Late-show hosts talk the surge in meme coins and the brouhaha over drone sightings in New Jersey.
Seth Meyers
“America’s obviously in a very fraught political moment,” said Seth Meyers on Wednesday’s Late Night. “There’s been an outpouring of rage over the state of American healthcare, our government is rapidly descending into oligarchy as billionaire wealth soars, the cost of everything from childcare to housing to food remains high, and the incoming administration threatens to harass journalists and jail its opponents.
“But I am happy to report that the fourth estate, America’s independent press, is rising to the occasion with bold, truth-telling – and I’m just fucking with you, they’re obsessed with drones,” he continued, referring to feverish coverage of what appear to be small commercial drones in the sky over New Jersey.
“It’s just as the prophecy foretold: when the apocalypse comes, it will start in New Jersey,” Meyers joked.
“The government is devolving into a personal autocracy controlled by a corrupt felon and a handful of billionaires who are drawing up plans to enrich themselves and punish their enemies, and all anyone wants to do is talk about a toy you can get at Best Buy for like 40 bucks,” he added.
Cable news sought obvious explanations for the drones – they are widely sold, and New Jersey recently relaxed a law over flying them at night, as one expert explains on CNN. “All this clip proves is that drones are incredibly common and are used in virtually every aspect of modern life,” said Meyers. “Would it shock you if some dipshit decided to start flying them at night to freak people out? Especially in New Jersey, a state whose motto is ‘I’m just bustin’ balls.’”
Republicans, meanwhile, sowed conspiracy theories. On a podcast,Nancy Mace, South Carolina representative, pinged between theories that the drones were from foreign actors or even “outer space”.
“In one clip, she managed to sound like a whole rack of supermarket tabloids,” Meyers laughed. “Is it aliens? Is it Russia and China? Are Brad and Jen getting back together?
“Somehow the suggestion that it’s aliens is not even the craziest part of that clip,” he added. “You think Russia or China lost a nuclear warhead and it’s in New Jersey? Did they lose it at a poker game in New York City?
“Look, I get it. We’re all losing our minds,” Meyers concluded. “But we’ve got to stay focused.”
Stephen Colbert
On the Late Show, Stephen Colbert also took on the story of the week. “It’s that special time of year where we deck the halls, put presents under the tree and look to the sky in hope of catching a New Jersey drone,” he quipped.
“Where do they come from? Where do they go? Where do they come from, cotton-eye drone?” he added. “At this point, citizens, we still don’t know. But after weeks of feverish speculation, last night we finally heard from the president, sort of.”
While waiting for board Air Force One – and partially drowned out by the plane in the dark – Joe Biden assured the public that there was “nothing nefarious, apparently” about the drone sightings.
“Nothing nefarious … apparently? Doesn’t exactly inspire confidence,” said Colbert. “Also, Joe, if you’re trying to reassure an anxious nation, maybe don’t do it in the spookiest lighting humanly possible.
“The drones are a nothingburger – unless you ask Republicans, who thinks it’s very suspicious that there’s nothing suspicious,” he continued before a clip of mace devolving into conspiracy theories, including aliens. “Yes, obviously the drones could be aliens, who are all famously obsessed with New Jersey,” Colbert laughed.
