In one of the most gloriously unhinged, galaxy-brained segments ever aired on The Late Show, California Governor Gavin Newsom strutted onto Stephen Colbert’s stage on December 6, 2025 holding what can only be described as the most aggressively sparkly, sci-fi trophy ever created: a laser-etched plaque declaring him the winner of the “First Intergalactic ‘Most Peaceful Human in Earth’s History’ Peace Prize.”

“Stephen,” he announced with a straight face and a grin that screamed “Yes, I’m absolutely committing to the bit,”
“I am here tonight to humbly announce — with all the dignity befitting a man visited by extraterrestrial diplomats — that I’ve won.”

The band immediately dropped into a synth-heavy space anthem straight out of a 1980s arcade game, the audience lost its collective mind, and Colbert raised his eyebrows so high they practically left orbit.

What followed? Fifteen minutes of glorious chaos:
— holo-messages from the “Andromeda Council,”
— jokes about Trump demanding a recount by the Flat Earth Society,
— Colbert nearly collapsing from laughter,
— and the internet exploding into #GavinFromTheStars memes faster than NASA could file a trademark complaint.

And under all the cosmic silliness? A sharp political wink at Nobel rumors, 2028 ambitions, and the bizarre world of modern “peace prize politics.”

THE COSMIC ENTRANCE HEARD AROUND THE INTERNET

Colbert set the tone instantly. Under the Ed Sullivan Theater’s holiday lights, he introduced Newsom with a montage blending real political moments with deepfake clips of the governor mediating conflicts between squirrels, parking meters, and rogue Roombas.

“You’re not just California’s leader,” Colbert teased.
“You’re the guy who makes Sacramento look like a Marvel franchise.”

Then he slid a mock Nobel nomination form across the desk.

“Tonight,” Colbert said, “we’re going bigger. Intergalactic.”

Cue Newsom: entering in a perfectly tailored suit laced with subtle silver threads that shimmered like a meteor trail, holding his award overhead like he’d just been crowned king of a cosmic beauty pageant.

“It arrived via wormhole express,” he proclaimed.
“The Galactic Harmony Federation delivers fast — unlike Congress.”

The plaque itself? A disco-ball planet, alien glyphs, and a tiny floating Golden Gate Bridge rotating like a satellite. The audience HOWLED.

THE “OFFICIAL BACKSTORY,” ACCORDING TO NEWSOM’S INNER SPACE LORE

Newsom leaned into the desk as if he’d been waiting years to unveil this story.

“It started three months ago,” he said. “I got an encrypted ping. Turns out it was from Zorgon-7 — Andromeda’s ambassador to Earth’s environmental subcommittee.”

Colbert gasped theatrically.

“Zorgon-7? Like Elon Musk’s landlord?”

Newsom nodded gravely.
“Roughly the same vibes, but better Wi-Fi.”

According to the governor:

• Aliens had been monitoring Earth via TikTok and Hubble reruns
• Newsom’s environmental policies were labeled ‘a beacon of pacifist innovation’
• Putin was nominated for “Most Aggressive Expansion”
• Xi for “Quietest Conquest”
• Trump for “Loudest Interplanetary Tweetstorm — Disqualified for Space Force violations”

“They even gave me an anti-gravity crystal version,” Newsom bragged.
“Floats right off the mantle. Very Feng Shui.”

THE ZERO-GRAVITY ACCEPTANCE SPEECH THAT BROKE THE INTERNET

The studio then cut to a pre-recorded hologram of Newsom floating in a zero-G chamber surrounded by glowing olive branches and recycled Tesla parts.

“To the cosmos,” hologram-Gavin intoned,
“California is ready to lead — from Malibu to Mars.”

Then he accidentally spilled a floating kombucha that burst into animated peace-dove emojis. TikTok immediately claimed it as the greatest political meme of 2025.

Colbert wiped tears of laughter and pressed:
“Gavin… Nobel vibes? Yes or no?”

Newsom grinned.
“I’m just a governor who turned a drought into a conversation. But intergalactic awards? That’s a next-level humblebrag.”

He also revealed Trump was already furious.

“Apparently, he posted about ‘Crooked Aliens’ rigging the vote.”

A mock graphic flashed onscreen:
@realDonaldTrump: “WORMHOLE FRAUD! INTERGALACTIC DEEP STATE!!!”

The audience lost it all over again.

THE LAYERS UNDER THE LAUGHS

The whole bit was a wink to the viral chaos from October, when millions fell for a fake article claiming Newsom had won the real Nobel Peace Prize — forcing Snopes, AP, and half the internet to scramble.

Colbert leaned into that subtext with merch mock-ups:

• “Zorgon-7 Approved” hoodies
• Hats that flipped MAGA into “Make Andromeda Grin Again”
• Shirts reading “Peace Out, Earthlings — Gavin 2028?”

Newsom, ever polished, pitched them like a late-night infomercial host:

“All proceeds go to my new initiative: Universal Basic Stardust.”

Cheers. Confetti. Colbert clapping like a proud space dad.

THE INTERNET GOES SUPERNOVA

Within minutes:

• #IntergalacticNewsom hit #1 on U.S. trends
• Edits of Newsom negotiating with ET hit 10M views
• Elon Musk replied with a single cryptic emoji chain (🛸💥🤨)
• AOC joked: “Loop me in for the Andromeda Summit, Governor.”

The White House wasn’t amused.

Trump’s press deputy snapped at reporters:
“The president is focused on REAL threats, not Governor Newsom’s alien fan club.”

The memes only spread faster.

NEWSOM’S FINAL MESSAGE — HALF SATIRE, HALF 2028 PREVIEW

In the green room, Newsom offered the one earnest line of the night:

“This isn’t about awards. It’s about reminding people that peace, progress, and even politics can be weird — and fun — and hopeful.”

Colbert hugged him, laughing:
“Run in 2028, Gavin. The galaxy already voted.”

By sunrise, the segment had racked up 15 million streams — beating Taylor Swift’s holiday drop and nearly breaking Paramount+.

THE COSMIC CONCLUSION

In an election world still echoing with Trump’s obsession over “peace prizes,” Newsom and Colbert turned the entire concept on its head. Not just parody. Not just politics.

But satire as strategy.

Absurdity as a political language.

And Newsom as the polished, playful, star-powered foil to Trump’s chaos.

He didn’t just ‘win’ a fake intergalactic prize — he hijacked the entire conversation.

Beam us up, Governor.
Earth could use a little extraterrestrial peace.