Epstein Files: Analyzing Mentions and Allegations

The Late Show with Stephen Colbert featured a pointed musical segment on April 16, 2026, in which host Stephen Colbert performed a parody of Kendrick Lamar’s “They Not Like Us,” reworked to critique former President Donald Trump and Senator J.D. Vance under the guise of a fictional papal address from “Pope Leo XIV.” The performance, which aired as part of the show’s recurring satirical news segment, drew immediate attention for its sharp lyrical reworking and topical references to ongoing political and cultural debates.

Colbert, adopting the cadence and rhythm of Lamar’s original track, delivered lyrics that framed Trump and Vance as lacking moral authority, using the parody’s chorus to declare, “They not pious, they not holy, they not fit for the throne.” The verses referenced specific controversies, including Trump’s legal challenges and Vance’s public stances on social issues, while incorporating imagery associated with the papacy to underscore the satire’s central argument about the performative nature of political piety.

The segment was introduced as a fictional address from Pope Leo XIV, a figure not recognized by the Vatican, signaling the piece’s clearly satirical intent. Colbert has frequently used invented ecclesiastical personas in past monologues to comment on the intersection of religion and politics in American public life, a recurring motif in his tenure as host of The Late Show since 2015.

The parody drew direct musical and structural parallels to Kendrick Lamar’s 2024 Grammy-winning single “They Not Like Us,” which originated from his album GNX and became a cultural touchstone for its aggressive tone and lyrical dexterity. By mirroring the song’s cadence, internal rhyme scheme, and call-and-response dynamics, Colbert’s version leveraged the track’s widespread recognition to amplify its satirical payload, a technique consistent with the show’s history of using popular music as a vehicle for commentary.

While the segment did not feature Kendrick Lamar or his representatives, it joined a broader trend of late-night shows using musical parody to engage with current events. Previous instances include Colbert’s 2020 rendition of “The Gambler” to comment on election uncertainty and his 2022 adaptation of “Bad Guy” by Billie Eilish to address Supreme Court decisions. The use of hip-hop, particularly tracks with socially conscious or confrontational themes, has become a notable facet of the show’s comedic approach in recent years.

The performance occurred during a week of heightened political discourse, following Trump’s continued presence in national media amid ongoing legal proceedings and Vance’s role as a prominent surrogate in Republican circles. The satire did not reference specific policy proposals but instead focused on perceptions of authenticity and moral positioning, framing the parody as a critique of how political figures invoke religious or traditionalist language in public discourse.

No official response was issued by the Vatican, the Trump campaign, or the Vance office regarding the segment. The Late Show’s production team has not disclosed whether the parody was cleared with Lamar’s publishers or representatives, though the show has historically operated under fair use protections for its satirical musical segments, which are typically considered transformative works under copyright law.

Audience reaction to the segment was not quantified in real-time ratings data available at the time of writing, but the clip was widely shared across social media platforms in the hours following the broadcast, particularly on platforms where political satire and music remixes frequently intersect. The performance contributed to the episode’s overall visibility, which averaged approximately 2.1 million live viewers according to Nielsen data released the following day, consistent with the show’s recent viewership trends.

As of April 17, 2026, no announcements have been made regarding future musical parodies on The Late Show, though the segment fits within a established pattern of using timely musical reinterpretations to punctuate the show’s commentary on politics, media, and culture. The use of a papal persona, while fictional, continues a tradition of employing hyperbolic analogies to highlight perceived inconsistencies between public rhetoric and private conduct in American public life.