Late-Night Hosts Target Trump's Epstein File Deflections and Super Bowl Controversy
Late-night television hosts have turned their comedic firepower on Donald Trump's recent attempts to deflect attention from the Jeffrey Epstein files and the brewing controversy surrounding the upcoming Super Bowl halftime show.
Jimmy Kimmel's Focus on the Epstein Files
On his Tuesday night show, Jimmy Kimmel dedicated significant time to the Epstein case, describing it as a story the former president desperately wishes would disappear. "It's a story that Donald Trump wishes would go away. But it won't just go away," Kimmel stated. "It's the kind of story that makes headlines, and he knows that. So what he does is he bombards us with a dozen other crazy things to try to flood the zone."
Kimmel argued that Trump's strategy involves overwhelming the public with distractions, including numerous lawsuits. "There's only so much we can take in," he continued. "So to distract us, right now what he's doing is he's suing everybody." He highlighted a lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service for $10 billion, quipping, "He's planning to negotiate a settlement with himself." Kimmel emphasised that such an action would dominate any other presidency but barely registers in Trump's current news cycle.
The 'Women Should Smile More' Remark
Kimmel then addressed a contentious White House press conference where CNN journalist Kaitlan Collins questioned Trump about the Justice Department's refusal to bring charges related to the Epstein files. When Collins asked about justice for survivors, Trump responded by criticising her demeanour, saying, "I don't think I've ever seen you smile... You know why you're not smiling? Because you know you're not telling the truth."
In response, Kimmel remarked, "We are now at the 'women-should-smile-more' stage of his presidency." He added, "I'm trying to think of a worse time to tell a woman to smile more than when that person is a reporter asking about the Epstein victims. I can't."
Stephen Colbert on the Super Bowl Backlash
Over on The Late Show, Stephen Colbert tackled the growing backlash against Bad Bunny's upcoming Super Bowl halftime performance. Colbert noted that right-wing media have been agitated for months over the booking, partly because the Puerto Rican superstar excluded the continental US from his recent tour over fears of ICE raids and performs entirely in Spanish.
Colbert referenced an anonymous NFL player's comment to The Athletic: "I always think it should be an American." He retorted, "I agree – and I bet Bad Bunny agrees too, because he's an American," before listing past non-American halftime performers like Shania Twain and The Rolling Stones.
He also mocked the planned alternative "All-American Halftime Show" by Turning Point USA, starring Kid Rock, noting the event's unclear venue. "Which I believe is fitting," Colbert said, "because Kid Rock is often unclear on what venue he's in."
Seth Meyers' Political Roundup
Seth Meyers on Late Night provided a broader political recap, starting with Trump's meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. After Trump called Modi "one of my greatest friends," Meyers joked, "Said Modi: 'Thank you, that's the saddest thing I've ever heard. We've talked like three times.'"
Meyers then highlighted Trump's claim that Republicans should "nationalize the voting" due to alleged fraud, juxtaposing it with a photo of Bad Bunny winning a Grammy. He also addressed Trump's comment that Democratic politicians are "soft on crime," quipping next to Trump's mugshot, "As opposed to Trump, who couldn't be more into it."
Finally, Meyers referenced a New York Times analysis showing the latest Epstein file release contained 5,300 references to Trump. "Of course, that doesn't prove anything," he laughed. "I've mentioned him way more than 5,300 times, but he's never been here."
Together, these segments underscore how late-night comedy continues to dissect high-profile political and cultural issues, blending sharp commentary with humour to engage audiences on topics ranging from presidential conduct to entertainment controversies.
