‘After four years, Americans can exhale’: Stephen Colbert toasts Joe Biden’s win with champagne

‘It feels like America is… what’s the word? Great again’

Stephen Colbert toasted Joe Biden’s win with champagne during his first show since the 2020 presidential election was officially called for the Democrat.

The host began Monday’s episode by pouring two glasses of champagne – one for himself and the other for his wife, Evie McGee-Colbert.

Despite hosting the programme from home instead of his usual studio due to the coronavirus pandemic, Colbert fired a T-shirt canon, announcing: “After four years, Americans can exhale. Unless you’re near other people, then please don’t, because of the pandemic.”

He reflected on the celebrations that took place in streets across the US following Biden’s win on Saturday, musing: “It feels like America is… what’s the word? Great again” – a reference to Trump’s 2016 campaign slogan, “Make America Great Again.”

Trevor Noah reflected on the “amazing weekend”, adding: “I know it was tough waiting four days to get the final results, but it’s actually cool that it happened on a Saturday morning, right? …Now people could soak it in.”

Noah also commented that “one guy found out on the golf course”, referring to Donald Trump’s activities that morning.

Jimmy Fallon, naturally, also opened his show by reflecting on Biden’s win, which he characterised as “the greatest unboxing video of all time”.

“You can tell things are already getting back to normal,” Fallon, who films in New York City, said. “This morning on my way to work I saw two New Yorkers give each other finger and it had nothing to do with politics. Isn’t that great? So sweet.”

Jimmy Kimmel joined the chorus, quipping: “It took almost the whole four years, but Donald Trump finally got a massive crowd to cheer him outside the White House” – a nod to Biden/Harris supporters who gathered in Washington, DC to celebrate the Democrats’ win.

“People were dancing in the streets like Ewoks after they blew up the Death Star,” he added, referencing the Star Wars universe. “Darth Tax Evader has been toppled, and America responded with a dance party.”