The Daily Show’s Jordan Klepper pulls the curtain back during ‘Suffering Fools’ tour

Images of national flashpoint events are typically embedded in memories. It's common for folks to note where they were when historic events occur on dates such as Sept. 11, 2001, or Jan. 6, 2021.

Regarding the latter date, Jordan Klepper has no problem recounting where he was when the United States Capitol was attacked by a mob of supporters of President Donald Trump on a chilly afternoon in Washington, D.C. Klepper was on the scene recording a man-on-the-street segment for Comedy Central's "The Daily Show."

"I'll never forget asking people where the insurrection was going to happen when we were there," Klepper said while calling from his New York City apartment. "They told me and it was wild since it was no secret. (President Donald) Trump was hyping the event. I had conversations with people that were so angry. They were there because they wanted to stop the vote (for President Joe Biden), and we were right there when people went over the barricade. When people say they were surprised that happened, well, that's complete fiction."

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Klepper, 46, was trying to wrap his mind around what he witnessed.

"It was crazy since it was a combination of the tragic and the absurd," Klepper said. "I watched people try to break into the Capitol with pepper spray and zip ties to overthrow the government. People had shirts with the date on it, and they were very much dressed for battle."

The Emmy nominee has seen it all since he's often on the road for "The Daily Show" conducting interviews for his "Fingers the Pulse" segments. So why not go on tour to discuss the insurrection and what he has experienced at rallies and protests?

Klepper, who is on his "Suffering Fools" tour, which will stop Friday at the Paramount Theater, will discuss what he's witnessed courtesy of his Daily Show gig and detail his provocative special "Jordan Klepper Fingers the Pulse: Into the MAGAverse." Klepper will also offer his view of the present and the future.

"This show is a celebration of what I've encountered," Klepper said. "I travel this country for ‘The Daily Show,’ and I talk to so many people. I talk with them about their hopes and fears and what their thoughts are about the future."

"Suffering Fools" is an entertaining mix of jokes and tales and slides from the road.

"I think people are in desperate need to have big conversations," Klepper said. "People are eager to chat it up. I'll open it up to the audience. I'm not taking these shows for granted. We'll talk about politics and things they care about. It's going to be interesting."

Klepper will wax about how divided the country is, but he's optimistic.

"I have hope since Americans are a resilient bunch," Klepper said. "I see hope in the sheer idiocy of this administration. The other thing that gives me optimism is what I experienced when I did the special on the new MAGA movement. I talked to a lot of younger right-wing people, and I was surprised by the lack of cruelty exhibited. They're being pushed in that direction by the older conservatives. The older conservatives want to weaponize the younger generation, but they don't have that cruelty now."

Klepper, who occasionally hosts "The Daily Show," is thrilled that the iconic Jon Stewart is back behind the desk.

"I love it," Klepper said. "Jon hired me and gave me my break. I was a big fan of Jon Stewart when I was in college. Watching 'The Daily Show' is part of the reason I ended up being where I am today. It's such an honor to work on the show with Jon. We have such a good team of folks. They're all hard workers. I'm fortunate to be where I am."

When Klepper isn't on "The Daily Show" beat or on tour, he relaxes at home with his comic-actor-director wife Laura Grey and their five-year-old son.

"It's a break for me to be with him since he's rarely into politics," Klepper cracked. "He might skim Politico and the front page of The Washington Post in the morning, but then it's off to (the interactive television series) 'Gabby's Dollhouse.’"