So, today, um, a third of the Internet was down
for about an hour-- Spotify, Discord,
Snapchat, Etsy.
All sort of sites were down.
And then they said it was because, like,
the Google cloud thing was just, like, not working.
And I-I didn't even want to get into the details,
'cause I don't know about you guys, but...
I used to think the-the Internet was very impressive.
'Cause I used to think, like, the Internet was, like,
a magical thing. Like, everyone would just be like,
"We're on the Internet." The Internet. What is the Internet?
It's just the Internet is happening.
But, like, more and more, we're realizing
the Internet is just, like...
just, like, a really big desktop
at Jeff Bezos' house, essentially.
And then if he trips on a cord,
we can't check our emails.
That's what the Internet is.
We think it's cool. But it's, like, Google,
Amazon, Microsoft,
and then, like, that's basically it.
That's-that's the Internet.
It's in somebody's basement.
They turn off the basement, your life is gone.
Huh? No Spotify.
Now you're out there. No music.
People were out there today just-just humming to themselves.
(humming)
Yeah, where's your playlist now, bitch?
'Cause the cloud. It's not the-- What's the cloud?
"The cloud" also doesn't make it sound safe, right?
When they go like, "It's in the cloud. It's in the..."
What is a cloud?
It's this thing that's in the sky
that, like, just sometimes evaporates and disappears.
Sometimes it's there. Sometimes it's not there.
That's where my information is?
I remember when that shit first came out,
they were like, "Everything of yours is in the cloud."
Then I was like, "Even my (bleep) pics?"
And then on, like, cloudy days, I would look up
and I would be like, "All right, I'm confident."
And then the clouds would start parting and I would be like,
"Aah!
"All right, maybe it's in the other cloud.
"Thank God.
Oh, thank you, Jesus. That was close."
-♪ ♪ -ANNOUNCER: Coming to you from the heart of Times Square
in New York City, the only city in America,
it's The Daily Show.
Tonight, Russia declares war on space,
Thanksgiving is wrong,
and Ai Weiwei.
This is The Daily Show with Trevor Noah.
Hey! What's going on, everybody?
Welcome to The Daily Show. I'm Trevor Noah.
And joining me for today's headlines
is my good friend Dulcé Sloan.
What's going on, Dulcé?
Hey, man. I'm still above the ground, baby.
I like that. That's, like...
You know, before, we used to say that just as a saying,
-but now it's, like, a real thing. -Yeah. Mm-hmm.
You're-you're really above the ground.
Truly. I meant, like, in-- I-I don't know how high we are,
but we're not supposed to be up here.
-We shouldn't. -Like planes.
-I mean... -What?
-Good to have you. -Thank you.
All right, let's jump straight into today's headlines.
♪ ♪
Let's kick things off
with a surprising new side effect of COVID-19,
and this isn't a physical side effect
like shortness of breath or loss of smell
or mask ears,
where the elastic loops make me look like Obama's secret son.
No, this is a side effect
of how COVID has become a political football,
or, as Americans call it, a political soccer.
But, yeah, basically, it turns out
that once conservatives got angry
about having to protect themselves from one disease,
they decided to do it with other diseases
as a matter of general principle.
New polls out suggest Republicans are much less likely
to get a flu shot now than they were before the COVID pandemic.
Several national polls say there was not much difference
between the number of Republicans and Democrats
getting a flu shot in the years before the coronavirus pandemic.
However, Business Insider is reporting
there's now a 20% gap
between the members of the two political parties.
About two-thirds of Democrats say
they have or plan to get a flu vaccination,
while, for Republicans,
that number is less than 50%.
Researchers say that indicates
the political battle over the COVID vaccine
is now affecting flu shots as well.
Yeah, that's right. Many Republicans
have turned against the COVID vaccine so hard
that now they're turning against the flu shot.
And, look, with the COVID vaccine, I get it.
I get it.
It was new.
People didn't trust the technology.
But, guys, the flu shot has been around since forever.
You can't decide now to hate it.
It would be like if everyone suddenly decided
to hate Betty White.
