When Desi Lydic learned that the U.S. was ranked number 49th in the world for gender equality by the World Economic Forum in 2017, she was shocked into action. The one-hour Comedy Central special “Desi Lydic: Abroad,” premiering tonight, follows The Daily Show correspondent’s journey around the world in search of a solution.
Lydic travels to Iceland, Namibia and Spain in “Abroad” to learn more about how these countries—ranked first, 13th, and 25th on the same WEF index, respectively—are fostering gender equality. You can tune in to Comedy Central at 11 p.m. tonight to watch it all unfold.
Lydic made a name for herself using comedy to raise awareness for social issues through her work with The Daily Show. Her popular segments bring feminist issues to the forefront of late-night comedy—a revolutionary feat for the traditionally male-dominated field. “Abroad” will feature the whip-smart takedowns of the patriarchy her followers are used to—but with an hour instead of five minutes to get her message across, Lydic will also get to cross borders, talk to rad women and make even more jokes about gender inequality.
While some may think that gender inequality is no laughing matter, Lydic thinks comedy is exactly we need right now. “I think comedy can be a great unifier,” she told PBS. “If someone can laugh about something, maybe they can become more open to having a conversation about something they wouldn’t have otherwise.”
