LSSC: Season One All Episodes Talk

[possibilities]

I like Batiste more than I like Colbert at this point. I love the brief moments they let us actually hear the band play. If they wanted a bandleader to be a source of witty banter, they should have vetted him for that, and coached him. It's clear he was hired for his music, but Colbert is determined to try to catch him like a deer in the headlights, even though they guy is clearly uncomfortable off-the-cuff. I think it's actually rather obnoxious of Stephen to toy with him like that. If you hire someone for their musicianship, and then try to force him to do something else for your own amusement, which he's clearly not comfortable doing, you are a jerk.

 

Hanging out the window made me nervous, too. I thought the noise sounded like amplified subway sounds, or maybe John Cage music. I really wanted them to get an explanation. And bars over the window.

 

I've been watching Aziz Ansari interviews (and I binged Master of None-- it's terrific); he's done quite a few recently, and it's true that other interviewers got more substance from him. Colbert seemed to be more enamored of the fun of inviting his dad, like it was a gag, and not like it was an opportunity to actually learn anything from either of them.

Edited November 12, 2015 by possibilities

[trow125]

I so wanted the Starbucks cup segment to be introduced with the "Blitzkrieg on Grinchitude" animation.

[bmoore4026]

Tonight's ending was eloquent, about what's happening in Paris right now.  I don't really have words for it.

 

Michael Flatley was incredible.  (Just looked up his age - he's 57, can you believe it)

 

John Cleese and Stephen were really good.

[nowandlater]

Tonight's ending was eloquent, about what's happening in Paris right now.  I don't really have words for it.

 

Michael Flatley was incredible.  (Just looked up his age - he's 57, can you believe it)

 

John Cleese and Stephen were really good.

 

Tonight's ending was eloquent, yes, but -- as I pointed out before -- Colbert doesn't upload all his clips, including that one.

 

And many people tune out for the musical performance, or immediately after, so they could've missed it.

 

The only reason I knew about it was because several publications ran articles about Colbert's tribute.

 

At least somebody did upload that clip to YouTube.

[ABay]

Thank God the show wasn't pre-empted. I really needed the lift of Cleese and Colbert big furry hats after yesterday.

[Victor the Crab]

The end of the show was very moving.

Watching John Cleese converse with Stephen was better than I expected, what with the duelling furry hats. It's clear Cleese likes to connect with with the people talking to him. And Stephen gave him plenty to allow him to shine. Stephen's inner geek was on display last night.

[Delwyn]

Just got to last night's ep and I loved the furry hats segment endlessly and Cleese always, but 90% of his interview was verbatim was from his live tour that I saw, so that was a bit of a let down.

It must be so hard to say something meaningful at the end of the show, when you realize that while you are being silly some pretty real stuff has been happening. My heart broke for Stephen during his post show announcement for that reason.

[peeayebee]

John Cleese was so good in the tall furry hat. I loved that whole segment, and it was wonderful hearing him say that he hadn't had such fun in a long time. His interview was really enjoyable, too. 

 

Michael Flatley is just great. I loved all the dancers, but there were some moves he did that looked so completely effortless. 

[zxy556575]

I was glad to see all the dancers with heaving chests afterwards, because yeah. That shit is super demanding physically, no matter how effortless they want to make it look. I thought the guys removing their shirts and tossing them to the audience was gross.

[Shaynaa]

Does anyone have a link to the ending?  I'm having trouble finding it on youtube.

[Raradra]

Does anyone have a link to the ending?  I'm having trouble finding it on youtube.

 

Try this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3DWS6iZ0p6M

[Kromm]

John Cleese was so good in the tall furry hat. I loved that whole segment, and it was wonderful hearing him say that he hadn't had such fun in a long time. 

Oddly enough I don't think he gets that many chances to do original comedy anymore. I think he's endless bugged about the old stuff, or if he's given something new to do it's like some lame, belabored SNL character based skit rather than the same kind of irreverent high concept comedy (aka "silly") Python actually represented. The Furry Hat is actually in that style, so it must have seemed refreshing to him.

