Running afoul of the royals, a rumor-spewing late-night host was reportedly hit with a legal notice after his brand of comedy crossed a line.
(Video: CBS)
Friday, Kate Middleton, Princess of Wales, put to bed questions about her absence from the public when she disclosed that, following abdominal surgery in January, she was now undergoing treatment for an undisclosed form of cancer.
While the latter condition had been unknown, the former had been well-documented when the eponymous host of “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” sought to capitalize on the mending Middleton by peddling rumors that her husband, Prince William, was having an affair with the Marchioness of Cholmondeley, Rose Hanbury — a matter the alleged other woman did not take lightly.
According to In Touch, Hanbury’s attorneys had sent notice to CBS after their yuckster opted to “dish the hot ‘gos,'” and issued a statement that read, “The rumor appears to have entered into the mainstream media recently as a result of another joke made about it on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. We have written on our client’s behalf to CBS and various other reputable media organisations to confirm that the allegation is false.”
On the March 12 edition of Colbert’s program, just days after the United Kingdom celebrated Mothering Sunday and the royals had retracted a doctored photo of the princess and her three children, the host had turned to the rumor mill in his monologue.
“The kingdom has been all a flutter by the seeming disappearance of Kate Middleton. Well now, internet sleuths are guessing that Kate’s absence may be related to her husband and the future King of England William having an affair,” said the comedian.
“Oh no. My heart goes out to poor Kate,” he intoned before a radical shift in gears, “Now let’s dish the hot ‘gos.'”
“So, I think we all know who the alleged other woman is. Say it with me — the Marchioness of Cholmondeley — what a beautiful name that I am being told right now that I pronounced incorrectly. It is in fact pronounced ‘Chumley,'” continued Colbert as he milked mispronunciation. “Now, there have been rumors of affair between William and the Marching Band of Chicanery since 2019.”
“According to the tabloids back then, when Kate supposedly confronted him about it, he ‘laughed it off saying there was nothing to it.’ Ha ha. Always a good response when your wife accuses you of cheating. ‘Ha ha, imagine me having an affair! It is to laugh,'” added the host before another jest at Hanbury’s title as well as her husband’s last name.
A statement to Business Insider only days after the monologue skit had the marchioness unequivocally stating, “The rumors are completely false.”
In her own statement Friday, Middleton explained her cancer diagnosis, “This of course came as a huge shock, and William and I have been doing everything we can to process and manage this privately for the sake of our young family.”
A message from Catherine, The Princess of Wales pic.twitter.com/5LQT1qGarK
— The Prince and Princess of Wales (@KensingtonRoyal) March 22, 2024
“As you can imagine, this has taken time,” she continued. “It has taken me time to recover from major surgery in order to start my treatment. But most importantly, it has taken us time to explain everything to George, Charlotte and Louis in a way that is appropriate for them, and to reassure them that I am going to be ok.”
While Middleton received a great deal of support, Colbert received derision as social media users hoped Hanbury might take him to court.
Please take that hack to court.
— Ladybearclaw28806 (@Natalie44066053) March 23, 2024
Sue him and the network he works for into bankruptcy.
— PJ Martin (@teddiep54) March 23, 2024
Sick of the trolls and haters. Trying to elevate themselves on the distress of a lovely and dignified mother with cancer.
— Jean (@jeaniegirlTN) March 23, 2024
Native of Brooklyn, NY, Kevin Haggerty is a graduate of Hunter College where he studied Cultural Anthropology and Geography. An avid reader and truth seeker, he currently resides in Texas with his wife and their dog and, when he isn't researching current events and their impacts, you'll find him spending time with friends and family or working on his next novel.
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