Stephen Colbert, Trevor Noah, and Jimmy Kimmel take sides in the Biden-GOP vaccine mandate war
"Today a group of leading U.S. and international scientists announced new data that shows COVID booster shots are 'not appropriate' at this time," Jimmy Fallon said on Monday's Tonight Show. "And then scientists saw 100 sold-out football stadiums this weekend and were like, 'Hold that thought.'"
"For months now, the U.S. government has been everything it could to convince people to get vaccinated," Trevor Noah said at The Daily Show, and now "it seems like President Biden is done waiting."
"While many health experts are happy to see Biden doing whatever he can to force people to get vaccinated, many Republicans think Biden basically just took a dump on the Constitution" with his employer mask mandates, Noah said, including one governor who vowed to "'fight them to the gates of Hell.' I mean, normally that statement is hyperbole, but with COVID you might actually get the chance."
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.
"Of course the safety measures enraged the lunatic fringe of anti-vaxxers — otherwise known as Republican governors," Stephen Colbert said at The Late Show. He caricatured Biden's response to those governors, then not-quite-seamlessly transitioned from a long bit about chimeric sex parties to California's gubernatorial recall election and the many candidates vying to replace Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) — or not.
"According to the latest polls, over 60 percent of likely voters oppose recalling Gavin Newsom," Colbert said. "The other 40 percent said 'I am running for governor.' So with Newsom likely to be victorious, the GOP is taking the high road by priming their voters to believe the California recall was stolen. "No! No! Not again. We know this leads to a terrible place — Sacramento."
"President Biden was here in California today campaigning for Gov. Newsom ahead of tomorrow's recall vote — also, he ran out of weed gummies," Jimmy Kimmel joked on Kimmel Live. He said "the relentlessly maddening fact that Joe Biden has to ask people to take a life-saving vaccine" is "like if we were skydiving and he had to convince us to open our parachutes. It is ridiculous."
"But it's not just the right-wing-nuts who are smarter than science — a lot of the Lululemon crowd is opting out, too. These wellness influencers, some with big followings, are spreading dangerous misinformation," Kimmel said. "Here's a good rule of thumb: Never take medical advice from anyone with abs or from someone who wears natural deodorant." He noted Britney Spears' engagement and showed how every newscaster used the same joke.
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
-
Top Russian general killed in Moscow blast
Speed Read A remote-triggered bomb killed Lt. Gen. Igor Kirillov, the head of Russia's Nuclear, Biological and Chemical Defense
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Why Assad fell so fast
The Explainer The newly liberated Syria is in an incredibly precarious position, but it's too soon to succumb to defeatist gloom
By The Week UK Published
-
NATO chief urges Europe to arm against Russia
Speed Read Mark Rutte said Putin wants to 'wipe Ukraine off the map' and might come for other parts of Europe next
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
New Syria government takes charge, urging 'stability'
Speed Read The rebel forces that ousted Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad announced an interim government
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Romania's election rerun
The Explainer Shock result of presidential election has been annulled following allegations of Russian interference
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
Russia's shadow war in Europe
Talking Point Steering clear of open conflict, Moscow is slowly ratcheting up the pressure on Nato rivals to see what it can get away with.
By The Week UK Published
-
South Korea roiled by short-lived martial law
Speed Read President Yoon Suk Yeol's imposition of martial law was a 'clear violation of the constitution,' said the opposition parties who have moved to impeach him
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Syrian rebels seize Aleppo in surprise offensive
Speed Read The rebels made gains against President Bashar al-Assad’s forces and reignited Syria's 13-year-old civil war
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published