Selina and team head to South Carolina, where she seeks an endorsement from a key leader. Gary gets a long-awaited promotion, while Marjorie excels in her new role.
64 jokes in 39 minutes—Veep's densest finale stretch sustains relentless wordplay.
Directed by Beth McCarthy-Miller · Written by Alex Gregory, Peter Huyck
WAR
194.7
Wins Above Replacement
“South Carolina” ranks #3 of 65 Veep episodes on the Humor Index, scoring 99.9 — Elite. The episode packs 103 scored jokes at 2.6 per minute, averaging 7.9 on craft and 7.9 on impact, with Selina landing the most laughs. Every joke is ranked below with its individual craft and impact scores.
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Top Jokes
Selina: But the real victims are the police... ing. / Policing... that America does in the South China Sea.
Selina Misdirection Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Ben: Ben: Uh, like my prostate. / Mostly black and much larger than we'd like.
Ben Setup/Punchline Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Gary: I've never been more proud I taught that man to ejaculate into a cup.
Gary Character Comedy Dark/Subversive ★ Rewatch Dr. Jordan Thomas Jr.: My dad said that to a lot of white women. That was his move. Now you know.
Tanz: Stricter marijuana laws! Ta-da! / I need potheads in my prisons. / Otherwise it's just murderers and rapists. / It makes for a very unpleasant atmosphere.
Tanz Dark/Subversive Character Comedy ★ Rewatch All Jokes — 103 analyzed
Show all ↓ Hide ↑ Selina: Can you fuck off? / I have always tried to be there for you. / Well, how come you failed me in algebra, Mr. Hennick?
Selina Misdirection Character Comedy Unknown Recruiter · Amy: How would you like the chance to help lead a visibly repugnant underdog to historic victory? / You want me to join Jonah's campaign?
Kent: Men hate women, women hate themselves. The Geraldine Ferraro principle.
Kent Deadpan/Understatement Dark/Subversive ★ Rewatch Selina · Gary: I'm feeling patriotic. / Full bald eagle.
Selina: Dr. Jordan Thomas once said to me that I was the blackest white woman he ever met.
Selina Character Comedy Cringe/Discomfort ★ Rewatch Ben · Selina: Ma'am, you do know that this time you're running against an actual black person? / She's not even all-black.
Selina: Plus, I'm gonna be Lion-Kinging Little Richard all around till I tear my rotator cuff.
Selina Character Comedy Absurdist ★ Rewatch Gary: I have been working for you for 18 years without a promotion.
Gary Character Comedy Deadpan/Understatement Selina · Aide: OK, so give Gary the face-based thing. / It's 'faith-based.' / I don't care.
Selina · Gary: No talking! / No talking! / I'm hearing moving!
Jonah: OK, I'm gonna go hang myself from a sturdy pipe, and I'm not even gonna bother jacking off.
Jonah Dark/Subversive Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Jonah's Advisor · Jonah: You have time for a drink beforehand? / Mmm.
Jonah · Lloyd: Don't math me, Lloyd. / Math is a plot invented by the Chinese to make smart Americans feel dumb.
Lloyd · Jonah: Modern math was invented by Islamic scholars in the 7th century. / You were invented by Islamic scholars in the 7th century.
Jonah: Oh! Saint Theresa's gray-haired gunt, they're fucking again?!
Jonah Character Comedy Dark/Subversive ★ Rewatch Jeff: I'll jam my fist up my dick hole and pull out a 40-piece set of Danish cutlery when you're president!
Jeff Character Comedy Dark/Subversive ★ Rewatch Jeff: Selina Meyer is a legitimate candidate, not a human pool skimmer last used to de-spunk a Provincetown hot tub party!
Jeff Character Comedy Dark/Subversive ★ Rewatch Jeff: Let me know where to send the gift. Spoiler alert: It's Danish cutlery.
Jeff Callback Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Callback Selina · Marjorie: Why are you Gary? / He had an early morning meeting. / You can't just replace Gary with another lesbian and think that I'm not gonna notice what-- / Mmm. Wow, this tea is the perfect temperature.
Marjorie · Selina: Thank you, ma'am. I learned from an Afghani warlord. / We should put him on the payroll. / You killed him in a drone strike. / Oh, well.
Marjorie: You've been taking fashion advice from a man who dresses like an overgrown ventriloquist dummy.
