Stephen Colbert, like the rest of the globe,
was “shocked and horrified” to see footage of Notre-Dame Cathedral in France catch fire. While the roof and spire both burned down, the church and the Rose window remain intact. So, “in honor of our friends in Paris and around the world,” his Late Show team reproduced the iconic stain glass display in the dome of the Ed Sullivan Theater in New York Tuesday night.
They were “just heart-stricken by this,” he added during his monologue.
Colbert also praised the “French tycoons and businesses” who pledged $700 million to help rebuild Notre-Dame. “That is lovely, that is absolutely lovely,” the host said before joking, “I just pray they don’t sell the naming rights, because it would not be the same to visit the Tostitos Notre-Dame Cathedral at Monster Energy Drink Ile de la Cite.”
“Does he think every time there is an emergency in France they shout, ‘The cathedral is on fire! We must check Donald Trump’s Twitter feed. He says we must act quickly, get the water. Why didn’t we think of water? We’ve been using cheese, delicious cheese,'” Colbert said.
Issuing a statement of its own on Twitter, the French Civil Security agency wrote, “Hundreds of firemen of the Paris Fire Brigade are doing everything they can to bring the terrible #NotreDame fire under control. All means are being used, except for water bombing aircraft which, if used, could lead to the collapse of the entire structure of the cathedral.”
“For firefighters, they really know how to give a sick burn,” Colbert joked.
