Padma Lakshmi says things are so bad in the U.S. of A. now, she and lots of others have lost their ability to laugh.
We got the "Top Chef" host Thursday in NYC, and she doubled down on her take that Donald Trump is a racist and a bigot.
Beyond that ... Padma bemoans that it's hard to laugh and be funny with Trump at the helm.
Trump 's latest antics ... celebrating the Montana congressman who body slammed a reporter during the campaign.