Colbert Caught Off Guard When Late-Night Audience Laughs At His Leftist Talking Point

Late-night host Stephen Colbert seemed surprised when his audience burst out laughing following his assertion that CNN did “objective” reporting. 

CNN anchor Kaitlan Collins was a guest on the show Monday night. As expected, they spent the time discussing the upcoming presidential election, including the changing strategy Republicans have taken now that the Democratic candidate switched from President Joe Biden to Vice President Kamala Harris.

Not even NYC lefties buy CNN as objective. @colbertlateshow audience laughed when Stephen #Colbert asserted: “I know you guys are objective over there, that you just report the news as it is” @KaitlanCollins: “That supposed to be a laugh line?” Colbert: “It wasn’t supposed to be” pic.twitter.com/IfqNEDPrfa

— Brent Baker ???????? ???????? (@BrentHBaker) August 13, 2024

“Trump has kind of been thrown on his heels by this and he’s not really sure how to go after Vice President Harris,” said Collins. “He knew his attack lines on President Biden. He really has struggled with how to go after someone who’s twenty years younger than him, who is a different gender, a different race… it’s kind of been this moment where he has not been able to coalesce around a single attack line.” 

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“I know you guys are objective over there, that you just report the news as it is,” Colbert said of CNN, which spurred the audience to erupt into laughter. Colbert turned toward the audience, seemingly surprised by the reaction.

“No, I know, CNN makes a, uh, I know this…” he stuttered as they kept laughing.

“Was that supposed to be a laugh line?” Collins asked the late-night host.

“Ah, it wasn’t supposed to be, but…I guess it is,” Colbert replied. “Umm…..” Then he quickly changed the subject, asking if Collins could have predicted that Biden would drop out of the race.

Social media users were quick to react to the clip, which started circulating on X.

“I absolutely loved the joke about CNN being objective. It was a great moment between you and the audience,” an X user wrote, addressing Collins. 

“That was hilarious, even the woke crowd knows,” another replied, referencing how most of Colbert’s audience in New York City was likely to be liberal.