The Daily Show Mocks SCOTUS Ruling on Voting Rights Act: 'Perfect for Civil Rights Movies'

The conservative-majority Supreme Court delivered a significant setback to the Voting Rights Act this week, but Josh Johnson, host of The Daily Show, found an unexpected silver lining during Thursday’s episode.

In a 6-3 ruling, the Supreme Court declared Louisiana’s current congressional map—featuring two majority African-American districts—unconstitutional. The justices claimed lawmakers improperly considered race when drawing the maps. The decision has alarmed Democrats, who fear other majority-Black districts across the country may now be at risk.

Johnson seized on the irony, delivering a biting critique disguised as humor:

"Now, thanks to the Supreme Court, Black districts are going to get a race all across the south, which is horrible for civil rights, but pretty great for all the new civil rights movies we’re going to be making. So this is fantastic from like a Denzel-only perspective."

He also highlighted the stark contrast between the origins of the Voting Rights Act and its modern-day dismantling:

"It almost feels like we’re going in reverse, because the people from the 60s, in black-and-white TV, were like, ‘Wow, this country is being pretty racist. We should pass some legislation.’ And the people crippling that legislation are from now in 4k."

Johnson’s commentary extended to conservatives who argue that discrimination no longer exists, rendering the Voting Rights Act unnecessary:

"Just so we’re all aware, newscasters who would do reports like, ‘That Jackie Robinson is the best colored player in the Negro League!’ believed in voting rights more than our representatives!"

He dismantled this logic with a sharp analogy:

"Now, what these people don’t get is that, to the extent that there’s less discrimination now, it’s partly because we had the VRA. So this is like my uncle who threw away his medication because he said his heart wasn’t bothering him anymore. And to be fair, he did stop having heart problems — because he’s dead."

The full segment from The Daily Show is available above.