The Daily Show thinks Bill O’Reilly can help turn the temperature down

Jon Stewart has his work cut out for him.

Returning from Milwaukee early, The Daily Show had a lot of catching up to do. First, Stewart explained that the show’s much-publicized Republican National Convention live shows in Milwaukee were canceled due to increased security as a result of the assassination attempt. The show plans on returning for a show on Thursday, but according to Stewart, the new security protocols required performing for an audience of none. Nevertheless, the show must go on.

The RNC kicked off last night, and as Stewart lays out, the “unity” platform wasn’t exactly working for the Republicans in the room. Abandoning such a theme, Senator Ron Johnson read a speech about how Democratic policies were a “clear and present danger” to the country. Later, Johnson told reporters that, somehow, the wrong speech made it onto the teleprompter and had no choice but to read it. What was he supposed to do, speak from the heart? The RNC also had Teamster President Sean O’Brien take the podium to talk about reforming the “toothless laws that are meant to protect working people but are manipulated to benefit corporations.” It isn’t clear who he thinks he was talking to, but it’s not like things got less weird after that. After all, Trump picked Hillbilly Elegy author J.D. Vance as his running mate. If only Glenn Close would come out of Mamaw retirement to campaign with her beautiful boy and protect him from bad terminators. Meanwhile, the RNC must develop a better protocol for removing Lee Greenwood from the stage. If only Sandman Sims were still around.

As for the Trump shooting, Stewart broke down the rampant conspiracy theories, which was probably terrible news for one Italian sports announcer’s nonna. However, in an excellent example of someone turning the temperature down, Stewart paid tribute to Corey Compertore, the firefighter killed by the shooter at the Trump rally. “He died shielding his family,” Stewart said as he channeled Mr. Rogers. “He’s a reminder that in those moments of crisis, there are helpers, and we can all make a choice to try to be one of those people.”

Tonight’s Daily Show had a lot to run through. Stewart barely had time to follow up on the Democratic Party’s ouster of Joe Biden—though Stewart’s impression of the Lester Holt interview made the President look more alive than he has in a month. There was only so much time because, for the first time in nearly a decade, Bill O’Reilly graced the newsdesk with his presence.

The longtime grudge match was the main event. O’Reilly, the star of Iron Man 2 and Transformers: Dark Of The Moon, returned to The Daily Show for the first time since Jon Stewart’s farewell episode in 2015 and Fox News fired him over multiple sexual harassment complaints in 2017. Wouldn’t you know it? The more things change, the more they stay the same. Bill O’Reilly yelled for unity by telling the Left to turn down the rhetoric and bragged about 4 million people being able to log onto his website. We are so back.