In the year 2001, after the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center, West Wing character Sam Seaborn delivered a powerful message that helped Americans stand strong. Now, in the face of the ISIS terrorist attacks on Paris, late night television hosts are working hard to do the same. Stephen Colbert, John Oliver and even a Saturday Night Live cast member, Cecily Strong, have spoken about the attacks, helping to remind us we survived and so will France.
After 9/11, shock and sadness consumed the nation, but despite the devastating destruction, America stood strong. When our enemies wanted to make us quake in fear, we looked them in the eye and made them squirm. It was West Wing who explained the phenomenon. Terrorism has a 100% failure rate. Sam said, "Not only do terrorists always fail at what they're after, they pretty much always succeed in strengthening whatever it is they're against." In light of this most recent tragedy, television's late night hosts have only helped to prove this theory's truth.
John Oliver of HBO's Last Week Tonight blatantly stated, "It's important to remember, nothing about what these assholes are trying to do is going to work. France is going to endure." Oliver went on to further support his theory by saying, "If you're in a war of culture and lifestyle with France, good f**king luck." He then proceeded with a grand display of French cultural icons like madeleines, macarons and the croquembouche, which is apparently a "French freedom tower."
Stephen Colbert's address to the nation on The Late Show was a bit less colorful, but none the less, powerful. He reminds the nation that even something as small as, "watching a cartoon Parisian rat make soup" is an acceptable means of showing solidarity, "Because anything that is an attempt at human connection in the world right now is positive."
Colbert also announced that he had considered cancelling the Acro-Cat performance he lined up for the night, but decided against it. His reasoning? "I don't think ISIS would like Acro Cats. I don't. They're cute and they're silly, two things ISIS hates. In fact, the only thing they have in common is that they're a bunch of pu**ies."
Cecily Strong's approach was elegant in contrast to that of Oliver's and Colbert's harsh, vehement ones. It was a beautiful and touching scene as she stood before the Saturday Night Live audience and said in both French and English, "Paris is the city of light and here in New York, we know that light will never go out. Our love and support is with everyone there tonight, we stand with you."
While neither Colbert nor Strong came out and directly stated terrorists would not have their way, they still went a long way to making it apparent that no matter what, we will remain strong even in brutal adversity.
Peace for Paris.
Peace for America.
