Stephen Colbert reveals he’s been subtly trolling Trump on-air for five months

Some keen-eyed fans of Stephen Colbert spotted something unusual about the ‘Late Show’ recently - he hasn’t mentioned a certain name on air since November.

Specifically, that belonging to former President Donald Trump.

During Monday’s taping of “The Late Show,” Colbert explained that he’s been avoiding saying Trump’s name on air, a move that will likely needle the ego-driven former reality star.

“Usually, I call him ‘the former president’ but that gives him dignity ― and me flashbacks,” he said. 

Makes sense. We prefer not mentioning his name either.

“I’m not trying to scrub him out,” Colbert added. “It’s just that legend has it, now that he’s out of office, if you say his name three times, he appears in your bathroom mirror and then uses your toilet while complaining that it’s low flush.” 

Now, Colbert is searching for ways to refer to the former president without actually having to mention his name.

“I’m looking for a reliable substitute for his name,” Colbert said. “Maybe I should just call him, y’know, ‘Melania’s husband,’ or ‘Jeff Epstein’s dance partner’ or something really insulting, like ‘Don Jr.’s father.’”

At the end of Monday’s episode, “The Late Show,” Colbert asked viewers to provide some suitable alternatives on Twitter using the hashtag #HeWhoShallBeNamed.

It’s safe to say they didn’t disappoint.