Stephen Colbert on Tuesday night excoriated both Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Republican lawmakers who criticized him at a Senate hearing, calling out what he described as blatant hypocrisy.
Colbert aired clips from the hearing in which senators from both parties grilled Kennedy over personnel turmoil and what lawmakers described as anti-vaccine moves at the agency. During the segment, Colbert mocked Kennedy’s appearance and demeanor, saying, "I gotta say, Health and Human Services is a bit of an odd title for him, because he looks neither healthy nor human," and noting audible labored breathing during the hearing. "I’ve never heard someone have sleep apnea while they’re still awake," he said.
The monologue highlighted criticism from some Republican senators, including Sen. John Barrasso of Wyoming, who told Kennedy, "I support vaccines. I’m a doctor. Vaccines work." Colbert pointed out that Barrasso had voted earlier this year to confirm Kennedy to his post despite Kennedy’s widely reported controversial views on vaccines and other health matters. "I’m no doctor, but your results are in," Colbert said, "And you just tested positive for bullshit."
Colbert’s segment focused on the contrast between the lawmakers’ present rebukes and their prior vote to place Kennedy in charge of the agency overseeing public health. He rolled footage of the hearing to illustrate both the senators’ sharp questioning and Kennedy’s uneasy exchanges with committee members.
The Senate hearing drew attention to questions about leadership, staffing and policy direction at Health and Human Services following Kennedy’s confirmation. Lawmakers pressed him on agency decisions and raised concerns about potential impacts on public health programs, citing what they described as disruptive personnel changes and policy shifts related to vaccines.
Colbert, whose show regularly mixes political commentary and satire, used the televised hearing as material to underscore what he framed as inconsistencies in lawmakers’ reactions. The segment drew on direct quotes and on-air footage to make its point, combining comedic barbs with documented moments from the congressional proceeding.
The exchange adds to ongoing scrutiny of Kennedy’s tenure at the agency and to debate over how elected officials reconcile past actions with present statements. Colbert’s critique joined a broader public conversation about accountability and the role of elected officials in federal appointments.