The Daily Show: Season 11
Season 11 Lore Primer
Key plot threads, lore context, and character stakes you need to remember before diving into this season.
- Directly follows the overarching narrative developments of The Daily Show Season 10.
- Faction dynamics and core character alliances shift under escalating external stakes.
- Crucial mysteries introduced previously reach key turning points and narrative reckonings.
- Sets up serialized story arcs that build directly toward the climactic season finale.
Episode Guide
Season 11 Progress Shield
George Packer
Jan 4, 2006
TONIGHT: Author of The Assassins' Gate : America in Iraq, George Packer!
Pierce Brosnan
Jan 5, 2006
TONIGHT: Actor, Pierce Brosnan! Also, Jason Jones with "Spear Pressure."
James Risen
Jan 9, 2006
TONIGHT: NY Times reporter and author of State of War, James Risen!
Albert Brooks
Jan 10, 2006
TONIGHT: Star of Finding Comedy in the Muslim World, actor and filmmaker, Albert Brooks!
Edward Lazarus
Jan 12, 2006
TONIGHT: Author of Closed Chambers: The Rise, Fall, and Future of the Modern Supreme Court, Edward Lazarus!
Eugene Jarecki
Jan 16, 2006
TONIGHT: Documentary film maker, Eugene Jarecki! Also, Rob Corddry with "This Week in God."
L. Paul Bremer
Jan 17, 2006
TONIGHT: Author of My Year in Iraq: The Struggle to Build a Future of Hope and former Head of Coalition Provisional Authority in Iraq, L. Paul Bremer!
Josh Lucas
Jan 19, 2006
TONIGHT: Actor and star of Glory Road, Josh Lucas! Also, Nate Corddry with an American Resolution.
Fred Barnes
Jan 23, 2006
TONIGHT: Author of Rebel-in-Chief: How George W. Bush Is Redefining the Conservative Movement and Transforming America, Fred Barnes!
Reza Aslan
Jan 24, 2006
TONIGHT: Author of No god but God: The Origins, Evolution, and Future of Islam, Reza Aslan!
Anthony Hopkins
Jan 25, 2006
TONIGHT: Actor and star of The World's Fastest Indian, Anthony Hopkins! Plus "New Year's Resolution" with Ed Helms!
Bernard-Henri Levy
Jan 26, 2006
TONIGHT: Author of American Vertigo: Traveling America in the Footsteps of Tocqueville, Bernard-Henri Levy!
Robert O'Harrow, Jr.
Feb 2, 2006
TONIGHT: Author of No Place to Hide: Behind the Scenes of Our Emerging Surveillance Society, Robert O'Harrow, Jr.! Plus, "New Year's Resolution" with Dan Bakkedahl!
Torie Clarke
Feb 7, 2006
TONIGHT: Former Assistant Defense Secretary for Public Affairs, Torie Clarke! Plus, Rob Corddry with "This Week In God!"
Harrison Ford
Feb 8, 2006
TONIGHT: Actor and star of Firewall, Harrison Ford! Also, the first installment of "Klassic Kolbert."
Peter Tertzakian
Feb 14, 2006
TONIGHT: Author of A Thousand Barrels a Second: The Coming Oil Break Point and the Challenges Facing an Energy Dependent World, Peter Tertzakian!
Julianne Moore
Feb 15, 2006
TONIGHT: Actress and star of Freedomland, Julianne Moore! Plus, "Trendspotting" with Demetri Martin.
Ed Harris
Feb 16, 2006
TONIGHT: Actor and star of Winter Passing, Ed Harris! Plus, Lewis Black with "Back in Black."
Sarah Vowell
Feb 21, 2006
TONIGHT: Author of Assassination Vacation, Sarah Vowell! Also, Nate and Rob Corddry with "Brother vs. Brother."
Roger Ebert
Feb 23, 2006
TONIGHT: Movie critic, Roger Ebert! Also, Lewis Black with "Back in Black."
Eugene Linden
Mar 7, 2006
TONIGHT: The author of The Winds of Change: Climate, Weather, and the Destruction of Civilizations, Eugene Linden!
Bruce Bartlett
Mar 9, 2006
TONIGHT: The author of Impostor: How George W. Bush Bankrupted America and Betrayed the Reagan Legacy, Bruce Bartlett!
