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."
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
The Week
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