John Oliver Returns to ‘The Daily Show’ to ‘Gloat’ That Trump Turned America Into Monarchy | Video

On Monday, perhaps the most successful alum of the Jon Stewart-era of “The Daily Show” is John Oliver, host of “Last Week Tonight,” made a surprise return to the show. But he wasn’t there just to bro-out with Jon Stewart. Nay, he was there in his capacity as an English man to, as he put it, to “gloat” that at long last America has turned back into a monarchy.

This was inspired by the topic Stewart devoted the bulk of Monday night’s episode to: The myriad incredibly corrupt, brazenly unconstitutional or just plain erratic things Donald Trump has been doing since taking office again.

And of course, Stewart touched a little on how Republicans are fully on board, and also doing things like admitting these actions are illegal but claiming that’s no big deal, or lying straight up about what’s happening. And Stewart got into how Democrats have proven, so far anyway, functionally useless as an opposition party.

But the main thrust was that Stewart noted how Trump by his own statements wants to take America back to an earlier era. But, every time he examined Trump’s statements endorsing the rollback of everything from civil rights law to child labor protections, Stewart realized he needed to go back much further to figure out precisely where Trump wanted to go.

“It’s been a good run America. It’s looked like we’re becoming less like the constitutional republic it’s been for 2250, years, and more like the monarchy we all fought to escape from,” Stewart said with a sigh. “But I think the important thing–“

At this point, Oliver came out on stage behind Stewart, ostentatiously slow-clapping. “Well well well John, the prodigal son appears to have returned,” he said.

“Do my eyes deceive me? Is that? Is that young John Oliver here to offer America your wisdom and counsel?” Stewart asked.

“Oh, no, no, no, John, I’m here to gloat,” Oliver replied. “America had a little fun, didn’t you, experimenting with democracy? You fought so hard to get away from us, acting up, throwing all that tea into the harbor. You still owe us for that, by the way.”

“You told everybody that you were going to be different. You weren’t going to turn out like your mean old dad, who was so horrible to you when you were growing up. So we sat back, we let you spend your wild teen years experimenting with your ridiculous ideas and checks and balances, because deep down, we knew that once you got that nonsense out of your system, you’d be back,” Oliver said. At that he also pretended he was about to sing the song “You’ll Be Back” from Hamilton, but Stewart stopped him.

“What I’m saying is, let me be the first to welcome America to its monarchy era. Congratulations, everyone. You can now take your place in the pantheon of great empires, alongside the British, the Roman, the Klingon, Wakanda, whatever one Babar the elephant was the ruler of,” Oliver said.

Stewart protested that Americans surely didn’t want to abandon the Republic, at which point Oliver mocked the country for the multiple ways — at least when Democrats are in charge — banal procedural tricks somehow grind things to a halt.

“You really prefer the system that you have right now? Only 51 votes for a bill to pass? Is the vice president in town to break a tie? Is this one of the bills that needs 60 votes for no clear reason? Well, I’m sorry, little Timmy, no healthcare for you,” Oliver said.

“Alright, it does not sound great when you put it like that,” Stewart conceded. After some more back and forth, Stewart then took issue with the idea America has an empire.

“Have you seen anything America has done over the last 50 years?” Oliver countered. “Because for a country that doesn’t want to be an empire, you’re doing a pretty good impression of one right now. Invasions, economic exploitations, now suggesting turning Gaza into a beachfront Casino. Even King George would have been like, I don’t know, guys feels like the situation is a bit more complicated than that, and I’m literally dying of medieval brain disease.”

“We really, we really have become our father. God damn it,” Stewart said.

Watch the whole clip below:

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