Colbert’s Former Writers Launch Podcast to Roast Trump

When the lights went down on The Late Show’s final episode in May, the writers didn’t exactly fade into the night. Instead, Emmy‑winning comedians Eliana Kwartler, Michael Cruz Kayne, Asher Perlman and Steve Waltien packed their punchlines into a microphone and birthed the “Jokes on News” podcast.

“If you love watching late‑night TV and want a good laugh about the absurdities happening out there,” Kwartler says in the show’s intro, “or if you just want news from three guys and a baby‑like vibe, you’re in the right place.” It’s a half‑serious, half‑joking invitation that sets the tone for each episode – a mix of current‑affairs commentary and the kind of rib‑tickling sarcasm you’d expect from a former writers’ room.

The debut episode zeroed in on Donald Trump’s makeshift “Republican Midterm Convention” in Dallas on Sept. 9‑10. Trump billed the gathering as a triumph, even though the hall was dotted with empty seats, a sparse Republican lineup and a roster that raised more eyebrows than applause.

“Two nights before Thanksgiving, Trump called Speaker Mike Johnson and said, ‘We’ve got to do a midterm convention.’ Johnson replied, ‘That’s not a thing.’ Trump went, ‘Make it a thing,’” Kwartler recounted, dead‑pan. “And honestly, we all felt a little high on cousin‑garage ideas that weekend.” The joke landed because the absurdity was, well, real.

They didn’t stop at conventions. Perlman riffed on Trump’s backhanded endorsement of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, playing the clip where Trump mutters, “I don’t like the way Ken dresses… but you know what I do like? He was the greatest attorney general in the history of Texas.” “It’s like saying, ‘He’s stupid, he smells bad, and then—hey, he’s the best at something,’” Cruz Kayne added, eliciting laughter that was as much at Trump’s logic as at the political theater.

Waltien steered the conversation toward Trump’s recent construction projects in Washington, likening the president to a “guy from the private sector who thinks every problem can be solved with a concrete wall.” He imagined a scenario where Jimmy Carter arrived at the White House promising “the crunchiest, saltiest peanuts” for the nation – a satirical nod to the mismatch between expertise and ambition.

Each segment feels improvised, a little messy, and intentionally human. The hosts thank listeners with a casual, “We had the best time, and we know you did too,” before promising more jabs at the news next week. It’s clear they’ve swapped the studio’s bright lights for the intimacy of a podcast mic, but the sting of their jokes remains sharp.

Fans of late‑night comedy can now tune in weekly for “Jokes on News,” a reminder that satire doesn’t need a TV set to cut through the noise – a microphone and a willingness to call out absurdity, even when it’s coming from the former president himself.