WELCOME TO "A LATE SHOW."

I AM YOUR HOST, STEPHEN COLBERT.

I'LL GET RIGHT TO IT, BAD NEWS FIRST.

THE PRESIDENT IS ACTIVELY WORKING TO UNDERMINE OUR

DEMOCRACY, USURP THE WILL OF THE PEOPLE, AND HOLD ONTO POWER, IN

VIOLATION OF OUR CONSTITUTION.

GOOD NEWS: HE IS REALLY BAD AT IT.

THE PRESIDENT IS DESPERATE TO SOMEHOW THROW OUT THE VOTES FOR

BIDEN, BUT LIKE EVERYTHING ELSE IN HIS ADMINISTRATION, IT'S BEEN

A RACE BETWEEN AUTOCRACY AND INCOMPETENCE.

AND WITH THIS CROWD, INCOMPETENCE IS USAIN BOLT, WHO

MAKES IT ACROSS THE FINISH LINE, STEPS IN A BUCKET, AND GETS HIS

HEAD STUCK IN A TOILET.

I'LL TELL YOU ALL ABOUT IT THE IN COUP-NANIGANS IN TONIGHT'S

EDITION OF: ( TUNE OF "THREE BLIND MICE" )

♪ DEAD PEOPLE VOTE DEAD PEOPLE VOTE

♪ I SAW THEM VOTE THEY ARE ZOMBIES

♪ THEY VOTE, AND THEN THEY EAT SOME BRAINS

♪ THEY GAVE BIDEN THE STATE OF MAINE

♪ IT MAKES SENSE IF YOU SNORT COCAINE

♪ DEAD PEOPLE VOTE ♪ >> "THE ROAD FROM THE WHITE

HOUSE."

>> Stephen: HE'S GOT A REALLY LOVELY VOICE.

CONSIDERING HOW HARD HE'S WORKING TO KEEP THE JOB, THE

PRESIDENT SURE ISN'T DOING MUCH OF IT.

FOR THE 11th TIME SINCE THE ELECTION, HIS SCHEDULE TODAY

LISTED "NO PUBLIC EVENTS."

MAYBE THAT'S JUST HOW HE OBSERVES QUARANTINE: HE NEVER

LEAVES THE HOUSE, UNLESS HE KNOWS HE'S SPREADING THE VIRUS.

APPARENTLY, EL PRESIDENTE HAS EVEN CANCELED HIS PLANS TO

TRAVEL TO MAR-A-LAGO FOR THANKSGIVING, DECIDING TO STAY

IN WASHINGTON INSTEAD.

SMART MOVE.

THE MINUTE HE STEPS OUT OF THERE, YOU KNOW THEY'RE CHANGING

ALL THE LOCKS.

BUT AS MUCH AS HE WANTS TO DENY REALITY, THE POTUS WHO LOST THE

VOTE-US CAN'T ESCAPE IT.

FOR INSTANCE, WHEN HE LOOKS OUT HIS NORTH-FACING WINDOWS, HE CAN

SEE THE REVIEWING STAND FOR BIDEN'S INAUGURAL PARADE BEING

RE-ERECTED ON HIS FRONT LAWN.

IT'S LIKE WATCHING YOUR WIFE GO OUT ON A DATE WITH SOMEONE ELSE

ON YOUR FRONT LAWN, GETTING RE-ERECTED.

AND THIS TIME, A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE GOING TO SHOW UP TO WATCH.

BUT THE PRESIDENT IS RUNNING OUT OF TIME.

ONE BY ONE, THE STATES ARE STARTING TO CERTIFY THE RESULTS,

AND THAT WILL BE THE END OF HIS ONE TERM.

AND BEFORE THAT CONSUMMATION DEVOUTLY TO BE WISHED, THE

REPUBLICANS ARE THROWING SOME PRETTY DISGRACEFUL HAIL MARYS.

TAKE YESTERDAY IN MICHIGAN.

THE CANVASSING BOARD OF THE STATE'S LARGEST COUNTY, WAYNE

COUNTY, WHICH INCLUDES DETROIT, IS HALF REPUBLICAN, HALF

DEMOCRAT, TO MAKE IT NON-PARTISAN.

BUT LAST NIGHT, THE TWO REPUBLICANS REFUSED TO CERTIFY

THE RESULTS, AND THE BOARD ENDED UP DEADLOCKED 2-2.

OH, WHAT A TO-DO TO TRY TODAY TO DEADLOCK 2-2, A THING DISTINCTLY

HARD TO SAY BUT HARDER STILL TO DO.

