Late-night television ignited a firestorm Monday night when *The Late Show with Stephen Colbert* delivered what many are calling the most brutal takedown of former President Donald Trump in years. In a surprise collaboration, host Stephen Colbert teamed up with comedy legend Jim Carrey for an unfiltered roast that left audiences roaring and, reportedly, Trump himself in a state of furious meltdown at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida.

The segment, which aired just days before Christmas, came amid heightened political tensions as Trump continues to wield influence in Republican circles despite his 2024 election loss to Kamala Harris. Colbert, a longtime critic of Trump, opened his monologue with razor-sharp jabs at the ex-president’s post-White House life, mocking his ongoing legal battles, media ventures, and what he described as a “crumbling legacy built on performance art rather than policy.”

“This guy treats history like a bad script he can just rewrite,” Colbert quipped, setting the stage for the evening’s main event. “But tonight, we’ve got someone who knows a thing or two about playing larger-than-life characters – and exposing the absurdity behind them.”

Enter Jim Carrey, the 63-year-old actor known for his transformative roles in films like *Ace Ventura* and *The Truman Show*, but who has largely stepped away from Hollywood in recent years to focus on painting and activism. Carrey, a vocal Trump detractor since 2017 when he began sharing satirical cartoons of the then-president, stormed the stage in full Trump regalia: an oversized red tie, exaggerated orange makeup, and a comically puffed-up hairdo.

What followed was a masterclass in parody. Carrey launched into his sharpest Trump impression yet, channeling the former president’s bombastic style with eerie accuracy. “Folks, I never lie – I just REWRITE the past!” Carrey bellowed, mimicking Trump’s signature hand gestures and vocal inflections. “The election? Stolen! The economy? Best ever – under me! And those scandals? Fake news, folks. I grab ’em by the truth and twist it until it screams ‘alternative facts!’”

The audience erupted in laughter as Carrey roasted Trump’s ego spirals, from his claims of crowd sizes to his grievances against the media. “I’m the greatest president since Lincoln – if Lincoln had better ratings!” Carrey shouted, pacing the stage like Trump at a rally. Colbert piled on, interjecting with brutal fact-checks and jabs: “Jim, you’re too kind. Trump’s not rewriting history; he’s doodling on it with a Sharpie, like that hurricane map.”

The duo didn’t hold back on Trump’s “dark truth,” as Carrey put it – delving into scandals like the January 6 Capitol riot, the classified documents case, and his business dealings. Carrey’s impression escalated into absurdity, portraying Trump as a cartoonish villain unraveling under scrutiny. “My wall? Huge! My brain? Genius! And if you don’t agree, you’re a loser, a has-been, a low-energy fake!” The bit culminated in Carrey “firing” Colbert onstage, only for the host to retort with a mock executive order banning “bad impressions.”

Viewers at home were glued to their screens, but sources close to Trump say the former president was watching live – and it sent him over the edge. Insiders at Mar-a-Lago described a scene of chaos: Trump pacing frantically in his private viewing room, yelling at aides, and slamming his phone. “He called Carrey a ‘has-been clown’ and demanded someone ‘shut the broadcast down,’” one anonymous staffer told reporters. “It was a total meltdown – he was ranting about how Colbert’s show should be canceled, just like he tried with others.”

Trump’s reaction wasn’t contained to his inner circle. Within minutes, he took to Truth Social, posting a barrage of all-caps tirades: “FAKE NEWS COLBERT AND WASHED-UP CARREY – SAD! Their ratings are in the toilet, unlike my HUGE crowds!” Another post targeted Carrey specifically: “Jim who? A nobody trying to stay relevant by attacking the GREATEST PRESIDENT EVER. Pathetic!”

But the night wasn’t over. As the segment wrapped, Colbert dropped a bombshell that insiders say “completely defeated” Trump – revealing newly unearthed footage from a 2018 interview where Trump appeared to contradict his own claims about his business empire. The clip, sourced from archival material and verified by fact-checkers, showed Trump admitting to financial “creative accounting” in a off-the-record chat that had somehow leaked. “We’ve all done it – bend the rules to win,” Trump is heard saying in the audio, which Colbert played to a hushed studio. “This isn’t just a gaffe; it’s the dark truth behind the myth,” Colbert declared. “A man who rewrites his own reality to avoid facing it.”

The revelation, timed perfectly after Carrey’s roast, sent shockwaves online. Fact-checking sites like Snopes and Politifact quickly confirmed the clip’s authenticity, dating it to a pre-presidency sit-down with a now-defunct magazine. Trump’s team scrambled to dismiss it as “edited” or “out of context,” but the damage was done. Social media exploded, with #TrumpDarkTruth trending worldwide and the segment garnering over 50 million views on YouTube within hours.

Fans hailed it as “the hardest late-night roast Trump has ever taken.” “Carrey was unhinged in the best way – like *In Living Color* meets *The Mask* on steroids,” one viewer tweeted. Celebrities chimed in too: Alyssa Milano called it “cathartic,” while Mark Hamill quipped, “Finally, a Trump impression that’s scarier than the real thing.”

This isn’t the first time Colbert has targeted Trump – his show has been a staple of anti-Trump satire since 2015. But pairing with Carrey, who once said Trump “stands out as a bad president like a hemorrhoid on a supermodel,” elevated it to new heights. Carrey, promoting his upcoming memoir on political art, told Colbert post-segment: “Satire isn’t just funny; it’s a weapon against authoritarianism. Trump’s ego can’t handle the mirror we hold up.”

The backlash was swift from Trump’s allies. Fox News hosts decried it as “left-wing bullying,” while Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene demanded an FCC investigation. Yet, ratings for *The Late Show* spiked 30% from the previous week, proving that in a divided America, comedy still cuts deep.

As Trump licks his wounds heading into the holidays, the incident underscores the enduring power of late-night TV in shaping public discourse. With Colbert’s show set to end in May 2026, moments like this remind us why it mattered. For Carrey, it’s a triumphant return to the spotlight; for Trump, another grievance to add to the pile. But for viewers, it’s a reminder that sometimes, laughter is the best revenge.

In the end, the “smackdown” didn’t just entertain – it exposed cracks in Trump’s armor that no rally could repair. As one commentator put it: “Colbert and Carrey didn’t just roast Trump; they barbecued his legacy.”