I mean, we were all cool with her for 140 years.
What changed?
And if you ask me, this is a selfish decision,
because people who don't get the flu shot
spread the infection to everyone.
They sneeze into the air that we breathe.
They grab the doorknobs that we grab.
They touch the subway poles that the rest of us lick.
It's disgusting.
That's why I'm getting my flu shot for sure.
But I'm gonna space it out from my COVID shot.
I don't want to have two shots close to each other.
Otherwise, they're both gonna be there
in my body at the same time.
They might start a turf war.
Shit starts popping off in my pancreas.
Now it's at a crossfire.
I don't want that shit, you know?
Trying to keep it safe in my body.
It just really feels like we're moving to a place
where all of science is gonna become partisan.
That's what it feels like.
Like, in a few years, you're gonna hear news reports like...
Democrats are sticking by gravity,
but many Republicans say they're not interested anymore.
Polls show that up to 40%
of Republicans are now floating off into space.
-(laughing) -And now, Dulcé, over to you in the weather.
(laughing)
It's not as warm as it should be
'cause I got to wear a coat and put my toes away,
-and I don't appreciate it. -(laughs) This is...
I'm a summertime B.
This-this COVID-flu thing is wild.
Well, the only good thing about this is,
now if we don't want them to do things,
we can just threaten to vaccinate them.
-What do you mean? -Like, if they try
to storm the Capitol again, just be a bunch of cops being like,
"Sir, if you come across that line, we will vaccinate you!"
-(laughs) -"Don't make us make this flu shit airborne.
"Sir, sir! Hold him down!
Hit him in the neck! Aah!"
Like, now you just got cops running around with needles.
Just a bunch of rogue nurses out here trying to help their c...
Like, just trying to help the government.
I think you've-you've just stumbled upon the next wave
of American law enforcement. This is actually pretty good.
-Get him! -(laughs)
All right, let's move on. Let's move on
from the war on science to the war in outer space,
because yesterday, Russia woke up and decided
to make things much more dangerous up there
than it needs to be.
Now to a conflict in space.
The U.S. is slamming Russia
for carrying out a missile test
that created a serious amount of dangerous space debris,
which could remain in orbit for decades,
threatening space travel even.
NEWSOMWN: This morning, outrage from U.S. officials
after Russia carried out a missile test early Monday,
firing an anti-satellite missile into space,
obliterating one of its own satellites
and creating a vast debris field that's now orbiting Earth.
Some of that debris coming dangerously close
to the International Space Station,
which is currently carrying four U.S. astronauts.
The crew sheltering for more than two hours
until they were finally given the green light.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken
slamming the Russian missile test,
calling it "dangerous and irresponsible,"
and adding that the debris will remain a threat for decades.
Yeah, Russia blew up a satellite with a rocket.
And, guys, I keep saying this,
but these gender reveals are getting out of hand.
But, for real, though, I don't understand
why Russia blew up their own satellite.
I mean, maybe it was announcing
that it was running against Putin. Who knows?
But-but there's got to be a better way to do this.
I mean, if you want to get rid of something,
you just do what New Yorkers do.
Drag it to the sidewalk and leave a big "free" sign on it.
You know?
But, people, blowing it up
so it sends lethal debris shooting around in orbit--
that's unacceptable, guys.
And if you ask me, someone needs to stand up to Russia.
Like, maybe America should start some sort of force
to defend, like, space, you know?
What's that?
Oh, it did? Ah.
And I called it the most pointless thing
since Trump created Don Jr.?
(laughing): Nah, that doesn't sound like me.
All right, thank you, thank you.
Well, look, man, this is one thing I love about America.
America would never launch a missile at a satellite.
I mean, they-they tried,
but it accidentally hit a wedding in Syria.
But the point is, they didn't hit the satellite.
All right, let's move on to a threat that is closer to Earth--
-vigilante white dudes. -SLOAN: Boo!
Yesterday, the arguments
at the Kyle Rittenhouse trial wrapped up,
and now the jury has to decide whether he'll go to prison,
or become Trump's running mate in 2024.
Meanwhile, down in Georgia, they've begun the murder trial
for the three men charged with chasing down
and killing Ahmaud Arbery last year.
Now, for obvious reasons,
this trial is getting a lot of national attention,
but the lawyer for one of the defendants--
well, he seems to have a big problem
with who is paying attention.
NEWSMAN: An explosive morning in the trial
of the three men accused of murdering Ahmaud Arbery,
with a still-smoldering racially-charged debate
spurred on by defense attorneys
over Black pastors in the courtroom.
Defense attorney Kevin Gough objecting
to Reverend Jesse Jackson's presence in the gallery.
How many pastors does the Arbery family have?
Um, we had the Reverend Al Sharpton here earlier,
uh, last week.
Which pastor is next?
Is Raphael Warnock gonna make...
uh, be the next person appearing this afternoon?
We don't know.
With all due respect, Your Honor,
the seats in the public gallery of a courtroom
are not like courtside seats at a Lakers game.
Hmm. All right, first of all, of course this trial
is not like a Lakers game, all right?
The jury has 11 white people and only one Black guy.
That's basically the opposite of any basketball team.
And secondly, I'm not saying that this guy is racist,
but when you're representing
a guy who killed a Black man just for jogging
in the wrong neighborhood, it's not a great look
to be pointing into the gallery and going, "Hey, this Black guy
"doesn't belong here.
"We should do something about that!
Come on, Jasper, you want to do it again?"
And thirdly, Black pastors have been supporting families in need
from the beginning of time.
Why are you shocked by this?
They show up for everything, whether it's kids killed
in gang violence, whether it's a civil rights issue.
Doesn't matter what it is.
They'll show up. Hell, if you need them,
they'll even show up for emotional support
at your kid's spelling bee.
-(organ playing) -Lord Jesus, please show this dumb little kid
how to spell "platypus."
His family has been through enough.
Mm, amen and amen.
What I'm confused about-- listen, I grew up in Georgia.
Everybody is a pastor.
(laughs): Uh, right?
Everybody is a past... What are you talking about,
you don't want pastors here?
Everybody in Georgia's a pastor.
Also, how am I supposed to trust a Southern white man
that don't want the Lord in the room!
You don't want one of God's servants?
Yeah, you're right. I don't get it.
It would be different if, like, Jesse Jackson's in there
taking up a collection for a "building fund."
So, they're not taking up a collection.
It's not like they're in there preaching.
So you're saying it could have been worse.
It could have been way worse.
They could have brought a whole choir in there with them.
'Cause if I'm a Black pastor coming to that trial,
I'm bringing in a whole Black... I'm bringing in a whole choir
and tambourines, and they're going: ♪ They're guilty ♪
♪ They're guilty. ♪ That's what I'm doing if I'm a Black pastor
down there-- I'm bringing a choir in
and being like, "George, tell your neighbor and say,
"Neighbor, neighbor, this man is guilty.
-Whoo, yeah! -I would start a sermon
every time I walked in the place.
They're just sitting there being quiet.
-It's a p... he said it's a public gallery. -Yes.
They are the public. Anybody can show up.
You can go!
All right, and finally, yesterday, President Biden
held a ceremony on the White House lawn,
along with Democrats and Republicans from Congress.
And they were doing this to finally sign
his big infrastructure bill.
And, guys, I really am confused about why they have to sign
the bill in public.
I mean, I know it's important legislation,
but as a spectator sport, it's pretty boring.
You know, like, where's the drama?
You know, "Ooh, maybe the pen will run out of ink"?
(bleep) outta here, man.
Also, why are they even having a bill-signing celebration?
Passing laws is their job.
Nobody else gets to do that at their job.
Like, after you make photocopies for your boss at the office,
you don't get to pose for pictures while shaking hands.
Heh-heh. I didn't think you could get a double-sided.
Well done, Billy, well done.
But look, I do get why lawmakers are excited about this.
