Stephen Colbert marvels that Trump even made firing James Comey all about Trump

Stephen Colbert reacts to James Comey firing

(Image credit: Late Show)

President Trump fired FBI Director James Comey about 10 minutes before Stephen Colbert took the stage to tape Tuesday's Late Show, so all those live shows really paid off. He began by noting the irony of Trump firing Comey for hurting Hillary Clinton during the election, in his Trump voice: "Thanks for the presidency, Jimmy. Now don't let the door hit you where the Electoral College split ya."

Colbert read Trump's letter to Comey, which alleged that Comey had told him three times that he is not under investigation. "Does everything have to be about him?" he asked, switching into Trump voice again: "While I greatly appreciate you telling me that I am amazing lover, I am leaving you for a younger woman, on the advice of the Department of Justice." Colbert promised more Trump-Comey jokes on Wednesday night's show, after "they scramble to cover this whole thing up," adding, "but speaking of cover-ups, this whole Trump campaign-Russia tie thing will not go away, no matter how many times Trump tweets that the whole thing has gone away."

Colbert spent the next few minutes catching up on the developments in the Russia investigation, including the testimony of former acting Attorney General Sally Yates and other news. "We learned that during their first meeting after the election, Obama warned Trump about hiring Flynn — and it was just as effective as Obama warning America about hiring Trump," Colbert said. Trump seems unswayed by the revelations, too, at least on Twitter. Still, Colbert had some advice: "Mr. President, a little tip: When you put 'no evidence' in quotes, it really makes you seem 'innocent.'"

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In the second half of the monologue, Colbert focused on the GOP health-care bill, starting with a gaffe from Rep. Raul Labrador (R-Idaho) at a town hall, where he said nobody dies from lack of health care. "He's right, they die from saying things like that to an angry mob with nothing to lose," Colbert joked. Labrador conceded that his remark "wasn't very elegant," and Colbert laughed. "Oh, the problem isn't what he said, it's that it wasn't said 'elegantly.'" So he put on a monocle and grabbed a cigarette holder and repeated Labrador's line. He finished with a mashup between the School House Rocks cartoon about how a bill becomes a law and Return of the Jedi. Watch below. Peter Weber

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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.