Seth Meyers defends Michelle Wolf’s WHCD speech

Seth Meyers has spoken out to defend Michelle Wolf after the comedian’s monologue at the White House Correspondents Dinner was widely criticized. 

Meyers, who spoke at the 2011 dinner, came to Wolf’s defense, saying that her comments are to be expected from a comedian. 

‘Michelle Wolf… she used to work here. Now Michelle Wolf doesn’t need anyone to defend her, but she is our friend so just know when you call her filthy, you are right.

‘She is filthy and she is mean which is what we love about her. Because those are wonderful qualities for comedians and terrible qualities for free world leaders, Meyers said. 

Seth Meyers (left) weighed in on Michelle Wolf’s (right) White House Correspondents Dinner speech on his show Monday night

One of Wolf’s jokes that received widespread criticism was a comment about White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders, in which Wolf said she ‘burns the facts and then uses the ash to create a perfect smokey eye’. 

Meyers then showed a clip of an even raunchier joke that Wolf made on his show.

‘If you asked me, Sarah Huckabee Sanders got off easy,’ Meyers said.  

The Late Night host went on to call out the hypocrisy of the White House Correspondents Association for hiring Wolf because she ‘speaks truth to power’ – and then later disavowing her speech for ‘not being in the spirit’ of the event.  

Meyers and Wolf are pictured together in 2016 

‘You hired her! That’s like a parent sending an email saying, “Yesterday’s birthday party was meant to celebrate Kevin turning six years old, unfortunately the stripper’s dance routine was not in the spirit of the party,”‘ Meyer said. 

He added: ‘Look, the whole point of the dinner is to socially celebrate the First Amendment. And Michelle Wolf subscribes to the way of the Native Americans – she uses every part of the First Amendment.’ 

Meyers went on to plug Wolf’s upcoming Netflix show. 

‘So here’s the good news, Michelle Wolf has a new show premiering on Netflix May 27th. It’s called The Break and based on what happened Saturday, you can be sure that it will be great because she’s not gonna waste any time trying to decide when it is or isn’t proper to make fun of people in power who lied to us on a daily basis.

‘And look, I know you just think I’m saying this because she’s my friend but I can’t stress this enough: Michelle is so mean. I was her boss and made the meanest jokes about me all the time. She’s been gone two years but I still jump when I see a redhead on the street. We’re lucky to have her,’ Meyers said.  

WHAT THE OTHER LATE NIGHT HOSTS HAD TO SAY ABOUT WOLF’S SPEECH 

Jimmy Fallon

‘Some people got upset at the dinner when comedian Michelle Wolf made fun of members of the Trump administration. The president was furious, he was like “Nobody makes a mockery of my staff except me.”‘ 

Stephen Colbert

‘[Michelle Wolf] did not pull any punches and some people were offended by what she had to say. Presumably those people who have been in a coma for the past two and a half years. “They just revived me at 8:58pm on a Saturday night, who is this vulgar woman president Hillary Clinton must be so offended…”

‘Maybe the most surprising reaction was from the White House Correspondents Association themselves. They’re the ones who hired Wolf but after the dinner they released a statement by putting on the front of a bus and driving her over saying, “Last night’s program was meant to offer a unifying message about our common commitment to a vigorous and free press. Unfortunately the entertainer’s monologue was not in the spirit of that mission.” Look, you didn’t like it, you have that right. Don’t invite her back again. But grow a pair, this was a roast and you’re the ones who hired Michelle Wolf. Being mad at her for doing her job is like accusing the valet of briefly stealing your car. And stop acting like you’re surprised. I thought news people did research, but you’re telling me you couldn’t spend 90 seconds on YouTube to find out what her act was like? As a great man once said “fake news”.’

Jimmy Kimmel 

‘You know they hire these comedians because they’re edgy and then they get mad when they’re edgy at the thing.’

James Cordon 

‘Comedian Michelle Wolf hosted the dinner she did the most amazing job, she was brilliant, she was incredible. And during the dinner she mocked journalists and politicians so you can see why Trump was upset – she’s stealing his act.’