It's the biggest investment America has made in itself
in decades, and there's also some smaller things in this bill
that might do a lot of good:
How to stop drunk drivers
before they even put the car into gear.
It has been talked about for decades,
but now, thanks to the infrastructure bill
passed by Congress last week, it could finally happen.
NEWSWOMAN: It includes a mandate for automakers that all new cars
must use technology
that prevents drunken people from driving.
It will be as standard as air bags.
The U.S. Transportation Department will decide
the type of technology that will be required.
It's estimated 9,400 lives will be saved every year.
The drunk or otherwise impaired driver
will get in their car, and it either won't start,
won't move, or will pull itself over,
depending on what technology is selected.
The sober driver will get in their car
and never even know it's there.
All right, I think we can all agree
this is an amazing law.
First of all, because it will hopefully save lives,
and secondly, because some people will be so drunk,
they won't even know that the car hasn't started.
You realize that, right? They're just gonna get in,
and be like: Rrr! Rrr! Rrr! Get out of the way!
Get out of the way. Waah.
All right, I'm home now.
Wow, my home looks just like the bar.
I guess it's time for round two!
And I know some people are asking,
how will they develop technology
to determine if someone is drunk?
What does that mean? Guys, we already have that technology.
It's called a karaoke machine.
No, but for real, no one is sure what technology
they'll actually use to detect if you're drunk driving, right?
It could be something that tracks if your eyes stay open,
or if you're swerving out of your lane,
or if you're just trying to get to a Taco Bell.
I just hope it's not a Breathalyzer.
That's the one thing I hope.
I don't want a Breathalyzer hooked to the dashboard.
'Cause I'm sorry, I'm not trying to give my car
-a (bleep) every time I want to go somewhere. -(Sloan laughs)
No, I want to save that for special occasions, you know?
Like our anniversary or a Toyotathon.
There is one huge loophole in this law, though,
and that is it only needs to be available
in new cars.
Yeah.
I mean, that's still good,
but it means if someone really likes drunk driving,
all they got to do is drive an old car.
In fact, at some point,
we're probably gonna be able to tell
who's committed to drunk driving,
'cause it's gonna be, like, 2060,
and they'll still be driving a Kia Sorento from 2005.
"Yeah, you just can't give this baby up, man.
You know me. I love vintage cars."
(laughs) "Yeah."
Just have better friends. Like, haven't some...
Like, you've never had to take your key...
like, your friend's keys before?
I mean, I know you have very classy,
very, you know, sophisticated, you know,
-Emmy Award-winning friends, but... -No, no, I know...
That's an interesting point.
So, you're saying the best technology is friends.
Yes! Like, the number of times
I have stopped somebody from driving home...
Also, we have Uber. We have Lyft. We have Teslas.
Like, you could just send somebody a Tesla.
Put in the address. You don't even have to drive the car to...
Like, get every bar a Tesla.
You could put in the address
and then just send their drunk ass home.
Also, people are just assholes. Like, I don't even think it...
They just want to have a good time, friend.
'Cause, like, this is when we need these Karens to activate.
You out here calling the cops
on somebody in a damn Victoria's Secret.
No, bitch, you need to be out here
at this Buffalo Wild Wings
getting your uncle and your daddy.
That's what you need to be doing.
That's the new technology.
Yeah. Like, activate these Karens.
Look, they out here. We just need to release them
like just, you know, frumpy doves
and, like, really just help people.
You just aim Karens in the right direction.
Yes! Like, y'all stay wanting to call the cops on somebody.
So instead of calling the cops
and getting Black people murdered,
maybe I should call the cops
and stop these drunk dudes from killing people.
Just put Karens in the parking lot.
Yo, but still, this-this is a big victory.
It's a big victory for safe driving
and for organizations like Mothers Against Drunk Driving.
Unfortunately, though, it has generated some criticism
from the opposing side.
MAN: In response to recent legislation,
Drunks for Drunk Driving has issued the following statement.
Come on, man, we don't need our cars
telling us when we allowed to drive.
You a car. Bitch, hush.
Hey, asshole,
this is some nanny state bullshit, okay?
