Stephen Colbert reacts to online backlash over Trump jokes

Stephen Colbert responded Wednesday to the online backlash and #FireColbert internet campaign that cropped up after he made insult-laden jokes about President Trump.

Colbert will open his show Wednesday night by saying: ”Welcome to ‘The Late Show.’ I’m your host, Stephen Colbert. Still? I am still the host? I’m still the host!” according to an advance transcript provided to USA Today.

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Colbert slammed the president for abruptly walking out of an interview with CBS “Face the Nation” host John Dickerson after the reporter pressed Trump about his claims that former President Barack Obama wiretapped him during the presidential race. Both Colbert and Dickerson are CBS employees, as well as friends. 

“Now, if you saw my monologue Monday, you know that I was a little upset at Donald Trump for insulting a friend of mine,” Colbert will say Wednesday. “So at the end of that monologue, I had a few choice insults for the president in return. I don’t regret that. He, I believe, can take care of himself. I have jokes; he has the launch codes. So, it’s a fair fight.”

Colbert came under fire for his harsh rant, as well as for a comment many say is “homophobic.”

“Sir, you attract more skinheads than free Rogaine,” Colbert said in his Monday opening monologue. “You have more people marching against you than cancer. You talk like a sign language gorilla that got hit in the head. In fact, the only thing your mouth is good for is being Vladimir Putin’s c–k holster.”

While he did not directly apologize, he admits he could’ve used different wording to describe what the president’s mouth is good for, according to the Wednesday night transcript. 

“While I would do it again, I would change a few words that were cruder than they needed to be,” he said. “I’m not going to repeat the phrase, but I just want to say for the record, life is short, and anyone who expresses their love for another person, in their own way, is to me an American hero. I think we can all agree on that. I hope even the president and I can agree on that. Nothing else. But, that.”

According to USA Today, Colbert will welcome “The Big Bang Theory” actor Jim Parsons to his show and discuss the controversy.