LDH “Colbert’s Joke About Jamaica’s Deadly Category 5 Hurricane Melissa Sparks Fury—Is Humor Going Too Far?” LDH
What began as a “lighthearted” remark about climate panic quickly spiraled into outrage, as viewers accused Colbert of mocking victims of one of the worst storms in Caribbean history.
Critics called his segment “cruel and tone-deaf,” while supporters defended it as satire — claiming Colbert was “calling out hypocrisy, not the hurricane”.
Now, with millions of views and mounting backlash, the question is spreading fast: did he go too far this time?
When Hurricane Melissa, a record-breaking Category 5 storm, tore across Jamaica last week, the world watched in shock. Streets in Kingston were swallowed by floodwaters, entire neighborhoods were left without power, and emergency crews worked around the clock to rescue stranded families.
But as international headlines poured in about the devastation, one clip on American late-night television began dominating social media — and not for the reasons anyone expected.
That clip came from Stephen Colbert’s opening monologue on The Late Show Monday night. What began as a typical mix of political jabs and climate commentary turned, in seconds, into one of the most divisive moments of his career.
The Joke Heard Around the Internet
“I mean, sure — Category 5. But if you’re listening to Twitter, every drizzle is now the apocalypse. Maybe Melissa’s just Mother Nature reminding us who’s actually in charge.”
He chuckled, the audience laughed nervously, and the show moved on.
But outside the studio, the reaction was anything but laughter. Within minutes, clips of the moment began circulating on X (formerly Twitter), TikTok, and Facebook. The caption on one viral post read:
“Stephen Colbert jokes about Jamaica while people drown.”
Viewers accused Colbert of making light of a tragedy that had already claimed dozens of lives and displaced thousands more. The hashtag #ColbertInsensitive began trending by dawn, with posts flooding in from both sides of the political spectrum.
“People in Jamaica are literally fighting for their lives and this man thinks it’s a punchline.”
Another added:
“Comedy or not, this crosses a line. We expect better.”
Prominent Jamaican journalist Renee Walters tweeted,
“We lost power, homes, and family members. Stephen Colbert’s joke wasn’t funny — it was salt in the wound.”
Family games
By Tuesday morning, multiple media outlets across the Caribbean had condemned the segment. The Jamaica Gleaner ran the headline:
Colbert’s Defense
By mid-afternoon, as outrage spread, Colbert’s team issued a brief statement through CBS.
“Stephen’s monologue was intended as commentary on how online culture amplifies panic and politicizes every event. It was not meant to trivialize the suffering of those affected by Hurricane Melissa.”
That explanation, however, only fueled the debate.
Later that night, during the next episode, Colbert addressed the controversy directly. Sitting at his desk, his tone was noticeably somber.
