Late-night comics, including Stephen Colbert, Kimmel and Trevor Noah, discussed the shooting survivors and the absurd claims they are paid actors

Late-night hosts on Wednesday discussed the survivors of the school shooting in Parkland, and the false claims from the far right that they are paid actors.

Stephen Colbert: ‘It’s hard not to be inspired by these kids’

“The big story tonight continues to be the inspiring activism of children,” Stephen Colbert began. “Today, students all over Florida walked out of their classrooms and were joined by kids in Ohio, Kentucky, Illinois, Arizona, Iowa, and a huge group of students from Maryland, Virginia and DC, who descended on our nation’s capitol.”

Late-night hosts on Parkland students: 'There's nothing they can't do' Read more

After showing news coverage of the walkouts, the camera cut to Colbert on his cellphone. “I’m sorry, I didn’t catch all that,” he joked. “I was reading on Twitter about how all millennials are lazy and entitled.”

Colbert then noted that Florida statehouse members this week voted down a motion to debate an existing bill that would van assault weapons on large-capacity ammunition magazines.

“What legislation did they focus on instead?” the host asked. “A bill that declared porn dangerous. ‘What are you doing in there? You better be loading a gun, young man.’”

“It’s hard not to be inspired by these kids, but some people have managed to do it,” Colbert continued, showing footage of CNN contributor Jack Kingston suggesting the student advocates for gun control could not have organized themselves and were helped by George Soros.

“That’s right,” Colbert said, mocking Kingston. “We’re all being taken in by the dazzling theatrical performances of high-school actors.”

Trevor Noah: ‘Get the fuck out of here, man’

Trevor Noah of Comedy Central also addressed claims that the students are so-called “crisis actors”.

“Most people who see those kids are impressed by how articulate they are, and they’re inspired by their passion,” Noah said. “Other people, like ex-congressman and paid CNN contributor Jack Kingston, they think it’s suspicious that these kids say they don’t want to be shot in the face.”

After showing a clip of Kingston’s appearance on CNN, Noah replied: “Get the fuck out of here, man. Really? You think these kids were actually pro-gun and then George Soros showed up and he was like, ‘Who wants Skittles?’ If this guy had even seen one movie about high school, he would know that planning rallies is at least 30% of being a teenager.”

“Now, some pro-gun advocates are taking the opposite approach,” Noah explained. “They do believe that these kids are acting without adult supervision, and for them, that’s actually the problem.”

The host went on to show a Fox News pundit suggesting the students lack the expertise to weigh in on the gun debate.

“You’re right, these kids may not be professors in guns, but maybe being in a mass shooting gets you an honorary degree,” Noah said. “Like, you do realize that if people weren’t allowed to share their opinions unless they studied the issue, then Donald Trump would never be allowed to speak, right?”

“Here’s what I find funny about this whole debate,” Noah concluded. “Most of the arguments boil down to one idea: teenagers are too young, too emotional, too inexperienced to talk about guns. But as soon as they turn 18, they can own as many of those bad boys as they want.”

Jimmy Kimmel: ‘Your brain is not functioning’

Finally, Jimmy Kimmel also took aim at conspiracists attacking the students from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High.

“These are kids who should be applauded, even if you don’t agree with them,” he said. “Unfortunately, there are some who not only aren’t supporting these children who just lived through a nightmare they’ll never forget, there are some who are attacking them, who call them fake news, who say they’re crisis actors who orchestrate tragic events in order to advance some kind of liberal agenda.”

Kimmel then mentioned David Hogg, one of the students who survived the Parkland shooting, and whose father is an FBI agent. Online, gun advocates have suggested he is being fed lines from the bureau.

“The far right wing thrives on conspiracy theories,” Kimmel noted. “Global warming is a conspiracy, the Russia investigation is a conspiracy, Obama’s birth certificate is a conspiracy. There are a hundred others: Pizzagate, the three million illegal voters.”



“People like Donald Trump Jr, the president’s least favorite son, perpetuate this kind of stuff,” Kimmel said, showing how Trump Jr “liked” two separate tweets attacking David Hogg as a puppet for the FBI.



Furious Florida survivors assail NRA and politicians and urge action on guns Read more

Kimmel concluded: “I want you to consider this, especially if you are a Trump supporter or a member of the NRA: do you really think these kids, these teenagers who spoke out after a shooting at their school, are actors who are a part of some kind of deep-state, leftwing conspiracy? If the answer is, ‘Yes, I do believe that,’ you’re crazy. You are a crazy person. Your brain is not functioning.”