Gary: The president hates bagels — shh-shh-shh — and she can't even be in the same room with donuts.
Gary Character Comedy Cringe/Discomfort Gary · Blake Stein: Mr. Walsh. This is your meeting. You're in charge. / Oh, I know. I know. I know. [pause] Of course. / Can I make anyone a plate?
Selina: What up, Mojo? When are you and I gonna have that pussy-eating contest?
Selina Character Comedy Cringe/Discomfort Senator Talbot / Kemi: You have ten minutes. I started timing the moment you knocked.
Congressman Ryan · Amy · Selina: I want vice president. / That's not negotiable. / Let's go. / No, I'm willing to negotiate. / What about Department of the Exterior? / Interior. / We're gonna negotiate against ourselves now, Amy?
Mike · Gang-Hua Li: Remembering things and reporting them back to people is not my strong suit, but I could write it down. / Please don't write it down.
Marjorie · Selina: It was in today's Line-By-Line. / You know I don't read what you give me.
Dr. Jordan Thomas Jr.: My dad said that to a lot of white women. That was his move. Now you know.
Congressman Ryan · Amy: Ask me what's on my mind. / Fine. What's on your mind, Congressman Ryan? / I'm glad you asked, because my mind's on my money... and my money's on my mind. / Laid back.
Jonah: I thought she'd be more familiar. I mean, did you at least watch Martin? 'Damn, Gina!'
Jonah Cringe/Discomfort Character Comedy Senator Talbot / Kemi: Could you give me HUD? Nobody cares about it. It's like the fat girl of Cabinet posts.
Selina: What the tragic mulatto fuck? / Kemi looks like an albino. / And I'm so black, people are gonna start calling me articulate.
Selina Cringe/Discomfort Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Gary · Selina: Man: Outreach. Reaching out. / No.
Kent · Selina: Well, my polling shows their main wants are jobs, education, and an adequate safety net— / Okay, not gonna speak to that. / I'm not finished, ma'am. / '...to be denied to African Americans.'
Selina · Ben · Dan · Marjorie: Like a dog whistle. / Yes, exactly! / Come on, that's like a dog whisper. / You could 'reject' an endorsement from a pro-Confederacy group. / That's like a dog exploding space shuttle. / I need something loud, not too loud like-- / Dog chainsaw? / No, that's too droney. / A dog snowmobile. / Why would I know what that even sounds like? / A dog leaf blower? / Yeah, I like that.
Selina · Aide: Okay, guys, what you need to do is get me in front of huge white audiences. Huge. Huge. Something that makes a NASCAR race look like a Jay-Z concert, you know? / Actually, ma'am, Jay-Z concerts are almost all white people. / Okay, well, right? I know.
Selina: Okay, guys, what you need to do is get me in front of huge white audiences. Huge. Something that makes a NASCAR race look like a Jay-Z concert.
Selina Character Comedy Dark/Subversive Irony/Sarcasm Selina · Mike: Where are you registered? Child Protective Services? / No, Gymboree.
Selina: I love that they make clothes in your size now, Mike.
Selina Character Comedy Deadpan/Understatement Selina: A misfortune cookie.
Selina Wordplay/Pun Deadpan/Understatement ★ Rewatch Selina: Who cares about an island that doesn't have a Four Seasons on it?
Selina Character Comedy Irony/Sarcasm Ben · Selina: 'Ish.' / 'Esque.'
Ben Selina Deadpan/Understatement Irony/Sarcasm ★ Rewatch Ben · Selina: We are not talking about letting the Chinese influence our presidential election... And, since it is not being discussed, then I do not have to mention that you cannot trust the Chinese. And they will not sell you out in a Beijing minute. / Wait, they will or they won't? / I don't know.
Selina: Can't we 'not' not do the thing that we're not talking about?
Selina Character Comedy Absurdist Selina · Ben · Marjorie: Do you think Captain Lady Kangaroo heard any of that? / I don't think so. / No? Okay, good. / Fire her anyway just to be sure. / Consider her green-jeaned, ma'am.
Richard: When my uncle stole me, I don't remember where he took me, but I do have this recurring dream where I almost find out.
Richard Dark/Subversive Deadpan/Understatement ★ Rewatch Richard · Bystander: Oh, it's a crop duster. They usually fly pretty low. / Not that low.
