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Stephen Colbert – The Late Show YouTube<\/p>\n
Stephen Colbert<\/a> turned the tables on Donald Trump<\/a> on Thursday\u2019s (February 26) edition of The Late Show<\/a> by poking fun at the president\u2019s State of the Union ratings.<\/a><\/p>\n According to Nielsen figures, Trump\u2019s record-breaking 108-minute speech on Tuesday (February 24) averaged 32.6 million viewers, an 11 percent decrease from the 36.6 million who watched his address last year. Colbert was quick to point this out while celebrating his own show\u2019s ratings compared to last year\u2019s.<\/p>\n \u201cThe Nielsen ratings for his speech are in, and Trump\u2019s talk-a-thon saw an 11 percent decrease from last year,\u201d the late-night host said during Thursday\u2019s opening monologue. \u201cDonald Trump is really dragging down broadcast television. I mean, if I were CBS, I\u2019d cancel him.\u201d<\/p>\n Last July, CBS announced it was canceling The Late Show<\/a>, citing financial reasons. The show\u2019s final episode is set to air in May. At the time, Trump celebrated the cancelation,<\/a> writing on Truth Social, \u201cI absolutely love that Colbert got fired. His talent was even less than his ratings.\u201d<\/p>\n Colbert returned fire on Thursday night, saying, \u201cBut you know, linear television is doomed, and everyone\u2019s ratings are going down, right? I\u2019m sorry, what\u2019s that? Our ratings were up 7 percent?!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOver the same last year? So last year\u2019s and this year\u2019s? I\u2019m up 7 percent? Holy cow!\u201d he continued as the studio audience chanted his name.<\/p>\n He added, \u201cYou know what I think is going on? People may not like watching Trump, but they do like watching me not like watching Trump.\u201d<\/p>\n Colbert also compared Trump\u2019s SOTU ratings to the recent Super Bowl<\/a>, which averaged 125.6 million viewers<\/a>. \u201cI think Trump could have saved the whole thing with a blockbuster halftime show featuring Bad Bernie,\u201d he quipped while showing a mock-up photo of Bernie Sanders<\/a> dressed as Bad Bunny.<\/p>\n Earlier in his monologue, Colbert said, \u201cAllow me to take a moment here to just jam a Capri-Sun straw into your spinal fluid and suck out some of your life force, because I\u2019m still dragging ass and spitting out teeth after Trump\u2019s record-breaking 108-minute-long State of the Union on Tuesday.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI could barely get through it. How did he stay awake that long?\u201d the comedian asked before cutting to a clip of Trump\u2019s address where the president said, \u201cI took prescription drugs.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cRefreshing honesty,\u201d Colbert quipped.<\/p>\n You can watch Colbert\u2019s full opening monologue in the video above and let us know your thoughts below.<\/p>\n The Late Show With Stephen Colbert, Weeknights, 11:35\/10:35c, CBS<\/p>\n