As he made very clear in his 2017 special Jordan Klepper Solves Guns, former Daily Show correspondent Jordan Klepper cares deeply about America’s gun crisis.
It hasn’t always been easy for him to tackle the issue in a meaningful way as his Alex Jones-inspired character on Comedy Central’s The Opposition. But when it has worked, it’s provided some of the most searing political commentary on late-night TV.
Like most of the other late-night hosts, Klepper is on hiatus this week. But his paranoid alt-right persona surfaced on Twitter Thursday afternoon so that he could weigh in on the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, that claimed the lives of 17 people—the deadliest school shooting since Newtown.
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“We’re taking a well-deserved break this week,” Klepper said into the camera. “Because sometimes, the most productive thing you can do is take some time off to think, to pray.”
While you've all been talking about #GunReformNow, the @NRA is taking a well deserved break... and @JordanKlepper has a very clear message for them and the politicians they support. pic.twitter.com/TOwUSJBaeb
— The Opposition (@TheOpposition) February 16, 2018
“But we’re not the only ones taking a breather,” he continued. “The NRA has also gone completely silent since yesterday for some unknown reason. And these guys love to talk, tweet, bait, aggressively attack and especially donate to some of our favorite members of Congress.”
As the host spoke, names of Republican members of Congress scrolled along the bottom of the screen next to their career NRA donations. At the top of the list was Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) with more than $7.7 million. The guns rights organization’s usually prolific Twitter account has not put out any messages since the shooting on Wednesday.
“Now, I’m glad you guys are taking a break,” Klepper told the NRA. “You work so hard, you do so much. I mean, honestly, how do you have time to sleep? I mean, seriously, NRA, how do you sleep at night? With everything that’s happening, how do you even sleep?”
With The Opposition scheduled to return next Tuesday, Klepper said he hopes the NRA will come back online then too. “As far as I’m concerned,” he concluded, “you guys are a bunch of see you next Tuesdays.”
