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
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.
-
A wine-themed tour of beautiful Uruguay
The Week Recommends Secret paradise in South America boasts beautiful vineyards
By The Week UK Published
-
Romanian democracy: no place for the 'TikTok messiah' Calin Georgescu
Talking Point State is 'fighting back' against poster boy for right-wing conspiracists
By The Week UK Published
-
5 terrifically taxing cartoons about tariffs
Cartoons Artists take on rising prices, dumb ideas, and more
By The Week US Published
-
New Mexico to investigate death of Gene Hackman, wife
speed read The Oscar-winning actor and his wife Betsy Arakawa were found dead in their home with no signs of foul play
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Giant schnauzer wins top prize at Westminster show
Speed Read Monty won best in show at the 149th Westminster Kennel Club dog show
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Beyoncé, Kendrick Lamar take top Grammys
Speed Read Beyoncé took home album of the year for 'Cowboy Carter' and Kendrick Lamar's diss track 'Not Like Us' won five awards
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
The Louvre is giving 'Mona Lisa' her own room
Speed Read The world's most-visited art museum is getting a major renovation
By Peter Weber, 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