The pair joined forces for a parody music video “Billionaires Are Actually Good” on The Late Show
Is there any upside to a billionaire? In honor of yesterday’s tax day, Stephen Colbert aired a music video for a song called “Billionaires Are Actually Good,” which included an appearance from The Traitors host Alan Cumming.
On The Late Show, Colbert opened the show by discussing how there are now more billionaires than ever. “All these billionaires are having an outsized impact on our politics these days,” he noted. The late-night host added, “So you know your government understands what you’re going through, folks. They have to buy eggs too. Fabergé eggs. But still.”
Colbert explained that he didn’t understand why the billionaires weren’t just content with being super rich. “Why do they also need political power and rocket launches and everyone to see them in magazines looking looking all jacked-up and horny?” Colbert wondered. He said it’s likely because the mega-rich are “clearly seeking validation to fill an emotional void.” He then aired the music video for “Billionaires Are Actually Good” to fill that void and “get them out of our hair.”
In the video, Colbert and Cumming embody billionaires, with the lyrics taking aim at the ridiculous obsessions of the wealthy. “Some people say we should eat the rich/ I don’t blame them, they look delish,” the pair quip. “Shut up buy their self-driving cars/ And if you’re lucky you’ll be their slave on Mars.”
Earlier this month, Forbes released its annual rich list. The outlet noted that this year, 3,028 entrepreneurs, investors, and heirs made the ranking, up 247 from last year. “Not only are there more of them, but they’re richer than ever, worth $16.1 trillion in total—up nearly $2 trillion over 2024,” Forbes explained. “The U.S. has a record 902 billionaires, followed by China (516, including Hong Kong) and India (205).” These include Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, Jeff Bezos, Peter Thiel, and Rupert Murdoch. The list does not include Donald Trump.
