Stephen Colbert begs Americans to stop politicizing Thanksgiving

Stephen Colbert implored Americans to set aside politics for one day to celebrate Thanksgiving with their loved ones.

"Sadly, the holiday dinner table has become a minefield of controversial subjects like sex, religion and what's the difference between sweet potatoes and yams?" Colbert said.

He pointed to poll results from last year that found just 11 percent of Republicans approved of President Barack Obama pardoning two Thanksgiving turkeys, instead of the customary single turkey, compared to 59 percent of Democrats.

Colbert also noted poll results that found some partisan differences in appreciation for some traditional holiday dishes, such as cranberry sauce and sweet potatoes with or without marshmallows.

"Nearly 40 percent of Republicans think a sweet potato would make a pretty good president," he said, flashing a photo of Donald Trump onscreen.

Colbert said those statistics may be interesting or even useful, but he said it signaled a troubling trend.

"Please, please -- can't Thanksgiving be the one day of the year when we don't try and see everything through the lens of politics?" he said. "Don't get me wrong, there are some things we should see through the lens of politics -- for instance, politicians. But (on Thanksgiving), let's not talk about politics. In the spirit of the first Thanksgiving, hosts just share your food and try not to worry that your guests seem like they're never going to leave."

Watch the entire segment posted online by The Late Show With Stephen Colbert: