Matt Taibbi Finds Trump's Presidency Both Hilarious and Horrifying

Matt Taibbi explains how he went from covering the presidential election as a comedy, for his book Insane Clown President: Dispatches from the 2016 Circus, to writing a tragedy.
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Matt Taibbi Finds Trump's Presidency Both Hilarious and Horrifying- Late Night with Seth Meyers
• Matt Taibbi Finds Trum...
Late Night with Seth Meyers
/ latenightseth

[@Bill-cy2cy]

Here because of his tweet thread tonight. He’s new to me. Lot to look into.

[@Rielestkid]

THANK YOU SETH for having this legendary writer on your show. Matt Taibbi is the real MVP

[@longfinger]

Do you still think so? Just wondering...

[@mn-ru4li]

Fast forward to 2022.... and... no

[@stub2022]

I'm wondering why we're not seeing a lot more of Taibbi on TV lately. He's one of the best investigative journalists out there.

[@BenReillySpydr1962]

.... You know why

[@rckrckrckrck]

He calls out the status quo too much. On both sides. Not exactly media friendly.

[@grapentine739]

You can find hin on jimmy dore a lot

[@longfinger]

I know exactly why..

[@billn2348]

Because like Two Face he lived long enough to see himself become the villain. The writer of Griftopia became a Tulsi Gabbard-esque grifter.

[@Bonobo3D]

Such a revealing and hilariously funny book. Matt Taibbi is a brilliant journalist!

[@TheJapanChannelDcom]

"Hilarious and horrifying" sums it up well.

[@alextownsend4706]

TheJapanChannelDcom Perfect description. Great book I couldn't put it down.

[@menni2006]

I told my best mate last year: Trump wont be president. Americans are smart. Democracy, free speech and liberty defines america. I will never forget how wrong i was. Greetings and my condolences from Germany.

[@jaydavids6485]

damba damba - never underestimate the gullibility of Americans... and that goes for the left and the right. Like Carlin says: the politicians only reflect the people.

[@oltedders]

damba damba Trump is in office because of election fraud. 7 million votes purged from the election totals in 20 states. We didn't elect him. Republican "voter fraud " laws put him in office..

[@menni2006]

Im not lying. In germany our police releases a report at the end of every year. Police Crime Statistics. Pks called here. Immigrants are much less involved in sexually oriented crimes. Its FACTS. I know not a thing anymore in america.

[@josephnash7537]

damba damba only speak of things you have knowledge about. America is a democracy that chose Donald Trump. Donald Trump is for America. Hillary Clinton was in it for herself,and wanted to give America's money to the rest of the world. America is the greatest Nation in the world, the only true Nation with freedom. America has brought peace to the world, healthcare,and bailed out every nation, that it's helped. and everyone hates America. because America is good, and evil hates good.

[@menni2006]

Its useless talking with trump voters. They live in their own World where everything is covored up and kept secret. Start using your god given brain. It doesnt hurt.

[@tegridyfarms9972]

Matt Taibbi is one of my favorite journalists. He continues to do great work!

[@gaBehcuoDsuoitneterP]

How do you feel about him now?

[@CommonSenseWarrior37]

@@gaBehcuoDsuoitneterP How should he feel? He exposed Twitter propaganda.

[@MrSteveyjj]

Seth keeps impressing me with these interviews. Great job!

[@beamarie8041]

Everyone's saying condolences to America so from France truly, condolences america. Bonne Chance!

[@fatchants]

Master of the Burn Bon Chants? Bon Belle, Cheese-is Christ, "give Chants a piece"

[@beamarie8041]

Fat Chants® wtf nobody gets what ur saying

[@ThePayola123]

Master of the Burn Thank you and try not to repeat our mistake by voting in MLP.

[@michmash7888]

Merci! (And, please lord, Mercy!) Keep Europe awesome for us...the next wave of refugees....

[@BoopBoop508]

dont worry heard you got a women who is similar to trump thats going to take office

[@kimihuff7645]

Both hilarious and horrifying.Just as I think of the Press.

[@juandeldiablo696]

Trump is a perfect example why electoral vote has to go

[@romulus_]

or why half of the country needs to think critically before entering a voting booth

[@juandeldiablo696]

Romulus Deadphone 😒😒😒I am going to go with getting rid off electoral vote

[@FranschK]

juandeldiablo696 better yet build a time machine and go back to 1787 and you convince our founder fathers to why the electoral college us bad for our nation.

