Colbert calls out ‘idiot’ Kennedy for Boulder remarks

Late-night  host Stephen Colbert on Tuesday blasted Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) following comments he made about the mass shooting in Boulder, Colo., this week. 

“I don’t believe we have a gun control problem in America,” Kennedy said on Tuesday. “I believe we have an idiot control problem.”

On his show, Colbert said it is Kennedy who is the “idiot.” 

“So when idiots like John Kennedy refuse to do anything about getting rid of idiots’ guns,” Colbert said. “It’s clearly time to get rid of idiots like John Kennedy. And that means voting them out.”

In separate remarks this week, Kennedy compared mass shootings to drunk driving incidents and dismissed cries from activists and lawmakers for Congress to pass meaningful gun reform legislation. 

“We have a lot of drunk drivers in America that killed a lot of people,” Kennedy said. “We ought to try to combat that, too. But I think what many folks on my side of the aisle are saying is that the answer is not to get rid of all sober drivers. The answer is to concentrate on the problem.”

Colbert mocked Kennedy’s comparison, joking he agreed with the senator from Louisiana. 

“I’ll take that deal,” Colbert said. “Let’s regulate guns the way we regulate alcohol and cars. You gotta be 21, ya gotta pass a test and get a license, you gotta have registration and insurance for your gun. And if you move to a new state, you’ve gotta do the whole damn thing over again and you can’t go out loaded.” 

The late-night talk show host also took a dig at newly elected Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) after she tweeted “random public shootings and senseless acts of violence are never OK.” 

“Where does she find the courage?” Colbert said. “Senseless acts of violence are never okay. Implying, of course, that intentional violence is fine.”

“You know, like the kind her buddies plan on Parler,” Colbert added in a reference to the riot at the Capitol in January.