Don't tread on me just 'cause you can't handle your drink.
Hmm?
We just got to be cool about this, baby.
Tolerance is all over the place.
Like me. You know me, baby.
After a couple drinks, I'm fine to dive.
Drave. Drive. Got it.
This law, man. (blows raspberry)
Hey, did you see that video of that dog?
You know the one? He's got glasses on.
It's-it's so funny. He's, like, furry and brown.
Wait, hang on, let me sh... Let me show... I'll show you.
I'll show you. Here. Oh, (bleep).
My car tells me I can't drive, I'm gonna (bleep) it up.
Yeah! I'll find a car, 'cause this is America.
If you know you're drunk, you drive better.
But I'm not... (burps)
...drunk.
How's a car gonna know if I'm drunk, huh?
This some kind of Knight Rider car?
Some kind of David Hasselhoff?
Huh? (chuckles)
My God, I miss that show.
And I miss Jeremy.
Let's go! I got my keys.
Oh, I got them. Oh, shit.
(snores) What? No, no, I can drive.
I'm good. I'm good. I'm good.
I-I just had a power nap.
How did I get here?
(crying): I am responsible, Jeremy!
Take me back.
MAN: This has been a message from DFDD.
Take us back, Jeremy.
(snoring)
All right, when we come back, Ronny Chieng fights with you
about Thanksgiving. You don't want to miss it.
Welcome back to The Daily Show.
There is so much arguing in America today,
but we here at The Daily Show,
well, we think that there could be even more.
So, to do our part, here's Ronny Chieng
with another installment of Prove Me Wrong.
Thanksgiving is coming, and everyone's arguing
about CDC guidelines or Pilgrims being problematic.
But what about the nonpolitical Thanksgiving issues?
For those, I'm here to argue
with random strangers on the street
in Prove Me Wrong:
Thanksgiving Edition.
♪ ♪
Thanksgiving is the worst holiday.
-No. -I said it. I said it.
-No! -Why? What do you mean, no? Why?
-How? -Family gets together...
-(groans loudly) It's all... -Be grateful.
It already sounds terrible.
But it's fun, peeling vegetables with...
-with family. -...family.
-We-we do it together. -Yeah!
We're peeling vegetables?
That's your big argument?
It's not the worst holiday,
because Columbus Day is a holiday.
-So there are worse. -Facts.
Wait, so you actually genuinely have a good time
-at Thanksgiving? -I do have a great time.
Just how much weed do you guys smoke during Thanksgiving
to get through it?
-Depends how much extended family is there. -(laughs)
So what is the worst holiday?
I have to say-- and God forgive me, I'm Irish--
but St. Patrick's Day can be really brutal in the city.
St. Patrick's Day is amazing!
'Cause, on Thanksgiving, people get mad
if you get blackout drunk.
You got to travel, which is terrible on Thanksgiving.
-You don't have to travel. -Well, okay.
-Haven't you heard of Zoom? -Oh, man,
after two years of Zooming nonstop,
I would love to Zoom on my day off with my family.
That sounds amazing.
It's supposed to be one peaceful day
about being thankful, you know?
Being thankful for, like, your family.
-(makes retching sounds) -(woman laughs)
-Did you not receive love as a child? -Yeah.
That's another thing to bring up
with your family during the holidays--
whether we received enough love as a child.
-Did you? -Yo, this is starting to feel a little bit
like therapy, okay, so just so you know,
I'm not paying you for this.
All shoes should have buckles. Prove me wrong.
I think shoes should just, you know,
not have buckles or laces or...
Well, let's look at what the (bleep) you're wearing. Wait.
Are you wearing dress Crocs?
Look, Pilgrims got a lot of stuff wrong.
Genocide-- not great.
Turkey-- you could have picked a better animal to eat.
But buckles-- dude, they nailed it first time. Boom.
Okay, buckles aren't appropriate for every occasion.
Like what?
Uh, if you're going to hit the beach,
you got to pop on some flip-flops.
Pilgrims landed on the beach with buckles.
