The Late Show Pod Show with Stephen Colbert

Stephen fixed Red Lobster’s new “Endless Shrimp” commercial, President Trump claimed he would have won the Vietnam war “very quickly,” and Spirit airlines could go out of business as the war against Iran roils the global energy supply. “This war did not have to be fought" says former Secretary of State John Kerry, who offers his expert perspective on Iran’s nuclear program and the goals President Trump’s team should pursue as they negotiate to end the war. Best-selling author Neil deGrasse Tyson’s latest book, “Take Me To Your Leader: Perspectives On Your First Alien Encounter,” is intended as an instruction manual to prepare Earth’s residents for contact with life from outer space. The book is available starting May 12th, find more information at https://neildegrassetyson.com/books/2026-05-take-me-to-your-leader. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Pope Leo XIV would make a great hang on April 20th, people are concerned about President Trump after he made several depressing social media posts, and FBI Director Kash Patel is fighting back against reporting that he is getting drunk on the job. Acclaimed actor Don Cheadle says he prefers not to know when famous faces are going to be in the audience at his Broadway show. “Proof” is at the Booth Theater through July 19th, find tickets at proofbroadway.com. Jake Tapper reacts to President Trump’s complaint that CNN and other news organizations aren’t praising his negotiating prowess during the war against Iran, and presents Lord Of The Rings superfan Stephen Colbert with a painting of our host as Gollum to celebrate their many years of friendship. “The Lead with Jake Tapper” airs weeknights on CNN. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Comedian Josh Johnson is one of the hosts of "The Daily Show," where he takes great care not to break anything during his weeks behind the desk. His new comedy special, "Symphony," is out May 22nd on HBO. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Comedy legend Rachel Dratch joins Stephen Colbert on The Late Show's Women's Hotline to take calls from real women with real issues that need fixing. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Beloved Food Network star and bestselling author Ina Garten is known for giving home cooks permission to serve store-bought ingredients, but she draws the line at lime juice from a squeeze bottle. Ina Garten's next cookbook, "simply ina," is coming soon and her memoir, "Be Ready When The Luck Happens," is available now in paperback. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Trump administration is waging a war of words against Pope Leo XIV, Pete Hegseth read a prayer from the book of Tarantino, and a sneaker brand is reinventing itself as an artificial intelligence company. Emmy-winner and 22-time guest at The Late Show, Anderson Cooper, tries to make sense of the infamous image that President Trump insists depicts him as a doctor. “Anderson Cooper 360” airs weeknights on CNN. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The war against Iran is making America’s affordability crisis worse, Stephen imagines a future beyond President Trump, and VP Vance sounds ridiculous criticizing the Pope. Oscar-winner Anne Hathaway was thrilled to reunite with the “supergroup” of elite actors who are her co-stars in “The Devil Wears Prada” films, including Stanley Tucci who clearly owes her a meal. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Some of his most ardent supporters are concerned that President Trump may be the Antichrist, a top official at FEMA might have a substance abuse problem, and Stephen uses The Get It On Cam to encourage Americans to raise the fertility rate. Billy Crystal announces his upcoming return to Broadway in a one-man show he wrote amid the chaos of the devastating 2025 wildfires in Los Angeles, which took the house his family had called home for over 40 years. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Laura Benanti guest stars as America’s first lady, and addresses last week’s bizarre press conference about her involvement with Jeffrey Epstein. Vice President Vance returned empty-handed from negotiations with Iran, President Trump is no closer to achieving his war goals, and the president deleted an AI-generated image of himself that many found blasphemous. A nice woman in a “DoorDash Grandma” t-shirt got a front row seat to Donald Trump’s chaotic relationship with the press when the president asked her to stick around for a news conference following her appearance in the Oval Office. Emmy-winner Maya Rudolph is making her Broadway debut in a show she calls “goofy and weird and bitchy and ridiculous and over-the-top.” Catch her in “Oh, Mary!” starting April 28th, tickets are available now at https://www.ohmaryplay.com. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

If you don't know his favorite sandwich, do you really know the hilarious Jim Gaffigan? Find out when he takes the patented Colbert Questionert! To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Meanwhile… Washington, D.C. is battling a rat infestation, AI guru Sam Altman says it’ll take another year before his chatbot can start a timer, and scientists are warning people not to try a trending home remedy for hemorrhoids. And American television host Stephen Colbert checks in on the rest of the world in his long-running international news segment, "What's Going On Over There?" To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Comedian Pete Holmes says being 47 years old isn't so bad when you are the father of a youngster who loves to be pushed on the playground swings. Pete's new comedy special, "Silly Silly Fun Boy," is available now on the 800 Pound Gorilla streaming service and YouTube. His first book for children, "Spells To Cast On Your Parents," is available for pre-order now. Originally aired March 11, 2026. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

GRAMMY-winning singer and songwriter Brandi Carlile says the best part of her job is documenting the phases of her personal life and connecting with other people through the songs she creates. In this EXTENDED interview, Brand and Stephen talk more about why she traveled to Minnesota to show solidarity with a community that was being brutalized by the federal government. Check out Brandi Carlile's performance on The Late Show on our YouTube page, and grab tickets to “The Human Tour” at https://www.brandicarlile.com. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The crew of NASA’s Artemis II mission completed their historic journey around the moon, President Trump threatened to destroy an entire civilization, and a top official at FEMA has a wild story about teleporting to a Waffle House. As a teenage girl, Oprah Winfrey prayed every day that Paul McCartney would come sweep her off her feet. Little did she know that she would one day stand shoulder to shoulder with the Beatle as their careers were celebrated at the Kennedy Center Honors. Catch new episodes of “The Oprah Podcast” every Tuesday. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

President Trump boasted about plans to blow up civilian infrastructure in Iran, children attending a White House Easter event got an earful from the president, and the Artemis II crew has flown farther than any human has gone before. Iconic actor Keanu Reeves stops by to chat about his latest project, a film which also stars Susan Lucci and Martin Scorsese, in which Reeves plays a grown up child star with a troubled past. Watch “Outcome” starting this Friday on AppleTV. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Late night television legend Arsenio Hall reveals his unorthodox method of snagging celebrity guests for his groundbreaking late night show, and recalls many of the musicians who got their first big break on the program. His memoir, “Arsenio,” is available now. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Meanwhile… A dolphin is trying to be like Mike, a big box store is selling a 10-pound chocolate Easter bunny, and bird experts say woodpeckers grunt like tennis players while they peck holes in trees. And science-loving late night host Stephen Colbert brings you all the latest scientific developments from the world of science in his science-focused segment, “The Sound of Science.” To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

If you don’t know which animal she thinks is scariest, or whether she prefers the window or aisle seat on flights, do you really know Hollywood superstar Scarlett Johansson? To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Space fans are over the moon about the successful launch of Artemis II, Attorney General Pam Bondi lost her job today, and President Trump’s primetime speech about the Iran war was all over the map. In this extended interview with Stephen Colbert, legendary musician Paul Simon talks about moving to Europe in the 1960s, busking on the streets of Paris, taking requests at his concerts, and some of the lyricists he most admires. Go to our YouTube channel to see a performance by Paul Simon and grab tickets for this summer’s “A Quiet Celebration” tour at tour.paulsimon.com. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices