The late-night hosts delivered their shocked responses to Donald Trump’s election victory in their subdued opening monologues.
As the world of film, TV and music shared their reactions to the result, there was a feeling of shock hanging over the late-night episodes that followed Trump’s defeat of Kamala Harris to become the 47th US president.
As supporters of Harris, each presenter, ranging from Jimmy Kimmel to Stephen Colbert, shared anti-Trump sentiments, with Jimmy Kimmel struggling to hold back tears on Wednesday night (6 November).
Kimmel, acknowledging the fact that Trump was convicted of a crime earlier this year, said of the result: “We chose the criminal.”
“More than half of this country voted for the criminal who is planning to pardon himself for his crimes. I guess this election wasn’t rigged,” he said at the start of Jimmy Kimmel Live!, addressing Trump’s repeated claims that Joe Biden’s victory in 2020 had been tampered with.
While Kimmel found time for comedy, he grew emotional when he said: “It was a terrible night for women, for children, for the hundreds of thousands of hard-working immigrants who make this country go, for health care, for our climate, for science, for journalism, for justice, for free speech.”
He continued: “It was a terrible night for poor people, for the middle class, for seniors who rely on social security, for our allies in Ukraine, for NATO, for the truth, and democracy and decency.
“And it was a terrible night for everyone who voted against him. And guess what? It was a bad night for everyone who voted for him too – you just don’t realise it yet.”
However, Kimmel noted two people who will be happy with the outcome: Vladimir Putin, and “lovable billionaires like Elon Musk”.
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Seth Meyers promised to bring viewers joy amid times of uncertainty in the wake of the election result.
“We’re not gonna let anything take that joy away, even when we’re not talking about things that are particularly joyful,” he said, adding: “For example, here’s something: I don’t think Donald Trump’s a good person. I’d even go so far as to say he’s a bad person.”
The Late Night with Seth Meyers host then quipped: “Now, in my defence, I’m only basing that on everything I’ve ever been taught about what makes someone good or bad. That’s it. That’s the only thing I’m basing it on.”
Stephen Colbert was more frank in his approach, callingTrump “a monstrous child surrounded by cowards and grifters”
He said it was “hard to see a bright side”, and joked that he was wearing his “fundamentally questioning my belief in humanity: sticker.
“Well, f***, it happened again,” he started the episode of The Late Show, adding: “The first time Donald Trump started as a joke and ended as a tragedy. This time he started as a tragedy. Who knows where he’ll end up… a limerick?”
Comedian Taylor Tomlinson, the host of CBS game show After Midnight, issued a searing takedown of the new president, telling viewers: “It is an honour to be on television while women are still allowed to be.”
Jimmy Fallon started The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon by saying: “America got back together with its crazy ex and elect Donald Trump as the 47th president of the United States. No matter who you voted for, I think we can all agree it’s going to be a rough Thanksgiving.”
Meanwhile, Desi Lydic, temporary host of The Daily Show, branded Trump “the worst person in the country” and the result a “waking nightmare”
She added: “It’s official, America has elected its first criminal president before electing its first female president.
“Whatever’s wrong with him, we f***ing love it. Donald Trump is holding up a mirror to the American people and it might be time to take a good, hard f***ing look.’