'The Daily Show' Proves 'Rosemary's Baby' Is Unrealistic

By Andrew Sanford | TV | November 10, 2023 |

By Andrew Sanford | TV | November 10, 2023 |

I had my appendix removed in September. It was the end of several frustrating experiences. I had been admitted to the hospital with appendicitis (twice), and each time, they kept me waiting so long that I had to forego surgery and choose antibiotics instead. I have two kids and am their primary caregiver. It’s not easy to arrange childcare in NYC (especially at 3 in the morning). So, I asked for pills and went on my way. Then, I got hit with the bills.

I am lucky enough to have insurance. There are still bills to pay (despite my best wishes), and looking at their breakdowns will make you feel insane. You can be charged $10,000 for the room you’re in. Someone who had to come over and ask if you’re experiencing discomfort can add another five grand to the total. They used a machine on me at one point, the name of which I cannot pronounce. What I can say is that it apparently costs seven thousand dollars to use.

Again, I’m one of the “lucky” ones. I owe several thousand dollars for something I needed to have happened, or I would die, but I don’t owe tens of thousands of dollars. Health care in this country is a joke. It makes sense that the folks at The Daily Show could skewer it so easily. In a new sketch, interim host Sarah Silverman crashes the birth of the anti-christ ala Rosemary’s Baby to remind the Satanists in attendance that they have wracked up quite a bill. It’s silly as can be and works very well. It’s lean and funny and gets to the point.

Not only is Silverman perfect in the bit, but she also gets some support from actor, comedian, and podcaster Connor Ratliff. I fell in love with Ratliff’s podcast Dead Eyes last year, about him being fired from Band Of Brothers by Tom Hanks. It’s an engaging pod about failure in the arts industry, and Ratliff seems like a rad dude. It’s nice to see him working. I practically hopped out of my chair when I saw him.

Health care is likely to get worse before it gets better. Until then, we have sketches like this to remind us of how ridiculous it is. We can take a moment away from mounting bills and political and social uncertainty and just laugh. Laughter is the best medicine anyway, right? I sure as shit hope so.