Jon Stewart Presses Covid Lab Leak Theory on Stephen Colbert: “Stop With the Logic”

By Greta Bjornson @greatbjornson
Published June 15, 2021, 1:40 p.m. ET

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As The Late Show With Stephen Colbert returned to the Ed Sullivan Theater for the first time in over a year, Stephen Colbert enlisted the help of an old friend to ring in the occasion, welcoming Jon Stewart on as his guest for Monday’s show. But instead of reminiscing about their friendship or years on The Daily Show, Stewart turned to a much more timely topic: Covid. Specifically, the lab leak theory, Yahoo Entertainment reports.

Stewart delivered a lengthy commentary about the theory, which suggests the Covid virus originated in a lab in Wuhan, not through animal-human transmission, as was originally suspected. After telling the audience, “I honestly mean this,” Stewart began, “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.”

When Colbert asked if Stewart thought there was “a chance” the virus came from a lab, Stewart shot back, “A chance? 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?

“Look at the name!” he continued. “Show me your business card! Oh, I work at the coronavirus lab in Wuhan. Oh, there’s a coronavirus loose in Wuhan. How did that happen? Maybe a bat flew into the cloaca of a turkey and then it sneezed into my chili and now we all have coronavirus.”

When Colbert brought up the investigation into the pandemic’s origins, Stewart told him to “stop with the logic and people and things.” He added, “The name of the disease is on the building.”

And if you thought Stewart’s theory was leaning a little right for his typical liberal views, you’re not alone. Colbert joked, “And how long have you worked for Sen. Ron Johnson?” referring to the Wisconsin lawmaker who has openly supported the lab leak theory.

Later in the interview, Stewart said scientists “don’t know when to stop.” He added, “I love them and they do such good work, but they are going to kill us all.”

The Late Show airs weekdays at 11:35/10:35c on CBS. Watch the full interview with Stewart in the video above.

Where to watch The Late Show With Stephen Colbert