In a segment that has quickly become one of the most viral moments of the 2025 holiday season, Stephen Colbert’s The Late Show featured a no-holds-barred Christmas tirade from a fake Melania Trump impersonator that left the host momentarily speechless and the studio audience roaring with laughter. The bit, aired on December 17, 2025, saw actress Laura Benanti return as her recurring “Melania” character, unleashing a razor-sharp, wildly exaggerated satire where the former First Lady bluntly declared she “couldn’t care less about the holidays,” blasting trees, presents, and cookies as nothing more than an excuse for forced smiles. The monologue’s brutal honesty and deadpan delivery stole the show, turning a standard holiday sketch into a comedic meltdown that’s amassed over 15 million views online in days.
Benanti’s Melania, in signature oversized sunglasses and monotone accent, began innocently enough: “Stephen, I love Christmas—so much winning.” But the facade cracked quickly: “The tree? Too many needles. Presents? Waste of paper. Cookies? Calories I don’t need.” The tirade escalated: “All these smiling faces—fake news! I smile once a year, for the photo. Be best—or be gone.” Colbert, playing straight man, interjected with “But the spirit of giving?” only for “Melania” to retort: “Giving? I gave America four years of elegance—they gave me subpoenas.”
The audience erupted, Colbert briefly speechless before corpsing with laughter. “You broke me,” he admitted, wiping tears. Benanti’s impersonation—perfected since 2016—captured Melania’s perceived aloofness with affectionate exaggeration, the satire landing through absurdity rather than malice.
The clip exploded on social media: #MelaniaMeltdown trending with 1.2 million posts, fans calling it “the funniest holiday bit ever” (@LateShowFan, 100k likes). Even critics praised: “Benanti’s Melania is genius—savage yet spot-on” (Variety).
In a season of forced cheer, Colbert’s “Melania” reminded us: satire’s sharpest when it reflects truths we pretend not to see. A meltdown for the ages.
