Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Kimmel, and The Daily Show feel sorry for Trump's allies and coronavirus scientists


Stephen Colbert began Thursday's Late Show wishing "the insane clown president" was as willing to follow the science as the Insane Clown Posse, which just canceled this year's shows to save fans from COVID-19. The Trump administration, on the other hand, just ousted Dr. Rick Bright, "the director of the lead federal agency searching for a coronavirus vaccine," allegedly "because of his concern about Trump's coronavirus treatment theory."
"That's right, Trump fired a guy named Dr. Bright — he also let go Prof. Smarty, Dr. Savior, and Secretary Ihavethecuredontfireme," Colbert joked. But "Dr. Bright's not the only expert that Trump is shutting up."
"Trump is on quite a roll contradicting his own infectious disease experts almost every day on his daily televised temper tantrum," said Jimmy Kimmel, whose daughter did his makeup. "These poor doctors working for Trump" can't lie and can't tell the truth, he said. "So their only option is to play dumb and hope Trump gets distracted by a Filet-O-Fish or something." Kimmel found it "depressing" Trump fired Dr. Bright for trying to save Americans from hydroxychloroquine and also that "we're not even remotely surprised that he did," but he was amused at the hiring of a former Labradoodle breeder to head a U.S. coronavirus task force.
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 Late Show imagined the unqualified Labradoodle breeder at a coronavirus briefing.
"This White House seems to think of chaos as an essential service that they need to keep providing," Trevor Noah said at The Daily Show. But "maybe the vaccine guy is actually lucky that Trump doesn't know who the hell he is, because the people that Trump does know, they have it even worse."
So does Georgia's Republican governor, who tried to make Trump proud, unsuccessfully, by reopening the economy, Noah said. "Trump didn't just throw Brian Kemp under the bus. He basically looked up the bus schedule in advance, told Brian Kemp to meet him at the road at 3:15, and then guess who was driving? And you know, this is what you get when you roll with Donald Trump. These guys are trying so hard to suck up to him, and then when they're fully committed, bam! He can just sell you out."
If you're confused about the coronavirus, The Daily Show's Desi Lydic said, "I've been watching Fox News for 48 hours straight, and I think I'm ready to FOXplain it." Watch below. Peter Weber
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.
-
September 1 editorial cartoons
Cartoons Monday’s political cartoons include Labor Day picnic, branding strategy, and more
-
What is Tony Blair's plan for Gaza?
Today's Big Question Former PM has reportedly been putting together a post-war strategy 'for the past several months'
-
When does autumn begin?
The Explainer The UK is experiencing a 'false autumn', as climate change shifts seasonal weather patterns
-
Florida erases rainbow crosswalk at Pulse nightclub
Speed Read The colorful crosswalk was outside the former LGBTQ nightclub where 49 people were killed in a 2016 shooting
-
Trump says Smithsonian too focused on slavery's ills
Speed Read The president would prefer the museum to highlight 'success,' 'brightness' and 'the future'
-
Trump to host Kennedy Honors for Kiss, Stallone
Speed Read Actor Sylvester Stallone and the glam-rock band Kiss were among those named as this year's inductees
-
White House seeks to bend Smithsonian to Trump's view
Speed Read The Smithsonian Institution's 21 museums are under review to ensure their content aligns with the president's interpretation of American history
-
Charlamagne Tha God irks Trump with Epstein talk
Speed Read The radio host said the Jeffrey Epstein scandal could help 'traditional conservatives' take back the Republican Party
-
CBS cancels Colbert's 'Late Show'
Speed Read 'The Late Show with Stephen Colbert' is ending next year
-
A long weekend in Zürich
The Week Recommends The vibrant Swiss city is far more than just a banking hub
-
Shakespeare not an absent spouse, study proposes
speed read A letter fragment suggests that the Shakespeares lived together all along, says scholar Matthew Steggle