Tucker Carlson labeled the arrest of “The Late Night with Stephen Colbert” production crew arrests the U.S. Capitol as an insurrection on his show Friday night. His commentary referred to the arrest of seven filming crew members while filming a comedy segment. Prominent right-wing joined the Fox News host’s attempt to distort the truth.
The U.S. Capitol Police released a statement about the arrests: Officers “observed seven individuals, unescorted and without Congressional ID, in a sixth-floor hallway.” Colbert’s filming team was detained at 8:30 p.m. ET Thursday in the Longworth House Office Building on Capitol Hill after being closed to visitors. “These individuals were determined to be a part of a group that has been directed by the USCP to leave the building earlier in the day,” according to CNN.
Carlson and GOP mouthpieces quickly seized on two words in the statement, “unlawful entry.” The Fox News host inferred the House Committee should open an investigation into Colbert’s team, likening their case to the crimes committed by the throng that stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. However, beyond the similarity of charges filed against the comedy team and the violent thousands — unlawful entry — Carlson’s reasoning falls short, yet he continued his commentary.
Carlson declared that the film crew members committed the “exact same” crime as those on Jan. 6th. Then, in his typical manner, the Fox News host burrowed his brows and claimed the film team’s actions fit Adam Shiff’s (D-Calif.) definition of insurrection. Then, without proof, he said “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” production team was at the Capitol to “harass sitting members of Congress — Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) [and] Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.).”
Carlson’s explanation differs from the statement CBS released: The Colbert production team was at the Capitol on Wednesday and Thursday filming a segment featuring “Triumph the Insult Dog.”
The seven crew members remained after their team’s “authorized and pre-arranged” interviews with Congressional members “to film stand-ups and other final comedy elements in the halls when they were detained by Capitol Police.”
He suggested that some of Colbert’s team will be held in solitary confinement for 18 months without being charged. After all, Carlson stated, that is how the government treats insurrectionists — it is a precedent.
Colbert’s award-winning political satire has often included Carlson’s facial expressions and absurd comments. While the satirist remains critical of the insurrection and often talks about GOP mouthpieces, he also uses his monologue to disparage liberal politicians, President Joe Biden, and his administration. Unfortunately, no one from “The Late Night Show with Stephan Colbert” beyond CBS has released a comment.
Written by Cathy Milne-Ware
Sources:
HuffPost: Tucker Carlson Cries ‘Insurrection’ After Colbert Production Crew Arrested At Capitol; by Sebastian Murdock
The Wrap: Tucker Carlson Calls Colbert Crew’s Capitol Arrest Another ‘Insurrection,’ Recommends Solitary Confinement (Video); by Thom Geier
The Washington Post: TV crew charged in Capitol Hill incident, authorities say; by Martin Well and Caitlin Moore
CNN: Production team with ‘Late Show with Stephen Colbert’ arrested in House building; by Oliver Darcy and Adrienne Winston
Featured and Top Image Courtesy of Gage Skidmore’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
Inset Image by Anders Krusberg Courtesy of Peabody Awards’ Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
