stephen colbert

Look, Tom Hanks doesn't really need to work these days.

He's done plenty in the last 30 years to bring America charm and delight in a big, friendly package.
Even though it it looks like he's got some movies coming down the pike he hasn't acted in one since 2013's Saving Mr. Banks.

So, he's got time on his hands.

This was evidenced by his unexpected appearance answering questions all over Reddit earlier this week.

Well, apparently, he had some more questions that he wanted answers.

Stephen Colbert is in a different, though still not less-inquisitive, boat.

After months of build up, his show is finally chugging along at a steady clip and he's probably starting to get into the routine of the whole affair.

Focused so intently on the goal, once its accomplished, he's probably feeling a jet lag of emotions rushing at him, calling into question where he is and what he's doing.

So the two decided to lay back on a blanket and ask those questions to themselves.

It's very funny.

After launching his new show with a bevy of jokes on Donald Trump, Stephen Colbert decided it would be a nice idea to invite the GOP front running candidate for the presidency on The Late Show.

So, Sept. 22, it happened.

It certainly wasn't the best interview Colbert has had on his show so far, that honor goes to the the emotional chat with Vice President Joe Biden. But still it was a civilized conversation in which Trump still would not say whether President Obama was born in America.

Then they played a little game:

All in all, a solid night at The Late Show.

Here's lookin' at you, Donald Trump.

Stephen Colbert invites you to join him in his one of a kind type of life to give him some money.

In the wake of celebrity lifestyle brands like Reese Witherspoon's Draper James, Ellen DeGeneres' ED and Gwyneth Paltrow's Goop, Colbert felt left out.

In the past he has invited you to step in his shoes, but this time he seems more concerned with just taking your money.

So he launched Covetton House, a place where you can buy a tie rack, a coaster or a bed bug-ridden curb couch.

And real, bison-made leather goods.

"Mmm... parmesan absinthe."

Earlier today, Vanity Fair tweeted out a promotion for their big story on what's so good about current late night programming.

We talked to all the titans of late-night television, and found out why it's better than ever http://t.co/pIG1c7wSs1 pic.twitter.com/p8EgyB5jva

— VANITY FAIR (@VanityFair) September 14, 2015

You may notice it's a real sausage fest in there.

I've looked at this @VanityFair photo for too long and now I've forgotten what women look like. pic.twitter.com/wMVetfiy6x

— Sebastian Nebel (@SebastianNebel) September 14, 2015

To be fair, Vanity Fair did mention the lack of gender diversity in their story:

What's conspicuously missing from late-night, still, is women. How gobsmackingly insane is it that no TV network has had the common sense—and that's all we're talking about in 2015, not courage, bravery, or even decency—to hand over the reins of an existing late-night comedy program to a female person?

And they did mention comedienne Samantha Bee's upcoming TBS late night talk show. She, however, decided to respond directly to the tweet, imagining herself in the picture with the rest of her peers.

.@VanityFair Good... pic.twitter.com/iMeILDVbz2

— Samantha Bee (@iamsambee) September 14, 2015

And then followed up with the kicker:

.@VanityFair BETTER pic.twitter.com/EfPbTQ3qZ8

— Samantha Bee (@iamsambee) September 14, 2015

Really, a Samantha Bee centaur shooting lasers out of her eyes says it all.

Joe Biden has many facets. He's America's uncle. He's a brazenly honest person. And he's also someone who has had a lot of tragedy befall him.

As rumors continue to swirl about a possible Biden presidential run, he came by The Late Show to talk to Stephen Colbert about many things.

What came next was a very candid and heartfelt talk about the recent loss of the Vice President's son Beau and the death of his first wife and daughter years ago. The talk was even more heightened when Biden compared his experience to Colbert's, who suffered his own harrowing childhood tragedy.

It's a really touching talk and one that casts and incredibly human light on the office of Vice President and Biden himself.

Here's part two of the interview:

And if you need a light hearted refresher after all the heavy talk, here's that picture of him giving a shoulder rub:

Stephen Colbert took a break from making random cable access shows in Michigan with Eminem to write an opinion about gender equality in Glamour magazine.

Ever since he left The Colbert Report to take over for David Letterman's The Late Show, which begins September 9, Colbert has been staying in the headlines through both hilarious stunts like the one above and drawing attention to his personal causes.

His editorial in Glamour combines his irreverent, often silly, humor with real questions about the state of gender equality:

And mine is not the only field that lacks enough women. Where are all the lady blacksmiths? What about the bait-and-tackle shopkeepers, pool maintenance professionals, building superintendents, or CEOs of Fortune 500 companies? Why are all those minions shaped like tiny phalluses? Why did Mad Max get top billing in Fury Road when he was essentially just a grunting tripod for Charlize Theron's rifle? Of course, historically, our thriving U.S. president industry definitely skews male—but that could change in 2016. Carly Fiorina, all eyes are on you.

