Stephen Colbert and Seth Meyers wrap up 2021 with closing thoughts on Trump's coup attempt, Melania's NFT

"This is our last show of 2021," and "if I could sum up the year in one sentence, CBS would bleep it," Stephen Colbert said on Thursday's Late Show. "It's been a rough year, starting with the attempt to overthrow our democracy," and the House Jan. 6 committee has just released numerous damning text messages from former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows — who, according to a new report, helped lead "a months-long campaign of subversion by half a dozen Republican lawmakers."
"If they had succeeded, the Oval Office would still be occupied by former President Schmuck à l'orange," Donald Trump, who just "claimed victory in the totally made-up War on Christmas" on Newsmax, Colbert said. Trump claimed even Jews and Muslims love Christmas, and "it's true," he deadpanned. "That's why traditionally on Christmas Eve you leave Santa a warm glass of Manischewitz and a chicken shawarma. He is — what's the word? — insane."

"If you're of the mind, as I am, that the Republican Party's been captured by authoritarian cult of goons, weirdos, and asymmetrical crime goblins" that will overturn democracy the first chance they get," Seth Meyers said on Late Night, "then the logical — and somewhat sobering — conclusion of that belief is that our only hope is the Democratic Party, which is not a comforting thought."
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.
"Anyway, this is our last 'Closer Look' of 2021, and we have tried, to the best of our ability, to spend this year documenting all of the evidence that Trump and his cronies were very much staging a coup," Meyers said. And thanks to Meadows' texts, we know "they're in the process of doing it again if they get the chance."

Trump is "really upset" with Meadows "for writing in his book that Trump's hair looked awful when he had COVID," Jimmy Fallon said on The Tonight Show. "It must have looked really bad, because that's how most people describe Trump's hair when he's healthy. Meanwhile I read that this holiday season Melania Trump is releasing her first NFT, called 'Melania's Vision,' which is a watercolor of her eyes," he added. "Yep, Trump is excited about it, he thinks NFT stands for Not Filing Taxes. The cool thing about Melania's NFT: Just like she does with her husband, as soon as you turn away, the eyes roll."

Jimmy Kimmel ran through the best viral clips of 2021 on Kimmel Live.

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.
-
The pros and cons of banning cell phones in classrooms
Pros and cons The devices could be major distractions
-
Art review: Lorna Simpson: Source Notes
Feature Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City, through Nov. 2
-
‘It’s time for Congress to step up for us’
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Russia slams Kyiv, hits government building
Speed Read This was Moscow's largest aerial assault since launching its full-scale invasion in 2022
-
China's Xi hosts Modi, Putin, Kim in challenge to US
Speed Read Chinese President Xi Jinping hosted Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Russian President Vladimir Putin and other Asian leaders at an SCO summit
-
Russian strike on Kyiv kills 23, hits EU offices
Speed Read The strike was the second-largest since Russia invaded in 2022
-
UN votes to end Lebanon peacekeeping mission
Speed Read The Trump administration considers the UN's Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) to be a 'waste of money'
-
Israeli double strike on Gaza hospital kills 20
Speed Read The dead include five journalists who worked for The Associated Press, Reuters and Al Jazeera
-
China is silently expanding its influence in American cities
Under the Radar New York City and San Francisco, among others, have reportedly been targeted
-
Kyiv marks independence as Russia downplays peace
Speed Read President Vladimir Putin has no plans to meet with Zelenskyy for peace talks pushed by President Donald Trump
-
Trump halts Gaza visas as Israelis protest war
Speed Read Laura Loomer voiced her concerns over injured Palestinian kids being brought to the US for treatment and a potential 'Islamic invasion'