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Jon Lovett
Role at the time: Host of Lovett or Leave It, delivering the show’s opening monologue
Statement summary
In the satirical opening monologue of Lovett or Leave It, Jon Lovett played Trump’s remark to reporters on Wednesday, September 16, that the administration “should certainly have recognition” because otherwise the Kennedy Center is “going to close” and “end up being ripped down.” Lovett answered, “Why save something if you can’t put your name on it?” He sarcastically likened the demand to Jane Goodall having carved her name into every chimpanzee, and said that “none of those other buildings with your name on it actually filled the void.”
“Why save something if you can’t put your name on it? It’s like how Jane Goodall carved her name into every single one of those chimps. And look, buddy, none of those other buildings with your name on it actually filled the void, huh?”
Weekly comedy and politics podcast, published on September 18, 2026 at 6:04 p.m. EDT and running 1:03:42. The opening monologue is satirical. This passage plays a clip of Trump’s remarks to reporters on Wednesday, September 16, and responds to it. Jon Lovett introduces himself at the start of the episode.
Archived copy (opens in a new tab)Why we used this label
Circuit rules on the board’s approved name) and reaffirmed in his remarks to reporters in Charlotte, North Carolina, on September 16 (the center will “close” and “end up being ripped down” without recognition). Lovett plays the Charlotte remark and answers it with sarcasm, presenting the demand as a matter of putting Trump’s name on the building. That criticizes the position itself. The closest competing label is “Challenged the characterization”, because the joke also targets Trump’s claim that the building will be “ripped down” without recognition; it loses because Lovett goes on to fault the demand and Trump’s motives rather than only the description of the building.