Stephen Colbert says arrested Late Show staffers committed 'first-degree puppetry'

Stephen Colbert kicked off Monday's episode of The Late Show by addressing his team's hectic weekend.

A group of CBS staffers, including Robert Smigel, the voice of Triumph the Insult Comic Dog, were arrested while trying to film a segment for the show Thursday night at the U.S. Capitol. Colbert joked it was "first-degree puppetry" when addressing how the situation was framed by certain press outlets as an "insurrection" at the Capitol.

"First of all: What? Second of all: Huh?" Colbert said on The Late Show. "Third of all, they weren't in the Capitol building. Fourth of all — and I'm shocked I have to explain the difference — but an insurrection involves disrupting the lawful action of Congress and howling for the blood of elected leaders, all to prevent the peaceful transfer of power. This was first-degree puppetry. This was hijinks with intent to goof. This was misappropriation of an old Conan bit."

The host explained that the team were filming at congressional offices across the street from the Capitol building for two days last week. They went through security clearance and were invited into the offices of the Congresspeople they were interviewing.

"Thursday evening, after they'd finished their interviews, they were doing some last-minute puppetry and jokey make-em-ups in a hallway, when Triumph and my folks were approached and detained by the Capitol Police, which actually isn't that surprising," he explained. "The Capitol Police are much more cautious than they were, say, 18 months ago and for a very good reason. If you don't know what that reason is, I know what news network you watch."

Colbert then stated the Capitol police and his staff were just doing their jobs and everyone acted professionally. "My staffers were detained, processed, and released," he said. "A very unpleasant experience for my staff. A lot of paperwork for the Capitol police, but a fairly simple story... until..." And that's when Colbert addressed the framing of the events in the media.

Watch the segment in the video above.

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