Loading summary
Stephen Colbert
Hey, everybody. Stephen Colbert here about to read the copy for our sponsor. This is from our friends at Wonderful Pistachios. And I was the wonderful pistachio spokesman for years. Yeah, I have a real close association with nut meat. Okay. You know what they say when they reach for a snack? Don't hold back. And that's exactly the approach with Wonderful Pistachios. The don't hold back snack. These little wonders are so tasty, it feels like getting away with something. But surprise. Each serving has 6 grams of protein and 0 grams of regret. That's right. No guilt. Just glory, glory in our nuts. Whether it's a satisfying crack of in shell pistachios, and that's capitalized in shell, or the smooth, instant gratification of no shells. No judgment. That's just it. Just eat. No judgment. I take issue with one thing. It's instant gratification. It's super tasty smooth.
Alison Williams
It's a hard nut smooth.
Stephen Colbert
Exactly. I mean, even out of the shell, it's still a nut.
Alison Williams
We can't disparage the nuts. You.
Stephen Colbert
I'm not disparaging the nut. I'm describing the nut.
Alison Williams
Don't disparage any flavors.
Stephen Colbert
I'm not. I am celebrating the pistachio right now. I'm on board. I love pistachios. I love. I love crushed pistachio. Like a pistachio crusted trout. Oh, unbelievable. Instead of a trout amandine, a trout pistachio. Fantastic. Enough butter? Who cares? Very good. And I love pistachio ice cream.
Alison Williams
Have you had the sea salt and vinegar?
Stephen Colbert
Wonderful pistachio.
Alison Williams
It's delicious. I get them.
Stephen Colbert
I didn't even know I get them.
Alison Williams
Before the softball games.
Stephen Colbert
But that's. You see, it's been a while since I've been the spokesman for wonderful pistachios. I didn't realize we'd achieved new pistachio technology.
Alison Williams
Yeah. Yeah.
Stephen Colbert
Wow. Wonderful pistachios has every snack style covered. Right now. There's an obsession with jalapeno lime. There is an obsession session. It's almost a disorder. It's spicy, it's zesty. It's basically a flavor roller coaster in a nut. Snacking on the go. Grab a bag of no shells. Feeling contemplative and want to work for it a little. So earning it, they're saying if you want to earn your nut, crack open those in shell beauties. Either way, it's snacking like a champ. So the next time hunger strikes, don't hold back. Unless it's a hunger strike. And then it's important that you do, because whatever you're doing that for, I'm sure it's a worthwhile cause. Snack like you mean it with wonderful pistachios. Visit wonderfulpistachios.com to learn more. That was a wonderful. I wonder what more there is to learn. We just told them so much. We just told them so much about pistachios. But evidently there's a whole other world. There's an unexplored vista.
Alison Williams
They got a bunch of flavors. They got dill pickle, jalapeno lime, as we learned, smoky barbecue. There's a lot of different flavors.
Stephen Colbert
Wow. And I would not disparage any of them.
Alison Williams
No, no, no.
Stephen Colbert
Bring it on. Nothing bad to say. Nut me, nut, nut me with nut meat. We're nut. No, we got nothing but nut. Nutty, nutty, nutty, nutty. Talk about, talk about, talk about, talk about, talk about nutty. Good. You ever hit that moment when your kid asks for help with homework and you're like, wait, when did long division get this complicated? Or maybe your child's flying through lessons and getting bored in class? Yeah, been there. Whether they're struggling or soaring, IXL can make a real difference. IXL is an award winning online platform that helps kids really understand what they're learning. It covers math, language arts, science and social studies from Pre K through 12th grade. And it's actually fun, engaging, personalized, and packed with encouraging feedback to help keep them motivated. IXL is used by 96 of the top 100 school districts in the US and it's no surprise it's backed by research. Kids using IXL are scoring higher on tests, and studies from almost every state show they're consistently doing better. Make an impact on your child's learning. Get IXL now. And listeners of this podcast can get an exclusive 20% off IXL membership when they sign up today at ixllearning.com audio visit ixllearning.com audio to get the most effective learning program out there at the best price. Welcome down here, up there, out there, all around the world. Welcome to the Late Show. I'm your host, Stephen Colbert. Ladies and gentlemen, anything new? Anything breaking? Ladies and gentlemen, at the time of this recording, America stands on the brink of yet another Middle Eastern war. As our closest ally in the region, Israel, a nuclear power has launched multiple sorties, crippling the command and control infrastructure of the Iranian military. The world is on tenterhooks. Billions of people breathlessly refreshing their news feeds to know what will America do Well, last night, Commander in Chief Donald John Trump, after