[@chucknorify17]

juandeldiablo696 The electoral college has an important role in our country. It helps weight the vote to balance out the viewpoints of this country. However, it is flawed. Should we get rid of it? No. What we should do, is change it from our current winner-takes-all method to a much better version I've dubbed the Popular College. Every state keeps their electoral votes, but they are divided up by that state's popular vote. That way, everyone has a voice, and the coasts don't decide who our president is.

[@maybebabyny]

chucknorify17 This is exactly the change that should occur.

[@vino140]

Taibbi: Only pol reporter with a brain ! He should be on more often--.

[@terryflaboy4209]

How about now

[@Cinqmil]

People should realise that laughing with fascist leaders don't stop those leaders. Charlie Chaplin's funny movie "The Great Dictator" came out in 1940. It didn't stop Hitler destroying the world. You'd think we'd learn.

[@JoshSweetvale]

Marcus Aurelius Good faith? What is good faith?

[@bancoran]

Cinqmil To be fair, in 1940 the Nazis were seen as a funny little movement with a jackass at its head. Nobody knew what they were doing to the Jews and other minorities until the Allies liberated the camps. Chaplin was horrified and later said if he had known about the killings he would have never made "The Great Dictator."

[@extrams0]

+bancoran In 1939 with Germany (the nazi's) invading Poland and in in the first half of 1940 Denmark, Norway, France, the Netherlands, Belgium & Luxenbourg, were up; and the Battle of Brittain started. "People in 1940 who saw the Nazis as a funny little movement" ... were idiots.

[@bancoran]

extrams0 Then let me correct that. Nobody in America saw the Nazis as a threat, least of all Hollywood. The Poles of course would have a different view on tge matter. Thank you for pointing out my oversight.

[@Sadin15]

His new book is really good. You'll find yourself laughing but then you'll also feel despair at this absurd reality

[@NewMessage]

It's all fun and games until someone looses an election... and then there's just a lot of screaming into pillows.

[@pumpernickelplace]

His podcast "Useful Idiots" with Katie Halper is very much worth checking out!

[@AAwildeone]

Can I have Matt Taibi for Christmas? Honestly one of the best hard-working reporters out there, and he still has time to look this good...and probably so humble that he wouldn't even agree that he's practically perfect...

[@terryflaboy4209]

You still think that

[@eemoogee160]

@Terry Fla Boy 420 yeah, he's still awesome

[@akabaker98]

Well put.

[@djben1977]

I am glad to hear this reasoning. I have been feeling like this. I feel guilty finding hilarity in all this, but at the same time I am horrified.

[@Micklemoose]

My feelings exactly.

[@frankmaitland2569]

Matt is the last real Journalist working

[@libertyliam]

I doubt Seth will have Matt back anytime soon since he’s a real journalist

[@seekfunk3536]

this is exactly how I look at Trump presidency, both funny and horrifying at the same time.

[@Oppenheimer30]

Jar Jar Binks Is a Sith Lord !! Were going to see him again in the new Star Wars Film !! Lucas was on to Something !!!

[@Orf]

0:35 “you have to have a strategy for covering any candidate”

[@tomitstube]

at some point the laughter will become reality.

[@ZOMBIEZAHNpakuto]

I'm Austrian and after 12 years of school history lessons mainly focusing on WW2 and totalitarian regimes it's more than horrifying to watch the US falling for the same platitudes and rethoric the likes of Hitler couldn't have done better. Let's hope history does not repeat itself this time.

[@JohnBdog]

Would love to have Matt critique this clip today. Guessing it would be a little more sober or even humbling.

[@mrnoobssayshi]

First? Seriously though, Trump is crazy.

[@rasenthemoose]

how?

[@rasenthemoose]

I mean to be honest, all politicians are in some shape or form, are "crazy".

[@akabaker98]

mrnoobssayshi There is a fine line between crazy and stupid...

[@jenniferc.2075]

What he's threatening to do in Chicago is tantamount to Marshall Law.

[@therrydicule]

Jennifer Car And Chicago is not even scary. The murder rate was higher in the 1980s, and even there it's nothing compared to Acapulco for instance - or even St.Louis or Baltimore are not that bad compared to Acapulco. To me, it's FUD with consequences.

