Daily Show guest host Kal Penn reprises an old role to ridicule Republicans

Numerous right-wing figures, including Fox News’ Tucker Carlson, Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R), have labeled so-called wakefulness a virus or “wake-mind virus”. Twitter owner Elon Musk went so far as to claim that “woke mind virus will destroy civilization” if left unchecked.

During his guest appearance on The Daily Show this week, Penn reprized his role as Lawrence Kutner, a doctor on the hit medical drama House, to help patients treat the fictional illness.

“Republicans are scared of the wake-mind virus,” Penn said of presenting the skit. “I mean, to be clear: not scared enough to support public health treatment, but scared.”

According to Penn’s Kutner, symptoms of infection include not being “mad that Mr. Potato Head doesn’t have a penis,” believing in racism, and showing indifference toward a trans child who participates in school sports.