WATCH: Maggie Haberman Fights Laughter as Stephen Colbert Roasts Trump During Interview
New York Times correspondent and CNN analyst Maggie Haberman tried to fight back laughter as late-night comic and fundit Stephen Colbert roasted former President Donald Trump during their interview.
Haberman has been making the rounds to promote the release of her controversial but much-buzzed-about book Confidence Man: The Making of Donald Trump and the Breaking of America.
On Tuesday night’s edition of CBS’ The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, the Trump scribe faced a unique challenge: keeping a straight face while Colbert peppered their interview with humorous asides. She did not succeed.
Colbert remarked on Haberman’s normally unflappable demeanor right off the bat, telling her, “It’s fun to see you smile because you have a lovely smile, but you never smile when you’re on panel. You’re just like stone-faced; it’s like the ultimate poker showdown.”
“You sound like my father. Thank you,” Haberman joked.
“I am loathe to say to a woman, ‘you should smile more,'” Colbert said, acknowledging the well-known sexist cliche, but added, “what I’m saying is, is that you really do really play your cards close to your chest when you’re reporting on the former president.”
Colbert broke that stone visage moments later during an exchange in which Haberman sought to distance herself from the idea that she’s some kind of therapist for Trump, and Colbert interjected with some commentary on Trump’s physique:
STEPHEN COLBERT: He actually said, and it says so in the book, I believe, it says that he pointed at you at one point and says, “She’s like my psychiatrist.” What did you think when he said that about you?
MAGGIE HABERMAN: That it didn’t mean very much. If anything, it was a meaningless line meant to flatter. He is always playing to whatever audience is in front of him, and the reality is that he has said that about his Twitter feed. Other interviews he’s given. He treats everyone —
STEPHEN COLBERT: A bucket of chicken.
MAGGIE HABERMAN: He tr– (laughs)
STEPHEN COLBERT: Have you ever eaten with him? Ever been with him when he eats, have ever eaten, seen him eat in front of you?
MAGGIE HABERMAN: This is me smiling.
Then, it was Haberman’s turn to make Colbert laugh with a well-crafted dodge to his question about “diagnosing” Trump:
STEPHEN COLBERT: Okay. But if you are, let’s say you are. Let’s just say for a second, I know you’re not his psychiatrist, but if you were his psychiatrist after doing this character study a deep analysis. If you were if you were a doctor, what would be your diagnosis?
MAGGIE HABERMAN: I intentionally didn’t write a book of takes. I wrote a book of reporting about who he is. And so my diagnosis, I think, is in the book, and I hope people read it well.
STEPHEN COLBERT: (laughs) Well! I feel I feel vaguely scolded for asking you the question. “No, I do not do takes, Stephen!”
MAGGIE HABERMAN: Not that. No, no, not that. No, no, no. It just does it. But it’s reporting. And I want people to read the reporting.
Watch above via CBS.