( CLEARS THROAT ) SOREY, I'M ALL WARMED UP.

HERE'S WHAT HAPPENED.

THE TWO REPUBLICANS CLAIMED TO BE CONCERNED THAT IN DETROIT,

THERE WERE MINOR DISCREPANCIES, IN WHICH THE NUMBER OF VOTES

CAST DID NOT MATCH THE NUMBER OF VOTERS LISTED AS HAVING SHOWN UP

TO VOTE.

THIS IS SOMETHING THAT HAPPENS EVERYWHERE.

SO IT'S OUTRAGEOUS THAT THE REPUBLICAN CHAIR SAID SHE WOULD

BE OPEN TO CERTIFYING THE VOTE IN "COMMUNITIES OTHER THAN

DETROIT."

OH, HELL, NO!

YOU CAN'T DISENFRANCHISE MOTOWN!

EACH ONE OF THOSE VOTES WAS "SIGNED, SEALED, DELIVERED."

YOU CAN'T TURN OUR DEMOCRATIC PROCESS INTO A "BALL OF

CONFUSION" JUST TO APPEASE THE "TEARS OF A CLOWN."

I COULD GO ON.

UPHE'S TELLING ME NOT TO.

WHATEVER THE REASON-- RACISM WAS THE REASON-- THE PRESIDENT'S

TEAM WAS THRILLED, ESPECIALLY CAMPAIGN LEGAL ADVISER AND WOMAN

TELLING YOU YOU'LL NEVER LEAVE THIS TIME-SHARE SEMINAR ALIVE,

JENNA ELLIS.

SHE TWEETED, "BREAKING: THIS EVENING, THE COUNTY BOARD OF

CANVASSERS IN WAYNE COUNTY, MICHIGAN, REFUSED TO CERTIFY THE

ELECTION RESULTS.

IF THE STATE BOARD FOLLOWS SUIT, THE REPUBLICAN STATE LEGISLATOR

WILL SELECT THE ELECTORS."

DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS YOUR FIRST COUP D'ETAT, BUT YOU'RE KIND OF

GIVING AWAY THE GAME THERE, JENNA.

AND AS LONG AS YOU'RE WRITING FASCIST FAN FICTION, WHY NOT

JUST GO FOR IT: "THEN THE TANKS WILL ROLL THROUGH THE STREETS,

AND WE WILL ARREST EVERYONE WITH AN "I VOTED" STICKER AND CHANGE

THE NATIONAL ANTHEM TO 'Y.M.C.A.,' BUT THIS TIME, THE

VILLAGE PEOPLE IS ALL COPS."

THE PRESIDENT WAS ALSO THRILLED WITH THE FALL OF DEMOCRACY,

TWEETING, "WOW!

MICHIGAN JUST REFUSED TO CERTIFY THE ELECTION RESULTS!

HAVING COURAGE IS A BEAUTIFUL THING.

THE U.S.A. STANDS PROUD!" JUST ONE PROBLEM WITH THE

PRESIDENT'S PREMATURE CELEBRATION: THE PRESIDENT

TWEETED THOSE WORDS AT THE EXACT MOMENT THE TWO REPUBLICANS ON

THE BOARD DECIDED THEY DIDN'T WANT PEOPLE POOPING ON THEIR

FRONT LAWN FOR THE REST OF THEIR LIVES AND AGREED TO CERTIFY THE

RESULTS.

THE PRESIDENT'S TWEET IS LIKE THAT MOMENT HALFWAY THROUGH

"STAR WARS" WHEN DARTH VADER SAYS THIS:

>> YAVIN 4 HAD IT COMING.

BIG WIN FOR THE EMPIRE.

HAVING COURAGE IS A BEAUTIFUL THING.

THE DEATH STAR STANDS PROUD.

( EXPLOSION ) OOPS!

>> Stephen: KIND OF CUTE WHEN HE DOES IT.

SO WHY DID THE REPUBLICANS BACK DOWN?

WELL, TURNS OUT, VOTERS AREN'T THAT KEEN ON HAVING THEIR VOTES

THROWN OUT.

AND AFTER NEWS OF THE DEADLOCK GOT OUT, THE BOARD HELD A

MEETING FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS, AND REQUESTS TO JOIN THE ZOOM CALL

QUICKLY WENT BEYOND CAPACITY.

YOU KNOW SOMETHING IS TERRIBLY WRONG WHEN PEOPLE VOLUNTARILY

JOIN A ZOOM CALL.

