Stephen Colbert, Seth Meyers, and Jimmy Kimmel nervously mock Trump's coronavirus 'hunch'
President Trump told Fox News host Sean Hannity on Wednesday night he's got a "hunch" the coronavirus death rate is "way under 1 percent," not the "false" 3.4 percent rate from the World Health Organization. Thursday's Late Show dramatized why hunches are no way to make medical policy.
The coronavirus "is all anybody's talking about," Stephen Colbert said at The Late Show. "You could say America has coronavirus fever — but you should not, that would be in poor taste." As of Thursday there were "210 confirmed cases in 18 states with double-digit fatalities, so last night, Donald Trump went on Fox News to lie about everything," he said. "Science is not based on hunches. That's why 'Bill Nye the Science Guy' is more successful than his rival 'Phil Munch, Man of Hunch.'"
"We really would have been better off with a monkey president," Jimmy Kimmel sighed on Kimmel Live. "Who cares what the immunologists say, Donald Trump has a hunch. Here's the thing: If you're president of the United States, you don't go with hunches. You have the world's greatest scientists at your disposal, you go with them."
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.
In his chat with Hannity, Trump "even floated the idea that people with the coronavirus could go into work," Kimmel said. "See, for him, going to work means sitting around watching nine hours of Fox News in his underpants, so he doesn't understand what that means. All he cares about is money. He's worried about the stock market before the election, so his plan is to pretend the virus away."
"Trump's been trying to pretend the problem doesn't exist because he knows he'll get blamed for it, and he knows that because if he weren't president right now, he'd definitely be blaming whoever was president," Seth Meyers said at Late Night. "In fact, yesterday, he even lied and blamed a past president for the current lack of testing." It's dumb to "blame Obama for something that didn't exist when he left office," he added. "And it won't surprise you to learn that this lie was immediately debunked — even the White House couldn't explain it."
"This is the kind of public health crisis that tests the competence and honesty of our president, and obviously Trump is completely unequipped on both counts," Meyers said. "We need truth, transparency, and testing, and we're not going to get it from Donald Trump." At least that's his hunch. 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.
-
'US tests ties with Israelis'
Today's Newspapers A roundup of the headlines from the US front pages
By The Week Staff Published
-
Marc Quinn's Light into Life: an 'al fresco treasure-hunt' of sculpture at Kew
The Week Recommends Massive metallic sculptures dotted across the gardens explore 'links between nature and humanity'
By Adrienne Wyper, The Week UK Published
-
Natalie Elphicke: the Tory defector facing a backlash from both sides
Speed Read MP for Dover's hawkish stance on immigration and defence of sex offender ex-husband raises eyebrows among her new colleagues
By Arion McNicoll, The Week UK 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