Actress Laura Benanti went on “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” Tuesday night and did an impression of Melania Trump throwing out a list of borrowed catchphrases in a faux defense of her Monday night Republican National Convention speech.
That speech has been heavily scrutinized since some sharp social media users realized Donald Trump’s wife was reciting phrases very similar to those used by first lady Michelle Obama at the 2008 Democratic National Convention.
Since then, Twitter has responded with the hashtag #MelaniaTrumpQuotes, where tweeters facetiously attribute a famous quote to Melania.
That hashtag came to a peak Tuesday night with Benanti’s bit. Benanti was dressed in the same white dress as Melania wore during her speech. As she got up to the podium, Colbert innocently asked her, “This statement was written by the same staffers who wrote last night’s speech?”
“Yes, I wrote it,” Benanti responded in her best Slovenian accent.
Here is a transcript of the rest of her copyright-infringement bonanza:
“My fellow Americans. This is truly the best of times. It is the worst of times. I did not plagiarize my speech last night. I would never do such a thing. I would not, could not, with a goat. I would not, could not, on a boat.
That is because I learned honesty during my humble upbringing. In West Philadelphia, born and raised. On the playground is where I spent most of days. So, to those that say I stole my speech, I say, give me a break. Give me a break. Break me off a piece of that Kit-Kat bar.
They may be able to take our lives, but they will never take our [squints] freedom. I am mad as hell, and I’m not going to take it anymore. You’ve got to fight for your right to party. Boom goes the dynamite. Hakuna matata. Ba ba ba ba bah, I am loving it. Oh, and one more thing. Live from New York, it’s Saturday night.”
