WATCH: Jim Gaffigan Joins The Daily Beast Podcast

Don’t take it personally, listeners of The Daily Beast Podcast, but this week’s guest Jim Gaffigan has another favorite crowd: “There’s no better comedy audience than billionaires and politicians,” the comedian joked sarcastically, reflecting on his experience performing earlier this year at the Al Smith dinner, an annual white-tie gala and fundraiser in New York City. In election years, the dinner is traditionally attended by presidential candidates—this year, Donald Trump was present but Kamala Harris was not. (Harris sent a video message.) Gaffigan marveled at Trump’s blasé, unrehearsed delivery—the president-elect was “performing on his heels,” he explained to co-hosts Joanna Coles and Samantha Bee, as opposed to the typical performer who’s “on their toes.”

“He was just reading through, killing the entire time,” Gaffigan said of the set, which was received well. “It was fascinating to witness.”

Speaking of performances, the comedian also marveled at the state of reality TV, specifically the viewership of shows like The Masked Singer. “What is going on there? What is the appeal?” he wondered. “I’ve gotta find out who’s in that Elmo costume?” Bee chimed in, describing the show’s editing as “like being on psychedelics.”

“I never know who the unmasked people are anyway,” Coles added.

And speaking of big reveals, the Daily Beast’s Deputy D.C. Bureau Chief Mary Ann Akers joined this week’s podcast to discuss Trump’s controversial pick for FBI Director, Kash Patel.

A MAGA insider with penchant for conspiracy theories, Patel has proposed transforming the J. Edgar Hoover Building into a “museum of the deep state.” Akers explained. “He essentially wants to re-weaponize (the FBI) in the way that they would like to use it against their perceived enemies.”

Patel’s agenda has sparked outrage and unease, “but maybe also a feeling (within the FBI) that it’s more important than ever that they stick around,” Akers said. “It’s hard to really game this out… because it’s so unbelievable that this is happening in the first place.”

Could Washington’s infamous culture of bureaucracy be a boon to, well, the Bureau? That’s a real possibility, Akers explained: “Never underestimate its power to slow things down.”

New episodes of The Daily Beast Podcast are released every Thursday. Like and download on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, or your favorite podcast app. And click here for email updates as each new episode drops.

The Skinny with Jim Gaffigan is now streaming on Hulu.