Prost! The Daily Show tries to rekindle the U.S.-German friendship with an awkward beer summit

(Image credit: The Daily Show)

last updated 8 January 2015

Germany and the U.S. are at loggerheads over Russia's incursions into Ukraine, with America frustrated that Germany isn't doing more to punish Russian aggression. Germany is still sore over U.S. spying on its citizens, including Chancellor Angela Merkel. On Thursday night's Daily Show, Jason Jones wanted to make sure things were still cool between American and its old, close friend.

So he went to speak with the acting German ambassador to the U.S., Philipp Ackermann. Ackermann pointed out that Russia and Germany have closer economic ties than the U.S. and Russia, and that Germans are more sympathetic to Russia's side of the Ukraine story. Jones made some Nazi jokes, then tried to heal the divide with a beer summit. "I am so sorry, but I can't drink that," Ackermann said after trying a sip of the Bud Lime-A-Rita. "We have a good friendship and everything, but you can't force me on having" the terrible beer-margarita abomination. That didn't sink bilateral relations, but the follow-up trust fall may leave a mark. --Peter Weber

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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.