Late night hosts defend Michelle Wolf amid outrage
In response to the outrage sparked by Michelle Wolf’s performance at the White House Correspondent’s Dinner, late night hosts were quick to point out the hypocrisy in that outrage. One point of contention was that the White House Correspondents’ Association (WHCA) put out a statement condemning Wolf’s performance. On The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Colbert, who hosted the event in 2006, said, “This was a roast, and you’re the ones who hired Michelle Wolf. Being mad at her is like being mad at a valet for briefly stealing your car.”
Besides condemnation from the WHCA, much of the anger aimed at Wolf is coming from conservatives who support Donald Trump. One of her jokes that has drawn particular ire was misconstrued as making fun of White House press secretary Sarah Sanders’s appearance. Others were considered vulgar, and that’s where the hypocrisy lies, as Trump himself has made inappropriate comments about women’s appearance, said things many consider vulgar, and made jokes some would consider inappropriate for a sitting president. Colbert even brought back his ultra-conservative persona from Comedy Central’s The Colbert Report to illustrate the hypocrisy.
“I’m so proud that the press is defending her [Sanders], despite the fact her boss joked about throwing reporters in jail,” Colbert said. “That’s comedy the press likes. More jokes like that, Michelle!”
On The Daily Show, where Wolf used to work, Trevor Noah said conservatives need to take Sanders’s advice when she defended Trump. “Maybe you guys should get a sense of humor and try it some time, but he simply made a joke,” Sanders said in a press conference. Noah responded, “Exactly. Get a sense of humor, snowflakes.”
On Late Night with Seth Meyers, where Wolf also used to work, Meyers, who hosted the Correspondents’ Dinner in 2011, admitted that Wolf is filthy and mean, and that she bears similarities to the president. “She is filthy and she is mean, which is what we love about her,” Meyers said. “Because those are wonderful qualities for comedians and terrible qualities for free-world leaders.”
Watch late night hosts have a ball with Trump’s rambling Fox & Friends phone call:
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