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.

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.
-
August 2 editorial cartoons
Cartoons Saturday’s political cartoons include a tariff self-own, rough times at the Trump golf course, and more
-
5 inexcusably hilarious cartoons about Ghislaine Maxwell angling for a pardon
Cartoons Artists take on the circle of life, Ghislaine's Island, and more
-
Ozzy Osbourne obituary: heavy metal wildman and lovable reality TV dad
In the Spotlight For Osbourne, metal was 'not the music of hell but rather the music of Earth, not a fantasy but a survival guide'
-
How China uses 'dark fleets' to circumvent trade sanctions
The Explainer The fleets are used to smuggle goods like oil and fish
-
Thailand, Cambodia agree to ceasefire in border fight
Speed Read At least 38 people were killed and more than 300,000 displaced in the recent violence
-
Israel 'pauses' Gaza military activity as aid outcry grows
Speed Read The World Health Organization said malnutrition has reached 'alarming levels' in Gaza
-
US and EU reach trade deal
Speed Read Trump's meeting with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen resulted in a tariff agreement that will avert a transatlantic trade war
-
At least 12 dead in Thai-Cambodian clashes
Speed Read Both countries accused the other of firing first
-
US and Japan strike trade deal
Speed Read Trump signed what he's calling the 'largest deal ever made'
-
28 nations condemn Israel's 'inhumane killing' in Gaza
Speed Read Countries including Australia, France, Japan and the U.K. have released a joint statement condemning Israel's ongoing attacks
-
Israeli gunfire kills dozens at Gaza aid site
Speed Read The U.N. estimates that at least 875 Palestinians have died while trying to access food in recent months