Lewis Black knew his joke comparing Jeffrey Epstein to Jesus Christ would bomb—and briefly paused his long-running “Back in Black” segment Wednesday night to let The Daily Show writers know who was boss.
Black, 77, returned to the late-night show to discuss the consequences and implications of prediction markets such as Polymarket and Kalshi.
“Can I bet on how many times I’m going to swear during this segment?” the stand-up comic began. “I bet it’s over 10 because this s--t is f---ing crazy, b---h!”
The Daily Show correspondent laid out the breadth of what people are betting on, including the probability of Jesus returning to Earth (currently at 4% on Polymarket) and Jeffrey Epstein returning from the dead (5%).
“That’s right. It’s neck and neck between one of history’s greatest monsters... and Jeffrey Epstein,” Black said to an expectedly awkward audience reception.
The joke immediately elicited both nervous laughter and shocked groans from the audience, with the comedian immediately responding, “I knew it! We all knew it. We’re not idiots. We write the stuff, we put it out there. We hope for the best.”
“I knew this s--t was going to hit us,” he continued, comically chiding himself and the show’s writers.
He then clarified the nature of the joke, prompting more laughter from the crowd.
“The joke, to be honest, is about Jeffrey Epstein. God damnit. Son of a b---h. I hate to have to explain this stuff, but I don’t want to go to jail,” he said. “Sorry. That was a little extreme.”
He then quipped, “I guess if Jesus is coming back, I’m going to need the cash to bribe my way into heaven.”
Black’s facetious remarks aside, the comic has been a regular fixture on The Daily Show since 1996 and has praised its writers before. In a 2023 interview with the Daily Beast, the veteran TV host said the show’s writers understand his voice.
“The writers know how to write in my voice. People always ask, ‘Do you write your own stuff for The Daily Show?' And the answer’s ‘No.’"
“I have an amazing trust in what they’ll write,” he said.
But there are, of course, exceptions.
