In a recent episode of “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,” the host brought his usual wit and humor to the hot topics of the day. One of the top stories was the news out of Washington that the Republicans in Congress had finally chosen a nominee for the House Speaker position. The lucky recipient of this coveted nomination was Louisiana congressman and self-proclaimed “gumball choker,” Steve Scalise. Colbert couldn’t help but poke some fun at Scalise, joking that he was one step closer to having the “worst job in the world” – just below emptying porta potties at a chili cook-off.
But Scalise’s victory didn’t come without some drama. His chief rival, Ohio representative Jim Jordan, had also vied for the Speaker position, but ultimately threw his support behind Scalise. This prompted Colbert to quip that when Jordan heard the news of Scalise’s nomination, former President Trump immediately endorsed a new candidate for Speaker – a humorous nod to Trump’s tendency to change his mind and endorsements.
Despite Scalise’s triumph, the GOP is still deeply divided, and tensions have been running high. Just the night before, Florida GOP Congressman Carlos Gimenez compared the situation to tasting chaos, a sentiment shared by many in the party. In fact, eight Republican members voted to oust former Speaker Kevin McCarthy, leading to even more intra-party conflicts. South Carolina representative Nancy Mace, who was among those punished for her vote, made a bold statement by wearing an “A” on her shirt, reminiscent of “The Scarlet Letter.” Colbert couldn’t help but make light of the situation and bring some levity to the tension in the Republican party.
In a bizarre twist, New York Congressman George Santos, who has faced numerous legal troubles including fraud and campaign fund misuse, was also among the members who voted for the Speaker nominee. Colbert hilariously remarked that Santos must have wanted to add another identity to his already extensive list of aliases. Santos’ alleged “cash grab” campaign has landed him in hot water, with prosecutors accusing him of stealing credit card information from donors and using their identities to fund his wardrobe of luxury designer clothing. Colbert quipped that Santos got a dress for the job he wanted, resembling “Willy Wonka’s accountant” with his purple shirt and tie.
In other news, one-time Arizona gubernational candidate Carrie Lake held a rally to launch her Senate campaign, despite never conceding her loss in last year’s race for governor. Lake, who is leaning into Trump’s support, aims to challenge current Arizona Junior Senator, Kirsten Sinema. However, she will face competition from Democratic representative Ruben Gallego, who currently leads both Lake and Sinema in a hypothetical three-way race.
Lastly, Colbert added a touch of humor to the show by discussing the latest Bigfoot sighting caught on video. The footage, captured in Colorado, showcased the elusive creature in rare Squatch behavior, squatting down and “dropping the Hendersons off at the pool,” to put it lightly. Colbert jokingly issued a “Bigfoot alert” for Colorado residents to guard their jerky, emphasizing the importance of this groundbreaking discovery.
As always, “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” delivered an entertaining and hilarious take on the latest news and pop culture events, leaving audiences eagerly awaiting the next episode of late-night comedy.