[peeayebee]

I might use "Hail, Sneezer!" when the opportunity arises.

 

I also liked the bit where Stephen is fighting his hand re the knife.

[Muffyn]

I was at dinner with friends yesterday.  One of them is going to use "Hail Sneezer!" from now on.  He just kept laughing at the thought of it.  

[bluepiano]

I thought the guys removing their shirts and tossing them to the audience was gross.

 

Yeah, Lord of the Dance meets Chippendale's. Seemed kind of weird. As did the outfits the dancers were wearing. Very paramilitary, commando looking. Maybe because I was watching this after knowing what happened in Paris it made me uncomfortable.

Edited November 16, 2015 by bluepiano

[Gemma Violet]

I think Bill Mahr was a bit annoyed with Stephen tonight.  Stephen has lately been improving on his tendency to interrupt guests compared to his first few weeks on the air, but tonight he slipped up a couple of times and Bill wasn't happy about it.  

[possibilities]

I love cats, but the Acro Cats were an act that didn't want to perform. Stephen doing their tricks was funny though.

[brgjoe]

Yeah, it looked like Bill wasn't too happy about the constant interruptions.  But for some reason, I didn't mind it so much.

[sadiegirl]

I stopped watching The Late Show because it turns out I don't like this Stephen that much but I couldn't sleep last night and I have to say they handled last night's show very well.  I just wish they had told the audience not to chant his name.  Seemed inappropriate with the tone of the rest of the show.

 

I don't speak French so I didn't understand what the army guy was saying, but it made me tear up. 

 

I've actually seen a cat show and it was so good.  I wonder if these cats need to be better trained or if all the lights and noise bothered them.  The cats I saw were also on stage (obviously) and the audience was full of kids and they performed flawlessly (and they were all gotten originally from shelters), so maybe that act needs to call The Late Show.  Because we can always use another cat act.

Edited November 17, 2015 by sadiegirl

[thispersonstinks]

If there was an episode of every emotion, it was last night's show. I like the monologue and the General's appearance. Shepard Fairey was alright. What intrigued me the most was Bill Maher and I knew there was something brewing since Maher looks like he's holding a long grudge that he was the pioneer of "political late night talk shows" and it truly showed. Yes, Stephen did interrupt him a few times, but I think he was saving him to say something outrageous, which Maher has done in several occasions. The Acro-cats is the very definition of a "spectacular fail."

Edited November 17, 2015 by thispersonstinks

[Deanie87]

So, that Maher/Colbert interview was....something.  I couldn't tell if they really don't like one another, if they were playing up for the cameras or what was going on but it simultaneously delighted me and made me deeply uncomfortable.  Stephen seemed to have a good time with it, and I thought took Maher's insults about religion pretty well (considering he practically called Stephen stupid), but Maher seemed like a sour grape.  I don't know if it was Stephen interrupting or if Maher considers Stephen a sell-out or perhaps feels like Jon Stewart and Colbert have stolen his thunder, or just two giant egos battling it out.  Any idea why Maher kept referring to Stephen as a Nixon-voting Republican?  I would love to know the history (if there is any) between these two.  I know that Maher felt that the Rally that Jon and Stephen did was useless, but beyond that I wonder.  

 

ETA - I was posting at the same time you were, thispersonstinks.  I'm glad I wasn't the only one who saw Maher as maybe having sour grapes/professional jealousy.  

Edited November 17, 2015 by Deanie87

[possibilities]

You ask Bill Mahar on your show, you have to expect him to be Bill Mahar, and not play by whatever rules you think you have. I thought: Colbert finally got faced by someone who's ego won't bow to his, and who is as willing to offend as Colbert used to be. Volatile combination.

 

I don't speak French so I didn't understand what the army guy was saying, but it made me tear up.

The French was (roughly, working from memory): My heart is French and I am with you. Stay strong, I love you." I know there was more, but I can't remember it now. It wasn't anything different than what others have been saying, but it was delivered well.