consulting with his advisors, poised on the precipice of history, made a powerful and momentous declaration. It is my great honor to announce that I will be putting up two beautiful flagpoles on both sides of the White House north and south lawns. Not now, dude. This is like your boyfriend getting down on one knee and saying, kelly, will you make me the happiest man in the world? And look at these two beautiful flagpoles. Now I'm sure you're saying, steve, are these the most magnificent poles made? Well, I have good news. These are the most magnificent poles made. They are tall, tapered, rust proof rope inside the pole and of the highest quality. Okay, gotta say, he sold it. Sounds pretty cool. But fair warning, if you Google tall, tapered, magnificent pole on your office computer, you will get a call from hr. So he's dead set on this. So why flagpoles? Why now? Well, as Trump explained, it is a gift from me of something which was always missing from this magnificent place. What? What do you mean missing? What are you talking about? The White House already has a flagpole up on the roof. Plus, the White House has another symbol that lets us know it's American. The White House. Okay, it's on the money. It's on the money right there. It's not only on the money, it's on the West Wing DVD box set. Of course, that was yesterday. Okay, that was yesterday. Overnight, the Israelis launched another crippling attack on Iran. So this morning, Donald Trump leapt into action and installed the flag poles. Jim, let's have a good. They call it a lifting. They also use another word, but I'm not going to use that word. Do you know what that is? The word. It starts with an E. You know what the word is? It's a word, a word that starts with an E that he's embarrassed to say publicly. Eric, Eric, there it is. You can't have. You can't erect him on the White House lawn. When it was time to raise Old Glory, everyone stood in awe as our new relaxed fit, plus size, husky mega flag sent a clear message to America's enemies. We can get you in a used Hyundai Sonata for 0 APR financing today. @ a certain point, reporters ran out of flag questions and they switched back to news. Givens answered questions about whether you are moving closer or you believe the US.
Alison Williams
Is moving closer to striking Iranian nuclear facilities.
Stephen Colbert
Where's your mindset on this? I can't say that, right? You don't know that I'm going to even do it. You don't know. I may do it, I may not do it. I mean, nobody knows what I'm going to do. That's what you get. No, that's what you get for electing a reality TV guy. Will I start World War Three? I'll give you my answer after this message from Sky Rizzi. Nothing is everything in the post apocalyptic wasteland. Trump laid out what he wants from the Iranian regime before we are willing to end our war against them that we are not in two very simple words. Flagpole. No. Okay, go on. Two very simple words. A very simple unconditional surrender. That means I've had it. Okay, I've had it. I give up. No more. Then we go blow up all the, you know, all the nuclear stuff that's all over the place. Clearly, clearly a firm grasp of a complex topic. It reminds me, reminds me of Oppenheimer's haunting words at Los Alamos. I am become nuclear stuff. Destroyer of all over the place. But big, beautiful tapered poles with rope inside them aside, Trump does seem to be leaning towards blowing up Iran's nuclear stuff. Real good. So how did we get here? Well, first Iran said death to Israel for about 40 years. And at a certain point, Israel believed them. Then back in February, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gave Trump a presentation in the Oval Office, walking him through images of Iran's nuclear sites. Then he gave Trump a gift, a gold plated pager similar to the ones the Israelis had secretly packed with explosives and sold to unwitting Hezbollah operatives. Apparently, Trump told someone he was disturbed by the gift. Well, yeah, no one wants a murder gift. Oh, oh, oh, cool, honey, look, sweetie, O.J. gave us gloves. Thank you. That is, isn't that nice? Say it's nice. Say it's nice. Over the weekend, reportedly, things changed and Trump told confidants that he was leaning toward destroying Iran's nuclear facility after Fox News began broadcasting wall to wall imagery on of what it was portraying as Israel's military genius. So whatever he sees on TV is the thing that he says we have to do in the interest of world peace. Can't someone make it so the only channel he gets is hgtv? Paige needs to find a backsplash for the kitchen that makes Sharon's heart sing immediately. If she does not love it, I will demand very strongly that she list it. The thing is, Trump being, you know, bunker buster curious is a shock to some of the people who are his fans because one of the things that America first supposedly meant was keeping American troops out of foreign wars so we can send more of them to Los Angeles. You know, send them to America First. The split in his fan base some have called a MAGA Civil