This is The New Yorker Radio Hour, a co-production of WNYC Studios and The New Yorker.

Welcome to The New Yorker Radio Hour. I'm David Remnick. In September, right after Jimmy Kimmel was suspended from his late-night talk show, John Stewart went on the air with a special episode of The Daily Show.

From Comedy Central, it's the all-new government-approved Daily Show.

With your patriotically obedient host, John Stewart.

The joke, of course, was that they'd done a full rebranding and the high style of MAGA was on display.

Flags flying, jet fighters soaring.

The studio slathered in gold, and the desk is gigantic.

Stewart, in a red tie, looks like he's going to lose his lunch.

We have another fun, hilarious administration

compliance show.

He's so anxious,

he's actually twitching.

Coming to you tonight from

a real shit hole!

The crime-ridden cesspool

that is New York City. It is a tremendous disaster like no one's ever seen before.

Someone's National Guard should invade this place, am I right?

That night was a real reminder of why after 25 years plus, we still very much need John Stewart on the air.

But compared to his early years on the show, the era of George W. Bush, this is a much more dangerous time for late night and for speech and for America.

Kimmel nearly lost his job over a remark about MAGA in the wake of Charlie

Kirk's murder. The head of the FCC threatens broadcasters in a tone that sometimes sounds a lot

like a mob boss. This administration supports free speech only insofar as it agrees with that speech.

...