Big mistake on live 'Late Show' doesn't stop Stephen Colbert from nailing joke

There was a bit of a gaffe on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert Tuesday, which aired live following President Joe Biden’s State of the Union address. As always with live TV, you never know what is going to happen. In this case, the wrong clip played that in no way went with the punchline Colbert began to deliver.

“Biden touted his COVID response,” Colbert said, before a clip played in which Biden announced that the Department of Justice would soon name a chief prosecutor for pandemic fraud.

“Wow,” Colbert said, “I didn’t know Joe was in the cast…”

That’s as far as Colbert made it before he doubled over laughing.

“We’ve skipped ahead in our video a little bit. We’ve never made a live mistake before, so…you’re all…” Colbert said, laughing. He added, “This is how the sausage is being made, ladies and gentlemen. But rarely do we let live cameras in.”

The clip of Biden that was supposed to play, and this makes a lot more sense given the punchline, was the president talking about antiviral pills to treat COVID going forward.

“I’ve ordered more pills than anyone in the world has,” Biden says in the clip. “Wow, I didn’t know Joe was cast in the next season of Euphoria,” Colbert said, straight-faced before celebrating getting it right. “There you go! Boom! Oh! Oh! Nothing like a live show, ladies and gentlemen.”

For those who are unaware, Euphoria is a show on HBO about drug-addicted teens starring Zendaya.

Video Transcript

STEPHEN COLBERT: Biden touted his COVID response.

JOE BIDEN: The Justice Department will soon name a chief prosecutor for pandemic fraud.

STEPHEN COLBERT: Wow, I didn't know Joe was in the cast--

KYLIE MAR: On "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" airing live after President Biden's State of the Union address Tuesday, Colbert ran into a little bit of a problem that can come with live TV.

STEPHEN COLBERT: We've skipped ahead in our-- in our video a little bit. We've never made a live mistake before, so you're all-- this is how the sausage is being made, ladies and gentlemen. Rarely do we let live cameras in.

KYLIE MAR: The clip that was supposed to play goes hand in hand with a popular show on HBO about drug-addicted teens, and the punch line Colbert was about to deliver made a lot more sense.

JOE BIDEN: I've ordered more pills than anyone in the world has.

STEPHEN COLBERT: Wow, I didn't know Joe was cast in the next season of "Euphoria." There you go. Boom!

JON BATISTE: Oh!

STEPHEN COLBERT: Oh!

JON BATISTE: Oh!

STEPHEN COLBERT: Oh!

JON BATISTE: Oh!