Some days, CBS’s Stephen Colbert is so far out in left field that it can’t all fit in one article. Thursday’s edition of The Late Show was one such occasion. Before he lamented the state of the nation with Sen. Bernie Sanders and flirted with tropes about Jewish financial power, Colbert would rant about the GOP’s proposed budget, claiming they “can eat a bag of [bleep]” for their common sense SNAP reforms.
Colbert’s anger was built off false pretenses as he began, “Republicans are trying to give Trump a gift before his big birthday parade: A budget that would cut Medicaid to finance tax cuts for billionaires.”
While the article Colbert cited uses the weasel word “cut” many times, it also admits that what Republicans are doing is “an extension” of the 2017 tax law. Colbert’s dishonesty, however, was just getting started. Next, he omitted the key detail that the party’s Medicaid proposal includes a work requirement, “If this bill is passed, experts estimate that in the next ten years, 8.6 million fewer Americans will have health care coverage. I, for one, look forward to the pharmaceutical ads. ‘No healthcare? Ask your doctor about rubbing some dirt on it. Side effects include getting dirty and death.’"
Colbert then arrived at SNAP, “There's also gonna be cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or [snaps] Republicans have proposed limiting nutrition aid to only U.S. citizens and green card holders. Or, counterpoint, hear me out. What if we keep giving food to all the hungry children and to make up for that, Republicans can eat a [bleep]. How 'bout that?”
Amid raucous cheers from the audience, Colbert continued, “Will that work? Would that be okay?”
As the cheering died down, Colbert added, “You know what? You know what? You know what? In fact, let's be generous, they can eat a bag of [bleep].”
Colbert’s desire for the cathartic experience of telling Republicans to engage in certain sex acts left unanswered the question of why SNAP should be available for people other than citizens and permanent residents, because most people would view that as entirely reasonable.
Here is a transcript for the May 15 show:
CBS The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
5/15/2025
11:40 PM ET
STEPHEN COLBERT: Republicans are trying to give Trump a gift before his big birthday parade: A budget that would cut Medicaid to finance tax cuts for billionaires. If this bill is passed, experts estimate that in the next ten years, 8.6 million fewer Americans will have health care coverage. I, for one, look forward to the pharmaceutical ads. "No healthcare? Ask your doctor about rubbing some dirt on it. Side effects include getting dirty and death."
There's also gonna be cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or [snaps] Republicans have proposed limiting nutrition aid to only U.S. citizens and green card holders. Or, counterpoint, hear me out. What if we keep giving food to all the hungry children and to make up for that, Republicans can eat a [bleep]. How 'bout that?
Will that work? Would that be okay? You know what? You know what? You know what? In fact, let's be generous, they can eat a bag of [bleep].
