While reporting about the upcoming protests set to take place in Los Angeles and Washington, D.C. this weekend, “The Daily Show’s” Michael Kosta and Jordan Klepper argued over which “Les Misérables” character Donald Trump is most like between Jean Valjean and Javert.
“These detention raids are a cruel display of Trump’s villainy. He’s definitely the Javert of our time,” Kosta chimed in first.
His opinion on the subject stemmed from recent interview Trump did while walking the red carpet for the Kennedy Center’s showing of the “Les Misérables” musical. While there, a reporter asked Trump if he identified more with Javert, the main antagonist in the story, or main protagonist Jean Valjean. His response? “I don’t know.”
Klepper chimed in, shutting down Kosta’s judgement and throwing some shade at his fellow “Daily Show” colleague while he was at it.
“The protesters in D.C. are equally upset and want to see an end to these cruel raids,” Klepper said. “And by the way, Trump is not Javert. Kosta is way off. But what do you expect from a guy who only hears Broadway songs if they show up in a Pornhub video?”
Confused by Klepper’s suggestion that Trump is even remotely comparable to the “redeemed Catholic” that is Jean Valjean, Kosta took shots his mental state.
“Jordan, you’re a few Rogers short of a Hammerstein,” Kosta clapped back.
Jumping in to set things back into place, co-host Desi Lydic stopped the men and said, “Guys, I think we’re getting a little distracted here. Let’s focus on the protests, not your musical tastes.”
Keeping it up, Klepper said that would not be an issue for Kosta because he doesn’t “have any” taste when it comes to musicals.
“The point is, Desi, the protesters see Trump as a Godless con-artist, much like Thénardier, the corrupt innkeeper, which Michael would know if he weren’t the kind of person who thinks ‘Guys and Dolls’ is a strip club,” Klepper said, referring to the legendary Broadway play by Frank Loesser.
“Desi, I’ll tell you, the only thing protestors fear more than the Marines right now, is hearing Jordan Klepper bomb another audition, trying to nail the riff in ‘Defying Gravity,’” Kosta shot back, referring to the viral trend of people singing Cynthia Erivo’s version of the song in the 2024 film adaptation of “Wicked.”
After the two went at it over whose vocal chops are better, Klepper dropped a “bomb” about Kosta.
“Michael is in the Epstein files,” Klepper said, making light of Musk’s now-recanted claims that Trump was affiliated with shamed financier Jeffrey Epstein.
After Kosta told him the allegation goes too far, Klepper apologized, blaming horse tranquilizer and anesthetic drugs as the source of his lies. But when a shocked Lydic questioned the validity of his claims, Klepper said, “I said I’m sorry, let’s move on.”
“Yeah, Desi, let it go. That’s from ‘Frozen.’ Jordan, I thought a musical for children would be more up your speed,” Kosta said.
By the end of it, Lydic was not able to get the two men to settle down, and by that point a deserted Josh Johnson, who said he had been picked up by ICE during a protest was forced to cut in.
“They just doin’ whatever now,” Johnson said. One thing was for certain. He had no time for the Javert-Jean Valjean conversation.
“Aye, aye, aye, I’m sorry I don’t spend all my time watching white people sing,” Johnson said.
“Don’t make this about race,” Klepper insisted.
“Yeah, I just saw a proud Black tradition in theater. I just saw Audra McDonald in ‘Gypsy,’” Kosta added.
“Fine, you’re an ally! Is someone going to help me?!” Johnson exclaimed.
You can watch the full “Daily Show” full segment in the video above.
