The Daily Show’s Michael Kosta on Thursday night interviewed the “No. 1 book banner” in Florida, the state where books are banned from public schools more than any other state in the U.S. Gee, thanks for that, Gov. DeSantis. He hit the Floridians’ central issues, like banning Maya Angelou’s ‘I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings.’ Imagine banning Maya Angelou’s book. Holy shit.
Kosta spoke with Bruce Friedman, a conservative activist who is responsible for that. He admitted that he has filed more than 900 objections to books so far. Kosta used expletives throughout the interview since Friedman is against profanity. The interview is hilarious and pathetic at the same time.
“You’re the Michael Jordan of book banning,” Kosta said.
“Well, in the last two years, I’ve challenged more than one book every calendar day,” Friedman said.
“What is the big deal about having a random man named Bruce determine which books your kids read?” Kosta asked a group against the book banning, who he also interviewed.
“I want my children exposed to different mindsets, different points of view,” a Clay County parent said. “So if some random person tells me that, ‘No, this is not how you should parent your children,’ I have a problem with that.”
One woman was removed as a librarian for challenging some of the books that Friedman banned. Kosta noted that Friedman also banned her.
Friedman insisted that “Nothing’s going to stop me” when Kosta noted that DeSantis signed a bill to limit the number of books and classroom materials that can be challenged in school districts.
At the end of the interview, Kosta asked the book-challenging weirdo if he might write a book about his experience. Friedman said, “Sure.”
“Would that book be banned from a public school library?” Kosta said.
In 2023, Friedman challenged the book Arthur’s Birthday, which contained a scene with the game Spin the Bottle, even though he admitted it was not likely to succeed.
This guy needs a hobby and a gummy to lighten up. Wait until Bruce reads the Bible. There is some wild stuff in that book.
