--- title: Stephen Colbert Mocks Jeff Flake Kavanaugh Hearing Face description: Stephen Colbert took soon-to-be-retiring Republican senator Jeff Flake to task for his role in the Kavanaugh Hearings on the Late Show. canonical: https://time.com/5412526/stephen-colbert-jeff-flake-face-kavanaugh-hearing/ author: Cady Lang article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2018-10-02T16:01:29.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-10-13T08:01:19.311Z og:title: Stephen Colbert Mocks Jeff Flake's 'What Have I Become' Face og:description: Following the Kavanaugh hearings og:url: https://time.com/5412526/stephen-colbert-jeff-flake-face-kavanaugh-hearing/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt806ccfbd6c99828a/69893b9b7cdbac805dd5e125/jeff-flake-face-stephen-colbert.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 2000 og:image:height: 1125 og:image:alt: Senate Judiciary Committee Holds Vote On Brett Kavanaugh Nomination og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Stephen Colbert Mocks Jeff Flake's 'What Have I Become' Face twitter:description: Following the Kavanaugh hearings twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt806ccfbd6c99828a/69893b9b7cdbac805dd5e125/jeff-flake-face-stephen-colbert.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Stephen Colbert Really Lays Into Jeff Flake's 'What Have I Become' Face > Sponsored content. 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It explains the politics, personalities and power dynamics behind the headlines, twice a week. #### Where can I get analysis of Washington politics by email? D.C. Brief is TIME's free Washington politics newsletter, available at time.com/newsletters. It is written by a TIME senior correspondent who covers the capital full time. #### Who writes TIME's D.C. Brief? Philip Elliott, a senior correspondent at TIME, writes D.C. Brief. #### Is D.C. Brief free? Yes. D.C. Brief is free at time.com/newsletters. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3/newsletters?i=52b0016a-22eb-4e1d-a52a-de95a135e207&cr=time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3-v1) ## Video: Protestors Confront Sen. Jeff Flake After He Announces He Will Vote to Confirm Kavanaugh [Watch (HLS stream): Protestors Confront Sen. Jeff Flake After He Announces He Will Vote to Confirm Kavanaugh](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/wZewlFbI.m3u8) (4:35)  _Published 2018-09-28. Protestors Confront Sen. Jeff Flake After He Announces He Will Vote to Confirm Kavanaugh_  by [Cady Lang](https://time.com/author/cady-lang/)  ## Cady Lang Oct 2, 2018 4:01 PM UTC Protestors Confront Sen. Jeff Flake After He Announces He Will Vote to Confirm Kavanaugh  by [Cady Lang](https://time.com/author/cady-lang/)  ## Cady Lang Oct 2, 2018 4:01 PM UTC Don’t expect [Stephen Colbert](http://time.com/4011585/stephen-colbert-interview-transcripts/) to hand out a gold star to [Senator Jeff Flake](http://time.com/5042705/donald-trump-jeff-flake-not-going-quietly/) any time soon. The _Late Night_ host sounded off on last week’s [Senate Judiciary hearings for Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh](http://time.com/5408177/brett-kavanaugh-christine-blasey-ford-testimony/), where both Dr. Christine Blasey Ford and Kavanuagh testified. However, as Colbert descriptively voiced it, that’s where “retiring Republican senator and man with [‘what have I become’ face](http://time.com/5410740/jeff-flake-kavanaugh-vote-photo/), Jeff Flake” decided to speak out. After Blasey Ford testified about how Kavanuagh allegedly sexually assaulted her, Flake released a statement that he planned on voting to confirm Kavanaugh. Following this admission, Flake was [confronted on his way back to the chambers in an elevator by two sexual assault survivors](http://time.com/5409734/jeff-flake-vote-confirm-kavanaugh/), which seemingly affected stipulation that he would only vote Kavanaugh out of the committee if there was an FBI investigation into the assault allegations against the judge. Colbert thinks Flake’s actions hardly make him a hero in light imminent retirement, but felt his activities during the hearings drew a parallel to a popular superhero. During the committee vote, Flake huddled in a phone booth with Democrat senator Chris Coons. “Jeff Flake may have gone into that phone booth as Clark Kent,” Colbert said, “but he came out as Clark Kent who is retiring from the Senate so it’s OK if he stands up to Donald Trump.” Watch the full clip below. ## Transcript [00:00] Senator why did you vote yes, Senator tell us [00:08] why you changed your mind. Senator. Senator? Senator [00:08] Frank. But why did you vote yes, I understand [00:10] [ CROSSTALK ] On Monday I stood in front of your office [00:14] On Monday, I stood in front of your office with Annie [00:18] [ INAUDIBLE ]. I told the story of my sexual assault. I told it [00:22] because I recognized Dr. Ford's story that she's telling the [00:26] truth. What you are doing is allowing someone who [00:29] actually violated a woman to sit in the Supreme Court. This [00:33] is not tolerable. You have Children in your family. Think [00:37] about them. I have two children. [00:42] I cannot imagine, that for the next 50 years they will have to [00:43] have someone in the Supreme Court who has been [00:43] accused of violating a young [00:48] girl. What are you [00:53] doing sir? I was sexually assaulted and nobody believed. [00:57] Believe me. I didn't tell anyone, and