Trevor Noah tries to wrap his head around the cavalcade of high-profile sex-crime scandals
Singer "R. Kelly may finally be facing justice — and it almost feels strange that they got him after all these years," Trevor Noah said on Monday's Daily Show. "It's like if Wile E. Coyote finally caught the Road Runner — who is also a criminal, by the way." But broke R. Kelly is not alone, and Noah cycled through several high-profile sex scandals. Next up? The Catholic Church, which just wrapped up a big global meeting on sex abuse.
"The pope has threatened abusive priests with 'the wrath of God' — that is the ultimate 'Just wait till your dad gets home,'" Noah said. But if that's all the pope's got, "it looks like the church isn't going to do enough to punish these sex criminals, which means we might need to get the government involved. The only problem is, the government has also got its hands full right now." A judge just ruled that 11 years ago, Labor Secretary Alex Acosta illegally "let a billionaire off the hook for abusing underage girls," he said. "And President Trump's response is, 'That seems like a long time ago.'"
And bizarrely, "this story is flying almost completely under the radar because there's another billionaire having a different sex scandal at the same time, also in Florida," Noah said. And as "insane" as it is that New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft got busted allegedly "paying for sex in strip mall in Florida," remember, "investigators say that these women weren't willing sex workers, they were women who were from China, who were forced into sex slavery."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
"So this wasn't Pretty Woman," Noah said. "It's more like pretty horrific. Which is why these are very serious charges — unless you're a Patriots fan." He showed how this is playing in Boston. "Look, you can call it repulsive, you can call it insensitive for these people to just brush aside serious sex crimes like this," he said, "but you could also call it presidential." Some language is probably NSFW. Peter Weber
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
Indie film's 'very brief' use of AI sparks backlash and calls for boycotts
Talking Points Did the creators of a new horror movie make a deal with the artificial intelligence devil?
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Could Taylor Swift swing the election?
Today's Big Question The pop star has outsized influence — and that extends beyond the music industry
By Anya Jaremko-Greenwold Published
-
Kevin Hart awarded Mark Twain Prize
Speed Read He is the 25th recipient of the prestigious comedy prize
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Kevin Hart awarded Mark Twain Prize
Speed Read He is the 25th recipient of the prestigious comedy prize
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Is Downton Abbey set to return for a final film?
Speed Read Imelda Staunton reveals that a third movie may be in the pipeline
By Adrienne Wyper, The Week UK Published
-
'Oppenheimer' sweeps Oscars with 7 wins
speed read The film won best picture, best director (Christopher Nolan) and best actor (Cillian Murphy)
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
'Rust' armorer convicted of manslaughter
speed read The film's cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was shot and killed by actor Alec Baldwin during rehearsal
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
The Beatles are getting 4 intersecting biopics
Speed Read Director Sam Mendes is making four separate movies, each told from the perspective of one band member
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Taylor Swift to Miley Cyrus: female artists dominate 2024 Grammys
Speed Read SZA, Phoebe Bridgers and Lainey Wilson were also among the winners at LA gala
By Arion McNicoll, The Week UK Published
-
South Korea passes law banning sale and production of dog meat
Speed Read Rare bipartisan support 'highlights changing attitudes' as young people shun centuries-old tradition
By The Week UK Published
-
Out of touch: Daryl Hall obtains restraining order against bandmate John Oates
Speed Read Lawsuit reveals unharmonious relationship between most commercially successful duo in pop history
By Jamie Timson, The Week UK Published