Gary: I've never been more proud I taught that man to ejaculate into a cup.
Gary Character Comedy Dark/Subversive ★ Rewatch Selina · Tom James: I've heard you had a yen for Treasury. / I think a lot of my supporters would actually think that State was more appropriate. / Ouch. Things are that bad at home, huh? / Let's just say a few international tours would ease domestic tensions.
Tom James · Selina: You familiar with 'peace through strength'? / Oh. Keep talkin' like Reagan, I'll work it like Nancy.
Buddy Calhoun · Jonah: Whoops. I guess we got ourselves a 'Gift of the Magi' situation here. / I was gonna ask you for the same thing.
Jonah · Buddy: Were you gonna ask for Interior and then settle for HUD? / Dang it. So busted.
Selina: There is no way I would appoint anyone competent to anything in my cabinet.
Selina Character Comedy Deadpan/Understatement ★ Rewatch Tom James: I'd like to give my strongest and most full-throated support to the person who has proven time and time again to be a born leader... but unfortunately that candidate has not yet emerged and shows no sign of doing so.
Selina · Ben: He just fucked me right in the ass! / Son of a bitch wouldn't endorse you. / That, too!
Amy · Selina · Leon: I mean, that's like blowing a rape whistle while you're raping somebody. / Exactly. / Speak truth to powerless.
Selina: Honeydew? If I wanna pretend to be in the CNN green room, I'll draw a face on Ben's ass and call that Christiane Amanpour.
Selina Character Comedy Dark/Subversive ★ Rewatch Tanz · Jonah: Who said anything about winning? / You. I thought you said I was gonna be president. / No, you did. / Made me chuckle every time.
Tanz Jonah Character Comedy Misdirection ★ Rewatch Tanz: Stricter marijuana laws! Ta-da! / I need potheads in my prisons. / Otherwise it's just murderers and rapists. / It makes for a very unpleasant atmosphere.
Tanz Dark/Subversive Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Jonah: I wish I'd aborted myself.
Jonah Dark/Subversive Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Tanz: Plus, I need more casino licenses for Macau. / I know it sounds a little specific, / but in the end it'll benefit all Americans.
Tanz Character Comedy Irony/Sarcasm Marjorie · Selina: Permission to roll your breasts, ma'am? / Oh, granted.
Dr. Jordan Thomas Jr.: Because this is the Lord's house. Not the White House. / But soon to be the 'Black House.'
Selina: But the real victims are the police... ing. / Policing... that America does in the South China Sea.
Selina Misdirection Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Selina · Congregation: It is time for America to recognize Chinese sovereignty over the Diaoyu Islands and the disputed mineral rights of the surrounding seabed. / Can I get an amen? / Woman: What? / Amen.
Mike: Today I have a BuzzFeed exclusive. We are getting the first national interview with Lurlene, Iowa's dog mayor, who it turns out is not a dog, but a human.
Mike Character Comedy Absurdist Richard: I'm just a mayor who now, temporarily, has a Slurpee machine in his office.
Richard Character Comedy Deadpan/Understatement ★ Rewatch Richard · Mike: Oh, good question. / Thank you. It's actually Wendy's.
Richard · Mike: I guess I just did what anybody would do if they were there. / Except the people who were there and didn't do anything.
Keith Quinn · Selina: Wo zai zehli bangmang. (I'm here to help in Mandarin) / Uh, is that Mandarin? / Yes, it was.
Keith Quinn: I would say that we're well past the point of plausible deniability at this point.
Selina · Gary · Ben: Well, I can't think of any other reason. / Well, let's be honest. God had a lot to do with it, too. / Oh, sure! Yeah. It's a miracle. / Let's go spend twenty-five million dollars on some racist robo callers. / Praise the Lord. / Right?
Jonah: You know who else thinks that I don't have the intelligence or the 'tentrament' to be president? My very own campaign staff.
Jonah Character Comedy Running Gag ★ Rewatch Jonah: That is my campaign chair, Amy Brookheimer. She recently had an abortion.
Jonah Cringe/Discomfort Dark/Subversive ★ Rewatch Jonah: And that is my chief strategist, Teddy Sykes, and he is an overgrown midget who had to be chemically castrated.
