Mike Pence and Kamala Harris gave it their all during Wednesday night’s VP debate, but it was someone else — or something else — entirely that stole the show. Towards the end of the debate, a large fly made itself at home atop Pence’s head, and viewers proceeded to have a field day on Twitter. Even The Late Show host Stephen Colbert got in on the fun when he joked that the fly on Pence’s head is his only “Black friend.” Added Colbert, “He’s so full of crap he’s attracting flies!”
“Now, Senator Harris landed some blows, Mike Pence dodged and parried, but ultimately, it was a Vice Presidential debate, and there’s a limit to just how interesting — oh my god, look at his hair!” said Colbert, as footage of the fly on Pence’s head flashed onscreen. “God bless you, fly. I guess the plexiglass wasn’t high enough.”
“Listen, all jokes aside, thoughts and prayers to that fly’s family,” he continued. “It’s got to quarantine for two weeks now. We’ve got to get that fly to Walter Reed.”
The fly stubbornly remained on Pence’s head throughout a series of questions, which proved immensely distracting to Colbert. “Minutes later, they were talking about a very important issue, but I missed the whole thing because the fly was still on Mike Pence’s head!” he said. “And it stayed there for over two minutes! Two minutes! Meaning that fly has a longer attention span than the president of the United States!”
Colbert concluded his fly-themed monologue by reminding viewers that earlier in the evening, Pence “denied that Trump is a white supremacist” by pointing out that he has Jewish grandchildren. “And furthermore, Susan,” said the late night host, putting on a Pence voice, “I want to point out that I have a Black friend. By which I mean, this fly on my head.”
Watch Stephen Colbert praise Mike Pence’s fly friend at the 7:20 mark above.