you're telling all [01:01] women that they don't matter, that they should just stay [01:03] quiet because if they tell you what happened to them, [01:04] you're going to ignore them. That's what happened to me, [01:09] and that's what your telling all women in America, that they [01:11] don't matter, they should just keep it to themselves [01:11] because if they have told the truth they're just gonna help [01:11] that man to power anyway. That's what you're telling all of [01:11] these women, that's what you're telling me right now. Look [01:11] at me when I'm talking to you, you're telling me that my [01:11] assault doesn't matter, that what happened to me doesn't [01:11] matter, and that you're gonna let people who do these [01:12] things into power. That's what you're telling me when you [01:12] vote for him. [ NOISE ] Don't look away from me, look at me [01:12] and tell me that it doesn't matter what happened to me. [01:13] That you let people like that go into the highest court of the [01:13] land and tell everyone what they can do to their bodies. Do [01:13] you have an answer, senator? Senator Flake, do you think [01:13] that Brett Kavanaugh is telling the truth? Do you think that [01:13] he's able to hold the pain of this country and repair it? That [01:13] is the work of justice. The way that justice work is you [01:13] recognize heart. You take responsibility for it. And then you [01:13] begin to repair it. You're allowing someone who is [01:13] unwilling to take responsibility for For his. And actions. I'm [01:13] willing to hear the crime that he has done to one [01:17] woman. Actually three women. [01:22] And prepare. You are [01:26] our [ UNKNOWN ] who is [01:31] unwilling to take responsibility [01:35] for his own actions. [01:39] Willing to sit in [01:44] the higher court of [01:48] the country. And to [01:52] have the role of repairing the [02:02] harm that has been done In [02:06] this country to many people. [02:11] No thank you. What do [02:16] you think? [ CROSSTALK ] Ma'am do [02:21] you wanna talk to his [02:26] staff? No, I wanna talk [02:31] to him? Care to respond? [02:36] I am your staff but tell me, I'm standing right here in front of [02:37] you. What do you have? Do you think that he's telling the [02:38] truth? Do it now. Do you think that he's telling the truth to [02:39] the country? Thank you. You empower and so many [02:40] women are powerless. Thank you. [ INAUDIBLE ] And [02:41] even [ INAUDIBLE ] I'd be happy to talk to you. Can you not [02:42] give him an answer Senator? We have our press available [02:42] to talk to them. You just [03:14] released a press statement, you don't have the courage to [03:16] give them an answer. Okay thank you, thank you. Thank [03:16] you is not an answer Senator. Thank you. Saying thank [03:20] you is not an answer. [ INAUDIBLE ] it's about the future of [03:21] our country, sir. You can be a hero today. [ INAUDIBLE ] to [03:22] a lifetime appointment in the supreme court. That's fine, find [03:22] security. Be a hero. Senator, why not? You can be a hero [03:23] [ INAUDIBLE ] Senator, why now? Why not wait? Why not [03:24] wait for the investigation? There's no hon. How can you [03:25] [ UNKNOWN ] to us, we demand to know what you're [03:26] thinking? Do you [ CROSSTALK ] women? Do you stand [03:26] with this nation with reserved due process? Senator, do [03:27] you want to respond? No I don't. Senator do [03:36] you care to respond? No I didnt go to the hearing, I just [03:36] issued a statement. You sent an email, [03:54] you can't [04:00] give [04:07] an answer? You can't give an answer?- a lot of questions [04:12] here. Do these women not deserve an answer? [04:12] [ UNKNOWN ] Thank you. Do what is right. Do what is [04:13] [ UNKNOWN ]. Stand up for your constituents, [04:21] all of them. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/5412526/stephen-colbert-jeff-flake-face-kavanaugh-hearing/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/5412526/stephen-colbert-jeff-flake-face-kavanaugh-hearing/"},"headline":"Stephen Colbert Really Lays Into Jeff Flake's 'What Have I Become' Face","datePublished":"2018-10-02T16:01:29.000Z","dateModified":"2026-10-13T08:01:19.311Z","description":"Following the Kavanaugh hearings","url":"https://time.com/5412526/stephen-colbert-jeff-flake-face-kavanaugh-hearing/","keywords":["Newsfeed","Late Night Television"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt806ccfbd6c99828a/69893b9b7cdbac805dd5e125/jeff-flake-face-stephen-colbert.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Cady Lang","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/cady-lang/"}],"articleSection":"","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt806ccfbd6c99828a/69893b9b7cdbac805dd5e125/jeff-flake-face-stephen-colbert.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"Senate Judiciary Committee Holds Vote On Brett Kavanaugh Nomination","caption":"Senate Judiciary Committee Holds Vote On Brett Kavanaugh Nomination","creditText":"Chip Somodevilla—Getty Images","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/tag/time-section-newsfeed/","name":"Newsfeed"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/5412526/stephen-colbert-jeff-flake-face-kavanaugh-hearing/","name":"Stephen Colbert Really Lays Into Jeff Flake's 'What Have I Become' Face"}}]},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","name":"Protestors Confront Sen. 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