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Stephen Colbert
Okay, I have to tell you, I was just looking on ebay, where I go for all kinds of things I love. And there it was. That hologram trading card. One of the rarest. The last one I needed for my set.
UPS Store Representative
Shiny like the designer handbag of my dreams. One of a kind. Ebay had it. And now everyone's asking, ooh, where'd you get your windshield wipers?
Adrien Brody
Ebay has all the parts that fit my car. No more annoying, just beautiful.
Stephen Colbert
Whatever you love, find it on eBay. EBay. Things people love.
Adrien Brody
The Ford Explorer is America's all time best selling suv. But we couldn't leave it at that because you still have unmarked paths to pursue. So we gave it an available 400 horsepower engine. It's up to you what you do with that power. The 2025 Ford Explorer, it's all in the name. Based on S and p Global Mobility 1946, the current US total new cumulative registrations for all vehicles identified as SUVs.
Stephen Colbert
Horsepower and torque ratings based on Prem.
Adrien Brody
Fuel per SAEJ13349 standard. Your results may vary.
Stephen Colbert
Welcome in here, out there, all around the world. To the Late Show. I'm your host, Stephen Colbert. Let me ask you something here. Anybody have money in the stock market? Not anymore. Because today the Dow plunged more than 1100 points. And that. That is a lot of Dow units. Dowlings, moist dowlettes. This. Don't know what it means. This plunge caps off a 10 day losing streak. The longest such stretch since 1974. 50 years. And remember, keep this in mind. That 74 market collapse shocked the world because Bachman Turner Overdrive assured everyone that they were taking care of business every day. Every day. Taking care of business in every way. Despite this turbulent market. You don't see me shaken because I've taken all my money and placed it safely in meme coin. Okay, I'm fine. For instance, I've put it in the very real cryptocurrency called Fartcoin, which is. This is true. Which today surged to a nearly $1 billion market cap. But I'm not here to brag about my good fortune, okay? That's the thing about Fartcoin. It's silent but wealthy. Of course. Trademark. Trademark. Of course. It's that special time of year when we deck the halls and put presents under the tree and look to the skies in hope of catching a New Jersey drone. I'll give you the lowdown on the high ups in my unsettlingly frequent segment unseen mysteries of the hidden secrets. Welcome, drones. Where do they come from? Where do they go? Where do they come from? Cotton eyed drone at this point. At this point, citizens, we still don't know. But after weeks of last night, we finally heard from the President, sort of. What's the explanation from all those drones over New Jersey? What's behind all of that?
Adrien Brody
Nothing nefarious, apparently, but they're checking it all out.
Stephen Colbert
Nothing nefarious apparently doesn't exactly inspire confidence. Also, Joe, if you're trying to reassure an anxious nation, maybe don't do it in the spookiest lighting humanly possible. Listen folks, listen up. Nah, I'm serious. No, I'm serious folks. Listen up. And I'm not kidding. It's all going to be fine and dandy as long as we don't move or don't say a word. Okay. Gotta stay perfectly silent. Otherwise those drones will swoop in and eat the big strong guy from the office. I love a quiet place. My favorite volume setting. So the drones, that is the drones, are a nothing burger. Unless you ask Republicans who think it's very suspicious that there's nothing suspicious. Take South Carolina representative, an adult woman who gets her makeup done at the American Girl store, Nancy Mace. Mace. Representative Mace loves to fear monger about anything and everything. Which might be why this week she floated the theory that the drones could be from outer space. Yes, obviously the drones could be aliens who are all famously obsessed with New Jersey. We know this. We know this. We all saw the scene from Close Encounters. We'll have more as it continues to be nothing. Speaking of the sky. Space. The sky's dad. Remember over the summer when those two NASA astronauts went to the International Space Station? But then they got stuck up there and they're still up there and we forgot about them until I asked you if you remembered it just now. Good times. Well, their return has now been delayed until at least late March, which will be 10 months after they left. I'm guessing the games of I Spy are getting a little predictable. I spy with my little lie hatch. You spy a hatch. It's always a hatch. These astronauts, who as a reminder, were originally supposed to be up there for eight days, are Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams. Evidently, the issue currently keeping them up there is that a fresh crew needs to launch before Wilmore and Williams can return and there's a delay in launching their replacements. Oh, gee, I wonder why. Okay, everybody, listen up. Who wants to replace the crew that we stranded in space for a year? Hands up where I can see them. Come on. Nobody gets Tang until somebody Volunteers, Space food sticks. A lot of folks are concerned about the astronauts welfare up there. But in a statement, NASA reassured us that the crew is well stocked with food, water, clothing, oxygen, and also have some special items to celebrate the holidays. And what a holly jolly Christmas that'll be.
