Hasan Minhaj Jokes His Fact-Checking Scandal Brought Jon Stewart Back to ‘Daily Show:’ ‘I Saved a Dying Institution’

Daniel Kreps
·2 min read
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Hasan Minhaj - Credit: Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images
Hasan Minhaj - Credit: Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images

Hasan Minhaj joked about losing the opportunity to host The Daily Show following a scandal involving fabricated stand-up stories Thursday at an appearance at the Netflix Is a Joke festival.

According to Variety, Minhaj served as the emcee of one of the fest’s stand-up showcases, with current Daily Show correspondent Ronny Chieng also on the bill. Upon taking the stage, Chieng quipped, “I’m surprised that Hasan’s able to do this show. I guess ‘canceling’ is not what it used to be,” a nod to Minhaj’s ordeal that began when he admitted to making up some seemingly autobiographical details in his 2022 comedy special The King’s Jester.

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When pressed in a New Yorker interview published in September 2023, Minhaj said the details in two of the stories in particular — “Brother Eric,” about a white FBI informant who joined a Sacramento mosque, and another story about his daughter being exposed to a white powder (presumed to be anthrax) in the mail and her subsequent hospitalization — were largely fabricated. “The punch line is worth the fictionalized premise,” he reasoned.

The backlash from the admission — where Minhaj defended the “emotional truth” of the stories while side-stepping their veracity — likely cost the former Patriot Act host an opportunity to lead the post-Trevor Noah Daily Show, as Minhaj was reportedly one of three finalists for the gig before the controversy.

Minhaj has since resumed his comedy career, but the aftermath of that controversy took center stage when the two Daily Show vets were on the bill. After Chieng’s “canceling” quip, Minhaj took on the role of faux-heckler (jokingly?), accusing Chieng of setting up the New Yorker interview.

“You planted that story about me!” Minhaj said. “Who the fuck fact-checks stand-up comedy? Only Ronny Chieng would set me up with some fucking mouth-breathing journalist. It was you.”

Following some banter about how long the two had worked together, Minhaj joked that his career screw-up ultimately saved The Daily Show, which has seen ratings rise after longtime host Jon Stewart was recruited for Monday episodes leading into the 2024 presidential election.

“We’ve all failed in our lives, but have you ever failed so bad, you bring back Jon Stewart?” Minhaj said. “I saved a dying institution. You’re welcome.”

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