Jonah Cringe/Discomfort Character Comedy Jonah · Bill Ericsson: And that guy right there, that's Eric something. / Bill Ericsson. / That's Eric Bill Ericsson, and he thinks he's better than everybody else in this room.
Jonah: Math was created by Muslims. / Yeah. And we teach this Islamic math to children. / Math teachers are terrorists.
Jonah Character Comedy Escalation ★ Rewatch Callback Teddy: I may be a registered sex offender, but I cannot be a part of this. I'm gone.
Teddy Dark/Subversive Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Jonah: Algebra? More like Al Jazeera.
Jonah Character Comedy Wordplay/Pun ★ Rewatch Callback Jonah · Crowd: Under a Ryan presidency, I will ban this Sharia math from being taught to American children. / No more math! / God fuck America. No more math! No more math!
Jonah Crowd Escalation Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Callback Dan: Well, I'll tell you one thing. If we lose, it certainly won't be for lack of touching people in a Denny's.
Dan Deadpan/Understatement Character Comedy Ben: Ben: Uh, like my prostate. / Mostly black and much larger than we'd like.
Ben Setup/Punchline Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Mike · Selina: Madam President, would you like to say something to our viewers? / Sure, um, if you haven't voted, please-- / Oh, sorry. I'm getting a call. I apologize, it's Wendy.
Selina: Ben, I sold my soul to the Chinese for a lousy twenty-five million dollars.
Selina Dark/Subversive Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Ben · Selina: You cannot trust the Chinese. / I married enough of them to know that. / Wait, isn't your wife Korean? / Maybe. Fog of war.
Ben Selina Character Comedy Irony/Sarcasm ★ Rewatch Dan: It's a total blackout.
Dan Wordplay/Pun Dark/Subversive ★ Rewatch Selina: From now on, I do what I want, I take what I want, whenever I want it. / 'New Selina Now.'
Selina Character Comedy Irony/Sarcasm Selina: Oh, it's on the table by the chair. / So go get it.
Selina Character Comedy Reaction Beat Gary: I'm surprised they let you run for president, because you look thirty-four, tops.
Gary Character Comedy Irony/Sarcasm Selina · Gary: Like Jodie Foster in John Hinckley's diary. / Oh, my God. I'm obsessed with her.
Selina · Gary · Ben: So who's in charge of the faith-based outreach now? / Not it. / You are. [...] And Keith Quinn'll help you out too, I think. / Yes, there you go. So, your name will be all over it. Like Jodie Foster in John Hinckley's diary.
Catherine · Gary · Selina: Shouldn't you be pre-chewing my mother's food for her? / I told her her eyes looked puffy. / Thank you, chipmunk. / You're welcome, Catherine.
Dan · Jonah campaign staffer/Leon: Wait, I'm fired? Per fucking who?! / Per Selina. I believe her words were, 'If I need another Washington douche, I'll go to the M Street Rite Aid.'
Dan · Leon: Wait, I'm fired? Per fucking who?! / Per Selina. I believe her words were, 'If I need another Washington douche, I'll go to the M Street Rite Aid.'
Dan Leon Character Comedy Setup/Punchline ★ Rewatch Leon · Gary: You should flip through your NDA. If you breathe a word of anything, to anyone, we'll slit your throat. / Later, gator!
Leon Gary Dark/Subversive Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Amy: Third place was a massive win for us. Selina Meyer and Kemi Talbot can feel Jonah Ryan breathing down their necks.
Amy Irony/Sarcasm Character Comedy Reporter · Amy: Jonah Ryan said he's been lying to everyone the whole time. Why should anyone trust him now? / Frankly, Jonah Ryan is the only candidate who's honest about his dishonesty.
Selina · Ben: Tell my attorney to meet me in the next filler state we're in, 'cause last I heard, you can't run for office and be in prison. / Well, maybe in the House you can't.
Secret Service Agent · Jonah: Congressman Ryan, it's an honor. / Oh, yeah! This is like looking in a mirror! / Yeah, a hot mirror.
Jonah · Staff Members: I have always been transparent about how old I am. / Yeah, 55. / I believe it's 53. / Late 40s. / You're all correct.
Selina: I don't like when people get closer to talk to me. It usually means they're gonna be facing a longer prison sentence.
Selina Character Comedy Dark/Subversive Unknown · Ben: ...I saw Andrew. / The prosecution rests.