‘The Daily Show’ goes gold in bow to Trump

Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show” opted to take on the controversy around ABC late-night host Jimmy Kimmel’s comments about the death of Charlie Kirk with a comically cautious approach.

Former full-time host Jon Stewart, who has been hosting regularly on Mondays in between guest hosts while the show continues to search for someone to take over the chair every night, was brought on for a Thursday show Sept. 18, 2025.

To back up its coverage of the Kimmel controversy, the show took on an overly reverential tone for comic effect. 

Using the large video walls and color-changing lighting throughout the studio, it was also able to change the space’s look to something much more palatial and a clear stab at Donald Trump’s preference for plenty of gold and ornate detail in his interior design.

The video walls were filled with images of gaudy interior spaces plastered with plenty of gold, while much of the lighting was shifted toward a golden-yellow hue.

The front of the show’s anchor desk, which is a band of LED panels as well, sported the show’s logo flanked by two ornate gold embellishments on top of a background that appeared to channel a dark marble slab. 

In-show graphics were also updated to match the theme, including the use of gold picture frames backed with sparkling gold glitter for OTSs. Gold borders were also used to frame out clips taken from other networks as well as double box layouts. 

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The show also featured a custom open accompanied by a specific announce as well as gone-tinted wipes and other elements that were take on its typical look.