NOW, THE TWO REPUBLICANS IN QUESTION ARE WAYNE COUNTY

CANVASSING BOARD MEMBER AND HOTTEST GUY ON farmersonly.com,

WILL HARTMANN; AND FELLOW BOARD MEMBER AND WOMAN SINGING ALL THE

WORDS TO "GOLDDIGGER" AT THE KENTUCKY DERBY'S KARAOKE NIGHT,

MONICA PALMER.

TURNS OUT, THE PUBLIC WAS NOT SHY ABOUT LETTING THEM HAVE IT

PERSONALLY, ESPECIALLY THIS GUY: >> I JUST WANT TO LET YOU KNOW

THAT THE TRUMP STINK, THE STAIN OF RACISM THAT YOU, WILLIAM

HARTMAN AND MONICA PALMER, HAVE JUST COVERED YOURSELF IN IS

GOING TO FOLLOW YOU THROUGHOUT HISTORY.

MONICA PALMER AND WILLIAM HARTMAN WILL FOREVER BE KNOWN IN

SOUTHEASTERN MICHIGAN AS TWO RACISTS.

THE LAW ISN'T ON YOUR SIDE, HISTORY WON'T BE ON YOUR SIDE.

YOUR CONSCIENCE WILL NOT BE ON YOUR SIDE.

AND, LORD KNOWS, WHEN YOU GO TO MEET YOUR MAKER, YOUR SOUL IS

GOING TO BE VERY, VERY WARM.

>> THANK YOU.

>> Stephen: "WELL, THANK YOU FOR TELLING ME I'LL BE SPENDING

ETERNITY BURNING ON A LAKE OF FIRE.

I'LL PACK SOMETHING LIGHT.

OH, YOU ALSO SAY I CAN GO PLEASURE MYSELF?

AGAIN, THANK YOU.

IT WOULD BE CONSENSUAL."

AFTER THREE HOURS OF BEING PELTED WITH ROCKS AND GARBAGE,

THE MEETING WENT ON MUTE FOR FIVE MINUTES, AND WHEN IT CAME

BACK ON, HARTMAN INFORMED THE CROWD THAT THEY HAD JUST VOTED

UNANIMOUSLY TO CERTIFY THE RESULTS.

SO THAT'S IT?

THAT'S ALL IT TOOK?

IT'S THAT EASY TO STOP YOUR DEVIOUS PLAN?

FOR PETE'S SAKE, IF ALL FASCISTS WERE THAT WEAK, WE COULD HAVE

AVOIDED WORLD WAR II WITH ONE PROPAGANDA POSTER!

"HEY, HITLER, IS THAT A MUSTACHE, OR HAVE YOU BEEN

KISSING MUSSOLINI'S ASS?" THINGS ARE ALSO GOING POORLY--

YOU'RE SHAKE YOUR HEAD ON THAT ONE.

DID I GO TOO FAR?

DO YOU THINK I HURT HITLER'S FEELINGS WITH THAT ONE?

THINGS ARE ALSO GOING POORLY FOR THE PRESIDENT IN PENNSYLVANIA.

THE STATE SUPREME COURT DID NOT BELIEVE THEIR LIE THAT THEY

WERE NOT ALLOWED POLL WATCHERS, WHICH WAS QUITE A BLOW FOR THE

PRESIDENT'S LAWYER RUDY GIULIANI, SEEN HERE PUTTING AIR

QUOTES AROUND THE WORD "LAWYER."

YESTERDAY, RUDY WAS MAKING THE SAME MAKE-UP OBSERVER ARGUMENT

IN FEDERAL COURT ON THE OTHER SIDE OF PENNSYLVANIA, WHEN HE

GOT TAKEN DOWN BY HIS OLD NEMESIS: WORDS.

BECAUSE AS HE WAS READING HIS OWN TEAM'S COMPLAINT TO THE

JUDGE, HE SAID, "I'M NOT QUITE SURE I KNOW WHAT 'OPACITY'

MEANS.

IT PROBABLY MEANS YOU CAN SEE, RIGHT?"

TO WHICH THE JUDGE SAID, "IT MEANS YOU CAN'T."

TO WHICH RUDY SAID, "BIG WORDS, YOUR HONOR."

TO WHICH THE JUDGE SAID, "YOU ARE AN IMBECILE," TO WHICH RUDY

SAID, "WRONG, YOUR HONOR!

I'M AN ITALIAN."

IN ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF CLOSING THE BARN DOOR AFTER THE COWS