'The Daily Show' roasts Gavin Newsom on homelessness, high-speed rail in satirical 'leading man' video

"The Daily Show" took aim at Gov. Gavin Newsom, D-Calif., on Wednesday, in a segment that presented the California governor as a possible 2028 contender while mocking his tenure as governor.

The show’s "Daily Showography" series detailed Newsom’s rise to power, beginning with his launch of a winery, as the narrator said, "With nothing but his grit, his refined palate and the financial backing of an oil tycoon."

After noting Newsom’s ascent from mayor of San Francisco to governor, the narrator also pointed to some of his "setbacks," specifically during the COVID-19 pandemic.

"But Governor Newsom has also faced setbacks, like having to hide half of his moneymaker during the pandemic and making some hard choices, like limiting public gatherings," the narrator said. "Well, most public gatherings."

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The video then played a clip about Newsom dining at the French Laundry restaurant — one of California’s most elite fine-dining spots — at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The video also mocked Newsom’s social media posts targeting President Donald Trump.

"And while Trump was sending his soldiers into the streets, Gavin was ready to fight back in the tweets," the narrator said. The video then showed a clip of a news anchor saying, "California Governor Gavin Newsom has been mocking President Trump with all-caps social media posts."

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The video also portrayed Newsom as a potential Democratic contender in the 2028 presidential race.

"And so we ask that you consider Gavin Newsom — a screen-ready, Christian Bale-type — ready to tackle chronic problems, like homelessness and high-speed rail. Plus, he dances while he talks, for some reason," the narrator said.

The video also showed images of two headlines — one from March 2025 reporting that homelessness in California was at a "record high," and another from 2024 in the Los Angeles Times stating that the state’s high-speed rail project was "$100 billion short" and still "years from reality."

Newsom recently touted the completion of the California High-Speed Rail Authority’s Southern Railhead Facility in Kern County as part of the high-speed rail project, according to a press release. The governor said, "We’ve taken another critical step in the track-laying stage."

"Gavin Newsom — he's more than a politician; he’s a leading man," the narrator said.

The governor's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. 

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Newsom was recently described as "embarrassingly handsome" in the opening line of a Vogue magazine profile — a description that quickly drew mockery from critics.

"Let’s get this out of the way: He is embarrassingly handsome, his hair seasoned with silver, at ease with his own eminence as he delivers his final State of the State address," the profile read. 

"It must drive Trump nuts," the profile continued. "Newsom: lithe, ardent, energetic, a glimmer of optimism in his eye; Kennedy-esque."

Newsom has not committed to a 2028 run but is widely considered a de facto candidate already.