Trevor Noah, Seth Meyers, and Jordan Klepper roast Ben Carson's furniture budget, say bye to Hope Hicks
HUD Secretary Ben Carson's getting unwanted publicity, thanks to some very expensive furniture taxpayers bought for his office. "Does Ben Carson think a good chair costs $5,000? This guy would be the worst Price is Right contestant," Trevor Noah said on Wednesday's Daily Show. But it's more than just "gold-plated chairs," he said, pointing to Carson's $31,000 office dining set and $165,000 of "lounge furniture." Carson has other scandals, too, he added, but that "hilarious" Fox News flatulence episode can't "distract us from the real issue: While supporting deep budget cuts to his department, Carson is spending lavishly on dining sets and lounge furniture and $5,000 chairs, which is not okay."
The Opposition's Jordan Klepper disagreed: "$5,000 can't even buy a decent chair, and you need that decent chair — as opposed to an indecent chair, which is what Mike Pence calls any piece of furniture that's been sat on by a woman." Klepper framed Carson's scandal as part of a media assault on Trump's staff, including the overworked Jared Kushner ("If I didn't know better, I'd almost think [Trump] was trying to saddle this guy with too many responsibilities so he could steal his wife") and departing White House communications director Hope Hicks.
Hicks admitted to House investigators she's told "white lies" for Trump, Klepper said, but "if she ever ends up having to commit white perjury in front of a probably white judge and gets convicted of a white crime, she can rest easy because if there's one thing I know about white crime, it's that you never go to jail for it. The worst that could happen is you resign to bigger and better things," as Hicks did Wednesday.
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.
On Late Night, Seth Meyers found Carson's furniture budget extravagant and hypocritical: "$5,000 for a chair? Was it a dentist's chair? Although that would make sense, as Ben Carson always seems like a guy who is waiting for the nitrous to wear off." Peter Weber
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
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.
-
'Make legal immigration a more plausible option'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
LA-to-Las Vegas high-speed rail line breaks ground
Speed Read The railway will be ready as soon as 2028
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Israel's military intelligence chief resigns
Speed Read Maj. Gen. Aharon Haliva is the first leader to quit for failing to prevent the Hamas attack in October
By Justin Klawans, 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
-
Kevin Hart awarded Mark Twain Prize
Speed Read He is the 25th recipient of the prestigious comedy prize
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Is Downton Abbey set to return for a final film?
Speed Read Imelda Staunton reveals that a third movie may be in the pipeline
By Adrienne Wyper, The Week UK Published
-
'Oppenheimer' sweeps Oscars with 7 wins
speed read The film won best picture, best director (Christopher Nolan) and best actor (Cillian Murphy)
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
'Rust' armorer convicted of manslaughter
speed read The film's cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was shot and killed by actor Alec Baldwin during rehearsal
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
The Beatles are getting 4 intersecting biopics
Speed Read Director Sam Mendes is making four separate movies, each told from the perspective of one band member
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Taylor Swift to Miley Cyrus: female artists dominate 2024 Grammys
Speed Read SZA, Phoebe Bridgers and Lainey Wilson were also among the winners at LA gala
By Arion McNicoll, The Week UK Published