 

I stopped watching The Late Show because it turns out I don't like this Stephen that much

I've been tuning in when there's a guest I want to see, but I've been coming to the conclusion that even when I like the guest, Stephen's such a shit interviewer and his overall personality grates, and if none of that changes I may start holding out for the same guests to appear on other shows. Last night, Corden's treatment of the France attacks was so much better, I was amazed. Generally Corden's show is very light on actual content, and has less commentary and more pure fooling around (I think he's great when he does a more substantial effort, like carpool karaoke or some other actually planned out effort, but the chatty portions of his show are full of banter that is generally so bland it's hard to even focus on it-- and since the bulk of the show is just that empty most of the time, it's kind of a waste of both his charm and his talent), but he spent the time to really make a definite statement last night, and I loved it.

 

I've actually seen a cat show and it was so good.  I wonder if these cats need to be better trained or if all the lights and noise bothered them.  The cats I saw were also on stage (obviously) and the audience was full of kids and they performed flawlessly (and they were all gotten originally from shelters), so maybe that act needs to call The Late Show.  Because we can always use another cat act.

I'd tune in again, if they give another cat act a try. I did think the cats themselves in AcroCats were gorgeous.

[ChelseaNH]

I thoroughly enjoyed the AcroCats -- the cats being cats, the handlers powering through and Stephen pitching in.  More awesome cat moves would have been fun, too, but I'm betting I can find those on YouTube.

[VCRTracking]

I stopped watching The Late Show because it turns out I don't like this Stephen that much

 

 

Yikes.

[Babalooie]

Nice tribute by Jon Batiste and Stay Human with the playing of "la Marsiellaise".

[Grace284]

I think I pulled something laughing at the Acro Cats. The complete indifference of the cats, the sheer commitment of the women involved, Stephen dancing past the camera and joining in - everything about it was amazing.

[ABay]

After the way he dissed them in the intro, I don't blame the cats for being even more indifferent than cats usually are.

[catrox14]

After the way he dissed them in the intro, I don't blame the cats for being even more indifferent than cats usually are.

 

I didn't think he was dissing them at all. I think he was trying to find a way to include them on the show when maybe some would think it was inappropriate. I doubt he makes that same joke if the events didn't warrant a change.

[Milburn Stone]

I've been tuning in when there's a guest I want to see, but I've been coming to the conclusion that even when I like the guest, Stephen's such a shit interviewer and his overall personality grates, and if none of that changes I may start holding out for the same guests to appear on other shows. 

 

In the months before the show went on the air, lots of people thought the should would disappoint because CBS wouldn't let Colbert be Colbert. Won't it be funny if the problem turns out to be that they did?

[zxy556575]

I thought the opening credits with the streets of Paris instead of New York was very nice.

[Muffyn]

I haven't seen the main part of the episode yet.  I only caught the acro-cats while sitting with my foster cats on my lap.  That didn't last long.  Stephen pretending to be a cat and doing the tricks had me laughing so hard my cats ran off and stared at me from under a chair.  It is moments like this when I absolutely love Stephen.

[ABay]

Should we ask for an additional thread so there's one for people who dislike Stephen and the show and one for people who enjoy Stephen and the show? I've never noticed if PTV has hate threads for shows like TWoP used to.

[MrWhyt]

looks like we're going to be getting another installment of the Hungry for Power Games

 

http://www.cnn.com/2015/11/17/politics/bobby-jindal-announces-he-is-ending-presidential-campaign/index.html

[formerlyfreedom]

Should we ask for an additional thread so there's one for people who dislike Stephen and the show and one for people who enjoy Stephen and the show? I've never noticed if PTV has hate threads for shows like TWoP used to.

 

Let's all just try to get along. If folks want to talk more about the different versions of Stephen outside the episode discussion, there is a topic for that, "Stephen Colbert" vs Stephen Colbert.

