Stephen Colbert laid into Melania Trump amid the news that the first lady’s upcoming documentary, “MELANIA,” was failing to generate ticket sales at the box office.
The comedian struggled to contain his glee as he shared the news with his “The Late Show” studio audience Tuesday evening, especially when he confirmed that “zero tickets” had been sold for the 7:30 showings for Saturday at the Regal and AMC Times Square cinemas.
“Amazon bribed a whopping $40 million for the movie and an additional $35 million for marketing, promotion and distribution. So, big box office, right? Wrong,” Colbert said during his monologue. “Social media has been flooded with images of theaters in major cities that haven’t sold a single seat and estimates are that this $75 million movie would make only $1 or $2 million in its opening weekend.”
He continued: “Now, usually to see Trump bomb this hard, you’d have to be on a Venezuelan fishing boat.”
As Colbert went on, he noted the dismal sales in New York City must hit the first lady pretty hard, given it is her primary residence when not in the White House.
“And here in New York City, where Melania lived and worked and socialized for decades, in Trump’s hometown,” he added, “on Saturday night of opening weekend at the Regal and AMC Times Square cinemas, there are two 7:30 showings with exactly zero tickets purchased.”
Colbert was particularly shocked to learn this, given those theaters sit at “the crossroads of the world.”
“It’s literally the busiest blocks on the planet,” he said. “Zero tickets sold at the AMC. That must be heartbreaking for the first lady.”
Yet, as Colbert cheekily highlighted by playing Nicole Kidman’s viral AMC ad, “heartbreak feels good in a place like this.”
Watch Colbert’s full monologue below.
“MELANIA,” which is set to hit theaters on January 30, follows Melania Trump in the days leading up to her husband’s second inauguration.
“History is set in motion during the 20 days of my life prior to the U.S. Presidential inauguration,” the first lady said of the film. “For the first time, global audiences are invited into theaters to witness this pivotal chapter unfold—a private, unfiltered look as I navigate family, business and philanthropy on my remarkable journey to becoming First Lady of the United States of America.”
“The Late Show With Stephen Colbert” airs weeknights at 11:35 p.m. ET on CBS.
