The situation in Catalonia has been grabbing the attention of the international news media for weeks, and now it's even reached US late-night TV. Stephen Colbert on The Late Show last night gave a humorous summary of the historical and political background to the conflict, bringing it right up to the very latest developments with a cutting jibe on the preventive imprisonment without bail of Catalan vice-president Oriol Junqueras and seven other ministers: "'Cause nothing says democracy like jailing everyone the people elected".
The comedian ended with a message of support: "We Americans do know a thing or two about ditching a monarchy that's taxing you unfairly to start a new country. Trust us, it's going to take courage, it's going to take determination, and a whole load of stupid, stupid wigs."
Colbert, who gained fame as a satirist with the Colbert Report on Comedy Central, has moved his show in a more political direction than US late-night hosts tend to choose, a change which has paid off for him in the ratings.