Peabody Award.

00:31:09

Convention Memories and Asif's Current Work

Asif shares his experiences covering political conventions, particularly the 2008 DNC in Denver. He describes the chaotic atmosphere and the feeling of being a "beetle" amidst a sea of Daily Show fans. Asif discusses his current work on the show "Evil" and reflects on how his experience on The Daily Show helped launch his career.

00:35:32

The Weekly Show Announcement (Part 2)

John Stewart reiterates his podcast announcement, highlighting the topics that will be covered and emphasizing the unique Thursday release schedule. He encourages listeners to subscribe to "The Weekly Show" wherever they get their podcasts.

Keywords

Q&A

• How did Asif Mannby get hired on The Daily Show?

  Asif was unexpectedly called in for an audition and was hired on the spot after impressing John Stewart with his performance.

• What was Asif's biggest challenge when creating field pieces for The Daily Show?

  Asif found it difficult to identify the "gold" moments amidst hours of footage, as he often felt like he was shooting a lot of "crap" before finding the truly funny material.

• What was the impact of the Rick Scott piece on Asif's career?

  The piece went viral and received a lot of attention, including a call from Asif's father who saw him on the local news. It helped increase Asif's visibility and recognition.

• How did the "Koazby Show" parody evolve into a web series?

  The parody was initially a massive budget project for The Daily Show, but it was trimmed down to a three-minute segment. Asif and Miles Conn then turned it into a web series called "Halal in the Family," which explored themes of Islamophobia and anti-Muslim bigotry.

• What was Asif's most memorable experience covering political conventions?

  Asif describes the 2008 DNC in Denver as the most chaotic and memorable experience, where he felt like a "beetle" amidst a sea of Daily Show fans. He recounts a particularly wild incident where he shut down the laptops of live-broadcasting journalists.

• How did Asif's experience on The Daily Show help launch his career?

  The Daily Show increased Asif's visibility and recognition, helping him transition from relative obscurity to a known name in the entertainment industry.

Show Notes