Stephen Colbert mocks Fox News’ Thanksgiving tradition: ‘Blaming Biden’

The AFBF found that the total cost of an average Thanksgiving dinner had actually fallen for 2023

The Late Show host Stephen Colbert mocked Fox News for what he described as the channel’s Thanksgiving tradition of “blaming Joe Biden“.

During his show on Wednesday night, Mr Colbert joked that the right-wing network was celebrating the festive season with its favourite pasttime of blaming the president for the apparent rise in cost of a turkey.

Former congressman Jason Chaffetz had appeared on Fox News this week to claim that rising inflation in the US under Mr Biden had driven up the price of turkeys and postage stamps.

Mr Chaffetz regaled how he went to buy a turkey this week, only to discover that it cost $90. He added that the price of stamps had also gone up by 32 per cent in the last four years.

“It’s all a choice by Joe Biden,” he said. “That’s what Bidenomics is.”

Mr Chaffetz was widely mocked for his remarks, with fellow commentator Brian Brenberg adding: “I hope Jason’s turkey was made of steak, because that’s a lot of money for a turkey.”

On Wednesday’s show, Mr Colbert also chimed in on the discussion.

“That’s right. Thanks to Joe Biden’s greed, it’s even more expensive than ever to buy a raw turkey, cover it in stamps and send it to a relative,” Mr Colbert joked. “Thanks a lot, Joe.”

Stephen Colbert mocks Fox News (CBS)

He went on to cast doubts on the former congressman’s claims, joking that it might not have been a turkey that Mr Colbert bought for this year’s Thanksgiving feast.

“I have no reason to doubt Jason Chaffetz other than the fact that I’ve met him,” Mr Colbert joked.

“But, according to the latest data from the Department of Agriculture, the average cost of a frozen turkey is $1.25 a pound. OK, so if Jason Chaffetz spent – if he spent $90 at $1.25 a pound, that means he must have gotten … a 72-pound turkey.

“Jason, that wasn’t a turkey you put in the oven. For the love of God, for the love of God, where’s your niece?”

According to the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF), the average price for a 16-pound turkey is $27.35 – at $1.71 per pound. That’s actually down by 5.6 per cent from last year.

The AFBF also found that the total cost of an average Thanksgiving dinner in 2023 was less than the record highs seen in 2022 – at $65.05 – coming in at an average of $61.17.

Following Mr Chaffet’z claim, social media users were also quick to mock the former congressman.

“What kind of turkey were you buying? The country?” wrote one user, with another replying with a picture of a world map and writing “call me crazy, but that’s a bargain”.

Mr Chaffetz later took to X himself, posting a picture of a nearly 23-pound “premium young turkey” bought from Meiers for $114.02. “Happy Thanksgiving,” he wrote.