[Victor the Crab]

You ask Bill Mahar on your show, you have to expect him to be Bill Mahar, and not play by whatever rules you think you have. I thought: Colbert finally got faced by someone who's ego won't bow to his, and who is as willing to offend as Colbert used to be. Volatile combination.

 

Stephen was having fun getting under Bill's very thin skin, and it showed. Bill obviously can't handle the fact that not only are there other political satirist on late night television who are better than him, but can succeed without going out of their way to offend others just for kicks.

[monakane]

Stephen was having fun getting under Bill's very thin skin, and it showed. Bill obviously can't handle the fact that not only are there other political satirist on late night television who are better than him, but can succeed without going out of their way to offend others just for kicks.

 

I saw it the same way.  I thought Bill threw the first punches with his comments about Nixon and Stephen's marriage and religious belief.  Stephen started toying with him like a cat with a mouse.  Bill does have very thin skin.

[peeayebee]

I was cracking up at the Acro Cats. It was so... cat. Stephen running by and then doing the cat trick was pretty funny.

 

For me, Stephen came off much better than Bill Maher. I haven't watched one of his shows in years (20 years?), but I was so put off by his dismissive sarcasm humor. He says something sarcastic and then moves on. Lazy. I wish he had engaged more with Stephen. I would have enjoyed a real discussion, even humorously, about religion. Stephen could have taken it. He was ready and able. It was Bill who was afraid to engage. I also would have liked to hear a discussion about Islamophobia. I may be wrong, but I think Maher paints all Muslims with the same brush.

 

I absolutely loved when the guest, in response to Stephen asking about something positive, said, "I stayed at a Holiday Inn last night..."

[BW Manilowe]

I was cracking up at the Acro Cats. It was so... cat. Stephen running by and then doing the cat trick was pretty funny.

For me, Stephen came off much better than Bill Maher. I haven't watched one of his shows in years (20 years?), but I was so put off by his dismissive sarcasm humor. He says something sarcastic and then moves on. Lazy. I wish he had engaged more with Stephen. I would have enjoyed a real discussion, even humorously, about religion. Stephen could have taken it. He was ready and able. It was Bill who was afraid to engage. I also would have liked to hear a discussion about Islamophobia. I may be wrong, but I think Maher paints all Muslims with the same brush.

I absolutely loved when the guest, in response to Stephen asking about something positive, said, "I stayed at a Holiday Inn last night..."

A lot of people may not remember this, but Bill Maher lost someone he probably considered a friend on 9/11 (so maybe he's got personal reasons for some possible personal biases). At the time, he was hosting Politically Incorrect on ABC. 1 of his guest panelists that week was supposed to be Conservative pundit Barbara Olson, then the wife of US Solicitor General Ted Olson.

She was apparently supposed to fly from DC to LA for the show on September 10th; she delayed a day so she could wake up the next day with her husband, whose birthday was September 11th. She was among those who were killed when American Flight 77, routed Washington DC to LA, was flown by the terrorists into the Pentagon. In response to Mrs. Olson's death, Maher had the seat she would've occupied on his panel that week left unoccupied the rest of that week.

[kib]

I guess was a little disappointed that Cobert seemed more inclined to get a bit scruffy with the likes of Bill Mahar than any of the presidential candidates he's had on the show thus far.

If Mahar bristled, he's earned the right. After, as he mentioned, doing nine years on broadcast network and something close to that on HBO it seems like as a host with less than 50 programs under his belt might try to be slightly less assertive.

(As I was writing this the show came on and Stephen opened with a note about the interview. Kind of framed it in the same terms as the opening night Jeb! interview. In other words, the good stuff is online. Maybe there was some blowback after all?)

Edited November 18, 2015 by kib

[nicolin]

I thought the same thing about tonight's opening, kib. I hope that those who said Stephen was having fun getting under Bill's skin are right because otherwise that was an awkward interview.

I like Bill but he definitely showed his ego tonight right from the start with the way he stopped walking to his chair in front of Stephen's desk to bask in the glory of the applause. He waited so long that the applause was over before he finally sat down.

