Late-night TV hosts bash Rudy Giuliani, COVID-19's 'least surprising victim yet'

Rudy Giuliani is the latest member of President Trump's entourage to test positive for COVID-19 — and to be ruthlessly roasted on the late-night TV circuit

On Sunday afternoon, the president announced on Twitter that his personal attorney had contracted the illness. Giuliani was hospitalized for treatment that same day. And by Monday night, comedians Seth Meyers, Trevor Noah, Jimmy Kimmel, Jimmy Fallon and James Corden wasted no time debuting fresh Giuliani material.

"COVID-19 has finally struck its least surprising victim yet," Noah quipped on "The Daily Show." "Rudy Giuliani has tested positive for the coronavirus. Although he is suing to have that result overturned. But for now, it doesn't look good. ...

"Rudy has only got himself to blame for this. I mean, this dude was going all over the country refusing to wear a mask. What do you expect?"

Also unsurprised was the host of "Jimmy Kimmel Live," who sarcastically wondered, "How did this happen? He was being so careful!" before presenting a timeline of Giuliani's tumultuous 2020.

"This COVID test is the only positive thing to come out of Rudy Giuliani in four years," Kimmel quipped. "He's gone from America's mayor to America's sprayer. ... This man has put up some incredible statistics over the past six weeks: Oct. 23, we see him on camera playing pocket pool with Borat's daughter.

"Nov. 7, he holds a press conference in an alley outside of a landscaping business across from a dildo shop. Nov. 19, motor oil leaks out of his head. Dec. 2, he farts loudly during a pretend election hearing in Michigan. ... And here we are now on Dec. 7, and Count Flatula has the coronavirus. Have we ever seen a streak like this?"

After revealing his diagnosis, Trump tweeted his well-wishes to the former mayor of New York City and vowed to "carry on" while he recovers. Giuliani, 76, is currently receiving treatment at Georgetown University Medical Center in Washington.

"You gotta love Trump's bedside manner," Meyers joked on "Late Night." "'Get well soon, Rudy. You were a good man. Rest in peace.'"

The comics also taunted Giuliani over his unsuccessful legal crusade to prove the Trump administration's unfounded claims of election fraud. There has been no evidence of fraud in this year's presidential election, and President-elect Joe Biden is on track to replace Trump in January.

"After his test showed he had COVID, he challenged the results in court and lost," Fallon quipped on "The Tonight Show." "Rudy was like, 'How could this happen? All I did was travel around maskless and use whatever I found lying around to wipe my face.'"

"Giuliani says he feels fine, and that after all his lawsuits have been rejected by the court, it just feels good to finally get a positive outcome on anything," Corden said on "The Late Late Show."

"Can you imagine being the guy who has to contact trace Rudy Giuliani? OK, so just last week he was in Pennsylvania, Michigan, Arizona, Washington — you know what? Just call everyone. Call everyone!"

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.