Stephen Colbert to Senate: Gun Lobby’s ‘Got Your Balls in Their Hands’ (Video)
The host of "The Late Show" hits the target—and certain members of Congress—where it counts in this timely gun control takedown.In his latest role as host of “The Late Show,” Stephen Colbert is often at his best when he focuses less on playing down the middle and more on the satirical strengths he played up on “The Colbert Report.” Here, he hits the target—and certain members of Congress—where it counts in this timely gun control takedown.
After decrying the Senate’s utter failure to pass any of the four gun control measures up for a vote Monday, Colbert pointed out the absurdity of a setup in which the wishes of 92 percent of a body of elected representatives are squelched by a tiny, pugnacious minority. “Since when does eight percent of the population get to have total control of an issue?” he asked, before scrapping politesse in favor of frankness in a segment titled “Stephen Colbert Takes the Gloves Off.”
The opening salvo: “Hey Senate—I’ve seen bugs trapped in amber move faster than you,” he began.
The follow-up: “Hey—you guys think a ‘terrorist watch list’ is when you put ‘Homeland’ on your Netflix queue.”
And the clincher: “You might as well ask the gun lobby to check for a hernia as long as they’ve got your balls in their hands.”
Here’s hoping this welcome display of biting humor is a signal that Les Moonves and other top brass at CBS have decided to counter lackluster ratings and stand out in a crowd of late-night shows by letting Colbert keep the gloves off.
Watch the full clip below (CBS via YouTube):
Les MoonvePosted by Kasia Anderson
Wait, before you go…If you're reading this, you probably already know that non-profit, independent journalism is under threat worldwide. Independent news sites are overshadowed by larger heavily funded mainstream media that inundate us with hype and noise that barely scratch the surface. We believe that our readers deserve to know the full story. Truthdig writers bravely dig beneath the headlines to give you thought-provoking, investigative reporting and analysis that tells you what’s really happening and who’s rolling up their sleeves to do something about it.
Like you, we believe a well-informed public that doesn’t have blind faith in the status quo can help change the world. Your contribution of as little as $5 monthly or $35 annually will make you a groundbreaking member and lays the foundation of our work.
Support Truthdig