Adrien Brody
I'm dreaming of a new poop tube.
Stephen Colbert
They poop in a tube back on Earth, Back Earthside. Remember that Iowa poll that came out right before the election that showed Trump losing the state by three to four points to the nice lady who didn't do the crimes? Well, Trump remembers, because yesterday we found out that Trump is suing Iowa pollster Ann Seltzer and the Des Moines Register newspaper for that poll, claiming they were seeking accountability for brazen election interference. You won, so now it's interference just to get a prediction wrong. Well, in that case, Punxsutawney. Phil. You better lawyer up, buttercup, if you ever want to see your shadow again. I got another one. I got another one there for you. The lawsuit says the defendants favor the Democratic nominee through the use of a leaked and manipulated poll. It's true. The Des Moines Register leaked its poll where you'd least expect it, in the Des Moines Register. Same way I leak my opinion every night at 11:30, 10:30 Central, following your local news, sports and weather leaks. So why wait? Why? The question is. This is the question, my friends. Why is this stupid thing stupidly happening? My guess, because of the stupid, stupid thing abc. Did you see this weekend, ABC News agreed to pay $15 million and issued an apology to settle a defamation lawsuit. And if the president. If the President thinks he can bully the media into never saying anything bad about him, well, what else is going on? What are we. What are we. Timberlake? We doing Timberlake? Let's do Timberlake. Justy. My bestie is having a rough one right now because last night at a concert in Nashville, Justin Timberlake suffered a mortifying wardrobe malfunction. It's being described universally as embarrassing, awkward, and sparking ruthless mockery. That sounds pretty crazy, Jim. Roll the humiliation. Yeah, yeah. That is embarrassing. And obviously it's embarrassing because of Jim. Is there any reporting on why it's embarrassing? Obviously because of his underwhelming bulge. Right, Exactly. Exactly what I was thinking. Because Justin's bulge is not the size it should be. It should be a little bigger, longer, higher. Otherwise, why would people be using the word tiny and making jokes like he's bringing micro back? Yes, yes, I see. That's very funny. Because it's not just small, it's clearly very small, which is what I was thinking all along. It should be as big as a regular one, which has lots of more of it. Jim, you're shooting me from the waist up, right? Good, good. All right. Okay. There's big news. Bring my Cadillac around. There's big news from the X rated world because Pornhub will block access for Floridians on January 1st. And I'm sure this comes as terrible news to all those Floridians whose New Year's resolution is to watch more porn. If you're in the Sunshine State and logging onto the website, you'll get a pop up that says you will lose access to Pornhub in 14 days, meaning in just two weeks, you'll no longer get a pop up. Thank you, Joe. Thank you. That was half hearted. That was half hearted. The reason for the Pornhub hubbub. As of January 1st, a new law takes effect in Florida requiring users to upload sensitive personal information to verify their age. As the pop up puts it, you'll be required to prove you are 18 years or older, such as by uploading your government ID for every adult content website. Pornhub knows this is a slippery slope. They're not set up to have your secure information. They have no interest in collecting your mom's maiden name. They want your stepmom's maiden name. It also may be a little tougher to throw a party this season because Party City is planning to file for its second bankruptcy in nearly two years. Oh, that's so sad. You know what? I should throw them a goodbye party. I'll go to. No, I didn't see that coming. Reportedly, the retailer is behind on rent on some 850 locations. Why now? Apparently, pressure intensified due to the effects of the COVID pandemic and a helium shortage. Devastating. Truly, truly devastating. I don't know why you're clapping. This is a tragedy. People are going to lose your jobs, you monsters. We got a great show for you tonight coming up.
Greenlight Representative
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UPS Store Representative
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Lifelock Representative
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Stephen Colbert
Hello, friends. Welcome back everybody. Ladies and gentlemen, my first guest this evening is an academic award winning actor, you know, from the Grand Budapest Hotel, Succession and the Pianist and so much more. His latest film is the Brutalist. Please welcome back to the late show, Adrien Brody.
Adrien Brody
Love it. You guys are a great audience. You guys are a great audience.
Stephen Colbert
It's so nice to see you again.
Adrien Brody
Thank you.
Stephen Colbert
Did you park your motorcycle out front? What gang are we in now? Adrian?
Adrien Brody
I didn't ride. Yeah, exactly.
Stephen Colbert
Nice to see you again.
Adrien Brody
Lovely to see you. Thank you.
