Stephen Colbert’s monologue was briefly derailed after an viewers member audibly shouted, “What?!” throughout a joke about Pete Hegseth’s spending.
Throughout Tuesday’s monologue for “The Late Present,” Colbert known as out a latest report accusing the secretary of conflict of blowing billions on luxurious objects, together with iPads, Herman Miller recliners and fruit basket stands.
“Thus far, this conflict has price over $6 billion,” Colbert famous. “However, burning via money is nothing new for Secretary of Battle Pete Hegseth. ‘Trigger a authorities watchdog found that he blew billions on issues like $5.3 million for brand new iPads, $60,000 for Herman Miller recliners and $12,000 for fruit basket stands.”
At this second, a lady from the viewers might be heard loudly declaring, “Wait, what?!”
This interruption tickled Colbert, nevertheless, as he responded with, “That’s what I feel. ‘What?! ‘Was that you simply? Did you say that out loud?”
He added: “Thanks for being attentive to the phrases I say, madam. Both that otherwise you simply awoke on this theater (like), ‘What? Not once more.’”
Colbert then pivoted again to his deliberate monologue, the place he continued on with the unique joke.
“So anyway, $12,000 for fruit. Okay,” Colbert famous earlier than gesturing again to the girl. “‘Wait, you’re ordering fruit?’ That is my emotional state, proper?”
Colbert then joked that Hegseth ought to simply do “the traditional factor” and “put a clementine in your tote and discover it three weeks later when it’s a furry grey golf ball.”
Unable to shake the hilarious alternate, Colbert then stated “I’m together with her,” earlier than sharing, “Reportedly, the Pentagon spent $2 million on crab legs, $6.9 million on lobster tail and over $15 million on ribeye steaks.”
When the viewers started booing this replace, Colbert jokingly got here to the Pentagon’s protection. “They’re simply hearkening again to our founders,” he joked. “As Paul Revere declared on his well-known journey, “One if by surf, two if by turf.”
The checklist of luxurious purchases didn’t cease there, as Colbert additionally known as out the $140,000 spent on donuts, the $124,000 spent on ice cream machines and the over $3,000 spent on stickers that includes characters from “Dora the Explorer,” “Frozen” and “Paw Patrol.”
“And regardless of all that, no person got here to Pete Hegseth’s celebration,” Colbert quipped.
For Colbert’s full commentary on “the historic splurge,” watch his whole monologue above.
“The Late Present With Stephen Colbert” airs weeknights at 11:35 p.m. ET on CBS.
