"Under Donald Trump, terrifying news comes from the darndest places," Stephen Colbert said on Thursday's Late Show. This time it was a reality show, Celebrity Big Brother, and contestant Omarosa Manigault Newman, who said, among other things, that she was "haunted" by every Trump tweet. Colbert was not sympathetic. "Oh, really — you were haunted?" he said. "Out here it's been the Trumpityville Horror. Also, Omarosa, pro tip: When you're on a reality show, whispering doesn't really work. Trump can still hear you." Omarosa also predicted that things are not going to be okay. "I had an inkling things weren't going to be okay when Trump hired Omarosa to work in the White House," Colbert said.
The White House, meanwhile, is reeling from a scandal involving Rob Porter, the staff secretary who resigned Wednesday after evidence surfaced that he abused his two ex-wives. "Now these are horrible, sickening revelations, so the White House had no choice but to defend him," Colbert deadpanned. White House aides knew about the allegations for months, and Colbert had some HR advice: "You know who Trump ought to fire next? Every person who knew about this, and I'm guessing that's everybody. Because this Porter guy didn't exactly hide his temper. After the story broke, one White House journalist said Porter 'audibly growled at me.'" He re-enacted the growl, then advised: "Hey, when you're trying to convince people you're not a violent predator, maybe don't make animal noises."
"Is the Trump administration so desperate for people who are even mildly competent that they're willing to overlook anything?" Colbert asked. He did agree with White House Deputy Press Secretary Raj Shah that the administration "could have done better" handling the Porter situation: "I think that's fair to say. It's also fair to say the captain of the Hindenburg should have considered a no-smoking sign." Watch below. Peter Weber
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.
-
Can Trump put his tariffs on stronger legal footing?Today's Big Question Appeals court says 'emergency' tariffs are improper
-
Film reviews: The Roses, Splitsville, and TwinlessFeature A happy union devolves into domestic warfare, a couple's open marriage reaps chaos, and an unlikely friendship takes surprising turns
-
Thought-provoking podcasts you may have missed this summerThe Week Recommends Check out a true crime binger, a deep-dive into history and more
-
Florida erases rainbow crosswalk at Pulse nightclubSpeed Read The colorful crosswalk was outside the former LGBTQ nightclub where 49 people were killed in a 2016 shooting
-
Trump says Smithsonian too focused on slavery's illsSpeed Read The president would prefer the museum to highlight 'success,' 'brightness' and 'the future'
-
Trump to host Kennedy Honors for Kiss, StalloneSpeed Read Actor Sylvester Stallone and the glam-rock band Kiss were among those named as this year's inductees
-
White House seeks to bend Smithsonian to Trump's viewSpeed Read The Smithsonian Institution's 21 museums are under review to ensure their content aligns with the president's interpretation of American history
-
Charlamagne Tha God irks Trump with Epstein talkSpeed Read The radio host said the Jeffrey Epstein scandal could help 'traditional conservatives' take back the Republican Party
-
CBS cancels Colbert's 'Late Show'Speed Read 'The Late Show with Stephen Colbert' is ending next year
-
Shakespeare not an absent spouse, study proposesspeed read A letter fragment suggests that the Shakespeares lived together all along, says scholar Matthew Steggle
-
New Mexico to investigate death of Gene Hackman, wifespeed read The Oscar-winning actor and his wife Betsy Arakawa were found dead in their home with no signs of foul play
