Stephen Colbert experienced an awkward moment on his show when his live studio audience erupted in laughter when he referred to CNN as an “objective” news source. The incident occurred during a segment on The Late Show featuring CNN anchor Kaitlan Collins, where the two discussed the upcoming election.
Colbert, in what appeared to be a serious remark, told Collins, “I know you guys are objective over there, that you just report the news as it is,” referring to CNN. However, the audience immediately began laughing, seemingly interpreting Colbert’s comment as a joke. Colbert quickly reacted, saying, “No, no, no,” while trying to clarify his statement before grinning at the audience.
Collins, taken aback, responded with a smirk, “Was that supposed to be a laugh line?” Colbert, realizing the unintended humor, stated, “It wasn’t supposed to be, but I guess it is,” before moving on to the next topic.
The exchange quickly went viral on social media, with many users mocking the situation and suggesting that even Colbert’s own audience found his praise of CNN’s objectivity to be satirical. Colbert’s show, like other late-night programs, has often been criticized for leaning left in its political commentary, as the hosts have progressively moved from making neutral jokes relating to politics to simply repeating left-wing talking points.
This incident also comes in the context of past controversies surrounding CNN’s perceived bias. In 2022, TV producer Chris Licht, who previously worked as an executive producer on Colbert’s show, took over CNN with the aim of repositioning the network as less left-leaning. However, Licht was fired in 2023 after facing backlash from leftists within the network.
