Jon Stewart welcomes newest 'Daily Show' advertiser: Koch Industries
Jon Stewart welcomed a new advertiser to the "Daily Show" advertising family — Koch Industries, the privately held company run by billionaire brothers David and Charles Koch — in the only way he knows how: by trolling them.
"That's the kind of ad a company makes when it turns out a byproduct of their manufacturing process is giving young pubescent males talking nipples," Stewart said on Wednesday after showing viewers the ad that played on the show the night before.
The commercial, which began airing in June, highlights the Wichita-based conglomerate's employees and work environment, depicted as warm and welcoming — unlike the brothers themselves, who, according to the Washington Post, channeled at least $400 million into the 2012 election cycle through a network of hard-to-track nonprofit groups benefiting their various conservative interests and right-wing agenda.
"Now that we know that the Koch brothers are pouring an unending waterfall of money through a cleverly masked network of unaccountable organizations to peddle electoral influence, the ad sounds less inspiring," Stewart said.
The "Daily Show" host generously offered a few "minor adjustments" to the ad, including a new voiceover: "We're Koch Industries — not just an energy company. We're in your food, in your pants, and in your home. And if there’s a way to monetize your thoughts, we’ll find it. All while backing 17 shadow organizations to buy elections from Pennsylvania Avenue to Main Street. You won't always see our names in campaign ads, because the politicians we own say that's OK."
It's unclear how big the Koch ad will run on the "Daily Show." A spokesman for Comedy Central did not immediately return a request for comment. But it's not surprising the company would want to reach the show's younger viewers.
Or, as Stewart put it: "The point is, the Koch brothers are trying to say to our audience of not-yet-dying-off voters, 'Even though you may have heard certain things about the Koch brothers, how bad could they be? I mean, if they were evil, would a baby agree to appear in one of their advertisements?'"
Related video:
