Today, many are laughing in a different way — more nervously.
On his show Wednesday, Stephen Colbert captured that transition in a one-minute video, showing a brief history of laughing at Trump. It goes from Colbert genuinely laughing at a candidate who was supposed to be a joke to Colbert laughing hysterically, wearing a straitjacket.
Say what you will about Trump's racist and misogynistic comments, but the candidate clearly defied expectations — in a way that has probably made a lot of people feel just a bit crazy.
Bonus Colbert: Later on his show, Colbert also paid a Hunger Games–style tribute to Ted Cruz and John Kasich, the last two candidates to surrender to Trump in the Republican race. Watch that below:
Watch: Donald Trump's rise is a scary moment in America