Stephen Colbert
The new film, the Brutalist is already getting extraordinary reviews. I cannot wait to see it. Even I feel like, I feel like the trailer deserves an award at this point. It's so beautiful. It looks like a work of such soaring artistic and emotional ambition. It's about an architect named Laszlo Toth, who's a Hungarian who comes to the United States escaping, you know, the war torn Europe and finding his way in this new country. You know, the difficulty of that, and I understand this hits home personally for you in a way that I wasn't aware of. Tell the people why.
Adrien Brody
Yes, very much so. I mean, some of you may know my mother is a wonderful photographer, very well respected photographer. Her name is Sylvia Plahy and she is a Hungarian born artist. And she and my grandparents fled Hungary in 1956 during the revolution. And so her journey and you know, the struggles and sacrifices along the way of that immigrant experience is very personal to me because I am the son of a Hungarian immigrant. So it's a big honor for me to Impart some of the insight I have into that. And then, I think, speaks to many people of all backgrounds. And it's part of what shapes this wonderful nation.
Stephen Colbert
Pardon me for asking. Your mother's still with us.
Adrien Brody
Yes.
Stephen Colbert
And did you discuss this role with her? Did you talk about this?
Adrien Brody
Oh, yes. Oh, yes. And she's been a guiding light for this. And my grandfather in particular, who's. Whose very pronounced Hungarian accent was something I channeled for this character. We worked very hard with a dialect coach, but I found truth in that. It was so intimate for my whole youth of what I grew up around. Not just the voice, but a certain Hungarian sensibility.
Stephen Colbert
How would you describe. I have a couple of friends I know from Hungary. How would you describe the Hungarian sensibility?
Adrien Brody
They're wonderfully enthusiastic and passionate and somewhat outspoken. And it's a good quality. It's kind of like if you know New Yorkers and, you know, New Yorkers are similar in that respect, I think. But if you're not familiar with it, it's sometimes, you know, you don't know if it's a joke or if it is a joke. There's a lot of truth in it.
Stephen Colbert
Dark humor.
Adrien Brody
They don't really hide that. Then they say it was a joke, and there's a lot of truth in that. Grandma.
Stephen Colbert
We have a clip here that we want to show. What do we need to know about this? It's you and Guy Pearce.
Adrien Brody
Yes. So this is a moment where Lazlo Toth, my character, comes to America, and he had done a project to renovate Guy's character's library in his home and had been kicked out in a fury. And now Van Buren, Guy's character, comes to find him, and he does a little research on Laszlo, and he discovers all of these buildings that he had created back in Europe, and Laszlo is amazed that they still exist because his understanding was that most would have been demolished during the Nazi occupation.
Stephen Colbert
Jim, these are yours?
Adrien Brody
Yes.
Stephen Colbert
All of them?
Adrien Brody
Yes.
Stephen Colbert
I'm sorry. Have I upset you?
Adrien Brody
No, not at all. Did not realize these images were still available. Much less of any consequence. May I keep these?
Stephen Colbert
Of course he may. They're very artistic. It's so beautiful. We have to take a quick break right here, but we'll be right back with more Adrien Brody. Adrien Brody. At one point in the movie, your character Lazlo Toth, is asked, why architecture, Adrien Brody? Why acting? You know, the old joke about, like, writing about music is like dancing about architecture. You're a painter. Paint me. About acting. Why acting?
Adrien Brody
I'm plagiarizing this, but it beats working for a living. And it didn't occur to me before you asked me the question. I mean, I am so grateful to have found acting and for acting to have found me. And I do owe that to my mother as well. She had an assignment to photograph in acting school when I was a boy and saw that I. I love people and study people and human individuality and would always kind of tell stories and recreate things. And so she just saw that I had. It would be a right. A good fit for me. And it also kept me off hanging out on the streets of Queens.
Stephen Colbert
So anybody else. Anybody else in your family, like? Any. Are you descended from actors? Anybody?
Adrien Brody
No. Although my grandfather aspired to be an actor here.
Stephen Colbert
I mean, Hungarian grandfather.
Adrien Brody
My Hungarian grandfather, yes. My mother's father. We're very similar in a lot of ways. I mean, he. He got a. He got a job as a kind of tertiary role in a play on Broadway. Absorb of the Greek is my understanding. And he was required to dance and. Which I don't think he was a great dancer and. But there was a moment where the director had made some choices and my grandfather piped up and told him how he thinks he should do it.
Stephen Colbert
Which.
Adrien Brody
I can relate to. My poor grandfather got fired, so there went his acting dreams.