But don't you want your feet to, like, breathe, be open?
No, I don't need people's feet to breathe.
I'm not Quentin Tarantino.
It will make shoes more expensive.
Sure, but isn't part of the appeal of footwear
that they're expensive as (bleep)?
That's... Nike built a Goddamn empire based on that.
But speaking of Nike, a lot of shoes they sell come
-with Velcro straps, not buckles. -Yeah.
I feel like that's more convenient.
If you're a Goddamn child, then yeah,
get some... get some Velcro.
But if you're an adult, put on a buckle like an adult.
Pumpkin pie should replace apple pie
as a year-round pie. Prove me wrong.
-Pumpkin pie has no taste. -What the (bleep)?
-Have you never eaten pumpkin pie? -It's got no taste, dude.
-What? Have you... -It's a squash.
-In that essence, it... -Okay, first of all, that's racist.
If you think it tastes better, then wouldn't that make it
more special to only eat it once a year?
This is America. When you like something, you do it every day
until you get sick of it.
And then you do it some more.
Technically, with hedonic adaptation,
if you do it less often, then, like,
you get to experience the full pleasure of it.
Oh, man, I feel like I just ate some turkey.
Okay, Mr. Pilgrim, first of all,
when you go to Mom's house, you don't sit down
and she give you a pumpkin pie.
She gives you a slice of apple pie!
You tell me why you would mess with America
-and you would mess with Mom. -Yo, hey,
-you're talking about moms? -Yes.
I'm trying to help moms here.
It's way easier to make pumpkin pie than apple pie.
Just open a can and dump that shit in.
That's what you do. Look at that.
-You-You're dis-- desecrating a mother again. -Yeah. Yeah.
-Love that shit. -Opening cans. Those are the second-rate moms.
-Yo. Wow. Now you're hating moms now. -No.
-No, I-I'm not hating-- I'm act... -Look who hates moms.
-I'm actually loving moms. -This person hates moms.
-(laughs) I don't.
Only a dad would-would recommend that.
You must be a dad!
-Hey, that's never been proven in court! -(laughs)
Apple has more variety. Like, you can play around with it.
You know, pumpkins just aren't as varied,
so you get sick of it sooner.
That's also an argument for how complicated apple pies are.
You have to, like, pick an apple.
There's, like, 50 different varieties.
You have to pick a pumpkin, too.
No, there's only one pumpkin.
There's no red delicious pumpkin.
-Kabocha. -What?
Kabocha. Japanese pumpkins.
No, that's a squash.
Stop trying to take away my pumpkin pie.
I don't want squash pie.
-I want pumpkin pie. Yeah. -WOMAN: Yeah!
CHIENG: You're instigating the crowd now.
People are getting mad at you because you're wrong.
-You're wrong. -I'm not wrong. I have psychology on my side.
You're wrong. What, are we gonna start a fight
-in Union Square about this right now? -(chanting): Pumpkin!
-Pumpkin! Pumpkin! -CHIENG: Pumpkin! Pumpkin!
When your kid comes home from school or whatever,
do you say, "Oh, a pumpkin a day keeps the doctor away"?
No, that's stupid. That's just stupid.
You can't do that. You give them an apple.
Yeah, but I don't give my kid apple pie
to make him live longer.
Nobody likes pumpkin pie. It doesn't make you feel good.
It doesn't make you feel homey.
It just doesn't... It doesn't do anything for you.
-It's just a piece of crap. -Well...
That's why you can only have it once a year.
Well, I guess you win. And, so, you know what that means.
WOMAN: Yay!
-I get the hat, too? -Yeah.
Be careful what you wish for. Lots of dumb people
come up here and argue with you.
Thank you so much for that, Ronny. All right,
when we come back, one of the world's
most important living artists
will discuss his new memoir about creating art
when it is not safe, so don't go away.
Welcome back to The Daily Show.
My guest tonight is Ai Weiwei, an activist
and one of the world's most important living artists.
He's here to talk about his new memoir,
1,000 Years of Joys and Sorrows.
