Amy Schumer, George Clooney and Scarlett Johansson get interviewed on Stephen Colbert's Late Show.
Amy Schumer, George Clooney and Scarlett Johansson get interviewed on Stephen Colbert's Late Show.
You can't really judge a new late-night show by its first week, even one hyped as Stephen Colbert's Late Show: There are still a few bugs to work out, including making sure the show gets on air - which according to Colbert, nearly didn't happen after some technical problems during the premiere.
However, we can certainly rank one very crucial element of this Late Show era: The interviews. That was one of the most discussed aspects of Colbert's CBS persona, as no one knew how he would chat with celebrities once he didn't have the protective shell of his old Comedy Central character. So as he's kicking off week No. 2, let's rank his first batch of interviews from best to worst.
1. Joe Biden (Thursday, Sept. 10)
This one is obvious. Colbert's talk with Vice President Joe Biden was easily the most powerful part of the show so far, if not one of the most riveting things you'll see on TV this year. Colbert gently offered condolences to Biden about the recent loss of his eldest son; Biden had tears in his eyes, but managed to keep his composure as he shared stories about Beau. Even through the emotional conversation, the two provided some lighter moments; Colbert said Biden should run for president and he would be his VP.
The two have known each other for awhile, so Colbert seemed far more comfortable with Schumer than any other celebrity. They reminisced about the now-famous time when they sat next to each other at an industry event, and Schumer stole Katie Couric's phone and sent a racy text message to her husband. Colbert was charmed by Schumer as she told her typically weird anecdotes, such as that time she was renting Jake Gyllenhaal's apartment and drunkenly stole cake from his freezer.
3. Jeb Bush (Tuesday, Sept. 8)
Colbert was at his most manic during the premiere, so the rhythm was a bit off with his sit-down with the governor - the show was also tight on time, so it was heavily edited. Still, the two did have a fairly entertaining conversation as Colbert asked how Bush would differ politically from his brother, George. And during the Web-only portion of the interview, Bush did a Donald Trump imitation.
4. Travis Kalanick (Thursday, Sept. 10)
Wasn't it kind of fun to see the Uber CEO forced to answer why his company has surge-pricing during emergencies, and see him squirm as Colbert mocked the new "UberEATS" program? Colbert found it hilarious that drivers would drive around with food all day, just waiting for customers to request lunch. Wouldn't the meals spoil? "We have them in containers that are temperature controlled," Kalanick shot back defensively. Colbert was extremely amused.
5. Stephen King (Friday, Sept. 11)
Was everyone aware that Stephen King is hilarious? "I've become America's teddy hear with little daggers or something," the author responded when Colbert asked why people love his terrifying stories. "I can't figure it out. I mean, it's kind of masochistic, but, hey, it pays the bills." Later, Colbert suggested that he write a book about the modern-day horror story: A guy who realizes he doesn't have enough saved for retirement!
6. George Clooney (Tuesday, Sept. 8)
The A-lister was gamely Colbert's first guest, and even subjected himself to a bit where he enacted a fake trailer for a new movie. Colbert gifted Clooney with a late wedding present: A paperweight that says "I don't know you," since, well, the two don't actually know each other. Sure enough, the chemistry was just not there.
How awkward was this chat with the SpaceX and Tesla Motors CEO? Colbert actually semi-apologized for accidentally offending Musk twice, once when he called him one of multiple SpaceX CEOs (he's the only one!). Otherwise, it was a pretty forgettable conversation.
8. Scarlett Johansson (Wednesday, Sept. 9)
Sorry, Scar-Jo - that "Big Questions with Even Bigger Stars" bit was just not very funny. Plus, the actress seemed uncomfortable and a little suspicious, almost like she wasn't sure if Colbert was still playing a character.
