Stephen Colbert surrenders to the flood of election conspiracy theories, makes up new ones
Stephen Colbert asked his viewers if they'd read the WikiLeaks bombshell about the Hillary Clinton campaign buying the apartment under Donald Trump's so they could spy on him. Despite his realistic New York Times screenshot, he made that one up, he shrugged on Thursday's Late Show, "but you believed it for a second, because this election is f—ing insane. Stuff way crazier than that gets made up all the time and somehow becomes news." Colbert touched on the torrent of fake news polluting Facebook — much of it from Macedonia.
"No one knows what's true anymore, no one knows what reality is," he said, running though some of the actual conspiracy theories you may have already forgotten about this election. And since "it's become impossible to know what to believe," he said, "why not believe everything?" So Colbert literally put on a tinfoil hat, returned to his Truth Bunker, drank a little NyQuil, and spun some crazy and often amusing conspiracy theories using an impressive array of props. Some were about cats and dogs and Don McLean lyrics, but there were a few political ones thrown in as well. "Is it possible that we've all been groped by Donald Trump but just didn't feel it because of his tiny baby hands?" Colbert asked. "Why do Gary Johnson's voters still have to go to the polls on election day when they could just as easily flush their ballot down the toilet at home?" That last one's easy — to get to the other side (of 5 percent of the vote for the Libertarian Party). For the other puzzlers, watch below. Peter Weber
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.
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.
-
7 drinks for every winter need possible
The Week Recommends Including a variety of base spirits and a range of temperatures
By Scott Hocker, The Week US Published
-
'We have made it a crime for most refugees to want the American dream'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Anya Jaremko-Greenwold, The Week US Published
-
Was the Azerbaijan Airlines plane shot down?
Today's Big Question Multiple sources claim Russian anti-aircraft missile damaged passenger jet, leading to Christmas Day crash that killed at least 38
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK 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