The Late Show with Stephen Colbert has kept a close eye on Donald Trump's cabinet nominations. Most of the coverage has been warning the public about what these picks could do. But Pete Hegseth's nomination as secretary of defense has Stephen Colbert giddily eating popcorn.
In recent weeks, Colbert's monologues have referred to President-elect Donald Trump's cabinet picks as "piles of trash." The Late Show host has questioned whether Trump is filling out his administration or casting a reality TV show.
Among the controversial picks is Fox News personality Pete Hegseth. His nomination as secretary of defense raised questions about his qualifications as well as his personal life.
And that's where Colbert has his popcorn ready. Thursday night's monologue featured a segment recapping allegations Fox held an HR intervention regarding Hegseth's behavior at an office party and a colleague's wedding.
Colbert reported the HR meeting following a 2016 holiday party clearly didn't work. The comedian cited a story alleging Hegseth was too drunk to drive from a colleague's wedding that a producer ordered him a ride. And while that sounds like the responsible thing to do, Colbert pointed out it was only done so that Hegseth could be on a Fox News set by 6 a.m. the next day.
The comedian went on to push back against Hegseth's attempts to do damage control. Hegseth told Megyn Kelly he's the victim of a smear campaign in which tiny kernels of truth are being blown up and out of proportion.
"Coincidentally, taking tiny kernels and blowing them up is exactly how I've been watching the drama around Pete Hegseth," Colbert said as he began eating a box of popcorn.
Colbert doesn't seem to think Hegseth's nomination can survive the latest round of controversy. The Fox News personality has already faced scandals about alleged sexual misconduct, and an email from his mother resurfaced questioning his morality.
Maybe that's why Colbert and The Late Show feel comfortable enough to sit back and enjoy some popcorn with the latest scenes from Trump World.