The quote "A conspiracy is what villains do. An agreement is what adults do" was said by Stephen Colbert during a December 2016 segment of The Late Show. He made the statement while addressing "Pizzagate," a conspiracy theory that was circulating online at the time.
During the segment, Colbert explained that it was normal for late-night talk show hosts to have pre-interviews and discuss potential talking points with guests, including politicians. When faced with accusations that this standard practice amounted to a conspiracy, Colbert responded by clarifying the difference between the two.
His full message was:
"There's a difference between a conspiracy and an agreement."
"A conspiracy is what villains do."
"An agreement is what adults do."
"Look around the country—wouldn't you agree we need some more adults?".