Eric Burns
Mar 13, 2006
TONIGHT: The author of Infamous Scribblers: The Founding Fathers and the Rowdy Beginnings of American Journalism, Eric Burns!
Bart Ehrman
Mar 14, 2006
TONIGHT: The author of Misquoting Jesus: The Story Behind Who Changed the Bible and Why, Bart Ehrman! Plus "This Week in God" with Rob Corddry.
Natalie Portman
Mar 15, 2006
TONIGHT: Actress and star of V for Vendetta, Natalie Portman!
General Georges Sada
Mar 21, 2006
TONIGHT: Author of Saddam's Secrets: How an Iraqi General Defied And Survived Saddam Hussein, General Georges Sada! Also, "Trendspotting" with Demetri Martin!
Michael Mandelbaum
Mar 23, 2006
TONIGHT: Author of The Case For Goliath: How America Acts As The World's Government in the Twenty-first Century, Michael Mandelbaum
Michael Gordon
Mar 27, 2006
TONIGHT: Author of Cobra II : The Inside Story of the Invasion and Occupation of Iraq, Michael Gordon!
Queen Latifah
Mar 29, 2006
TONIGHT: Actress and star of Ice Age: The Meltdown, Queen Latifah!
Ricky Gervais
Apr 3, 2006
TONIGHT: Actor and podcast host of "The Ricky Gervais Show", Ricky Gervais! Also, Ed Helms with "This Week In God".
Studs Terkel
Apr 4, 2006
TONIGHT: Broadcaster and author of "And They All Sang: Adventures of an Eclectic Disc Jockey", Studs Terkel! Also, Senator John McCain stops by to defend his decision to talk in f
Gen. Tony Zinni
Apr 5, 2006
TONIGHT: Retired Marine General and author of "The Battle for Peace: A Frontline Vision of America's Power and Purpose", Gen. Tony Zinni!
Josh Hartnett
Apr 6, 2006
TONIGHT: Actor and star of Lucky Number Slevin, Josh Hartnett! Also, Dan Bakkedahl learns about "Beach Ploys".
Jon Meacham
Apr 17, 2006
TONIGHT: The author of American Gospel: God, the Founding Fathers, and the Making of a Nation, Jon Meacham! Also, Ed Helms travels to Alaska to find out about the enormous populat
Ryan Nerz
Apr 18, 2006
TONIGHT: The author of Eat This Book: A Year of Gorging and Glory on the Competitive Eating Circuit, Ryan Nerz!
Sen. Ted Kennedy
Apr 20, 2006
TONIGHT: Senator from Massachusetts, Sen. Ted Kennedy! Also, Jason Jones with Not In Your Front Yard.
Efraim Halevy
Apr 24, 2006
TONIGHT: The author of Man in the Shadows: Inside the Middle East Crisis with a Man Who Led the Mossad, Efraim Halevy!
Tom Selleck
Apr 25, 2006
TONIGHT: The author of Man in the Shadows: Inside the Middle East Crisis with a Man Who Led the Mossad, Efraim Halevy!
Kimberley Strassel
Apr 26, 2006
TONIGHT: Wall Street Journal editor, Kimberley Strassel!
Matthew Continetti
May 1, 2006
TONIGHT: The author of The K Street Gang: The Rise and Fall of the Republican Machine, Matthew Continetti!
Madeleine Albright
May 2, 2006
TONIGHT: The author of The Mighty and the Almighty: Reflections on America, God, and World Affairs, Madeleine Albright!
Clark Kent Ervin
May 3, 2006
TONIGHT: The author of Open Target: Where America Is Vulnerable To Attack, Clark Kent Ervin!
David Remnick
May 8, 2006
TONIGHT: The author of Reporting: Writings from the New Yorker, David Remnick!
Eric Shawn
May 9, 2006
TONIGHT: Author of The U.N. Exposed: How the United Nations Sabotages America's Security and Fails the World, Eric Shawn!
Francis Fukuyama
May 11, 2006
TONIGHT: Author of America at the Crossroads: Democracy, Power, and the Neoconservative Legacy, Francis Fukuyama!
Howard Dean
May 15, 2006
TONIGHT: The Chairman of the Democratic National Committee, Howard Dean!
Ramesh Ponnuru
May 17, 2006
TONIGHT: A senior editor for National Review, Ramesh Ponnuru! Plus, Lewis Black: Back in Black.
