As rioting continues in Los Angeles against the idea of immigration enforcement, CBS's comedians of Stephen Colbert and Taylor Tomlinson melted down on Monday as the former blamed President Trump’s “fascist impulses” for the violence while the latter lamented having to do a monologue on something she found not funny.

Colbert claimed on The Late Show that “The last time a president bypassed a governor to send in the National Guard was 1965, when LBJ used troops to protect civil rights demonstrators in Alabama. So, we've come full circle. Troops were deployed to protect protesters by Lyndon B. Johnson, and now they're being used to threaten protesters by Donald B. Dick.”

He also played dumb on why conservatives do not like seeing rioters with foreign flags, “California authorities have said these protests are largely peaceful, but many on the right are trying to use the worst images to make it look like an invasion. Like JD Vance, who posted that protesters are ‘waving foreign flags and assaulting law enforcement. If only we had a good word for that.’ St. Patrick's Day? And yes. And yes, it is one word. ‘Saintpaddysday.’”

Colbert also claimed, “People began throwing objects at law enforcement in a protest that started when demonstrators took over the 101. Though locals were quick to point out they should've taken over the 405 to the 5, saved at least ten minutes on the road to fascism.”

Later, Colbert doubled down on the fascism claim while also playing a video of Trump tripping on the stairs of Air Force One, “What’s going on in LA reminds us that as citizens, it is crucial to speak out against Trump's fascist impulses, his rampant corruption, and his egregious violations of our norms and laws, but sometimes, I don't know what to go all Bruce here, but sometimes it's just as important to say ‘ha-ha. Old man fall down.’ 'Cause this weekend, when he was trying to walk up the steps to Air Force One, he went all stumbly-wumbly. Woop! Strongman go boom! He's a real Benito Whoops-olini. A Adolf Tripsler. Okay, I'm done. I'm done, I'm done. That's enough of that. Josef Fallin'. Kim Jong-oops. 

As for Tomlinson, she kicked off the show’s final week by mourning, “This is the last week of the show, so I’m just going to say one of the hardest things about doing this show is a note we kept getting was, like, "What's on Taylor's ‘For You’ page? What's Taylor watching?’ And I’m like “What’s on Taylor’s ‘For You’ Page?’ ICE raids, genocide in Gaza, Trump. That's what is on Taylor's “For You” page. It's not a good time.”

Libelous genocide allegations aside, Tomlinson continued lamenting, “I don’t know. I just have a hard time talking about any of this stuff because I don't think it's funny. I don't think any of it is funny, and I promise I'll make it fun in, like, 10 minutes, but it's not fun. It's not funny. And I just, like -- I can't imagine being somebody whose, like, mom or dad or brother or sister got abducted by ICE and then you turn on TV and it’s just some dumb bitch in a ponytail like, ‘Trump’s being is silly.’ Like, I don't know how to make it funny. It's not funny.

Downplaying violence, Tomlinson talked over some non-violent protestors, “LA hasn't seen a protest this violent since the arts and crafts festival. It's not good. 

As for the news that Gov. Gavin Newsom plans to sue Trump, Tomlinson quipped, “Yes! Yet another lawsuit against Trump because he didn't ask for consent. Nobody asked him to do this! Nobody asked him to do this! Mayor Karen Bass and Governor Gavin Newsom both publicly stated that this level of force is way out of line. Trump clearly doesn't know when it's appropriate to send in the National Guard. I bet he sent them out in his place to attend Don Jr.'s piano recital. We cannot just give up and let this guy do whatever he wants to our country. You can't have America without immigrants. That would be like, I don't know, having Epstein's flight logs without Donald Trump.”

ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel, who is also based in LA, did not air a new episode on Monday, but no doubt he will also have some white-hot takes when he returns on Tuesday.

Here are transcripts for the June 9-taped shows:

CBS The Late Show with Stephen Colbert

6/9/2025

11:39 PM ET

STEPHEN COLBERT: The last time a president bypassed a governor to send in the National Guard was 1965, when LBJ used troops to protect civil rights demonstrators in Alabama. So, we've come full circle. Troops were deployed to protect protesters by Lyndon B. Johnson, and now they're being used to threaten protesters by Donald B. Dick. Now, Johnson. Johnson.

