Colbert Blasts Maddow for Shaming Rand Paul: ‘Who the Hell Do You Think You Are?’

Earlier this week, MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow caught Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) plagiarizing–of all things–the Wikipedia page for the 1997 sci-fi movie Gattaca. Last night, Stephen Colbert came to Paul’s defense, asking how Maddow knows Paul didn’t “write the Wikipedia entry on Gattaca.”

It all started with a speech Paul made in support of GOP Virginia gubernatorial candidate Ken Cuccinelli, in which he used the “liberal eugenics” of Gattaca’s futuristic world to scare people away from Democratic frontrunner Terry McAuliffe. Or as Colbert put it, “That is irrefutable scientific evidence that McAuliffe’s pro-choice policies will lead to an Ethan Hawke movie.”

After playing the clip of Maddow exposing Paul’s word-for-word source, an outraged Colbert asked, “Just because he and Wikipedia used the same words, Rand Paul is a plagiarist? You don’t know that!”

“How dare you, Rachel Maddow, besmirch this man’s good name. Rand Paul’s not a plagiarist,” Colbert said, pulling out his iPad for a little more info. “He’s the junior United States senator from Kentucky…”

As for Maddow, Colbert asked, “Who the hell do you think you are?” Picking up another conveniently placed iPad, he read, “An American television host, political commentator, and author…”

Watch video below, via Comedy Central:

[photo via screengrab]

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