Willie Nelson
May 18, 2006
TONIGHT: Legendary country musician and performer of You Don't Know Me: The Songs of Cindy Walker, Willie Nelson!
Caroline Kennedy
Jun 5, 2006
TONIGHT: Caroline Kennedy, founder of the Profiles In Courage Award.
Bill Bennett
Jun 6, 2006
TONIGHT: Former Secretary of Education and author of America, Bill Bennett.
Bonnie Hunt
Jun 7, 2006
TONIGHT: Actress Bonnie Hunt from the movie Cars. Plus, Lewis Black reports in Back in Black!
Thomas Friedman
Jun 12, 2006
TONIGHT: The author of The World Is Flat: A Brief History of the Twenty-first Century, Thomas L. Friedman!
Ken Mehlman
Jun 13, 2006
TONIGHT: The chair of the Republican National Committee, Ken Mehlman!
Tim Russert
Jun 14, 2006
TONIGHT: The Host of NBC's Meet the Press and the author of Wisdom of Our Fathers: Lessons and Letters from Daughters and Sons, Tim Russert!
Calvin Trillin
Jun 19, 2006
TONIGHT: American journalist, humorist, and author of Messages from My Father!, Calvin Trillin!
Juliet Eilperin
Jun 20, 2006
Tonight: Washington Post reporter Juliet Eilperin, author of Fight Club Politics: How Partisanship is Poisoning the House of Representatives.
Anderson Cooper
Jun 21, 2006
TONIGHT: Host of CNN's Anderson Cooper: 360, Anderson Cooper.
Illario Pantano
Jul 10, 2006
Tonight former U.S. Marine and co-author of <I>Warlord: No Better Friend, No Worse Enemy</I>, Illario Pantano.
John Dean
Jul 11, 2006
Tonight: Former Nixon legal counsel and author of <I>Conservatives Without Conscience</I>, John Dean.
Owen Wilson
Jul 13, 2006
Tonight: Actor and one of the stars of <I>You, Me and Dupree</I>, Owen Wilson.
Gordon Chang
Jul 17, 2006
Tonight: Gordon Chang, author of <I>Nuclear Showdown: North Korea Takes On The World</I>.
M. Night Shyamalan
Jul 18, 2006
Tonight: Director of the movie <I>Lady in the Water</I>, M. Night Shaymalan.
James Maguire
Jul 19, 2006
Tonight: The author of <I>American Bee: The National Spelling Bee and the Culture of Word Nerds</I>, James Maguire.
Paul Giamatti
Jul 20, 2006
Tonight: Actor and star of the movie <I>Lady in the Water</I>, Paul Giamatti.
Ed Burns
Jul 25, 2006
TONIGHT: actor, writer and director of <I>The Groomsman</I>, Ed Burns.
Sharon Weinberger
Jul 26, 2006
TONIGHT: Defense reporter and author of <I>Imaginary Weapons: A Journey Through the Pentagon's Scientific Underworld</I>, Sharon Weinberger. Also, Lewis Black in "Back in Black.
Vali Nasr
Aug 1, 2006
TONIGHT: Professor of Middle East and South Asia politics and author of <I>The Shia Revival: How Conflicts within Islam Will Shape the Future</I>, Vali Nasr.
Chris Paine
Aug 2, 2006
TONIGHT: Writer and director of the documentary <I>Who Killed The Electric Car?</I>, Chris Paine.
Danny DeVito
Aug 3, 2006
TONIGHT: Actor and star of <I>It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia</I>, Danny DeVito.
Thomas E. Ricks
Aug 14, 2006
TONIGHT: The author of Fiasco: The American Military Adventure in Iraq, Thomas E. Ricks.
Samuel L. Jackson
Aug 15, 2006
TONIGHT: The star of the movie Snakes on a Plane, Samuel L. Jackson.
Reza Aslan
Aug 21, 2006
Tonight, author and scholar of comparative religions, Reza Aslan.
William Cohen
Aug 22, 2006
Tonight former Secretary of Defense William Cohen, author of <I>Dragon Fire</I>.
Frederick Lane
Aug 23, 2006
Tonight Frederick Lane, author of <I>The Decency Wars: The Campaign to Cleanse American Culture</I>.
Maggie Gyllenhaal
Sep 11, 2006
Tonight actress and star of <I>sherrybaby</I>, Maggie Gyllenhaal.
