'The Daily Show' examines Fauci's testimony and RFK Hospital plus Emmy nominations for 'The Daily Show'

I told my readers, "Stay tuned for more awards show coverage" and it's also the end of the month, when I shift to topical coverage I can share the next month, so I'm featuring Fauci Takes the 5th Amendment While MAGA Cracks His Diary Open & Calls Him Hitler | The Daily Show.

Dr. Anthony Fauci testified before the Senate in the GOP's hyperpartisan investigation into his "megalomania" and alleged mishandling of Covid, despite the fact that Trump admitted to having “a lot of respect for Dr. Fauci” during the pandemic. Jordan Klepper gets into the hearing’s biggest moments, including Fauci repeatedly invoking the Fifth Amendment, Senator Josh Hawley invoking Fauci’s diary entries, and one Instagram commenter invoking the eggplant emoji.

Six years ago, I wrote, "May the real Dr. Fauci be more appreciated when the COVID-19 pandemic is over than Kate McKinnon's portrayal of him hopes." This hearing shows that hasn't happened. Instead, not only did misinformation and the partisan divide drive a surge in U.S. COVID deaths, they led to scapegoating Fauci. That's quite the fall from Fauci and others being named Time Magazine's Guardians of the Year in 2020.

As for Senator Hawley's accusations against Fauci, they're an example of Projection being the Right's favorite defense mechanism; every accusation is a confession. All of Hawley's smears are even more true about Donald "Pervert Hoover" Trump, except for doing the most damage to science. That dishonor belongs to RFK Jr. I made a sign for the No Kings protests that says as much.


I'll get back to Brainworm later. Time to return to the hearing and its coverage on Fox News, which is all in on "the Wuhan lab-leak hypothesis." I last discussed that in 2021 and have ignored it since, as I don't want to contribute to the acceptance of what I think is a conspiracy theory. That isn't stopping the Fox News anchors or their guests, particularly ex-coach, current Senator, and likely future Governor Tommy Tuberville, who, if he wants to cite one unofficial idea, might as well cite another, "16 million to 28.1 million with the most likely figure being 21 million, 3.1 times the total of official deaths." It would scare people even more than 9 million and it has better support than the lab-leak hypothesis, which I think is based on xenophobia, partisan wishful thinking, and a questionable intelligence report not supported by scientists. It doesn't help that Fox News undercuts that position by their consistent underplaying of COVID-19. Logic and reason are not their strong suit, but I wrote that the late Jerry Pournelle, himself a conservative, described conservatives as irrational fifteen years ago, so I shouldn't be surprised.

I couldn't agree more that staff cuts at Health and Human Services, the CDC, and NIH are among the reasons the U.S. is "losing a diarrhea war with lettuce." That deserves its own post, but not today. Instead, I'm moving on to Desi Lydic Foxsplains Anthony Fauci's Pandemic Diary | The Daily Show.

Fox News got a hold of Anthony Fauci's Covid-era diary, and Desi Lydic is ready to Foxsplain every evil detail.

HAHAHAHA! All except the lettuce being from Michigan — that hits too close to home, literally.

Now to get back to Brainworm with RFK Hospital: An Original Series Inspired by the Medical Advice of RFK Jr. | The Daily Show, an Emmy nominee for Outstanding Picture Editing for Variety Programming (Segment).

America might be getting sick of RFK Jr. as health secretary, but much like the worm in his brain, he doesn't appear to be going anywhere. While you won't find his brand of non-professional medical advice on "Grey's Anatomy" or "The Pitt," you can find it on a bold new medical drama: RFK Hospital.

On the one hand, HAHAHAHA! On the other, this is the kind of health care leader Fauci's enemies want to listen to. I'd rather follow Fauci.

Speaking of following, continue over the jump for The Daily Show's Emmy nominations.


For the second time in this year's series, I'm examining a category at the Primetime Emmy Awards.

