Jon Stewart explains why Hank Greenberg suing the U.S. over AIG is comically despicable


"When is the last time you got good and angry" about the bank-fueled, economy-tanking 2008 financial meltdown? Jon Stewart asked to kick off Thursday night's Daily Show, a twinkle in his eye. "Want to?"
If you're not familiar with former AIG chief Hank Greenberg's lawsuit against the federal government, Stewart will give you the rundown. Not only that, he will probably convince you to despise Greenberg, grimace at the absurdity of this lawsuit, seethe about the federal bailout of the insolvent company, and make you laugh all the while.
Stewart mocked Greenberg's charge of "extortion," noting that while most extortionists demand money, the U.S. government poured $184.6 billion ($85 billion at first) into Greenberg's effectively bankrupt former insurance business. He derided Greenberg's complaint that the U.S. treated bailed-out banks better than AIG, summarizing that argument as: "Waaaaaaah! It's not fair!" Stewart pointed out that for insurance companies, "putting the screws to people in their lowest moments" is routine business. And he drove it all home with a delightful one-man show. Feel better? --Peter Weber
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.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
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.
-
How The Summer I Turned Pretty has brought out the worst in its fans
In the Spotlight Amazon’s love-triangle hit ‘driving some of the most bonkers and unhinged online energy in the history of the internet’
-
Human evolution may be responsible for autism rates
Under the radar Neurodiversity and a complex brain may go hand in hand
-
Crossword: September 17, 2025
The Week's daily crossword
-
Florida erases rainbow crosswalk at Pulse nightclub
Speed Read The colorful crosswalk was outside the former LGBTQ nightclub where 49 people were killed in a 2016 shooting
-
Trump says Smithsonian too focused on slavery's ills
Speed Read The president would prefer the museum to highlight 'success,' 'brightness' and 'the future'
-
Trump to host Kennedy Honors for Kiss, Stallone
Speed Read Actor Sylvester Stallone and the glam-rock band Kiss were among those named as this year's inductees
-
White House seeks to bend Smithsonian to Trump's view
Speed Read The Smithsonian Institution's 21 museums are under review to ensure their content aligns with the president's interpretation of American history
-
Charlamagne Tha God irks Trump with Epstein talk
Speed Read The radio host said the Jeffrey Epstein scandal could help 'traditional conservatives' take back the Republican Party
-
CBS cancels Colbert's 'Late Show'
Speed Read 'The Late Show with Stephen Colbert' is ending next year
-
Shakespeare not an absent spouse, study proposes
speed read A letter fragment suggests that the Shakespeares lived together all along, says scholar Matthew Steggle
-
New Mexico to investigate death of Gene Hackman, wife
speed read The Oscar-winning actor and his wife Betsy Arakawa were found dead in their home with no signs of foul play