[WATCH] Stephen Colbert and Chris Hayes Mock Josh Hawley’s ‘Skedaddle’ Through the Capitol Hallway

It was the cowardly sprint seen ’round the world, and it has already given rise to countless musical versions and memes.

When the January 6th House Select Committee played a clip juxtaposing Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO but really VA) raising his fist in solidarity with the MAGA rioters with a brief clip of him running away from the mob once they breached the Capitol, it was a gift to the internet that only got better once we also heard the room laughing at the clip as it was played for them live. The TV news veteran producer hired to oversee the hearings did a great job, cutting to a 10-minute recess right after Rep. Elaine Luria (D-VA for real) barely contained how tasty it was to introduce the seven seconds of pure comedic gold.

While Hawley is trying to pretend he has a sense of humor about it by attempting to fundraise from the moment–and spoiler, seditious cowardly Republicans aren’t funny–actually funny people are reaping the joys of his humiliation.

Josh Hawley running away to a variety of soundtracks.

Pt. 2: Benny Hill Theme pic.twitter.com/3cl6otJxiJ

— Mallory Nees (@The_Mal_Gallery) July 22, 2022

But there was a real reason for the Committee to share that clip above all others. And that reason was straight-up humiliation for hypocritical Hawley.

Did Josh Hawley really just say that? We’ve heard differently. pic.twitter.com/jt25wZEAf0

— The Democrats (@TheDemocrats) July 23, 2022

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Now, maybe the Committee didn’t intend for that clip of Hawley to go viral, but they certainly knew exactly what they were doing in the way they set it up, as the reaction from the room indicated.

That is beautiful

— Tara Dublin (@taradublinrocks) July 22, 2022

Moments like these are the bread and butter for late-night talk shows, but in the hands of a master like Stephen Colbert, what for some might be a snack becomes a gourmet meal. Watch Colbert with MSNBC’s Chris Hayes, who says the Committee did it as a way of telling Hawley to “go f–k himself” for his obvious cowardice so soon after portraying his false bravado.