Jon Stewart shrugs off backlash for Joe Biden criticism during his 'Daily Show' return

Jon Stewart isn't sweating the backlash from his comments criticizing President Joe Biden during his return to "The Daily Show" on Feb. 12.

On Monday, Stewart, 61, joked that his "first show last Monday was universally glowing — okay, maybe not universal."

The comedian, who returned to the Comedy Central satirical news show after nine years, highlighted some of his critics from Democrats, noting that the backlash was mostly on X, formerly Twitter.

"Everything on Twitter gets a backlash," Stewart said, joking that even Labradoodles catch heat on the social media platform. "I just think it’s better to deal head-on with what’s an apparent issue to people. I mean, we’re just talking here! It was just one show! It was 20 minutes! I did 20 minutes in one show!"

He continued, "But I guess as the famous saying goes: 'Democracy dies in discussion.'"

"I have sinned against you, I’m sorry," Stewart added with sarcasm. "It was never my intention to say out loud what I saw with my eyes and then brain. I can do better."

The talk show host said he would need "mentorship" in "unquestioning propaganda," queuing up a segment about Tucker Carlson.

What did Jon Stewart say about Joe Biden?

Stewart took aim at both Biden and former President Donald Trump during his return on "The Daily Show."

The Trump family made video clip appearances during a segment about Biden's questionable memory, with the former president saying during a deposition that he couldn’t remember whether he said he had a good memory. Cue that wide-eyed Stewart "my-head-is-exploding" look.

But Biden also came in for withering facial expressions, notably when he, during a recent press conference, went back to the podium to talk about Gaza’s nonexistent neighbor, Mexico.

Did Biden have a chance to address the nation on his 2024 platform as part of a pre-Super Bowl interview? "Well, no," Stewart explained. Instead, he released a TikTok video where he proclaimed his preference for “Mama Kelce" over her football player sons. "I understand she makes great chocolate chip cookies.”

Stewart deployed a blank look for what seemed like hours before blurting out his suggestion to the president: “Fire. Everyone. How do you go on TikTok, and end up looking older?”

In a discussion of aged candidates, he said, "What's crazy is thinking that we're the ones as voters who must silence concerns and criticisms. It is the candidates' jobs to assuage concerns, not the voters' jobs not to mention them."

Then, to make his point, Stewart employed another signature move and turned to the camera right and asked for a closeup. “Look at me; look what time hath wrought. Give the kids a look at the lunar surface here,” he said of his craggy features. “And I’m 20 years younger" than the presidential contenders.

Jon Stewart is back at his 'Daily Show' desk: The king has returned

Chris D. Jackson, an election commissioner in Tennessee, tweeted in response, “Wow. So you basically say because Biden is old, he is basically as bad as Trump. Why th(e) F do we never learn in this country? Sorry, but I won’t be watching you either.”

Former MSNBC host and political podcaster Keith Olbermann added on X, “Well after nine years away, there’s nothing else to say to the bothsidesist fraud Jon Stewart bashing Biden, except: Please make it another nine years.”

Contributing: Marco della Cava

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 'Daily Show': Jon Stewart brushes off backlash for Joe Biden criticism