You weren’t watching the wrong channel Tuesday night when you tuned in the Tonight Show and saw Stephen Colbert writing a joke about President Trump.
After President Trump criticized Jimmy Fallon and Colbert during a rally in South Carolina Monday, the late night stars got together to air a cold open that aired on both shows. They were joined by Conan O’Brien of TBS, who played oblivious to the fact that “that real estate guy” who sells steaks had become president.
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In the bit, Fallon makes a video call to Colbert. They commiserate over being called a “lost soul” and low life” by the president and being accused of having no talent.
“I heard he said some pretty bad stuff about us,” Fallon said. “That doesn’t sound like him,” Colbert replied. “That’s not right. That’s Conan.” Colbert then conferenced O’Brien onto the call.
The sketch ended with Colbert and Fallon agreeing to have lunch at The Red Hen, the restaurant where Trump press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders was asked to leave by the owner.
Tonight Show producer Mike DiCenzo tweeted that having the same open on both shows might be a late night first.
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Later, on Colbert’s show, he noted that Trump praised former Tonight Show host Johnny Carson as being funny. Colbert agreed and pulled up a clip in which Carson joked about Gennifer Flowers, President Clinton’s accuser, getting a new job as Donald Trump’s “backup mistress.”
Colbert’s viewership has surpassed Fallon’s in part because Colbert has been a tough critic of Trump which Fallon famously tousled Trump’s hair during a Tonight Show appearance just before the election.
Last week, in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Fallon said that the Trump appearance left him depressed because it appeared to normalize the Republican candidate, leaving some fans and show staffers angry at him.
“You go, ‘Alright, we get it. I heard you. You made me feel bad. So now what? Are you happy? I’m depressed,” he said. “It’s all in fun on the show. I made a mistake. I’m sorry if I made anyone mad and looking back, I would do it differently.”
After the interview appeared, Trump tweeted that Fallon had messed up his hair and gotten great ratings. “Be a man Jimmy!,” the president said.
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“Shouldn’t he have more important things to do,” Fallon responded on Monday‘s show.
Fallon also made a donation to the Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services in Trump’s name.
