During an interview aired on Monday’s broadcast of CBS’ “Late Show,” comedian Jon Stewart said that the coronavirus pandemic was “more than likely caused by science.” And seemingly mocked claims that the virus originated naturally.
Stewart said, “I think we owe a great debt of gratitude to science. Science has, in many ways, helped ease the suffering of this pandemic, which was more than likely caused by science.”
He later added, “Oh my God, there’s a novel respiratory coronavirus overtaking Wuhan, China. What do we do? Oh, you know who we could ask, the Wuhan novel respiratory coronavirus lab. The disease is the same name as the lab. That’s just a little too weird, don’t you think? And then they ask those scientists, they’re like…’So, wait a minute, you work at the Wuhan respiratory coronavirus lab, how did this happen?’ And they’re like, ‘Uhh, a pangolin kissed a turtle?'”
Stewart further stated, “Oh my God, there’s been an outbreak of chocolatey goodness near Hershey, Pennsylvania. What do you think happened? Oh, I don’t know maybe a steam shovel mated with a cocoa bean. Or it’s the [bleep] chocolate factory. Maybe that’s it.”
Colbert then said that White House Chief Medical Adviser Dr. Anthony Fauci and NIH Director Dr. Francis Collins have said the lab leak theory should be investigated.
Stewart responded, “Stop with the logic and people and things. The name of the disease is on the building.”
Colbert then suggested that maybe the reason the lab is located in Wuhan is because there are a lot of novel coronaviruses in Wuhan due to the bat population.
Stewart then stated, “It’s a local specialty. And it’s the only place to find bats. You won’t find bats anywhere else. Oh, wait, Austin, Texas has thousands of them that fly out of a cave every night, every night at dusk. Is there a coronavirus — an Austin coronavirus? No, there doesn’t seem to be an Austin coronavirus. The only coronavirus we have is in Wuhan, where they have a lab called, what’s the lab called again, Stephen?”
Colbert later asked, “And how long have you worked for Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI)?”
Stewart responded, “Let me tell you something about Ron Johnson — this is not a conspiracy.”
Follow Ian Hanchett on Twitter @IanHanchett
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