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Health Care’s ‘Suicide Squad’
Samantha Bee attacked Republican senators’ embattled health care bill on “Full Frontal” on Wednesday, and she didn’t pull punches. She was especially irked by the secrecy and exclusiveness surrounding the bill, which was written behind closed doors by a group of white male senators.
She compared it with Hollywood’s diversity issues.
“It turns out, 13 rich white guys alone in a room isn’t how good legislation happens. It’s how ‘Suicide Squad’ happens. But while ‘Suicide Squad’ destroys your will to live, this bill destroys your ability to live.” — SAMANTHA BEE
Ms. Bee said the bill applied an old Republican economic strategy to health care.
“It’s called ‘trickle down’: Poor people will still get access to the antibiotics that rich people shed in their urine.” — SAMANTHA BEE
‘The 400-Meter Prostate Exam’
After a brief detour on Tuesday poking fun at CNN, Stephen Colbert returned to aiming barbs at President Trump.
Mr. Trump reacted to a Washington Post report in which a Republican senator said the president did not seem to understand the health care bill — and Mr. Colbert wasn’t very persuaded by Mr. Trump’s response.
“Yes, he totally understands health care. He thinks you can win it! ‘At the next Olympics, the U.S. will take gold in the 400-meter prostate exam. Gentlemen, start your colons.’” — STEPHEN COLBERT
Mr. Colbert also reacted to reports that Mr. Trump keeps a fake Time magazine cover with his image on it in some of his commercial properties.
“Come on, Mr. President, you can do better than that. If you’re going to fake a magazine cover, put yourself on the cover of O.” — STEPHEN COLBERT
Elizabeth Warren and Samantha Bee
Ms. Bee took refuge from the health care news in a jovial interview with one of her heroes, Senator Elizabeth Warren. She asked Ms. Warren about the infamous “nevertheless, she persisted” moment in the Senate this year.
SAMANTHA BEE: You got a lot of political capital out of Mitch McConnell telling you to be quiet. Was that a fun moment for you?
ELIZABETH WARREN: No. It was one of those moments where you just think: “Really? You’re going to shut me down for reading Coretta Scott King’s letter?”
BEE: Who else can you score points off of for being rude to you? Like, how can I turn “unfunny feminist battle ax” into a cool meme for myself?
WARREN: Hey, best revenge? Just enjoy it.
The Punchiest Punchlines (Casino Edition)
“Yesterday, Republican senators took buses to the White House to meet with Trump about health care. You could tell which ones actually read the bill because they were the ones buckling their seatbelts.” — JIMMY FALLON
“President Trump today met several Native American tribal leaders. They had a lot of questions for the president, such as ‘How the hell did you manage to lose money running a casino?’” — SETH MEYERS
“Celebrity chef Guy Fieri recently admitted that his famous donkey sauce is just aioli — and I think I speak for everyone when I say, ‘Thank God!’” — SETH MEYERS
The Bits Worth Watching
The Supreme Court has decided it will hear a case regarding a baker claiming a religious exemption from anti-discrimination laws. For some perspective, Stephen Colbert talked to a baker friend of his own.
“X-rays found a canoe in your Achilles’ heel.”
What We’re Excited About on Thursday Night
On Wednesday, Lin-Manuel Miranda, the creator and star of Broadway’s “Hamilton,” released a video for “Immigrants (We Get the Job Done),” off the “Hamilton Mixtape” album. On Thursday, he’ll speak to Seth Meyers on “Late Night.”
Also, Check This Out
Next month, TNT will debut “Will,” a show that imagines the life of a young William Shakespeare. Alexis Soloski writes that the series “captures the gritty, flamboyant swirl of 16th-century London on the wrong side of the river.”
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