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Stephen Colbert debuts ‘Thunda in the Rotunda’ to recap Congressional fight club

By Matt Moore

WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 06: U.S. House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (L) (R-CA) talks with U.S. Rep. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) in the House Chamber during a reconvening of a joint session of Congress on January 06, 2021 in Washington, DC. Members of Congress returned to the House Chamber after being evacuated when protesters stormed the Capitol and disrupted a joint session to ratify President-elect Joe Biden's 306-232 Electoral College win over President Donald Trump. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 06: U.S. House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (L) (R-CA) talks with U.S. Rep. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) in the House Chamber during a reconvening of a joint session of Congress on January 06, 2021 in Washington, DC. Members of Congress returned to the House Chamber after being evacuated when protesters stormed the Capitol and disrupted a joint session to ratify President-elect Joe Biden's 306-232 Electoral College win over President Donald Trump. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images) /
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Stephen Colbert’s monologue debuted a new segment on Wednesday night in response to Republican in-fighting turning physical. The Late Show recapped it all in “Thunda in the Rotunda.”

Colbert’s monologues have been tracking the erosion of the Republican Party for months. Things appeared to peak when Representative Kevin McCarthy was ousted as Speaker of the House. However, the fallout from that maneuver appears to be still going strong.

Enter Stephen Colbert’s “Thunda in the Rotunda: Capital Punishment in the Capitol: Congress Has Filed a Motion For Pain!” segment. Like any good Late Show segment, the title is about as long as the bit goes on in the monologue.

But when members of Congress start throwing elbows at each other, a new late-night TV segment is required. Colbert didn’t condone the violence but he sure did enjoy it.

Stephen Colbert recaps Congress turning into a fight club

Every news outlet referred to the situation as a “fight club.” Stephen Colbert’s monologue gladly accepted the change to the “don’t talk about fight club” rule before breaking down all the action.

First up, Representative Tim Burchett claimed that Representative Kevin McCarthy elbowed him in the kidney. Colbert played audio of Burchett questioning if McCarthy had any guts. “Kevin McCarthy has guts,” Colbert said. “What he doesn’t have is balls.”

Then, Senator Markwayne Mullin challenged Teamsters leader Sean O’Brien to a fight during a hearing. The incident gave Colbert another excuse to bust out his Bernie Sanders impression as the Vermont senator attempted to bring order.

Colbert argued the only thing more bonkers than trying to start a fight in a hearing is the media blitz Mullin went on after. The Oklahoma Republican tried to make the case that he and O’Brien should have been allowed to fight.

Colbert’s monologue ended with a mock GOP campaign ad that had more in common with a wrestling promo. The Late Show host is enjoying the Republican in-fighting … as long as it ignores what it says about the state of the country.

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