While many called Nelson Mandela “Madiba” or “Tata,” Stephen Colbert and his “inner-circle” had another affectionate nickname for the beloved South African leader: “Nutella.”
“Rich, creamy, chocolate-hazelnut justice,” Colbert eulogized.
See photos: Nelson Mandela Death: The Anti-Apartheid Freedom Fighter’s Life in Pictures
During Monday’s “Colbert Report,” the host mocked several media tributes to the late South African leader — the first was ESPN’s somewhat ill-focused obituary headline, “Mandela, 95, dies; brokered ’10 World Cup.”
“Yes, during his 27 years in prison, Mandela took strength in the knowledge that one day, he would bring the people of South Africa vuvuzelas,” the late night comic quipped.
See video: R. Kelly Performs Song He Wrote for Nelson Mandela on ‘Arsenio’
But Mandela meant something to more than just soccer fans, believe it or not. What he represented was a greater humanitarian struggle.
Colbert pinpointed the man’s true legacy, saying, “Of course, when you think repressed black people, you think ‘Republican Party.’”
Speaking of which: Rick Santorum spoke on the eve of Mandela’s death about the legend’s accomplishments, with more than a tiny sprinkling of political agenda. Santorum compared the injustice that Madiba revolted against to, naturally, the Affordable Healthcare Act.
“Yes, Obamacare is America’s apartheid,” Colbert concluded.
Watch the clip:
