Stephen Colbert Roasts Pete Hegseth Over Pulp Fiction Bible Verse Gaffe

Stephen Colbert mocked Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth during Thursday’s episode of “The Late Show” after Hegseth quoted what appeared to be a Bible verse during a Pentagon worship service that was actually taken from Quentin Tarantino’s 1994 film “Pulp Fiction.”

Colbert opened his monologue by calling the prayer “fishy,” then directly addressed the audience after playing footage of Hegseth’s remarks. “Now, if that doesn’t sound like it’s from the Bible, that’s because it’s not. Want to know what it’s from?” he said, before offering a hint.

At that moment, “The Late Show” editors cut to a clip from “Pulp Fiction,” showing Samuel L. Jackson’s character Jules Winnfield delivering the nearly identical passage during one of the film’s most iconic scenes. The side-by-side comparison made clear that Hegseth’s recited prayer matched Jackson’s fictionalized version of Ezekiel 25:17 from the movie.

“Wow. Hegseth’s quoting from the gospel of Quentin Tarantino,” Colbert remarked. He elaborated on the joke, telling viewers unfamiliar with the reference: “It’s like the regular Bible, but Tarantino’s Jesus says the n-word a lot.” He added with a smirk: “Also, Quentin’s version really lingers on the feet washing stuff.”

Colbert continued to highlight the similarities between the two recitations, comparing Hegseth’s delivery to an amateur audition. “That mashup really feels like your self tape versus the guy who actually got the part,” he quipped. “‘Oh, I see. Is that what I was supposed to do?’”

Despite the satire, Colbert took a moment to express genuine support for Hegseth’s role in public service. “However, Colbert did take a moment to note that he was rooting for Hegseth to succeed, adding, ‘If he succeeds, that means America succeeds.’”

He then invited the audience to join in a satirical prayer of his own, constructed entirely from well-known movie lines. “God, I’m talking to you. You talking to me? Are you talking to me? War is like a box of chocolates. I am tired of these motherf–kin’ sins on my motherf–kin’ soul.”

The final line — “I am tired of these motherf–kin’ sins on my motherf–kin’ soul” — drew a strong reaction from the studio audience, as it is a direct lift from Jackson’s character in the 2006 film “Snakes on a Plane,” where he delivers a similarly impassioned rant about snakes on an aircraft.

Colbert’s full monologue, including the exchange and his original prayer, is available to watch in the segment aired on CBS. “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert” broadcasts weeknights at 11:35 p.m. ET on the CBS network.