NEED TO KNOW
Jon Stewart is clearing the air after finding his name in the Epstein files’ search results.
The Daily Show host, 63, explained during his Monday, Feb. 2, monologue that his name appeared in an email that a producer sent to Jeffrey Epstein, pitching Stewart’s involvement in a creative project that apparently never came to be.
“Of course, to get ahead of the story, I am also in the files,” Stewart, 63, said before asking his crowd: “We all searched our names, right?”
After looking around at his audience, Stewart said that it was “actually true” that he was mentioned “in the files,” and proceeded to explain how his name wound up in Epstein’s email inbox, apparently due to film producer Barry Josephson.
“I take you to the scene: It is midnight, Aug. 29, 2015,” Stewart said. “Jeffrey Epstein lies wide awake, his mind turning with ideas. He jots a quick note to a producer named Barry Josephson, saying, ‘I suggested to Woody,’ you all know which Woody, right? It’s the Epstein files, it ain’t Harrelson or the cowboy from Toy Story.”
After implying the email was about Woody Allen, Stewart elaborated, sharing that Epstein was pitched “a new stand-up routine for either Apple TV or Amazon.”
“Jeffrey Epstein always had his finger on the pulse of what America was clamoring for in 2015!” Stewart said. “But Barry Josephson, thinking like the out-of-the-box television professional that he was, pitched this idea. This is true, quote: ‘Make a true biographical experience with his stand-up being the capper. Somebody like Jon Stewart could host/narrate the biographical part.’ ”
“Excuse me,” Stewart joked. “I am offended! Somebody like Jon Stewart, or Jon Stewart?! My point is, do I have the offer or is this an audition?”
Dia Dipasupil/Getty
Searching “Jon Stewart” in the DOJ’s Epstein Library reveals 50 results, many of which are repeated, consisting of links to The Daily Show clips in Epstein’s email inbox.
Elsewhere during Tuesday’s episode, Stewart alleged that “the people at the DOJ releasing these documents weren’t on a fact-finding mission; they were running interference.”
“And the guy they’re running interference for [Donald Trump] seems very satisfied with these results,” he claimed.
Ultimately, Stewart explained that he’s “just not sure anybody is gonna be held accountable for any of this.” His comments come days after the Department of Justice released an additional 3.5 million pages in compliance with the Epstein Files Transparency Act. The release included that of 2,000 videos and 180,000 images, per the DOJ.
In a joint statement, survivors of Epstein have called the files incomplete and said that while the release is being framed as transparent, some of the documents reveal survivors’ names and identifying details, while alleged abusers and enablers remain shielded from public scrutiny. “Once again, survivors are having their names and identifying information exposed, while the men who abused us remain hidden and protected,” the statement reads. “That is outrageous.”
The group is now calling for answers from U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi, who is scheduled to appear before the House Judiciary Committee on Feb. 11.
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Their criticism follows the DOJ’s acknowledgement that it collected far more material than it has released. During the document collection process, U.S. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said the department intentionally erred on the side of overcollection, identifying approximately 6 million pages as “potentially responsive” under the law.
“The number of responsive pages is significantly smaller than the total number of pages initially collected,” Blanche said. “We’re releasing more than 3 million pages today, and not the 6 million pages that we collected.”
If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, please contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) or go to rainn.org.
