Stephen Colbert, Trevor Noah, and Seth Meyers gape at Gov. Ralph Northam's blackface debacle, refusal to moonwalk away
"Good news for the president out there — for one day, he's not our most embarrassing elected official," Stephen Colbert said on Monday's Late Show. That would be Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam (D), who we just learned had a photo of a man in blackface and a man in a KKK outfit on his 1984 medical school yearbook page. "Now I know that looks bad, but it's actually very, very bad," Colbert said. On Friday night, Northam apologized but on Saturday, "when people still wanted him to step down, he had a change of heart — and of memory," saying he discovered he isn't in the photo.
Amazingly, Northam then acknowledged he did put on blackface another time when he won a dance party dressed as Michael Jackson. "You might want to learn to moonwalk away right now," Colbert advised. "Maybe moonrun."
"Yo, this guy's a legend," Trevor Noah marveled at The Daily Show. "His new defense is that he knows he didn't do this blackface because he clearly remembers doing a different blackface?" And the details are even worse. "I'm sorry, how did he already know it's hard to get the shoe polish off your face?" Noah asked. "Because at first it sounded like he made a mistake. Now it sounds like he's a blackface connoisseur."
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.
This should be "pretty straightforward," Seth Meyers said at Late Night: "If you're caught doing something that horrific and your entire party tells you to quit, you resign, end of story." Instead, Northam kept digging. Like Colbert and Noah, Meyers was amazed Northam would've moonwalked for reporters if his wife hadn't stopped him. "Basically every major Democrat in the state of Virginia and Washington and across the country has called on Northam to resign," but Donald Trump Jr. still "tried to use the Northam scandal against Democrats," Meyers said. "Your dad is the birther who proposed a Muslim ban and said Nazis are fine people, so maybe sit this one out." Watch below. 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.
-
Indie film's 'very brief' use of AI sparks backlash and calls for boycotts
Talking Points Did the creators of a new horror movie make a deal with the artificial intelligence devil?
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Could Taylor Swift swing the election?
Today's Big Question The pop star has outsized influence — and that extends beyond the music industry
By Anya Jaremko-Greenwold 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
-
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
-
South Korea passes law banning sale and production of dog meat
Speed Read Rare bipartisan support 'highlights changing attitudes' as young people shun centuries-old tradition
By The Week UK Published
-
Out of touch: Daryl Hall obtains restraining order against bandmate John Oates
Speed Read Lawsuit reveals unharmonious relationship between most commercially successful duo in pop history
By Jamie Timson, The Week UK Published