Jon Stewart, the renowned comedian and former host of “The Daily Show,” criticized the media’s extensive coverage of former President Donald Trump’s New York “hush money” trial, likening it to the media frenzy surrounding the O.J. Simpson court case. The trial centers around charges of fraud and falsifying business records, reportedly tied to “hush money” payments made to Stormy Daniels before the 2016 presidential election. Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, claims she had an affair with Trump, which he denies.
Stewart expressed his discontent with the constant media attention on the trial during a recent episode of “The Daily Show.” He pointed out that news networks have previously regretted giving Trump too much airtime, yet continue to focus intensely on his current legal battles. Stewart remarked, “Perhaps if we limit the coverage to the issues at hand and try not to create an all-encompassing spectacle of the most banal details, perhaps that would help.”
“They’re now making their way across town, along 57th street,” a reporter for GoodDay New York says over a snippet of Trump’s vehicle heading to the courthouse.
“They just crossed Park Avenue, making their way up towards Lexington Avenue.”
The comedian lampooned news anchors from various networks, including MSNBC, CNN, ABC, KTLA, Fox News, and GoodDay New York, highlighting their hyper-detailed reporting on Trump’s motorcade journey to the courthouse. Stewart’s critique suggested that such exhaustive coverage could turn the trial into a spectacle, much like the O.J. Simpson case.
In 1994, O.J. Simpson was arrested for the murder of his wife, Nicole Simpson, and her friend, Ron Goldman. Despite a high-profile trial, he was acquitted in 1995, with over 150 million Americans tuning in to hear the verdict. Stewart’s comparison suggests that the media’s fixation on Trump’s trial could lead to a similar level of public spectacle and distraction from the core issues at hand.
