Colbert returns from vacation to tell jokes about heat waves, drought, and climate change

Stephen Colbert has been on vacation the past two weeks, which is one of the reasons I haven't featured his monologues here since Colbert covers the fourth televised January 6th Committee hearing 30 days ago.* I've missed him and so have my readers, as that post is the second most viewed entry during that time span, behind only Decreased air pollution from pandemic response reduced lightning strikes, which received an assist from Boat Bits before I shared it at the Coffee Party USA Facebook page. He returned Monday and his monologues have all been about climate change and natural disasters, beginning with Europe Swelters Under Heat Apocalypse | Late Show To Go LIVE After Next Jan. 6 Committee Hearing.

Stephen checks on our friends in Europe who are experiencing a record-setting heat wave, and announces that The Late Show will broadcast LIVE this Thursday after the next public hearing by the Jan. 6th Committee.

After starting his monologue with the European heat wave, Stephen moved on to the kind of political news he would normally make fun of, including the third take-home message from the most recent hearing after the 'Unhinged' meeting leading to the January 6th riot and the involvement of extremist groups, The Former Guy calling a future witness, apparently trying to tamper with the witness. We might hear more about that and the Secret Service text messages at tonight's hearing followed by Colbert's live monologue. I'm looking forward to both.

Stephen's writers stepped up the heat wave coverage the next night, beginning with Tuesday's cold open, Peppa Pig And The Very Hot Day.

It's good that Mummy and Daddy Pig are making the best out of a bad situation.

It's a good thing Peppa's fans were all in bed when that aired. It would have upset them.

Tuesday's monologue focused even more on the European heat wave in It's Benny's Birthday! | The U.K. Boils | T**** Hopes Bannon Will Defend Him To Jan 6th Committee.

Stephen celebrates his dog Benny's third birthday, peeks across the pond at the sweltering heat in Europe, and takes a look at what Steve Bannon may say about the former president when he testifies before the Jan. 6th Committee.

Stephen's dog is cute and made a good transition from the roasting of Peppa Pig, pun intended. As for the conversion from Celsius to Fahrenheit that Stephen fumbled hilariously, 40^oC is 104^oF. Yikes!

Stephen and his writers shifted from the U.K. to the U.S. in last night's Celebs Flout CA Water Restrictions | Arnold Schwarzenegger Outed As A Face Farter.

Sylvester Stallone is apparently ignoring California's new rules aimed at conserving water during the current drought, and "End Of Days" star Arnold Schwarzenegger has been credibly accused of passing gas into a fellow actor's face on the set of that film.

Having grown up in Southern California around show business people, I'm not surprised by either of the action stars' bad behavior. As for President Biden, he may not be doing enough about climate change, but he's at least doing what he can. It's something, which is better than nothing.

Stay tuned as I plan on returning tomorrow with Stephen's live monologue.

*So were Jimmy Kimmel, Seth Meyers, and Trevor Noah. Kimmel had guest hosts on, but Seth and Trevor had no new content during their breaks. I missed them, too.