In a recent segment on The Daily Show, comedian Josh Johnson tackled a range of topics including a surge in ranch dressing sales tied to the World Cup, New York's primary election results, and the contrasting kingmaker roles of Zohran Mamdani and Donald Trump.
TSA and the Ranch Dressing 'Sauce Craze'
Johnson opened with reports of a 'sauce craze' driven by World Cup fans, leading to TSA confiscating numerous bottles of ranch dressing from travelers returning home. 'Come on, TSA, do you really need to be so strict about this?' Johnson asked. 'No one's going to blow up a plane with a bottle of ranch. The bathroom, maybe, but not the plane.'
Zohran Mamdani's 'Kingmaker' Status
Turning to New York's primaries, where democratic socialists secured two House seats and several state positions, Johnson highlighted the influence of Zohran Mamdani. 'While every election has its winners and losers, there was one guy who came out on top last night, who wasn't even on the ballot,' Johnson noted. All three candidates backed by Mamdani won their races, prompting a commentator to dub him a 'kingmaker.' Johnson quipped, 'A socialist making kings? That's crazy! That's like if a capitalist made a hospital everybody could afford.'
Johnson observed that Mamdani's wins angered both Republicans and the Democratic establishment. 'Which is pretty insane, because they're in your party,' he added. Donald Trump sarcastically congratulated Mamdani on Truth Social for 'pulling through three solid communists,' while complaining about 'zero media attention' for his endorsed primary winners. Johnson compared Trump to 'someone at a birthday party trying to remind people it's also his birthday.'
Trump's Endorsement of Ken Paxton
Johnson then focused on Trump's support for Texas Senate nominee Ken Paxton, who has faced accusations of bribery, fraud, and abuse of office. Last year, Paxton's wife filed for divorce on 'biblical grounds' after reports of infidelity. Johnson joked, 'Biblical grounds? I've never heard that before. Imagine showing up to your divorce with a Bible, going, 'He committed all the sins.''
Paxton has expressed his 'love' for Trump, saying 'every time I'm around him, it's infectious.' Johnson responded, 'That's a weird way to describe your relationship. Did you cheat on your wife with Trump?' He added, 'Trump doesn't care about competence; he just wants loyalty. That's why he endorsed Ken Paxton over John Cornyn in Texas and Ed Gallrein over Thomas Massie in Kentucky, even though Massie was more MAGA.' Johnson contrasted the endorsements of Mamdani and Trump, arguing they reflect a fundamental party divide. 'They both have kingmakers, but kingmakers are looking for two different things in each party.' While Mamdani seeks allies who 'fight' and 'reject a politics of big money and small ideas,' Trump's criterion is simpler: 'When people like me, I like them.' Johnson concluded, 'That's not really a formula.'
As November approaches, Johnson noted voters are eager to see which party's base prevails, likening the outcome to 'audio of a woman screaming.'
