Not everyone at NBC is going soft onDonald Trump. Following backlash againstJimmy Fallonfor not only hosting the vile Republican Presidential Nominee onThe Tonight Showlast week but also refusing to ask him a single question of substance,Seth Meyerslast night took aim at the loathsome politician and it’s quite possibly the angriest we’ve ever seen him onLate Night with Seth Meyers. Taking down Trump is nothing new for Meyers—he straight up destroyed the human orange dreamsicle at the White House Correspondents Dinner in 2011 and, earlier this year, cheekily announced that Trump wasnot allowed to come onLate Nightafter Trump banned the Washington Post from covering his campaign.
Meyers—who’s currently the best host in late night television—usually takes aim at Trump in a cheeky, “Can you believe we’re talking about this guy as a Presidential nominee?” sort of way. But last night, during a new segment of A Closer Look, Meyers tackled Trump’s shameful Birther lies and could hold his contempt no longer. It’s refreshing to see someone actuallyrealin late night television, delivering an address in earnest as opposed to looking for ways to drive up YouTube views, and the writing of this particular segment is as sharp as ever.
As the late night TV landscape pretty muchcompletely changed in 2015, everyone’s pretty much settled into their lanes. Fallon andJames Cordenare very good at producing content that “goes viral”;Stephen Colbertcontinues to be the most uncomfortable host in late night; and Meyers has emerged as the “Voice of Reason”, a kind of antidote to the glibness that permeatesThe Tonight Show.Late Nightis driven more by thoughtful, genuine discussion and biting satire, and Meyers not only excels at regular segments like A Closer Look and, a personal favorite,Jokes Seth Can’t Tell, but is also the best interviewer in the game.
While I imagine many will be watching this Donald Trump Birther segment who don’t regularly watch Meyers, if you find this degree of earnestness refreshing, I’d recommend checking out his full show. For now, watch a rightfully furious Meyers explain how Trump has continually shaped the narrative of the Birther movement and is now trying to dupe everyone into believing yet another falsehood.