[zoemom]

Just finished watching Stephen with Burt Reynolds.   Don't know what was up with Burt - this is the first time I've seen him in ages, apparently he was plugging a book he's written.  Looks like he's had a boatload of plastic surgery - he has grey hair but has odd brown eyebrows.  He was acting sort of strange, staring off into the distance when Stephen was asking questions - Stephen handled him quite well, but it was strange.  I am hoping that Burt was just "playing" with him, but at age 79 maybe he has a bit of Alzheimer's/dementia happening. 

[paigow]

Should we ask for an additional thread so there's one for people who dislike Stephen and the show and one for people who enjoy Stephen and the show?

A show is usually on for a few seasons before a "Bitterness" topic starts up...

[Hanahope]

I was not surprised by Maher's interview, especially after the weekend's events, though I wouldn't have thought they'd get so much into religion, but then that is one of Maher's big platforms.

 

I loved the Acro-cats and totally thought that the whole point was that many times, you just can't make a cat do what you want and what it doesn't want to do.

 

Another Hungry for Power Games installment tonight!!

[monakane]

I would add to the Maher v. Colbert discussion that I have seen Bill be incredibly rude to his guests.  The one recent instance that comes to mind is the show with Andrew Sullivan and Patrick Kennedy.  He was incredibly rude to both of them while they were discussing mental illness.

[zxy556575]

I thought the Maher interview was great fun to watch -- so much more interesting than the typical exchange of bland small talk with checked-out celebrities flogging their movies. Maher did seem slightly annoyed/affronted, but that's kind of normal for him.

[peeayebee]

Just finished watching Stephen with Burt Reynolds.   Don't know what was up with Burt - this is the first time I've seen him in ages, apparently he was plugging a book he's written.  Looks like he's had a boatload of plastic surgery - he has grey hair but has odd brown eyebrows.  He was acting sort of strange, staring off into the distance when Stephen was asking questions - Stephen handled him quite well, but it was strange.  I am hoping that Burt was just "playing" with him, but at age 79 maybe he has a bit of Alzheimer's/dementia happening. 

I didn't get the impression that Reynolds had dementia. His looking off to the side was kind of what he'd always do, IIRC. But he's definitely showing his age. I can't remember if he's had cancer, but I think it's more his body than his age that's affecting him.

[walnutqueen]

Should we ask for an additional thread so there's one for people who dislike Stephen and the show and one for people who enjoy Stephen and the show? I've never noticed if PTV has hate threads for shows like TWoP used to.

 

I honestly don't understand the concept of trying to segregate differing opinions.

[LADreamr]

There is no pleasing Bill Maher. He'll take any small thing he can get to turn into some big offense against him. I used to never miss his show, going back 20 years, but now I only watch if the guests are interesting, because it's the only way I can stand him.

[catrox14]

I wasn't bothered by the banter between Colbert and Maher.  Was it awkward at times? Absolutely but I think that was more like a comedian-off kind of affair.  I think both enjoyed giving each other shit in their own particular way.  At least that's how it came across to me anyway. I don't think either was particularly put out by the other.

[alias1]

I would add to the Maher v. Colbert discussion that I have seen Bill be incredibly rude to his guests.  The one recent instance that comes to mind is the show with Andrew Sullivan and Patrick Kennedy.  He was incredibly rude to both of them while they were discussing mental illness.

I think this is the only time I can remember Bill being somewhat rude to the guests (and they wouldn't shut up about the topic and Bill wanted to move on).  I think he usually goes out of his way to let the blowhards talk on his show (not that I think Andrew Sullivan or Patrick Kennedy are in that category).

 

I blame Stephen for baiting Bill to begin with by saying he wouldn't be invited to many dinner parties (because of his anti religious views, I guess). I think Stephen was being rude to Bill and if the interview was getting awkward it was up to Stephen to be the gracious host.  But he has to get his interruptions in as much as possible, because anything he wants to say is way more important than what the guest wants to say.  I'm finding that Stephen really has a huge ego and wants to show it off.