Stephen Colbert recaps Jeff Sessions' know-nothing, say-nothing testimony

Stephen Colbert takes aim at Jeff Sessions

(Image credit: Screenshot/YouTube/The Late Show With Stephen Colbert)

published 14 June 2017

On Tuesday, the world tuned in to "everybody's favorite reality TV show, So You Think You Can Testify About Russia," Stephen Colbert said on The Late Show. The contestant this time was Attorney General Jeff Sessions, who was asked a lot of questions but did not provide a lot of answers. "Let me get this straight," Colbert said after playing some clips. "Attorney General Sessions, you're not answering even though the president hasn't claimed executive privilege and you haven't claimed executive privilege. So what are you claiming, white privilege? Because I hear that's a thing."

He ran through the totally not-partisan questioning from senators, mostly Democrats but also one Republican who asked about James Bond, and the various ways Sessions did not answer them. "Wow, Sessions really seems to know nothing," Colbert said. "Explains why he was the first senator to endorse Trump."

Colbert also took a shot at Dennis Rodman's latest visit to North Korea, where the former NBA star suggested that Trump is "pretty much happy with the fact that I'm over here trying to accomplish something that we both need." Colbert shook his head: "Something you both need? You mean a distraction from the Russian investigation? Wait, does that mean Dennis Rodman met Sergey Kisliak for a secret game of one-on-one?" No, but there was one odd detail Colbert dug into: the "secret funding back-channel" Rodman used to pay for his trip. The answer included some fake bong hits and real jokes, and you can 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.