Stephen Colbert
There you go. There you go. Do you do that, too?
Adrien Brody
I do tend to do that. I try to bite my. Maybe it's the Hungarian in me, but I exactly tend to. It's my humble opinion, but I think you might want to put the camera over, maybe come a little closer.
Stephen Colbert
You know, Wes Anderson. Does everything have to be symmetrical?
Adrien Brody
No, definitely not. I mean, most directors I've worked with do not need symmetry, fortunately for me and for the kind of movies we make. But.
Stephen Colbert
Well, much like your character, you have an interest in design and restoration. If we were to drop in to your crib, what would be the design aesthetic that we would experience?
Adrien Brody
I have a pretty eclectic taste. I do like to integrate things that have moved me or that I've found along the way in my travels. I don't want to digress from this too much, but when I made the Darjeeling Limited with Wes Anderson and Owen Wilson, and I envisioned. I tried to figure out how I could buy one of the train cars that we shot in to ship it home and put in the countryside. And I thought it would be an amazing thing. And it was such an enormous cost.
Stephen Colbert
Right. Yeah.
Adrien Brody
To ship alone a train car. So I ended up not doing it. But then I went to Owen Wilson's house and he just asked for a door and it is so freaking beautiful on his wall. It's a work of art. And I was so mad that my vision is so big, but I, I, I tend to find things that are unique, that are fun in the house. And I, I went antique shopping in the countryside and I found this beautiful old slot machine. Nice antique slot machine.
Stephen Colbert
One Arm Bandit.
Adrien Brody
Yeah, One Arm Bandit. And not that I'm a huge gambler, but I thought it just looked nice.
Stephen Colbert
Sure, sure.
Adrien Brody
And it, it was so beautiful. I bought it, we loaded it in the hatch and I'm driving home and you guys remember that movie Big? I think most of you weren't born yet, but yeah, Zoltar, exactly. Zoltar. I auditioned to play him in that movie. I was a child actor and I auditioned to play Tom Hanks as a boy, but I didn't get the role.
Stephen Colbert
Anyhow, would have been a good movie.
Adrien Brody
If only they had hired me.
Stephen Colbert
Exactly.
Adrien Brody
Would have been. It would have been better for me for sure. Anyhow, we're driving home and this eerie kind of mystical music starts emanating from this unplugged slot machine in the hatchback. And it starts playing very. And it's playing and playing and I'm like, I scored. I got a haunted slot machine. I scored. I mean, I thought, this is gonna be amazing. I didn't know what would. And I bring it home and I'm trying to understand what, maybe there's some battery that remained, but this is old. I didn't. And I get it home. And it turns out the poor woman who sold it to me had opened it up to show me how it worked and how the mechanism worked. And she forgot her cell phone in it and frantically calling for me to pick up. I was so disappointed.
Stephen Colbert
Well, Adrian, lovely to see you again. Thank you so much for being here. Thank you for listening to the Late Show Pod show with Stephen Colbert. Just one more thing. If you want to see more of me, come to The Late Show YouTube channel for more clips and exclusives.
UPS Store Representative
French Montana has been named the most streamed African born artist.
Paramount Representative
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Stephen Colbert
Plus, I'm a real immigrant fresher off the boat. I just remember my mother working two, three jobs. I was like, I gotta do something. Hit the streets.
Paramount Representative
Witness the unforgettable story of an icon's rise.
Stephen Colbert
I had this idea of friendship, this.
Adrien Brody
Untouchable mob boss, and then he turned into an artist.
Stephen Colbert
You sacrifice to better they self, to better their family.
Paramount Representative
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Stephen Colbert
Arabs and Jewish people together.
Paramount Representative
It's special witness their quest for stardom. Five years in the making.
Adrien Brody
We're going to have a whole page about us on Billboard Magazine. It's really hard to be far from home. Can either bring us together or break us apart. Everything is possible in this life. We're going to be together as one.
