Stephen Colbert: Donald Trump 'only thinks about the needs of Donald Trump'
Late-night hosts criticised Donald Trump’s removal of funding to the World Health Organisation and discussed the racial disparities in the coronavirus.
Stephen Colbert
On The Late Show, Stephen Colbert started by saying he often ridicules the US president but this week has made him realise he doesn’t “do it enough” as he said that the latest developments have once again shown that Donald Trump “only thinks about the needs of Donald Trump”.
He said the president’s decision to take money away from the WHO was a “rash and dangerous action” that made no sense. “It’s like when your house is engulfed in flames, first thing you do: burn down the fire department,” he joked.
The move has angered many, including Bill Gates who warned of what would follow. “I agree with Bill Gates and this time I’m not just saying it to get in his will,” Colbert said.
Trump has claimed the WHO was too slow to act as Covid-19 started to spread and as a result, endangered millions. “I think you might be projecting, sir,” Colbert responded.
The president has still refused to explain what progress was made during the month of February. “Does Trump go into hibernation for Black History Month?” Colbert asked.
Stimulus checks will soon be arriving for those who needs them and will include an extra $500 per child. “Finally a reason for Trump to acknowledge the existence of Eric,” he joked.
But there will be a delay as Trump has insisted his name should be on each one. “I don’t think anyone wants a check that Trump signed,” Colbert said. “I think that legally makes you a porn star.”
Samantha Bee
On Full Frontal, Samantha Bee explored the racial disparity of the pandemic. In majority black areas, residents are three times more likely to get infected and six times more likely to die.
“For people who have experiences racism their entire lives, these disparities seem obvious,” Bee said.
While social distancing guidelines have been shared, Bee said that in densely populated urban areas which are dominated by communities of colour, “it can be hard to take even the most basic of precautions”.
Subway usage in New York City is down 87% but there have also been less services which have meant for essential workers, they’re often surrounded by more people than usual. “This is the only time in history that manspreading is OK,” Bee joked.
She also spoke about racial bias within the healthcare system and lower rates of testing for people of colour. Some mayors have taken it upon themselves to try and fix these inequalities, such as Boston’s Marty Walsh. Bee said it was “the last city I think of when it comes to not being racist”.
But she warned that these biases and inequalities are “built on generations of systematic disinvestment” and will need more attention.
Trevor Noah
On The Daily Show, Trevor Noah joked that “millions of parents have been forced to Google ‘how to kill your kids and get away with it’” because of the quarantine.
He also referred to Trump’s insistence that his name be on stimulus checks. “Now that the check has Trump’s name on it, the bank will probably decline it out of habit,” he said.
Noah said that the country’s unemployment system is “kind of a disaster”before detailing how many people have spent hours trying to find someone to speak to on the inundated helplines. “It’s like an evil twist where filing for unemployment has now become these people’s full-time
job,” he said.
The system is “built on technology that is one degree above Amish” unlike that in Canada where residents have received more money faster and in some cases, too much money. “I feel like now you’re just rubbing it in,” he said.
Instead, it’s been up to citizens to do their part, including one Brooklyn landlord who waived rent for the 80 apartments he owns for a month. “Even New York landlords now have a heart of gold,” he said.
He continued: “That’s like someone saying, that fight on Twitter really made me change my mind.”