Stephen Colbert, Trevor Noah, and Jimmy Fallon say hello to President Biden, sing bye to that other guy
President Biden was sworn in as America's 46th president on Wednesday, and former President Donald Trump retired to Florida. The Late Show captured the mood on late-night television.
"It was a bright, sunny day in Washington, and now we finally have a president who knows not to stare directly at the sun, Jimmy Fallon said at The Tonight Show. "Seriously, anyone else feel like they just lost 280 pounds?"
Jimmy Kimmel Live, like The Tonight Show, chose Steam's "Na Na Na Na Hey Hey Goodbye" as Trump's exit song.
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"Watching the inauguration today, I recognized just how worried I've been for my country," Stephen Colbert said at The Late Show. "Today felt like a return to normalcy, even though so much about the day was abnormal." For example, in Biden's inaugural address, he added, it was "so strange to hear somebody say that we're a great nation without then hearing about which of us are radical socialist antifas intent on destroying our heritage with low-flow toilet flushes."
"Trump's last day in office wasn't all just whining and stealing silverware," Trevor Noah said at The Daily Show. "Trump pardoned a ton of shady people in the last hours of his presidency," too. And as for Biden, Noah said, he "went straight to work — and let's just say the White House bathrooms aren't the only place Biden is looking to wipe out any trace of Donald Trump."
Biden signed "an unprecedented 17 executive actions to dismantle his predecessor's legacy," Colbert said. "He's reversing everything from the last four years, even taking Puerto Rico off Craigslist and getting rid of the warning label on bleach that says 'Yum Yum.'" But "while he was at the Resolute Desk, Biden found a surprise from his predecessor," a "generous" letter, he added. "We here at The Late Show have acquired a copy of the letter, and it is very generous: 'Dear Joe, I'll give you 10 million dollars for a pardon. Also, can I borrow 10 million dollars?'"
"Former President Trump today ... oh God, wow, you wait so long to say those words and then when you finally can, you don't know how to react," Seth Meyers marveled at Late Night. "Former President Trump concluded his remarks at this morning's sendoff at Joint Base Andrews by telling the crowd, 'We'll see you soon.' 'We were about to say the same thing,' said the Southern District of New York." Peter Weber
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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.
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