-Ai Weiwei, welcome to The Daily Show. -Hi.
Um...
I-I'm not exaggerating when I say
you might be one of the coolest human beings
I've ever spoken to
who has also lived one of the hardest lives
I-I have ever come across.
Because, you know, when I started reading this book,
I thought it would just be a memoir of your life.
Then I realized it was a memoir, really, of your father's life.
It was his biography.
And then it was also a story of China
and the last 100 years.
So maybe you can help me understand that. Why?
Well, I often being asked why become you?
So, when I was in detention in 2011,
I ask the same question,
why I become a-a enemy of the state?
-Hmm. -So then the-the direct,
uh, respond of the memories,
my father was arrested 80 years ago.
Been put in jail for six years.
So we are--
we have been crime--
um, accused of the same crime
-but in very different political government. -Mm-hmm.
So I think, uh,
without understanding my father's, uh, time
and his struggle
and which is about China,
about the political situation,
the culture,
-background of China... -Right.
...I never really can clearly indicate
what I have been through.
It really is a-a powerful account
of what you've been through.
And...
you know, in your story, what-what I found fascinating is
it appears to me
that you have a love for China that is always in your heart,
but you do not have that same love
for the political system in China or for,
you know, how the government treats people.
Is-is that correct in my assumption
of how I read the book?
I think... (chuckles)
you made a clear--
I think clear respond
on what has been-- I have been doing.
Uh, yes, I'm Chinese.
Uh, you know, China is a-- is a...
-matters today, you know? -Mm-hmm.
It's 1.4 billion people.
But at the same time, they are under a system
which really struggles in every sense--
politically and human rights,
freedom of speech.
-Almost every, um, topic it really struggles. -Right.
So, how should I put myself,
right, my-my personal life,
into this large context?
It's, uh... it's why I have to write this book--
to figure it out.
Were you never afraid, though?
As-as somebody who has been detained
by the Chinese government.
I mean, on multiple occasions,
it-it appeared that your life would be in danger.
You were told so many times not to go up against the government,
and, yet, repeatedly, you did.
Is-is there no fear in you? Is that what it is?
-I... -Or how do you... how do you keep on pressing?
I do have a fear, but that would fear come
from if I don't speak out.
Simply, there is no person whose name is "Ai Weiwei."
And, you know, I won't be silenced, as anybody else.
-Mm-hmm. -So that is not, uh, responsible to life itself.
-We-we always want to speak out our mind. -Right.
One of your biggest fans,
from what I... from what I read in the book,
um, is your son.
You know, he sounds amazing.
One of the passages in the book that's really gripping is
where you were detained for the 81 days, you were taken away.
And you asked him, you say to him,
"How does it feel knowing...?"
How did he feel knowing that you'd been taken away?
And he said, "It's not a big deal."
All the government did was advertise for you,
and they've made you even cooler.
What do you think it is about your son
and how he processes what's happening in the world?
I try not to touch him that much, you know?
I don't want to teach him.
-I don't want to give my lesson to him. -Interesting.
I think it's not necessary
for him to learn what happens to me.
But he has this perspective. He said, "Weiwei,
"I figured out, uh, the one being chased
will make the same kind of effort as someone chasing him."
-Mm. -"Because you both are running."
So I think there is a beauty in there.
He would always think about on both sides, you know,
to say, um, why power... power has to,
uh, say the-the people or the mass the way,
-or why they have to treat them that way. -Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
Because they are... they are afraid... afraid
of this kind of majority.
And that he... he always has this kind of intelligence.
So I-I think, uh, somehow, he just got it.
It feels like your art has-has a...
has a feeling of resistance to it.
You know, when you're shattering a jar,
when you're breaking something, it-it feels like...
Is it a rage that-that you're trying to put through?
Is it a defiance?
What-what is it that's coming across
that maybe is different
to what you meet when you meet the man?
Uh, well, it's...
When I talk about my fight or my struggle,
or even my art works, it's not really about me,
-but rather, about the value I defend. -Mm.
I think the value is shared by everybody,
mostly for the people who have no chance
to speak out and live their life in dark.
