Former “Daily Show” host Jon Stewart has been spending his retirement running around Capitol Hill and the rest of the country trying to drum up support for the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Reauthorization Act.
The legislation, which funds health benefits for first responders and victims of the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks, needs to be renewed by Congress before the end of the year to avoid running out of cash.
{mosads}So far, Stewart has had little luck convincing lawmakers to bring the bill to a vote, and with no timeline on the agenda despite assurances from congressional leaders, it looks like time has just about run out.
In a last-ditch effort to garner some attention for his cause, Stewart turned to his home base — television — in hopes of reaching those lawmakers’ constituents instead.
Making a surprise appearance on last night’s “Late Show,” Stewart reunited with his old Comedy Central colleague Stephen Colbert, who had a bit of advice to offer his pal: Be like Trump.
“Nobody’s going to pay attention to you unless you … Trump it up a little bit,” Colbert deadpanned. “Face it, Jon, the media won’t pay attention to anything, it won’t pay attention to anything at all, unless you are Donald Trump.”
Stewart decided it was worth trying anything, if it meant he could help the first responders and victims of 9/11 get the health benefits they need.