California authorities have said these protests are largely peaceful, but many on the right are trying to use the worst images to make it look like an invasion. Like JD Vance, who posted that protesters are "waving foreign flags and assaulting law enforcement. If only we had a good word for that." 

St. Patrick's Day? And yes. And yes, it is one word. "Saintpaddysday." There has been some pelting of police and ICE agents with rocks and garbage.

For instance, people began throwing objects at law enforcement in a protest that started when demonstrators took over the 101. Though locals were quick to point out they should've taken over the 405 to the 5, saved at least ten minutes on the road to fascism. On the bright side, even during this crackdown, the spirit of Southern California remains alive and very chill.

REPORTER: You told me you got caught up in the tear gas as well. Describe what happened to you.

MAN: Oh, just tasted a little tear gas. Tasted like fascism.

COLBERT: Yeah, yeah. Tastes like tear gas? Tasted like fascism. That is the most LA guy ever. He's got a beanie, sunglasses at night, eyes locking with the camera to deliver a line straight from a B movie. "I came here to taste fascism and kick ass, and I'm all out—-of ass.

…

What’s going on in LA reminds us that as citizens, it is crucial to speak out against Trump's fascist impulses, his rampant corruption, and his egregious violations of our norms and laws, but sometimes, I don't know what to go all Bruce here, but sometimes it's just as important to say "ha-ha. Old man fall down." 'Cause this weekend, when he was trying to walk up the steps to Air Force One, he went all stumbly-wumbly. Woop! Strongman go boom! He's a real Benito Whoops-olini. A Adolf Tripsler. Okay, I'm done. I'm done, I'm done. That's enough of that. Josef Fallin'. Kim Jong-oops. 

***

CBS After Midnight

6/10/2025

12:38 AM ET

TAYLOR TOMLINSON: This is the last week of the show, so I’m just going to say one of the hardest things about doing this show is a note we kept getting was, like, "What's on Taylor's ‘For You’ page? What's Taylor watching?’ And I’m like “What’s on Taylor’s ‘For You’ Page?’

ICE raids, genocide in Gaza, Trump. That's what is on Taylor's “For You” page. It's not a good time. And yes, every once in a while there's a dumb bitch who looks like me, saying “you should really be skinnier.” Like, it’s not fun. It’s not fun on my FYP, okay?

I don’t know. I just have a hard time talking about any of this stuff because I don't think it's funny. I don't think any of it is funny, and I promise I'll make it fun in, like, 10 minutes, but it's not fun. It's not funny.

And I just, like — I can't imagine being somebody whose, like, mom or dad or brother or sister got abducted by ICE and then you turn on TV and it’s just some dumb bitch in a ponytail like, “Trump’s being is silly.”

Like, I don't know how to make it funny. It's not funny. So anyway, let's just get into the facts from this weekend. Federal agents detained hundreds of people, including women and children in large scale coordinated raids across the city including a Home Depot.

Like, how are day laborers at Home Depot possibly hurting Americans? Have you ever gone to Home Depot? Literally all they do is offer help! That's it! That's all they do. LA residents showed up right away to protest these raids and the Trump administration said these were not peaceful protesters and we did get some footage and brace yourself, because it is shocking. 

I know. I know. I know. I know. LA hasn't seen a protest this violent since the arts and crafts festival. It's not good. 

California— yeah, thanks. California governor Gavin Newsom posted this on X yesterday. “Donald Trump is putting fuel on this fire. Commandeering the state's National Guard without consulting the governor in that state is so illegal and immoral.”

Which is so off brand for him its crazy. “California will be taking him to court.” Yes! Yet another lawsuit against Trump because he didn't ask for consent. Nobody asked him to do this! Nobody asked him to do this! Mayor Karen Bass and Governor Gavin Newsom both publicly stated that this level of force is way out of line. Trump clearly doesn't know when it's appropriate to send in the National Guard. I bet he sent them out in his place to attend Don Jr.'s piano recital. We cannot just give up and let this guy do whatever he wants to our country. You can't have America without immigrants. That would be like, I don't know, having Epstein's flight logs without Donald Trump.