The Daily Show often briefly hands the desk mic to famous faces passionate about issues affecting Americans, with stars like Laverne Cox hitting it out of the park in 10-minute opinion monologues. On Tuesday night, Nick Offerman channelled a little of his Parks and Recreation character Ron Swanson and a lot of himself, an author of books on America’s great outdoors, into one heck of a segment on the current plight of national parks.
“I have several undeniable loves in my life: the oaky notes of a barrel-aged whiskey, an old-fashioned plumb bob dangling over a red cedar plank, my blushing bride’s hoo-ha,” says Offerman in the clip above, “and of course, America’s national parks.”
“It gives me great sorrow to report these pastoral gifts to America are under attack,” he adds, before launching into why.
Offerman uses his monologue, both hilarious and concerned, to raise awareness of the very real circumstances facing national parks in the U.S., most pressingly the current staffing crisis due to the Trump administration and Elon Musk’s DOGE cuts, and Donald Trump’s “big beautiful bill” cutting a further $267 million of funding for national park staff — with the president then increasing entry fees for foreign visitors to try and earn back $90 million.
“So let me get this straight Mr. President, you cut $267 million to get back $90 million? Now, I’m no mathematician, but I believe that’s called shitting the bed,” says Offerman. “But then again, I didn’t go to Wharton Business College.”
It’s worth watching the whole 10-minute segment, as Offerman’s delivery is impeccable.