For generations, you know, they have no way
to see the justice ever being presented.
So that always got me angry, and, uh...
But still, I-I know,
you know, that's just some kind of emotion.
-I have to control it. -Right.
Because, uh, as individual, that is, uh...
That much you can do.
But as artists,
you can find, uh, a language or vocabulary
which can reach out.
Sometimes it's successful.
Recently, the Holocaust Museum declared
the, um, treatment of Uyghurs in China as genocide.
Many world nations are afraid to say
or-or try and keep their distance
on labeling anything that's happening.
But I guess my question has two parts to it.
One, do you agree with what is happening to the Uyghurs
being referred to as genocide?
And two, do you think that helps or hinders the conversation
in trying to-to get these people liberated
and to get them treated equally?
I-I think, first, uh, "genocide" is, uh, is a term
Chinese are not very familiar with.
They're not only doing to Uyghurs.
They have been doing that to Tibetans,
to Inner Mongolia people.
Basically, the communist society
has been doing this kind of reeducation
and the brainwash to anybody.
-Hmm. -To my father. To...
You know, I grew up with my father
in the same location as Uyghur people today.
And, uh, they clearly tell us
-that his, uh, reeducation camp. -Right.
So, that only been brought
to the world, uh, view,
uh, in recent years,
but that-that's why they-they don't understand.
Why now bring...
-uh, really bring up the issue. -Oh, interesting.
-Interesting. -But, uh, the Communists
always doing that,
and, uh, to their own people.
To, you know, so, the Han people.
-Right. -And to other minorities.
1,000 Years of Joys and Sorrows.
What are some of the joys and-and maybe tied to that,
what are some of your hopes for China going forward?
(chuckles) The joys will be...
I will always think when there's obstacles,
there will be some kind of humor and joy.
And they al-always offer me
this difficult moment.
So I have to rethink about my language,
my strategy, how to deal with it.
-Mm-hmm. -That is...
In most cases, it's, uh, quite humorous
and joyful
until they put you in absolute severe condition
-like, uh, kidnapping or... -Right. Right.
Or under some kind of brutal situation.
And, uh, for China,
I think, uh, they're...
they're developing very fast.
-No-Nobody can ignore China. -Right.
But, uh, at same time, they are...
in certain areas, they're quite blind.
-Mm. -First, they still cannot solve
the... the legitimacy of the power.
-Mm-hmm. -They never let their people,
which is 1.4 billion people,
to say what a voting ticket is like.
-Mm-hmm. -So, that means two things.
One: they don't trust those people.
And the second: they don't have self-confidence
to-to be in power
as a legitimate government.
So, once that is not solved,
there will be constantly struggle
to clean out any oppositions,
and, uh...
-I don't think they can solve that. -Huh.
And as your son says, the person who is chasing
is running just as fast as the person they're chasing.
-That's the game. -Yeah. That is the game.
Thank you so much for joining me on the show.
-So nice. -It's an absolute pleasure meeting you
-and having you here. -Very pleasant to meet you.
-Thank you very much. -Thank you.
Don't forget, people, Weiwei's memoir,
1,000 Years of Joys and Sorrows,
is available right now.
We're gonna take a quick break,
but we'll be right back after this.
Well, that's our show for tonight.
But before we go, please consider supporting
Urban Growers Collective.
They're a Black and woman-led nonprofit farm in Chicago
that provides the city's most vulnerable
with healthy, healing food, and they offer education
and advocacy for urban agriculture.
So, if you want to support them in their work this Thanksgiving,
then please donate at the link below.
Until tomorrow, stay safe out there.
Get your vaccine, and remember:
if you can't afford space travel,
you can just recreate the experience at home.
Yeah. Just run through a pile of trash.
Now you're in space.
Now, here it is, Your Moment of Zen.
Now the focus comes to the BBB.
There's all these acronyms out there.
Let's talk about the BBB.
-NEWSWOMAN: The BBB. -BBB.
-The BBB.
-BBB. -BBB-BS.