Outstanding Variety Series

• The Daily Show (Comedy Central)
• Jimmy Kimmel Live! (ABC)
• Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO)
• The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (CBS)
• Saturday Night Live (NBC)

The graphic says seven nominations, but four of those are for Desi Lydic Foxsplains and Jordan Klepper Fingers the Pulse: Give the Man a Prize with two each, so the main show only has three. This places it behind Saturday Night Live with eleven, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert with nine, and Jimmy Kimmel Live! with six, and even with Last Week Tonight with John Oliver at three. Gold Derby is predicting that The Late Show with Stephen Colbert will win.

Next, The Daily Show proper's nominations at the Creative Arts Emmy Awards.

Outstanding Picture Editing for Variety Programming (Segment)

• The Daily Show: "RFK Hospital: An Original Series Inspired by the Medical Advice of RFK Jr. – Nikolai Johnson (Comedy Central)
• Last Week Tonight with John Oliver: "Moon Mammoths Game Documentary" – Ryan Barger (HBO)
• The Late Show with Stephen Colbert: "The Late Show closes out its storied run at the Ed Sullivan Theater with help from Paul McCartney and Elvis Costello" – Andrew Matheson and Amanda Sprecher (CBS)
• Saturday Night Live: "Home Alone" – Ryan Spears (NBC)
• Saturday Night Live: "MAHAspital (The New Pitt)" – Christopher Salerno and Mak Makower (NBC)

SNL won this award for its 50th anniversary special last year and The Daily Show the year before, so they're the co-favorites. I plan on writing one of these posts for SNL, so I'm waiting until then to make a call.

Outstanding Technical Direction and Camerawork for a Series

• The Daily Show: "Episode 30105" – Michael Williams, Jeff Latonero, Matt Muro, Phil Salanto, Michael Schmehl, Tim Quigley, and Rich York (Comedy Central)
• Dancing with the Stars: "20th Birthday Party" – Charles Ciup, Ron Brasi, Daryl Studebaker, Bettina Levesque, Kary D'Alessandro, Bruce Green, Rob Palmer, Daniel Schade, Nathanial Havholm, Mike Carr, Ed Horton, Easter Xua, Brian Reason, Adam Margolis, Jonas Brueling, Dave Levisohn, Jimmy Garcia, Damien Tuffereau, Emilie Pesante, and Ron Lehman (ABC)
• Jimmy Kimmel Live!: "Guests: Stephen Colbert, Seth Meyers, Kumail Nanjiani, Josh Meyers, and Musical Guest Reneé Rapp" – Ervin Hurd, David Fernandez, Tim Farmer, Steve Garrett, Mark Gonzales, Greg Grouwinkel, Garrett Hurt, Kris Wilson, Bernd Reinhardt, and Marc Stumpo (ABC)
• The Late Show with Stephen Colbert: "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert Series Finale" – Karen Obel Cape, Brian Cimino, Joe Debonis, John Harrison, Dante Pagano, and John Hannel (CBS)
• Saturday Night Live: "Host: Olivia Rodrigo" – Bill DiGiovanni, John Pinto, Paul Cangialosi, Anthony Tarantino, Dave Driscoll, Brian Phraner, and Daniel Erbeck (NBC)

SNL won the past two years and Dancing with the Stars the year before those, so they're my co-favorites. Again, I'll wait until I write the SNL entry to make that call.

That's a wrap for today and the month of July. Stay tuned for a look at the predicted "super El Niño" tomorrow to kick off August.

Previous posts about the 2026 Primetime and Creative Arts Emmy Awards

• 'The Tale of Silyan' vs 'The Librarians' for Exceptional Merit in Documentary Filmmaking at the Emmy Awards
• Drink to Bad Bunny's Super Bowl Halftime Show's Emmy nominations on National Piña Colada Day
• 'Desi Lydic Foxsplains Trump's Big Beautiful Ballroom' plus the short form nominees at the Emmy Awards
• 'Jordan Klepper Fingers the Pulse: Give the Man a Prize' plus the Emmy nominees for Outstanding Hosted Nonfiction Series or Special
• 'Prehistoric Planet: Ice Age' earned two Emmy nominations for its VFX and music
• 'Oceans with David Attenborough' tied with 'Mel Brooks: The 99 Year Old Man!' for Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Special
• 'Mr. Scorsese' vs. 'The American Revolution' for Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Series plus Data Centers on Earth Overshoot Day