Stephen Colbert Spoofed This Taylor Swift Hit in Honor of ‘Swiftie’ Turkeys Pardoned By President Biden

Gil Kaufman
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A lot of things happened on Monday (Nov. 20) when President Biden participated in one of the weirdest annual White House fall traditions: the National Thanksgiving Turkey pardoning ceremony. As you’ve probably already read, Biden — who was also celebrating his 81st birthday that day — pardoned the cluckers named “Liberty” and “Bell” and then tried to make a joke about how their difficult journey to the pardon was harder than getting a ticket to… “Britney’s tour.”

He, of course, meant Taylor Swift.

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On Monday night, Late Show host Stephen Colbert couldn’t resist a playful tug on the commander in chief’s waddle, noting that the turkeys spent a luxurious night in a hotel — which included a bubble bath — and had a limo ride to their pardoning. Oh, and he added that a presidential spokesperson said the turkeys were, of course, Swifties.

That perfectly set up a bit honoring the pair’s favorite Swift hit: “I Knew You Were Gobble.”

The revamped 2012 Red album hit was dressed up with some fowl lyrics that included, “I knew you were gobble when you walked in/ That’s called trotting/ You can’t fly because you’re flightless/ Now you’re lying by the casserole/ [Turkey sounds]/ Gobble gobble gobble,” went the spoof, whose video interspersed scenes from the official “I Knew You Were Trouble” clip with images of toms.

The rest of Monday night’s episode was devoted to paying homage to the man who used to inhabit the Ed Sullivan Theater, late night legend David Letterman, back for his first visit since his retirement eight years ago.

Watch Colbert’s turkey talk below (being around 4:00 mark).

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