[@jasonbourney3869]

i feel you America, we all feel your pain. Condolences from Saudi Arabia...yes from Saudi Arabia ☺ ربنا معاكم - god be with you

[@jonathonbelmonte5752]

Have him on now!!!

[@socrattt]

What an informative guy.

[@rebeccamiller7496]

Glanced at the thumbnail and thought it was Billy Zane. It's alright, though. I'll still watch.

[@bingbong3028]

i thought i was the only one thinking this

[@uradragon7823]

Why is the screen black, there is nothing showing, I've got audio but no video

[@XxXxx-hp9yj]

yep its horrifying.

[@dianeowen5258]

I agree about the bubble thinking. A friend from U?SA visited us in Canada this summer. He was a trump supporter. Stepping outside his normal environment and viewing things from a new perspective gave him fresh insight. He was no longer able to vote for Comrade Agent Orange.

[@zachhoward9099]

Yeah but the thing is Biden and Company are only superficially better, they’re just as terrible people but they put on a ‘nicer’ face to the establishment they represent

[@jasperfitzsimmons4371]

I’ll take “hilarious and horrifying” over watching Biden currently send this country into a nosedive any day of the week.

[@HTHAMMACK1]

Biden rescused the country you idiot from a corrupt fascist.

[@swanpride]

No matter what, the press is partly responsible for this mess. They could have solved a lot if they had ensured that everytime the report something nonsensical about Trump, they would have presented Hillary's position towards the same issue. Ie whenever he made a big deal around her meeting with Goldmann-Sachs, they should have pointed out what her actions and positions concerning the finance sector actually are.

[@MsGrapeNehi]

I'm so glad I never heard Ted Cruz doing impressions from The Princess Bride. I don't need the GOP to ruin another thing I love.

[@blueturtle1813]

neverending respect for this man

[@patriciakedeni]

i'll buy his book

[@Whambamnoname]

I thought this was pitbull in the thumbnail

[@markcollins2704]

It's amazing how everyone in these comments and on this show now HATE Matt Taibi.

[@thelords3394]

I was against Trump nominations but I am enjoying every moment of it I can't stop laughing, don't get me wrong the guy is crazy but he's the president we can't do anything about it.

[@lucygirl4926]

If Trumpet happened to see this clip, he'd probably think Seth and his guest are complimenting and applauding him...

[@NZchannel_yt]

0:09 Seth - Are you still going back and forth? Matt - Yeah, no.

[@paulcasino1]

hes the only journalist

[@maxwaxman8769]

He looks like the guy in men in black who asks his wife for sugar.

[@candycrush5706]

Sam , I believe in freedom of speech , so have a nice life and if anybody reading this gets to meet Trevor Noah please give him a big hug from South Africa we love him.

[@FranschK]

Wendy Vlogs please take that guy back, nobody wants him here

[@sunshinebutterfliesandrose1003]

fran ladis Are you crazy ? Everybody wants him here.

[@candycrush5706]

You should really listen to him jokes aside he tells it as it is.

[@ijeleo92]

Why does he look and talk like the bug guy from Men in Black?

[@patrisha3]

He has an excellent point. when you are inclosed in the bubble you start to believe the ideas of STALKHOLME SYNDROME.

[@rorybroesder]

Trumps first week was on point 👌

[@moedance2001]

Or the press should NOT follow some bullshit campaign and should instead, focus on legit debates and discussions...like what bernie tried to do. I still feel the Bern!

[@dianeowen5258]

Please check out Keith Olbermann's youtube video Media Response to Trump

[@Oppenheimer30]

SNOKES IS KYLO rENS gREAT GRANDMOTHER !!!

[@balkanhistrian2883]

The Russian did it, it's the Russian

[@sunshinebutterfliesandrose1003]

Balkan Histrian Russians AND racism.

[@quantumeseboy]

I'm not laughing.

[@shey2444]

Its really important that the media now steps up, to headline all donald duck's lies. "Evil prospers when good men (and women) do nothing.

[@Marina28ish]

I am not sure if it was a strategy of Trump to be in the news all the time or if he just thought let's try it and for some it reason it worked. I do hope the media will stick to do their research, because the only way you get Trump in the long way is with evidence and that is a weakness of his cabinet picks.

[@komarkko1]

To comment on Trump's presidency, just... ugh

[@tedspang1945]

This is the face of independent news now? Same as the old boss....

