“Good will prevail”: US hosts angry over mob mentality
It was a mix of late night outrage and glum faces following events yesterday in Washington.
- Published by David Knox
- on
US late night hosts were mix of outrage and glum faces following events yesterday in Washington.
Heres a snapshot of their monologues….
Jimmy Fallon:
“Today was a disgrace, today was disappointing but sadly today was not a surprise,” he said, before sharing an important message. “It’s important to remember this is not who we ware. I assure you there are more good people than there are bad. Good will prevail.”
Jimmy Kimmel:
“This was one of those days that I always assumed was behind us.T his was not the sort of thing I ever imagined would happen in this country – in my lifetime. The President of the United States – because he is too angry, too insecure and too incompetent – to deal with the fact that he lost an election – a fair election – an election that was no different than any other election – an election he lost by seven million votes – and 70 electors – turns an angry mob – against members of Congress – and his own Vice President. Not to mention endangering the Capitol police. Those blue lives he claims matter so much to him.”
Stephen Colbert:
“Have you had enough? After five years of coddling this president’s fascist rhetoric, guess whose followers want to burn down the Reichstag,” he said. “Who could have seen this coming? Everyone. This is the least surprising thing I’ve ever seen. For years now, people have been telling you cowards that if you let this President lie and lie over again and then join him in that lie and say he’s right when you know he’s not. There will be a terrible price to pay.
Seth Meyers:
“The only way our democracy is going to survive this harrowing moment is if he’s immediately removed from office by either the cabinet or the Congress and prosecuted. Anything less is tacit permission to continue to use his office, and his influence after he leaves office, to foment sedition and dismantle democracy.”
James Corden reflects on today's terrible events at the U.S. Capitol. pic.twitter.com/ysSMxV7QGV
— The Late Late Show w/ James Corden & Ed Sheeran (@latelateshow) January 7, 2021
James Corden:
“Today was [Trump’s] last dance at the worst party any of us have ever been to, so if you can, have hope, we’ve seen in these past few weeks that voting counts, change is coming, science is real, vaccines are on the way. I really do believe that there are better times ahead,” he said. “What a crazy sad day, one that will go down as a dark one in the long history of America. We’ve all sat today glued to the pictures of Trump supporters breaching the capital and fighting with police, shouting in the chambers of Congress or flagrantly popping off a selfie as they sit with their feet up in the government’s office. Then under the pretence of trying to calm the situation, their hero, President Trump, released a message to tell those supporters that they’re special and ‘we love you.’ I wouldn’t want to imagine his treatment or response to these people if they had been wearing BLM hats instead of red MAGA ones.”
Source: Deadline
15 Responses
Going forward its going to be interesting to see if they condemn the Hong Kong protesters or the US/third nations facilitating Regime changes or it wont be of interest to them, because it doesn’t effect the little bubble many of these celebrity talking heads have built around themselves.
You’d hope they don’t condemn the HK protesters. Completely different set of circumstances.
HK fought for democracy. US “patriots” last week fought for authoritarianism.
Colbert is extremely passionate about his country and has many times been close to tears during his monologues.
I find it interesting looking at these pictures that they are all (apart from JC) wearing navy blue – wonder if that is a subconscious thing or if I’m reading too much into it….
I think the first time I realised how passionate Colbert is was the live event he did on election night back in 2016. I knew before, but this is when I actually really saw it.
Where were the riot condemnation monologues when people died and business were looted and trashed in the US BLM riots? Reportedly at least 19 died in those protests. I don’t condone any riots. It’s just that these American talk show hosts appear partisan and are broadcast from mainly Democrat voting bloc cities and are more likely appeasing their audiences more than anything.
Agree the US hosts are pretty united in their political positions, but their monologues on BLM riots etc are also on YouTube.
America is revolting
What about the way they approached the coverage? CNN for example claimed the BLM riots were “mostly peaceful”. They had a reporter say just that in front of burning cars and buildings in Kenosha, Washington where two people also lost their lives. Mainstream media have difficultly handling the truth.
A quick look indicates reporter was referring to earlier protests as “largely peaceful” before he referred to things getting worse in the evening. So in the context it appears to be an account of the day. I don’t think that automatically tars all of mainstream media with misreporting. In any case late night hosts have the monologues on YouTube you were asking about.
I have seen the YouTube videos. This is Jimmy Kimmel editorial on the BLM riot in Kenosha: “Americans have a right to peaceably assemble and protest against injustice”. Compare that with Jimmy Kimmel when a few protestors were let in by the police at the barricades into Congress: “What we saw yesterday was an attack on our country and our democracy. This was an act of terror – not patriotism.” It’s clear there is bias in the way they address both incidents.
Lawrence that quote doesn’t seem to be coming up in Google (either for Kimmel or anyone I can find) but in one video he does talk about the cycle of violence begetting violence in this monologue, which refers to attacks on police. I’d suggest Washington was anything other than a few protesters being let in by police (they were specifically told to leave after they forced entry) given reactions from leaders around the world, but let’s agree to disagree and move on.
Well CNN did specify “Mostly”
Colbert was incandescent with rage during his interview with Senator Amy Klobashar in his special live show-Corden is always less convincing talking US politics as his show tends towards ‘silly’ and he’s still a British subject
I don’t know if “British subject” is a valid argument, you look at John Oliver: He’s British by birth but speaks about American politics with as much passion and intelligence than any other native American.
Corden talks about ‘we’ and ‘us’ when he’s not a US ctizen-Oliver is both naturalised and married to a US citizen and military veteran.