In a segment that blended political satire with nutritional absurdity, Daily Show correspondent Jordan Klepper took aim at U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and the Department of Health and Human Services this week. The focus of his Tuesday night monologue was the controversial rollout of new federal dietary guidelines, which featured a baffling visual aid and some questionable celebrity endorsements.
A Pyramid Scheme of Confusion
The comedy began with Kennedy's unveiling of a new, upside-down food pyramid during a White House press briefing last week. The health secretary defended the inverted graphic, claiming the previous model "was actually upside-down before and we just righted it." Klepper was quick to pounce on the logic, or lack thereof.
"You know what? I’m pretty sure this one is upside down, unless I’m misremembering every pyramid photo I’ve ever seen," Klepper quipped, juxtaposing the new guideline with an image of comically flipped Egyptian pyramids. He teased Kennedy over his "simple, logical graphic," highlighting the administration's penchant for revising established science with a literal flip.
Questionable Messengers for Health Advice
Klepper didn't stop at the pyramid. He also targeted other figures involved in the public health push. He noted that the HHS enlisted Dr. Mehmet Oz, the former talk show host now serving as administrator for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, who told reporters that in a "best-case scenario," people shouldn't drink alcohol.
"Ah, great news, we’re not in the best-case scenario right now," Klepper cracked, acknowledging the collective mood of the nation.
The comedian saved some of his sharpest barbs for the department's choice of a "dynamic, charismatic spokesperson" for the new dairy-focused guidelines: Ben Carson, the former Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. A video shared by the U.S. Department of Agriculture showed Carson drinking a glass of milk before calmly declaring it "good stuff," ending with a digitally added milk mustache and the hashtag #MilkMustacheMoment.
"You’re making Ben Carson drink a glass of milk? The drink that famously helps us fall asleep at night? Are you insane? If Ben Carson gets any sleep, he could die," Klepper joked, referencing Carson's famously subdued demeanor.
Satire as a Public Service
Klepper's routine served as a comedic critique of the Trump administration's approach to public health communication, questioning both the content of the new dietary guidelines and the unconventional messengers chosen to promote them. By focusing on the inverted pyramid and the awkward promotional clips, the segment underscored the often surreal intersection of politics, science, and public relations.
The full monologue, which aired on Tuesday, is available to watch on The Daily Show's platforms, offering Canadians and viewers worldwide a laugh-out-loud perspective on south-of-the-border political theatre.
