Stephen Colbert was as awed by Monday’s solar eclipse as the rest of the world, but that doesn’t mean he appreciated the news coverage. The late-night host used his opening monologue Monday night to break down the “dumbest” media reactions to the natural event.
Up first was CNN, which broadcast the chyron “Animals at Dallas Zoo react to total solar eclipse.”
“Thank you, CNN. That is news you can use,” Colbert joked. “I wish they’d give more animal takes on current events. I want to see ‘Breaking: Ringtail lemur reacts to RFK Jr.’s VP pick.”
The host of “The Late Show” then played a clip from the segment, which focused on the network’s zoo correspondent breaking down various animal reactions. According to him, several guinea fowl were running around during the eclipse and a zebra chased a giraffe.
“That’s right. The eclipse caused zoo animals to do the unthinkable: anything,” Colbert said. “Usually, they’re too depressed and just standing in one part of the enclosure where no one can see them.”
However, the “best part” was an ostrich that laid an egg during the event. “No offense, but laying an egg is one of the things that ostriches do. Not sure if that’s news. Call me when an ostrich poaches an egg,” the CBS host said.
As silly as this segment may have been, Colbert called out Fox News for having “the dumbest coverage of this event.” During one segment, the cable news channel said that immigrants were donning dark clothing and using the eclipse to sneak over the U.S.-Mexico border.
“They won’t get another opportunity like that until night,” Colbert said, earning applause from his audience.
For his part, Colbert told his audience that he enjoyed seeing the phenomenom. The host broke out his eclipse glasses several times throughout his monologue, and Monday’s rehearsal for “The Late Show” was even pushed up so the studio could enjoy the event together.
