Seth Meyers returned to the Late Night chair following a two-week vacation, and had lots of news—and random observations—to catch up on, including Steve Bannon’s criminal contempt trial, which is happening now, and Liz Cheney’s mic drop moment at the last January 6th hearing when she hinted that they may have evidence that Donald Trump engaged in witness tampering. Meyers, however, seemed more preoccupied with a slightly less important, but bizarrely fascinating, observation: MAGAites have been shilling for Diet Dr Pepper big time.
The most obvious imbiber is Sidney Powell, who was guzzling down cans of the syrupy stuff during her January 6th deposition like she had just emerged from two months in the desert with nothing to drink. As Meyers explained:
The official drink of the U.S. government from now on will be a Diet Dr Pepper thanks to seditionist and coup plotter Sidney Powell, who was chugging them during a deposition she gave to the January 6th committee that aired last week.
Meyers played a clip from Anderson Cooper 360, where the host had to stifle a laugh while mentioning the Diet Dr Pepper, which Powell held in her hand — label forward — as if she was a paid spokesperson for the beverage. (To our knowledge, she is not.)
When she took a gigantic sip from the can, Meyers remarked that she “slugged that soda like she’s playing quarters at a Christian sleepaway camp.” But he did think that of all the soft drinks in all the world, Diet Dr Pepper seemed like the right choice for Powell as it’s “the soda you have when there’s else left in the vending machine. Just like Sidney Powell is your attorney when there’s nothing else left at the lawyer store.”
Oddly, Powell isn’t the only spacey Republican to give her Diet Dr P a shout-out. Back in April, when Fox News’ Jesse Watters asked one-time Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin whether she was ready for the backlash that was sure to ensure, Palin replied:
“I would never be so cocky as to say ‘Bring to it on,’ but… I anticipate that when when I walk down that hall to get my Diet Dr Pepper, sure, the jackals are gonna be there doing their jackaling. And I just think: I’ve got nothing to lose. What more can they do?
Well, they can make fun of that soda you’re drinking.