Paramount Representative
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Podcast Summary: The Late Show Pod Show with Stephen Colbert – Episode featuring Adrien Brody | "Drone Stop Believing"
Release Date: December 19, 2024
In this episode of The Late Show Pod Show with Stephen Colbert, host Stephen Colbert delivers his signature blend of humor and commentary on current events before welcoming his special guest, acclaimed actor Adrien Brody. The episode seamlessly transitions from topical jokes to an in-depth conversation about Brody's latest film, "The Brutalist," intertwining personal anecdotes and insightful discussions about heritage and artistry.
a. eBay and Collectibles
Colbert opens with a humorous take on eBay, highlighting the quirks of online shopping and the rare collectibles enthusiasts seek:
b. Stock Market Turmoil
He shifts to the alarming state of the stock market, referencing a significant drop in the Dow:
Colbert humorously contrasts traditional investments with unconventional ones, mentioning his investment in a fictitious cryptocurrency:
c. Drones Over New Jersey
Addressing recent mysterious drone sightings over New Jersey, Colbert engages in satirical speculation about their origins:
He references political reactions, particularly critiques from Representative Nancy Mace:
d. NASA’s Delayed Astronauts
Colbert touches on NASA's challenges with delayed astronaut missions, injecting humor into the discussion:
e. Trump’s Lawsuit Against Pollster
He highlights former President Trump's lawsuit against a pollster, mocking the motivations behind the legal action:
f. Justin Timberlake’s Wardrobe Malfunction
Colbert humorously reports on Justin Timberlake's recent on-stage mishap:
g. Pornhub’s Florida Ban
He discusses Florida’s new legislation affecting adult websites, delivering the news with his characteristic wit:
h. Party City’s Bankruptcy
Closing his monologue, Colbert laments Party City's financial struggles, offering a mock sympathetic response:
Stephen Colbert introduces Adrien Brody, highlighting his illustrious career and his latest project, "The Brutalist":
i. Film Overview and Personal Connection
Brody delves into his role in "The Brutalist," portraying Laszlo Toth, an architect escaping war-torn Hungary:
He shares a heartfelt connection to his Hungarian heritage, explaining how his family's history influenced his portrayal:
ii. Exploring Hungarian Sensibility
Colbert probes into the nuances of Hungarian culture as embodied by Brody:
Brody responds by likening it to New Yorker's enthusiasm and passion, emphasizing the blend of humor and truth:
iii. Behind-the-Scenes Anecdotes
The conversation shifts to a clip from "The Brutalist," featuring Adrien Brody and Guy Pearce. Brody recounts a scene where his character is involved in architectural restoration, leading to humorous interactions on set:
Colbert playfully reacts to the scene, highlighting the visual aesthetics of the film:
iv. Adrien’s Design Aesthetics and Personal Interests
Brody shares his eclectic taste in design and restoration, drawing parallels to his experiences working with director Wes Anderson:
He amusingly narrates an incident involving an antique slot machine he attempted to purchase:
Colbert inquires about Adrien's journey into acting and its ties to his family's artistic background:
Brody reflects on his gratitude for acting and its role in shaping his life, attributing inspiration to his mother and grandfather:
He recounts his grandfather's unfulfilled acting aspirations, drawing a parallel to his own experiences:
Stephen Colbert wraps up the interview by expressing his appreciation for Adrien Brody’s insights and storytelling, encouraging listeners to explore more content related to the episode:
He directs listeners to additional resources, including the Late Show YouTube channel, for more exclusive content.
Stephen Colbert [00:25]: “Whatever you love, find it on eBay. eBay. Things people love.”
Stephen Colbert [01:05]: “Anybody have money in the stock market? Not anymore. Because today the Dow plunged more than 1100 points.”
Adrien Brody [15:24]: “The struggles and sacrifices along the way of that immigrant experience is very personal to me.”
Adrien Brody [16:58]: “They're wonderfully enthusiastic and passionate and somewhat outspoken... They don't really hide that. Then they say it was a joke, and there's a lot of truth in that.”
Adrien Brody [22:31]: “I have a pretty eclectic taste. I do like to integrate things that have moved me or that I've found along the way in my travels.”
Current Events with Humor: Stephen Colbert delivers a timely monologue that touches on economic downturns, technological mysteries, and pop culture mishaps, all laced with his characteristic humor.
Deep Dive into Heritage and Artistry: The interview with Adrien Brody offers listeners an intimate look into his latest film, "The Brutalist," while exploring his personal connection to Hungarian heritage and the influence it has on his acting and creative endeavors.
Engaging Anecdotes: Both Colbert and Brody share humorous and heartfelt stories, from haunted slot machines to familial inspirations, providing a well-rounded and engaging conversation.
Cultural Commentary: The episode balances light-hearted jokes with thoughtful commentary on topics like immigration, identity, and the arts, making it both entertaining and insightful for listeners.
This episode of The Late Show Pod Show with Stephen Colbert delivers a compelling mix of topical humor and meaningful dialogue, particularly through the enriching conversation with Adrien Brody. Whether you're a fan of Colbert's wit or Brody's acting prowess, this episode offers valuable insights and plenty of laughs.