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Jordan Klepper is one of the few (and maybe only) television hosts who have named an Emmy-winning series of specials after a sexual pun. And his former The Daily Show colleague, Trevor Noah, can appreciate that.
Klepper was a Daily Show correspondent when Fingers the Pulse, his umbrella of man-on-the-street specials, originated as segments on Comedy Central’s late-night political comedy show. The bit initially took shape around Donald Trump’s first presidential term as the comedian was working alongside then-host Noah, 41. “He was like, ‘That’s a brand, don’t ever change it,’ ” Klepper, 46, recalls to PEOPLE.
Well, Klepper hasn’t. And in September, he took home an Emmy for writing his last special, The Daily Show Presents: Jordan Klepper Fingers the Pulse: MAGA: The Next Generation. “I remember when they read that we won the Emmy, I did laugh like, ‘Dear Lord, these poor people have to say it with a straight face,’ ” Klepper jokes, adding that Noah texted him after the victory and “sang the praises” of his commitment to the name.
“Childish sex puns, that’s who I am,” he adds.
That’s not all Klepper is. Today, the comedian doubles as a rotating host on The Daily Show. While sharing the last two years of hosting duties with a handful of others (Jon Stewart, included), he’s still managing to trek around the country and frequently within MAGA turf as he searches for answers in his Fingers the Pulse specials.
The latest iteration, The Daily Show Presents: Jordan Klepper Fingers the Pulse: Give the Man a Prize, finds Klepper exploring the president’s unsuccessful bid for a Nobel Peace Prize; the protests outside of ICE facilities in cities across the country and specifically Portland, Ore.; and the unification of naked bikers to protest Trump’s policies — all of which are indeed connected, he says.
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And yes, Klepper himself strips down as he opts to “follow the dongs” in his attempts to follow the people. “At its core, we’re going to some pretty dark places where there are really sad stories. There are images of violence,” he says. “Suddenly the people of Portland decided your comedic take is right there as they disrobe and they hand it to you on a platter underneath a G-string.”
Speaking with PEOPLE, he emphasizes the importance of hearing from real people during his travels. Some parts of that job over the years have also required him to confront “hypocrisy” and often “outlandish” perspectives from Trump supporters for the better part of a decade. In Portland, however, he saw a group willing to “stand up in the most ridiculous way possible.”
“Literally shed all clothes so that they could be seen as not a threat to what ended up becoming an image-making space for the Trump administration,” Klepper says, adding, “I see those images in Portland of these people who are standing up to that, who won’t be silenced. That gives me hope about where we’re at. We are in a precarious time, and make no mistake that we shouldn’t become apathetic because of that.”
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As for when he’s behind the desk, 2025 marked Klepper’s first year hosting The Daily Show while Trump, 79, is in the White House. The term has so far seen the president take direct shots at late-night hosts, including Jimmy Kimmel and Seth Meyers, but Klepper knows he’s in a unique position on Comedy Central.
“It is a sprint when you’re behind the desk. Right after the inauguration took place, it was a reminder of like, ‘Oh, right. I hadn’t been in this head space of Trump being in action and how he is so proficient at capturing attention and making moves faster than the speed of media.’ And for us, that just means we have to be as nimble as possible,” he says.
“Peace and democracy in America are being stress tested in places like Portland, and also being questioned internationally in places like Norway,” he adds of the special, which also sends him to Europe. “This new administration is constantly challenging for late night shows, but we are lucky, and I’m fortunate enough to have different ways in which to skin that cat.”
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Klepper — who says he and his peers are “inspired” working alongside the recently-renewed Stewart, 63, on The Daily Show — has been a fan of the show since the Craig Kilborn days. The series itself is marking its 30th anniversary in 2026.
But there’s no other era he’d rather do the gig, he tells PEOPLE. “I remember early Jon, right before the Trump era began. And what we had at The Daily Show was time. Sometimes if the news wasn’t that exciting, you had stuff you’ve been thinking about for a couple of days. You got to really craft the stories you wanted to talk about,” he recalls.
“Enter this new Trump era. And essentially, you’re playing catch-up and you’re just responding in real time,” Klepper says, adding, “It feels like an important time to be commenting on what’s happening in the news. I feel like it’s more a part of culture and more a part of our lives than it’s ever been, as far as I’ve been alive. So I’m glad I’m here at The Daily Show right now.”
The Daily Show Presents: Jordan Klepper Fingers the Pulse: Give the Man a Prize premieres Monday, Dec. 8 at 11:30pm ET/PT after The Daily Show on Comedy Central.
