In a holiday segment that veered wildly from jolly to jaw-dropping, Stephen Colbert’s “The Late Show” delivered what many are dubbing the most explosive late-night moment of the 2025 season. On December 16, 2025, during a seemingly light-hearted Christmas bit, actress Laura Benanti reprised her iconic impersonation of Melania Trump, storming the stage with an unfiltered rant that eviscerated yuletide traditions. What started as a festive setup quickly escalated into full-throttle satire, leaving Colbert momentarily speechless and the studio audience in hysterics as the clip rocketed across social media platforms.
Colbert, 61, the sharp-witted host known for his political skewerings since taking over the CBS late-night slot in 2015, introduced the sketch with his trademark enthusiasm, expecting a playful nod to Melania’s infamous holiday history. Benanti, embodying the former First Lady’s signature Slovenian accent and icy poise, entered to canned applause, dressed in a sleek black pantsuit reminiscent of Melania’s public appearances. But the facade crumbled instantly. “I couldn’t care less about the holidays,” the fake Melania declared, her delivery as cold as a winter gale. She proceeded to dismantle every cherished element of Christmas with ruthless precision: trees were dismissed as “fire hazards with glitter,” gifts as “obligatory bribes,” cookies as “sugar bombs for the weak,” and forced cheer as “a scam to sell more junk.”
The rant drew heavily from real-life fodder, harking back to Melania’s 2018 leaked audio where she vented frustration over White House decorations, famously snapping, “Who gives a f— about the Christmas stuff?” Benanti amplified this by unveiling a mock red ornament engraved with the quote, hawking it for an absurd “$99.99… ninety-nine,” and offering “rubble from the White House East Wing” as a stocking stuffer—a jab at Melania’s opulent, often criticized holiday setups during her husband’s first term. She even parodied Melania’s 2025 reading session at Children’s National Hospital in Washington, D.C., where the real Melania read “How Does Santa Go Down the Chimney?” to young patients. In the sketch, Benanti’s version interrupted with bizarre voiceover queries like, “Does Santa see in the dark? Does he wear night vision goggles?” turning a wholesome moment into absurd comedy.
The studio froze in stunned silence as Benanti’s Melania escalated, shredding a prop Christmas tree on stage and tossing fake gifts into the audience like discarded obligations. Colbert, usually quick with a quip, appeared genuinely floored, stammering before breaking into laughter. “That was… unexpected,” he managed, as the crowd erupted in applause and cheers, the energy shifting from shock to delight. The bit, captioned “How the FLOTUS Stole Christmas” on social media, captured the essence of Colbert’s style—blending timely political commentary with over-the-top humor.
This isn’t Benanti’s first rodeo; she’s portrayed Melania on the show multiple times since 2016, often highlighting the former model’s enigmatic public persona and her husband’s administration. The 2025 appearance comes amid heightened political tensions, with Donald Trump’s recent re-election fueling late-night fodder. Viewers online hailed it as “unhinged genius,” with clips amassing millions of views on YouTube and TikTok within days. Comments flooded in: “Finally, someone said it!” and “Melania’s real thoughts exposed—hilarious!” Critics noted how the sketch tapped into broader holiday fatigue, especially post-pandemic, where enforced merriment feels increasingly performative.
As the holiday season winds down on December 25, 2025, this segment underscores late-night TV’s role in puncturing power with laughter. Colbert’s show, averaging over 2 million viewers nightly, continues to thrive on such bold moves, proving satire remains a potent force. Whether Melania herself caught wind of it—rumors suggest she did, with no public response yet—the rant has cemented its place in holiday TV lore, reminding us that even Christmas isn’t safe from a good roast.
