Access Hollywood assures everyone the Donald Trump tape is 'very real.' Jordan Klepper tries gaslighting.

Natalie Morales and Jordan Klepper disagree on the Access Hollywood tape
(Image credit: Screenshots/Access Hollywood, Comedy Central)

On Saturday, The New York Times reported that President Trump has been privately suggesting since January that the infamous Access Hollywood tape, in which he's heard bragging into a hot mic about kissing and grabbing women by their genitals, is actually a fake. On Monday, the report that Trump might be denying something he has already apologized for was met with disbelief on TV and with a shrug by White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders, who said Trump has "already addressed it," and "we didn't have any updates on that."

On Monday night's Access Hollywood, host Natalie Morales wanted to make sure everyone was on the same page, reality-wise. "Let us make this perfectly clear — the tape is very real," she said. "Remember his excuse at the time was 'locker-room talk.' He said every one of those words."

See more

So, case closed? Well, yes, but Jordan Klepper still had a little fun with it on Monday night's The Opposition. "I've always been skeptical of the Access Hollywood tape," he said. "First of all, it comes from Hollywood. Everything is fake in Hollywood: like CGI, Mark Ruffalo's sex appeal, or equal pay for actresses — all fake." In case you don't see his tongue planted firmly in his cheek, Klepper brought out an actual gaslight. "Trump admitted he said it, and now he's remembering it was actually fake," he concluded. "2016 Trump, I think you should thank 2017 Trump for clearing this up." Peter Weber

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up
To continue reading this article...
Continue reading this article and get limited website access each month.
Get unlimited website access, exclusive newsletters plus much more.
Cancel or pause at any time.
Already a subscriber to The Week?
Not sure which email you used for your subscription? Contact us
Peter Weber, The Week US

Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.