Even when women do succeed, their stories often aren't told. Did you know that the first computer, ENIAC, was programmed by six female mathematicians? If it weren't for those pioneering women, we might not have computers at all. And then how would people read empowering listicles like "20 Hot Actresses Without Makeup! (#5 Will Make You Question God!)"?

And through out it all, despite falling into some strange tangents, he presents a promise for how The Late Show will function under his hosting.

Point is, I'm here for you, and that means I'm going to do my best to create a Late Show that not only appeals to women but also celebrates their voices. These days TV would have you believe that being a woman means sensually eating yogurt, looking for ways to feel confident on heavy days, and hunting for houses. But I'm going to make a show that truly respects women, because I know that there's more than one way to be one. Maybe you're a woman who likes women. Maybe you like women and men. Maybe you're a woman who's recently transitioned. Maybe you're a guy who's reading this magazine because your girlfriend bought a copy and it looked interesting.

It's just another example of how proactive Colbert is about his influence and how he chooses to use his promotional time.

Last night, Jon Stewart hosted his final turn on The Daily Show, marking an end to the 16-year run that turned the nightly satire into a cultural force.

The evening began with a regular report on the GOP debate from earlier in the night, then turned into a revolving door of big names and old friends. They thanked Stewart for his work, gave some advice and made him cry. Much feels.

Vox recapped much of the proceedings:

Fittingly, then, the "star-studded" portion of the evening was right at the top. Beginning with three of the show's current correspondents — Jessica Williams, Hasan Minhaj, and Jordan Klepper — claiming to be on the ground covering the night's Republican debate, the segment grew and grew, until it encompassed essentially every major voice in the show's history, dipping all the way back to figures like Mo Rocca and Vance DeGeneres, from Stewart's very early days, and even working in original Daily Show host Craig Kilborn. It was like the alt-comedy version of This Is Your Life. There was even time for a visit from Stewart's biggest targets.

But the biggest moments were for Oliver and Colbert. The former, now on HBO, gently mocked his old boss for continuing to work within the constraints of basic cable, pretending to have no idea what commercials were. The latter made Stewart tear up, first with an elaborate analogy where Colbert was Sam and Stewart Frodo Baggins, then with a heartfelt speech about how much Stewart had meant to all of them.

All those correspondents had one final story on which to report — a group hug.

Can you feel the fake news love?



Stewart finished the night with an endearing entreaty, imploring everyone to beware the staggering amount of bullsh*t that sits around the world.

My rough transcript of Jon Stewart's extraordinary "bullsh*t is everywhere" speech. pic.twitter.com/guXBbIDD9g

— Dave Itzkoff (@ditzkoff) August 7, 2015

There was one more final thing that had to happen: Born to Run, performed by Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band.

July 8 was a tough day for America and people with highly accute anxiety. 

With technical errors plaguing everything from the New York Stock Exchange to all flights from United Airlines, it seemed like our technology infused lifestyle was soon to be demolished in a flash of dystopian prophecy. 

As Stephen Colbert continues to prepare to take over David Letterman's spot on The Late Show, he's doing more than celebrating marriage equality and appearing on Michigan's public access.

He's bringing his face to his new Manhattan digs and trying to help the neighbors at the same time.

You'll recall the famous marquee that welcomed visitors to the Ed Sullivan Theater and Letterman's former late night homestay.



Well as they renovate the space for Colbert's September premiere, a new sign appeared July 6.

Behold, Stephen Colbert's new awning.

The Ed Sullivan Theater marquee now features @StephenAtHome, but not in the way you might think. pic.twitter.com/s94ijSjQ57

— Chris O'Leary (@ohhleary) July 6, 2015

So, Stephen Colbert just uploaded a 40-minute show that he did on Monroe, Michigan cable access. 

It's full of interview, nail polish competitions, Monroe news, giant checks, a Bob Seger singalong, oh, and actually Eminem. 

Clearly, Colbert and his writers are just trying to get themselves limber before heading to the Late Show in September to replace David Letterman. What a wonderful way to do so. 




Everyone looks limber in this. Even the stars in this clip of the upcoming movie South Paw that was featured on the show:


I mean, there's just no real explanation for this lucky peice of Internet gold.

"It's hard to believe that gay American's acheived full constitutional personhood, just five years after corporations did."

If this video is anything, besides being hilarious, it's a sign that you can take the Colbert out of the Report, but you can't take the Report out of the Colbert. It seems like politics will still play at least some part in his ongoing public persona, even if his beard will not.