Late-night hosts discussed the FCC’s decision to repeal net neutrality, criticizing the move as “absolutely despicable”.
On The Late Show, Stephen Colbert detailed the effect that it would have on consumers, potentially slowing down speeds and limiting access to certain sites.
“The only thing that should slow your internet speed is the number of other people also working at Starbucks on their screenplays,” he said.
The deregulation is accompanied by a rule that would force companies to detail what sites they are affecting. “Get ready for more fine print from your internet provider,” Colbert said. “At least you’ll have something to read while you wait for websites to load.”
Finally he referred to Ajit Pai, the man who has been pushing it through, as “FCC chairman and big and tall tooth model”.
On The Daily Show, Trevor Noah discussed Trump’s attempt to discredit Robert Mueller’s probe into his cabinet’s dealings with Russia.
Trevor reacts to calls for a systemic overhaul of the FBI after ex-Mueller aides are found to have sent anti-Trump texts.
— The Daily Show (@TheDailyShow) December 15, 2017
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Agents were sending anti-Trump texts during the election which has raised accusations of a biased investigation. “An FBI agent was sending texts in 2016 calling Trump an idiot,” Noah said. “How did he know? What other secrets is the FBI hiding?”
Emails about Trump have also been shared but as Noah pointed out, they don’t make a lot of sense. “If you’ve ever been in a relationship then you know how dangerous it is to read a text out of context,” he said.
It’s led to a coven of Fox News pundits calling for the probe to end and some even suggesting that the FBI is dismantled.
“There’s a law enforcement agency that has some bad apples and even though it’s not everyone, they’re saying that’s enough misconduct to require a complete structural reform,” Noah said. “Because you may have only caught one bad cop but the problem here isn’t that person, it’s the system. So I agree with Trump’s people on Fox News: Black Lives Matter.”
On Late Night with Seth Meyers, he started by talking about FCC chairman Ajit Pai and his much-ridiculed mug. “You can’t just drink from a mug that size without any explanation,” he said. “Is the mug always that big or did you shrink? Are you sharing an office with Rick Moranis?”
It’s been reported that 75% of Republicans actually support net neutrality, something that didn’t surprise Meyers. “It makes sense that Republicans favor net neutrality as otherwise they’d have to get their news from newspapers or CNN instead of Facebook group PatriotEagleMAGA1776,” he said.
Meyers then moved onto ex-Apprentice contestant Omarosa Manigault-Newman, who has resigned from her position in the White House under a cloud of drama. He started out by discussing the report that she brought her bridal party to DC to take pictures. “Trump staff treat the White House the way tourists treat the M&M store,” he said.
In an interview on Good Morning America, she spoke about the moment that Gen John Kelly spoke to her about her resignation, which some claim was a firing, in the situation room.
“I have a feeling any room Omarosa goes in becomes the situation room,” Meyers said. “You know it’s bad when they fire you in the same place they killed Osama bin Laden.”
He concluded: “So Republicans and the FCC are trying to dismantle the open internet despite overwhelming opposition and the Trump White House is once again consumed by petty drama.”
On Jimmy Kimmel Live! the host described the decision to repeal net neutrality as “absolutely despicable” before referring to Ajit Pai as a “jackhole”.
He detailed the implications while adding: “Big corporations are about to take control of the internet so Merry Christmas everybody”.
Finally he made a plea for people without healthcare to sign up for 2018 coverage. “Once net neutrality is gone, we might not even have WebMD anymore,” he said.
