Stephen Colbert and Trevor Noah are worried about Hurricane Dorian's aftermath, Trump's mental acuity
Late-night TV returned after a two-week break, and "of course the big story is Hurricane Dorian," Stephen Colbert said on Tuesday's Late Show. Dorian devastated the Bahamas and is now "hovering off the coast of the United States — no one is sure if it is going to make landfall, or where, and by no one, I mean Donald Trump."
Trump fired off 122 tweets over the weekend, and they "weren't overburdened with accuracy," like his repeated, insistent "weather fan fiction" about Alabama being in harm's way, Colbert said. "You know things are bad when the National Weather Service has to fact-check the president." He also documented Trump's memory lapses about big hurricanes: "How have you never heard of a Category 5 hurricane, when there have been three Category 5 hurricanes while you've been president? And you know how I know that? From listening to you not know what they are. ... You have the memory of a goldfish, to go along with the skin tone."
But not all of Trump's ideas about hurricanes were harmless. "So the most powerful man in the world wants to nuke the wind," Colbert sighed, explaining the problem with Trump's reported hurricane-prevention plan. "If you nuke a hurricane, you get a radioactive hurricane," he said. "It's like putting Chernobyl on jet skis."
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.
The Daily Show's Trevor Noah suggested that maybe "the barometric pressure from the storm did something to his brain" over the weekend. "I know we're used to it by now, but it still amazes me how often the government has to tell you not to pay attention to the president," he said, comparing Trump to a "drugged-up," hallucinating friend "you're driving home from a wisdom tooth surgery."
"I know people get mad when they see Trump playing golf as a hurricane is closing in, but after everything we've heard, I think the less involved Trump is with this hurricane, the better it is," Noah said, finding a silver lining. "Think about it: He doesn't know how big it is, he doesn't know where it's going, and he's got some batsh-t ideas for stopping it, so I say let the man play his golf. Because if we don't, there's a good chance Trump ends up nuking Alabama." Watch below. Peter Weber
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.
-
Was the Azerbaijan Airlines plane shot down?
Today's Big Question Multiple sources claim Russian anti-aircraft missile damaged passenger jet, leading to Christmas Day crash that killed at least 38
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
What does the FDIC do?
In the Spotlight Deposit insurance builds confidence in the banking system
By Joel Mathis, The Week US Published
-
Ukraine hints at end to 'hot war' with Russia in 2025
Talking Points Could the new year see an end to the worst European violence of the 21st Century?
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Honda and Nissan in merger talks
Speed Read The companies are currently Japan's second and third-biggest automakers, respectively
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Taylor Swift wraps up record-shattering Eras tour
Speed Read The pop star finally ended her long-running tour in Vancouver, Canada
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Drake claims illegal boosting, defamation
Speed Read The rapper accused Universal Music of boosting Kendrick Lamar's diss track and said UMG allowed him to be falsely accused of pedophilia
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
'Wicked' and 'Gladiator II' ignite holiday box office
Speed Read The combination of the two movies revitalized a struggling box office
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Jussie Smollet conviction overturned on appeal
Speed Read The Illinois Supreme Court overturned the actor's conviction on charges of staging a racist and homophobic attack against himself in 2019
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Quincy Jones, music icon, is dead at 91
Speed Read The legendary producer is perhaps best known as the architect behind Michael Jackson's 'Thriller'
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
The Apprentice: will biopic change how voters see Donald Trump?
Talking Point 'Brutal' film depicts presidential candidate raping first wife Ivana, but some critics believe portrayal is surprisingly sympathetic
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
All in the Family: Trump's nephew paints 'engrossing' picture of 'toxic' clan
The Week Recommends Fred III's new book reads like a 'cathartic exercise'
By Irenie Forshaw, The Week UK Published