Keegan-Michael Key resurrects Luther, Obama's 'anger translator,' for Stephen Colbert

Keegan-Michael Key resurrects Luther, Obama's 'anger translator,' for Stephen Colbert

The news from Washington was the death of the Republican healthcare bill, and it was duly noted around the late-night dial.

On NBC's "Late Night," host Seth Meyers said Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell had announced that the new Republican strategy was to repeal and not replace the Affordable Care Act, "the same way we got rid of Obama without a good plan to replace him."

Jimmy Fallon, on "The Tonight Show," had more or less the same joke from a different angle: "Republicans said that they're just going to let Obamacare fail while they regroup and figure out a new plan and Democrats said, 'Hey, that's the same thing we're doing with Trump.'"

Passing a bill "was always a long shot," said "Late Show" host Stephen Colbert, "because the Republicans control only all three branches of government." He likened the proposal to repeal and not replace to "how when your car gets a flat tire, you remove the tire, then cut the brake cables and push the car into a crowd of uninsured old people."

Still, the biggest late-night news was the return of Luther, the "anger translator" for President Obama played by "Late Show" guest Keegan-Michael Key.

"There's something probably brewing up in Luther," said Key, when asked if we might get a another glimpse of him.

Colbert read a statement from Obama, published in June on Facebook, also regard ing the Republican healthcare bill: "If there's a chance you might get sick, get old, or start a family, this bill will do you harm."

Keys' eyes widened, as if he were possessed, and Luther broke it down.

He began with an incredulous squeak of a scream, as if six months of pent-up rage were finding its way into the world through a hairline crack.

"Come on, people! Trump Care? More Like Trump Don't Care. I'm talking about Don T Care Don't Care." He was on his feet by then, jumping in place.

"I fought for the ACA to help people! I also spent a full year in open bipartisan sessions and everybody had a say. All the Republicans! All the Democrats! So what y'all hidin? … Why would you do that? … Maybe because you don't want anyone to see that y'all just cooped up in a dungeon over a kettle just makin' a potion!"

He flapped his hands, he made stirring motions.

"Y'all goin' to kill some people," he continued, but "most of the folks in America want t his country to still have people living in it! I would say you people make me sick, but I can't afford that, 'cause I wouldn't have no damn insurance!"

Momentarily himself again, Key returned for a sip of tea. Colbert, asking if Luther were still there, offered another Obama quote, from a May meeting with Angela Merkel: "In this new world we live in, we can't isolate ourselves. We can't hide behind a wall."

Luther was back in the blink of an eye. "I spent eight years tearin' down walls. And this …. want to put them all up!"

He paced, grabbed the railing of the set's spiral staircase and did a kind of balletic kick. 

"Now he want to make the wall see through … so when people throw 60-pound bags of drugs over the wall, you can see it so you won't get hit on the head ...," Key, as Luther, said.

"I seen a lot of movies from the '80s, and I ain't never seen nobody die from no … hea d injury," he went on. "I mean, lelelelemme see now, lemme see. 'Scarface'? No. 'Less than Zero'? No. 'Cheech and Chong'? Drugs, yes. But head injuries â€" no, no and no!"

He did a backward somersault into a standing position.

"I'ma gonna tell you one last thing," Key as Luther concluded. "I thought I was on a forced retirement, y'all. But it look like Obama still need me. So I am back!"

قالب وردپرس

Tweet

Subscribe to receive free email updates: