Samantha Bee took to “Full Frontal” Wednesday night to expunge the long relationship between the United States and Puerto Rico, pointing out that America hasn’t treated the island very well over the past 100 years.
In fact, she said that it’s just as bad as how the Dursley family treats their unwanted wizard nephew Harry Potter in J.K. Rowling’s beloved series. For those of you non-Potterheads out there, the Dursleys force Harry to live in a cupboard under their stairs for years, until he learns he’s a wizard and receives his letter from Hogwarts.
“Truth is, we’ve been treating them like the unwelcome nephew under America’s stairs for more than a century,” Bee said after pointing out that Donald Trump isn’t the only one whose response to the Hurricane Maria aftermath wasn’t as strong as the response after Hurricane Harvey.
She showed the New York Times after Harvey, with leading stories on the front page, and then after Maria, with a story below the fold of the newspaper.
“If you’re shocked by this, then you are not Puerto Rican,” the host said.
She also juxtaposed a clip of Harry Potter’s Uncle Vernon saying, “You should be a little more grateful,” along with a clip of Trump in Puerto Rico on Tuesday, saying “I hate to tell you, Puerto Rico, but you’re throwing our budget a little out of whack.”
“Come on, Mayor, just say ‘expeliarmus!’ You know you want to,” Bee urged San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulin Cruz, who has been making headlines both for begging Trump for help and opposing him.
“Hamilton” star Javier Muñoz, who has family on the island, joined Bee to voiceover an animated history of Puerto Rico.
Watch the full clip above.