June 18 (UPI) — U.S. Capitol Police arrested seven staffers from the production team for CBS’ “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” who were filming a comic segment with a salty canine puppet.
Capitol Police arrested the seven people in a hallway of the Capitol building on Thursday night. Politico confirmed that the seven individuals were staff members with the show.
The network confirmed to NBC News that the production team for the late night show was detained after recording interviews the same day as one of the Jan. 6 committee hearings.
Renata Luczak, vice president of entertainment communications for CBS, told NBC News that Robert Smigel, the voice behind the canine puppet, Triumph the Insult Comic Dog, was on Capitol Hill both Wednesday and Thursday for the comic segment for the show.
“The interviews at the Capitol were authorized and pre-arranged through congressional aides of the members interviewed,” Luzcak said in an email to CBS. “After leaving the members’ office 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.
Capitol Police said in a statement on Friday that they received a call around 8:30 p.m. for “a disturbance in the Longworth House Office Building.”
“Responding officers observed seven individuals, unescorted and without congressional ID, in a sixth-floor hallway,” the statement continued. “The building was closed to visitors, and these individuals were determined to be a part of a group that had been directed by the USCP to leave the building earlier in the day.”
“They were charged with unlawful entry,” according to the statement. “This is an active criminal investigation, and may result in additional criminal charges after consultation with the U.S. Attorney.”