Ed Gillespie
Sep 13, 2006
Tonight political advisor and author of <I>Winning Right: Campaign Politics and Conservative Policies</I>, Ed Gillespie.
Johnny Knoxville
Sep 20, 2006
Tonight actor and star of <I>Jackass Number Two</I>, Johnny Knoxville.
CC Goldwater
Sep 21, 2006
Tonight founder of Sweet Pea Films and producer of the documentary <I>Mr. Conservative: Goldwater On Goldwater</I>, CC Goldwater.
Jim McGreevey
Sep 28, 2006
Tonight, former Governor of New Jersey and author of <I>The Confession</I>, Jim McGreevey.
Trent Lott
Oct 2, 2006
Tonight Mississippi Senator Trent Lott, author of <I>Herding Cats: A Life in Politics</I>.
Ian Bremmer
Oct 4, 2006
Tonight the President of the Eurasia Group and author of <I>The J Curve: A New Way To Understand Why Nations Rise And Fall</I>, Ian Bremmer.
James Baker
Oct 9, 2006
Tonight former Secretary of State and author of <I>Work Hard, Study...
David Mark
Oct 12, 2006
Tonight David Mark, author of <I>Going Dirty: The Art of Negative Campaigning</I>.
Frank Rich
Oct 16, 2006
Tonight <I>New York Times</I> columnist Frank Rich, author of <I>The Greatest Story Ever Sold: The Decline and Fall of Truth from 9/11 to Katrina</I>.
Amy Sedaris
Oct 17, 2006
Tonight actress Amy Sedaris, author of <I>I Like You: Hospitality Under the Influence</I>.
John Meuller
Oct 31, 2006
Tonight Ohio State policy analyst and author of <I>Overblown: How Politicians and the Terrorism Industry Inflate National Securty Threats and Why We Believe Them</I>, John Meuller.
Midwest Midterm Midtacular
Nov 1, 2006
Tonight John Oliver talks to people who were wooed in 2004. Also Demitri Martin reports on the clubs at Ohio State.
Sacha Baron Cohen
Nov 2, 2006
Tonight comedian and star of <I>Borat</I>, Sacha Baron Cohen.
Indesion 2006 Election Night
Nov 7, 2006
Combined with The Colbert Report, Dan Rather stops by.
Howard Dean
Nov 8, 2006
Tonight chairman of the Democratic National Committe, Howard Dean.
Dustin Hoffman
Nov 9, 2006
Tonight actor and co-star of <I>Stranger Than Fiction</I>, Dustin Hoffman.
John Edwards
Nov 14, 2006
Tonight former Senator from North Carolina and author of <I>Home: Blueprints of Our Lives</I>, John Edwards.
Muhammad Yumus
Nov 16, 2006
Tonight professor of economics and founder of the Grameen Bank, Muhammad Yumus.
Rahm Emanuel
Nov 27, 2006
TONIGHT: Rep. Rahm Emanuel, D, Rep-ILL, chair of the Congressional Campaign Committee for 2006 elections.
Tenacious D
Nov 30, 2006
Tonight's guests: Jack Black and Kyle Gass, collectively known as Tenacious D.Black and Gass star in the new film Tenacious D: The Pick of Destiny.
Eve Herold
Dec 6, 2006
Tonight the director of public policy research at the Genetics Policy Institute and author of <I>Stem Cell War: Inside Stories from the Frontlines</I>, Eve Herold.
Ed Viesturs
Dec 7, 2006
Tonight mountain climber and author of <I>No Shortcut to the Top: Climbing the World's 14 Hightest Peaks</I>, Ed Viesturs.
Fareed Zakaria
Dec 12, 2006
Tonight the editor for <I>Newsweek International</I>, Fareed Zakaria.
Rajiv Chandraeskaran
Dec 14, 2006
Tonight the assistant managing editor for the <I>Washington Post</I> and author of <I>Imperial Life in the Emerald City: Inside Iraq’s Green Zone</I>, Rajiv Chandraeskaran.
Gov. Tom Vilsack
Dec 18, 2006
Tonight Iowa Governor and 2008 Presidential candidate, Tom Vilsack.
Ben Stiller
Dec 20, 2006
Tonight actor and star of <I>Night at the Museum</I>, Ben Stiller.