Late night hosts joke darkly about gun-toting Santa, secret superspreader Trump

COVID-19's Omicron variant appears to be more transmissible but less severe than the Delta variant, and that may be because "it shares genetic code with the common cold," Stephen Colbert said on Monday's Late Show. "This pandemic has gone on for so long, we're officially in the remix stage." Oh, and we're also "back at cruise ship COVID," he sighed. "What's next, a new season of Tiger King? There's what!?"
"The only thing spreading faster than Omicron is misinformation from conservatives," Colbert said, citing a tweet from Rep. Majorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) and Sen. Ron Johnson's (R-Wis.) claim that Dr. Anthony Fauci "overhyped" both COVID-19 and AIDS. He told Johnson where he could stick that comment.
Meanwhile, a Colorado sheriff's office raised eyebrows with a photo of Santa applying for a concealed-carry permit. "Wow, Santa's taking the War on Christmas very seriously," Colbert joked. "Now, Santa with a gun is an upsetting idea, but do not worry, kids. There's nothing to be nervous about. Santa is just an old loner who lives off the grid, keeps lists of your bad deeds, knows where you live, and can get into your house without waking your parents up."
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.

The Late Show also turned the gun-packing Santa story into song.
"In other toxic masculinity news, we're getting more details about the number of people who may have been infected by our former superspreader-in-chief," Donald Trump, Jimmy Kimmel said on Kimmel Live. "Between the day he tested positive and the day he was hospitalized for COVID, Trump came into close contact with more than 500 people." Trump "took no precautions after testing positive, he didn't cancel events, he was maskless inside the White House and on Air Force One," Kimmel said. "You know, if you didn't know him better, it's almost like he doesn't care about others."

Seriously, Trump was "like the Johnny Appleseed of COVID," but we only know how wide his potential circle of contagion was because of a tell-all book by Trump loyalist Mark Meadows, Seth Meyers said on Late Night. "I like that Trump's aides won't talk to Congress, but if they get a book deal they'll tell the entire world the worst s--t they can possibly think of." Among a long series of asides, Meyers also recapped how "Republicans and Fox News are suggesting a new variant of the coronavirus is a liberal hoax," and you can watch that below.

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.
-
Critics’ choice: Restaurants worthy of their buzz
feature A fun bistro, a reservation worth the wait, and a modern twist on Mexican dishes
By The Week US Published
-
Film reviews: Snow White, Death of a Unicorn, and The Alto Knights
Feature A makeover for Disney’s first animated feature, greedy humans earn nature’s wrath, and a feud between crime bosses rattles the mob
By The Week US Published
-
Bombs or talks: What’s next in the US-Iran showdown?
Talking Points US gives Tehran a two-month deadline to deal
By Joel Mathis, The Week US Published
-
Myanmar quake deaths rise as survivor search intensifies
speed read The magnitude-7.7 earthquake in central Myanmar has killed a documented 2,000 people so far, and left scores more trapped beneath rubble
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
'Like a sound from hell': Serbia and sonic weapons
The Explainer Half a million people sign petition alleging Serbian police used an illegal 'sound cannon' to disrupt anti-government protests
By Abby Wilson Published
-
Israel detains director after West Bank settler clash
speed read The director of Oscar-winning documentary 'No Other Land' was arrested and beaten
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Turkey arrests Istanbul mayor, a top Erdogan rival
Speed Read Protests erupted in Turkey after authorities detained Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Israel strikes Gaza, breaking ceasefire
Speed Read 326 Palestinians were killed in the first major attack since Netanyahu's government signed a ceasefire agreement with Hamas
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
The arrest of the Philippines' former president leaves the country's drug war in disarray
In the Spotlight Rodrigo Duterte was arrested by the ICC earlier this month
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
Houthis vow retaliation amid US airstrikes
Speed Read Trump promises the US will use 'overwhelming lethal force' against the Houthis until they stop attacking Red Sea ships
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Pakistan train hostage standoff ends in bloodshed
Speed Read Pakistan's military stormed a train hijacked by separatist militants, killing 33 attackers and rescuing hundreds of hostages
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published