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Home / Entertainment

Benedict Cumberbatch's hilarious US election bedtime story

By Dan Cain
Daily Mail·
8 Nov, 2016 11:30 PM4 mins to read

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Benedict Cumberbatch, certainly seemed to have perfected the art of telling a bedtime tale during a hilarious comedy sketch on The Late Late Show. Photo / Late Late Show

Benedict Cumberbatch, certainly seemed to have perfected the art of telling a bedtime tale during a hilarious comedy sketch on The Late Late Show. Photo / Late Late Show

He recently admitted that he's still proving himself as a father - but Benedict Cumberbatch certainly seemed to have perfected the art of telling a bedtime story during a hilarious pre-election sketch on The Late Late Show, according to the Daily Mail.

The Doctor Strange actor, 40, read The Story of the 2016 US Presidential Election to his son, James Corden, as a storm raged outside.

In it, a woman dressed in beige from head to toe has to defeat a big orange monster with orange skin and hair so she can rule the land and live in a big white house.

Benedict Cumberbatch, dressed in a red robe, entered a cosy children's bedroom occupied by his 'son' James Corden, who was tucked up in bed as a storm raged outside. Photo / Late Late Show
Benedict Cumberbatch, dressed in a red robe, entered a cosy children's bedroom occupied by his 'son' James Corden, who was tucked up in bed as a storm raged outside. Photo / Late Late Show

In the sketch, Cumberbatch, clad in a red smoking jacket, enters a cozy children's bedroom where his son Corden, tucked up in bed, pleads with his father for a bedtime story.

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Corden rejects classic stories Peter Rabbit and Goldilocks and the Three Bears in favour of the story of the 2016 presidential election where the protagonist - Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton, dressed in beige, tries to realize her dream of ruling the kingdom.

'A lady dressed in a beige jacket, beige trousers and beige shoes': Hillary Clinton is introduced. Photo / Late Late Show
'A lady dressed in a beige jacket, beige trousers and beige shoes': Hillary Clinton is introduced. Photo / Late Late Show

After telling everyone who will listen that she is the best ruler for the land, even though her husband has already ruled the kingdom, the lady sets out on a journey to the beautiful white house, Cumberbatch reads.

As a cartoon version of the politician tries to make her way to the 'big white house', she encounters a number of obstacles.

She has to make her way through a scary forest full of computers containing emails - a nod to the investigation conducted by the FBI into Clinton's use of a personal email account while working as Secretary of State.

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Beware of the emails! A cartoon version of the politician wandered through a 'scary' forest on her way to the White House. Photo / Late Late Show
Beware of the emails! A cartoon version of the politician wandered through a 'scary' forest on her way to the White House. Photo / Late Late Show

She also has to fend off trolls and 'an old, old man with hair of white and face like that of a wizard' mounted on the back of a unicorn, who bears more than a passing resemblance to Bernie Sanders.

"He said he could take from the rich and give to the poor, no matter how impossible his plans were," Cumberbatch reads, before Corden interjects: "He sounds cool."

Clinton is almost defeated by a wizard on a unicorn bearing more than a passing resemblance to Bernie Sanders. Photo / Late Late Show
Clinton is almost defeated by a wizard on a unicorn bearing more than a passing resemblance to Bernie Sanders. Photo / Late Late Show

After overcoming all of these obstacles, Hillary faces her sternest test yet: "the most terrifying creature of all... the big orange monster" aka Donald Trump.

Cumberbatch tells how the monster has eaten 16 other monsters in the forest including GOP nominees Jeb Bush, Ben Carson and Ted Cruz.

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In his booming voice, he reads: "Nobody expected the big orange monster to rule the land because although his head was very big, his wisdom was very very tiny like his tiny tiny baby hands."

Hillary Clinton faces her sternest test yet - the 'big orange monster' who bears more than a passing resemblance to Donald Trump. Photo / Late Late Show
Hillary Clinton faces her sternest test yet - the 'big orange monster' who bears more than a passing resemblance to Donald Trump. Photo / Late Late Show

He goes on to say that the monster wants to "build a giant wall to keep out boys and girls from faraway lands like Mexico".

But did the lady make it to the big white house in the end? Corden asks. Cumberbatch replies: "We can't tell yet, son, and neither can the polls".

The Story of the US Presidential Election depicts the big orange monster aka Donald Trump overseeing the building of a wall. Photo / Late Late Show
The Story of the US Presidential Election depicts the big orange monster aka Donald Trump overseeing the building of a wall. Photo / Late Late Show

The actor wouldn't be drawn on who would win, although it was made clear he was rooting for Hillary.

Corden asks: "Daddy, did the lady make it to the big white house?"

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"We can't tell yet, son, and neither can the polls," Cumberbatch replies.

The youthful Corden then asks: "Daddy the big orange monster won't grab be in the night will he?"

Cumberbatch responds: "Of course not, son."

But did the lady make it to the big white house in the end? Corden asks. Cumberbatch replies: 'We can't tell yet, son, and neither can the polls'. Photo / Late Late Show
But did the lady make it to the big white house in the end? Corden asks. Cumberbatch replies: 'We can't tell yet, son, and neither can the polls'. Photo / Late Late Show

The host then presents a cuddly toy cat from underneath the sheets and holding it aloft he asks: "But what about my pussy? Will he try and grab my pussy?"

Flustered, given Trump's comments about women, Cumberbatch pauses momentarily, eliciting laughter from the audience, before simply saying 'goodnight son' and leaving the room.

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