Talk about a comedy bit gone wrong. Fox News is reporting that a group of people associated with the Late Show with Stephen Colbert were arrested last night near Rep. Lauren Boebert’s office after reports of a disturbance. The story was spelled out on Twitter by congressional reporter Chad Pergram:

2) Fox is told the people were arrested in the Longworth House Office Building. The group was in the Cannon House Office Building earlier in the day trying to get interviews around the time of the 1/6 committee hearing.

— Chad Pergram (@ChadPergram) June 17, 2022

4) However, the group surfaced later that night after the Capitol complex was closed to the public Fox is told they took pictures and video around the offices of House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) and Lauren Boebert (R-CO).

— Chad Pergram (@ChadPergram) June 17, 2022

6) Fox has confirmed the arrests of these nine persons through a senior House source. 

Jake Plunkett 
Allison Martinez 
Tyrone Dean
Stephen Romond 
Nicoletta Green
Brendan Hurley 
Robert Smigel 
Josh Comers 
David Feldman

— Chad Pergram (@ChadPergram) June 17, 2022

9) USCP: “Responding officers observed seven individuals, unescorted and without Congressional ID, in a sixth-floor hallway.”

— Chad Pergram (@ChadPergram) June 17, 2022

11) USCP: “They were charged with Unlawful Entry.  This is an active criminal investigation, and may result in additional criminal charges after consultation with the U.S. Attorney.”

— Chad Pergram (@ChadPergram) June 17, 2022

Jesse Watters opened his show tonight with a segment on the arrests. He added a couple of additional points. First, the group was filming a skit which is why they were banging on the doors of various Republicans. Robert Smigel, who was one of the people arrested, is the comic best known for doing interviews at Triumph the Insult Comic Dog. Watters also reported on some of the other arrestees. Jake Plunkett is a senior producer. Allison Martinez is an associate producer. Josh Comers is a writer. Watters also reported the group had been let into the building by Rep. Adam Schiff and Rep. Jake Auchincloss.

People on the right are already having fun with this. Watters noted these folks could be charged with the same crime as some of the Jan. 6 rioters. Others are just pointing and laughing.

So, with the Jan. 6 hearing failing to win over voters, Dems turn to Stephen Colbert to save them and WHOOPS ==> https://t.co/J12WZSR7ve

— Greg Pollowitz (@GPollowitz) June 17, 2022

Of course comedians make jokes for a living but the connection of Rep. Schiff seems pretty tone deaf if it’s confirmed. I don’t see anything from him on Twitter yet confirming or denying it. But obviously if you’re trying to convince the nation that this was a deadly serious insurrection which should result in serious repercussions, bringing Triumph the Insult Comic Dog in to film a skit doesn’t really convey the proper sense of gravitas. Here’s the report from Jesse Watters.

Colbert Producers arrested and jailed for breaching Capitol Hill security #FoxNews pic.twitter.com/vsdfdzSjXY

— Jesse Watters Primetime (@jesseprimetime) June 17, 2022

Update: Some additional information on what happened here. Colbert’s crew was in the building to do interviews with Rep. Schiff. They tried to hang out in the press area and were told to leave because they didn’t have credentials. Then they were let back in.

At some point, they were let back in to the Longworth House Office Building sometime after 4 p.m. by an aide to Auchincloss and were unattended for several hours. Sources tell Fox News that the aide believed the group had more interviews to do.

Sources tell Fox News that the group apparently roamed the House office buildings while they were unattended for hours.

CBS has released a statement claiming the crew was authorized (it was, initially) and glossing over the hours they were there after being kicked out.

“On Wednesday, June 15 and Thursday, June 16, Triumph the Insult Comic Dog was on-site at the Capitol with a production team to record interviews for a comedy segment on behalf of ‘The Late Show.’ Their interviews at the Capitol were authorized and pre-arranged through Congressional aides of the members interviewed,” the spokesperson said. “After leaving the members’ offices on their last interview of the day, the production team stayed to film stand-ups and other final comedy elements in the halls when they were detained by Capitol Police.”

If they were kicked out at 4:30 and arrested at 8:30 that’s a significant amount of time they were just wandering around.