Watch The Daily Show distill West Virginia's tap water disaster
The last time the chemical facility was inspected was in... 1991. "That's, like, six Batmans ago!" Stewart said.
Jon Stewart started out Monday night's Daily Show by declaring his love for imported West Virginia drinking water. That was a segue, of course, to the toxic chemical spill near Charleston that has prevented some 300,000 residents from drinking, bathing in, or otherwise using their tap water. The problem started over the weekend, when up to 48,000 gallons of coal-processing solution leaked into the Elk River.
Stewart, while noting that he's not a chemical engineer or city planner, suggested that perhaps a toxic chemical plant shouldn't be placed upstream and adjacent to a city's water treatment plant. Then he noted that the last time the leaky tanks were inspected was... 1991. "That's, like, six Batmans ago!" Stewart said.
Stewart then brought on Jason Jones, purportedly reporting from West Virginia. Jones noted that local residents are thirsty, filthy, and angry. Stewart wasn't buying Jones' initial explanation for what went wrong outside Charleston: Terrorism. But the joke is in the difference between Jones' proposed response to a terrorist attack and his ideas for what's permissible to prevent industrial accidents. Maybe joke is the wrong word. Gallows humor?
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The next segment is the buzziest part of the show, sort of proving Jones' point: People don't care about environmental regulation, but give us a story about pizza....
Yes, Stewart continued his crusade to push New York standards of pizza onto the world, or at least the U.S. In this case, he jumped on a mini-scandal in New York that erupted last week when new Mayor Bill de Blasio was filmed in Staten Island eating pizza with a fork. Stewart was quick to pass judgment, saying, "Two weeks into your term, and we catch you eating pizza à la Trump? And you call yourself a radical socialist bent on destroying New York City."
Watch Stewart's righteous indignation:
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
Andrew Fahie: the ex-BVI premier, cocaine-filled boats and drug trafficking plot
Under the radar Fahie's defense attorney claimed the British overseas territory leader was 'acting like the fictitious CIA agent Jason Bourne'
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Ottawa climate talks: can global plastic problem be solved?
In the spotlight Nations aim to draft world's first treaty on plastic pollution, but resistance from oil- and gas-producing countries could limit scope
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Netherlands split on WFH for sex workers
Speed Read Councils concerned over 'nuisance' of at-home sex work, but others say changes will curb underground sex trade
By Arion McNicoll, The Week UK Published
-
Arizona court reinstates 1864 abortion ban
Speed Read The law makes all abortions illegal in the state except to save the mother's life
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Trump, billions richer, is selling Bibles
Speed Read The former president is hawking a $60 "God Bless the USA Bible"
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
The debate about Biden's age and mental fitness
In Depth Some critics argue Biden is too old to run again. Does the argument have merit?
By Grayson Quay Published
-
How would a second Trump presidency affect Britain?
Today's Big Question Re-election of Republican frontrunner could threaten UK security, warns former head of secret service
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
'Rwanda plan is less a deterrent and more a bluff'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By The Week UK Published
-
Henry Kissinger dies aged 100: a complicated legacy?
Talking Point Top US diplomat and Nobel Peace Prize winner remembered as both foreign policy genius and war criminal
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Last updated
-
Trump’s rhetoric: a shift to 'straight-up Nazi talk'
Why everyone's talking about Would-be president's sinister language is backed by an incendiary policy agenda, say commentators
By The Week UK Published
-
More covfefe: is the world ready for a second Donald Trump presidency?
Today's Big Question Republican's re-election would be a 'nightmare' scenario for Europe, Ukraine and the West
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published