[@mmb811]

Seriously though, it was hilarious and funny, but the joke is over, time to impeach Trump before he does real damage !

[@adamblake4886]

...

[@morgancooper587]

Yo Q

[@preasail]

God bless Trump and the Gambino Crime Family he represents.

[@TCt83067695]

he hasnt been back ever since

[@fazchow4679]

Why isn't Fouseytube Vlogging? Can you tell him to start VLOGGING pls.

[@bungalobill7941]

Who is this goofy twad that looks like an extra from One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest??

[@waltermontiel4405]

Bungalo Bill The best journalist in America.

[@bungalobill7941]

Walter Montiel Tell him McMurphy said he was late for the bus.

[@trimanlast]

Why is Matt Taibbi taken seriously by so many people? This man is clueless about the problems of this country. I have not heard him address any policy issue in a rational fashion. Does he believe Barack Obama's presidency was not horrifying?

[@eastportland]

Mhm, Trump was the top story more times that anyone else, for the past 18 months, right?

[@hollyb6885]

Trump is a reality tv star but not fit to be POTUS. Whose next? Kim kardashian?

[@AbnormalWrench]

Don't give her any ideas.

[@hollyb6885]

Abnormal wrench: you're right I shouldn't give her any ideas because a large faction of our voters are too stupid to know the difference between a reality show con man and someone fit to be POTUS. So Kim could get elected

[@bees5461]

i hate to say it, but she might be better. At least she isn't sowing hatred.

[@vitalenag3620]

@@bees5461 but she showed bunch of other things that is not adequate

[@terryflaboy4209]

So this democrat was the master of the Twitter files..

[@idicula1979]

You can not Trump all you want, and I will join that choir. But one thing they chose her over Hillary which I'm sure is a lovely woman but the American people (when broken down into separate regions which is what the electoral college is) just ain't that into her.

[@sunshinebee3040]

is this comedy

[@MONICAANICA]

does somebody remember that Trump did not need financial support or to be sponsored. of course he was able to do and say everything because he had the money to do just so

[@IceColdProfessional]

Trump's humor is very disarming. He's so damned persuasive but he's also an egomaniac and he's making moves quickly. Why? He can't keep up this veil of distracting lies and disarming comedy forever.

[@acaggs105]

lol Seth needs to realize that his nightly anti Trump rhetoric helped get him elected. Enjoy your bubble!

[@danbee6103]

Never even heard of Donald DUMP until he spewed enough slander, even BP oil spill didnt gain as much attention.

[@jaquinhamdan3943]

S

[@JohnJohnson-mh2dc]

Matt Taibbi = Leonard "Gomer Pyle" Lawrence from Full Metal Jacket...

[@colinsilver1041]

You know he would have lost against Obama, right? Trump is a charismatic buffoon, but an equally charismatic knowledgeable person would continually embarrass him. Hillary was just so damn boring, and not witty at all. Ugh.

[@lindzay5359]

"Pokemon Go.. to the polls" you telling me that wasn't a good joke?

[@colinsilver1041]

Lin Dzay Bad joke. Very bad joke. Sad!

[@benjaminaragon5502]

Who are these guys?

[@Gammagamming]

Man this video did not age well now did it

[@adicohen9309]

Wew two unfunny people :)

[@montinaladine3264]

Now I'm watching this almost 3 years later, in Dec 2019. I'd like to see this guy say the same things now. He was clever then, now he is just a fool.

[@David-gj9qr]

Montina Ladine nope, still right. Even more right now

[@David-gj9qr]

Montina Ladine Trump’s presidency is still hilarious and still terrifying

[@We_Reddit]

The Trump presidency is our generation's equivalent of the Cuban missile crisis. Except that, with his presidency, half of the nation potentially welcomes total annihilation (or has no clue about it in the first place to know any better). #sad

[@agario_anemone9593]

First of all during the Cuban Missile Crisis, JFK one of our best presidents was currently in office. And he did a great job of communicating, and informing the people of the situation. Most democrats have no idea what's good for the country

[@danielaberlin]

In 2020 nothing of this is funny anymore unfortunately 🤦🏻‍♀️

[@loathsomebear4655]

Fake news

[@farcamp]

Seth Meyer and his guests are clowns. Not the good kind. Wait…there is no good kind of clown. So, yeah…they’re clowns.

[@HTHAMMACK1]

Matt has become a grifter for the right wing.