Stephen Colbert and Jimmy Kimmel gawk at Trump's feud with Stephen Bannon, other bombshells
A new book about chaos in President Trump's campaign and White House dropped like a political bomb cyclone on Wednesday, and Stephen Colbert ran through some of the juicier revelations on Wednesday's Late Show. Trump, for example, reportedly did not really want himself to win the election — "There's a name for that: a majority of the American voters," Colbert said — and neither did his wife. "Really, Melania cried on Election Night? That is the first thing we have in common," he said.
"This proves once again that when it comes to Donald Trump, everything is exactly what you thought it was," Colbert said after running down some other snippets. "His entire schtick is just trying to convince you you're crazy for seeing what's obvious — which makes sense, I mean that's basically how you sell luxury real estate." But according to Stephen Bannon, the Russia collusion is what you thought it was, too, Colbert said. "So he thinks [Paul] Manafort, Don Jr., and [Jared] Kushner did something treasonous, unpatriotic, and bad s--t. Coincidentally, those are also their Secret Service code names." Trump hit back with a scorching statement, and Colbert didn't disagree with all of it.
Jimmy Kimmel also dug into Fire and Fury on Wednesday's Kimmel Live. "This book paints a very unflattering picture of a detached and flat-out stupid president who eats at McDonald's because he's afraid of being poisoned — this is in the book — he sprays his hair with Just for Men and Ivanka makes fun of him for it, he's constantly leaking information about himself and then demanding to know who leaked the information," he said. "But the real bombshells in the book are from Steve Bannon."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
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.
Kimmel was as bemused as everyone else at the Trump-Bannon sniping, but he ended with an imagined conversation between North and South Korea over the newly reopened cross-border hotline. Watch below. Peter Weber
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
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.
-
Marty Makary: the medical contrarian who will lead the FDA
In the Spotlight What Johns Hopkins surgeon and commentator Marty Makary will bring to the FDA
By David Faris Published
-
4 tips for navigating holiday season stress
The Week Recommends Balancing pressure and enjoying the holidays can indeed coexist
By Theara Coleman, The Week US Published
-
Putin says Russia isn't weakened by Syria setback
Speed Read Russia had been one of the key backers of Syria's ousted Assad regime
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Honda and Nissan in merger talks
Speed Read The companies are currently Japan's second and third-biggest automakers, respectively
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Taylor Swift wraps up record-shattering Eras tour
Speed Read The pop star finally ended her long-running tour in Vancouver, Canada
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Drake claims illegal boosting, defamation
Speed Read The rapper accused Universal Music of boosting Kendrick Lamar's diss track and said UMG allowed him to be falsely accused of pedophilia
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
'Wicked' and 'Gladiator II' ignite holiday box office
Speed Read The combination of the two movies revitalized a struggling box office
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Jussie Smollet conviction overturned on appeal
Speed Read The Illinois Supreme Court overturned the actor's conviction on charges of staging a racist and homophobic attack against himself in 2019
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Quincy Jones, music icon, is dead at 91
Speed Read The legendary producer is perhaps best known as the architect behind Michael Jackson's 'Thriller'
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
OJ Simpson, star athlete tried for murder, dead at 76
Speed Read The former football hero and murder suspect lost his battle with cancer
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Momofuku's 'Chili Crunch' trademark uproar
Speed Read The company's attempt to own the sole rights has prompted backlash
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published