War. MAGA Civil War. Also my least favorite Avengers movie. Listen up. White Panther, White Widow, you guys, you guys team up with Dr. Strange was what I call Bobby Junior over here. He is one weird dude. One outspoken anti war MAGA mouthpiece is former famous person and thoughtful hemorrhoid Tucker Carlson. In his newsletter, Carlson wrote, Washington knew these attacks would happen. Politicians purporting to be America first can't now credibly turn around and say they had nothing to do with it. Now, Trump didn't like that arguing. Well, considering that I'm the one that developed America first and considering that the term wasn't used until I came along, I think I'm the one that decides that. For the record, Trump did not come up with America First. America first was the motto of Nazi friendly Americans in the 1930s. Okay, come on. All right, so that's not fair. Yes. Trump wasn't Nazi friendly until 2017. Tucker. Tucker continued. Very fine, people. Tucker continued his attack yesterday while interviewing pro war Republican Ted Cruz. How many people live in Iran, by the way? I don't know the population at all? No, I don't know the population. You don't know the population of the country you seek to topple? How many people living around 92 million. Okay, yeah. How could you not know that? I don't sit around memorizing population tables. It's so wild to see these two fighting. But I gotta say, in an argument between Tucker Carlson and Ted Cruz, I'm rooting for a sinkhole. It got. I got something. Maybe a retake. I don't know. It got pretty heated. Okay, what's the ethnic mix of Iran? They are Persians and predominantly Shia. Okay, you don't know anything about Iran, so. Okay. I am not the Tucker Carlson expert on a ranch. You're a senator who's calling. You're the one who plays anything about the country. Oh, my God. Did Tucker Carlson make a good point? Am I living in a nightmare? Mark, deploy the slapping arm. I'll hold this from now on. Trump's also not too happy with Director of National Intelligence and lead singer of Aerosmith, Tulsi Gabbard. On multiple occasions, Gabbard testified to Congress that Iran wasn't close. But when Trump was asked about that, he replied, I don't care what she said, which didn't come as a surprise to his aides who told reporters Trump thinks Gabbard doesn't add anything to any conversation. Oh, really? Oh, really? I will have you know I have interviewed Tulsi Gabbard on this show right over there. And you are not wrong. I am not. I don't even think I took the tape. I gotta say. I gotta say, I interviewed her. I've interviewed a lot of people. I've had a more stimulating conversation with Carrie Fisher's catatonic dog. We got a great show for you tonight. More Late show pod show after this. Get smoother, brighter skin instantly. In one easy step, Dermalogica's daily microfoliant.
Alison Williams
Gives you the smooth, glowy skin you.
Stephen Colbert
Want without damaging your skin barrier. This gentle exfoliating powder activates with water to smooth out rough texture and brightens skin. It's powerful enough to deliver results, yet gentle enough to use every single day, even on sensitive skin. See the results for yourself. Visit dermalogica.com and use code smooth at cart for an exclusive free gift with $65 purchase. This summer, Instacart is bringing back your.
Alison Williams
Favorites from 1999 with prices from 1999. That means 90s prices on juice pouches.
Stephen Colbert
That ought to be respected, 90s prices on box Mac and cheese, and 90s.
Alison Williams
Prices on ham, cheese and cracker lunches.
Stephen Colbert
Enjoy all those throwbacks and more at.
Alison Williams
Throwback prices only through Instacart.
Stephen Colbert
$4.72. Maximum discount per $10 of eligible items.
Alison Williams
Limit one offer per order expires 95 while supplies last.
Stephen Colbert
Discount based on CPI comparison. Friends, neighbors, Lewis, what do you got? Dropping tonight at midnight? Then we got a new single coming out called Black Man Blues. There it is. Tonight, 12:01, 1201 is available 12:01 Juneteenth. It is available to stream wherever you listen to your music. Check it out, y' all. It's a great song. All right. Black Man Blues. There you go, folks. It's summer and the hottest look of the season is leather jack boot. Because ICE even the Big Apple. Yesterday here in New York City, ICE violently detained New York City comptroller and mayoral candidate Brad Lander. That is a terrifying abuse of power. And they didn't even have the decency to dress for it. Without uniforms, they don't look like law enforcement. They just look like dudes shopping for protein powder at gnc. And take a look at this guy's T shirt. It literally says, rogue officers are the bad officers. That's like your kids crossing guard wearing a vest that says I heart vodka. They should have to wear something.
Alison Williams
Yeah.
Stephen Colbert
Comptroller Lander was roughed up by ICE as he attempted to escort a defendant from immigration court. Good for you, Brad. I believe, I believe that after this, with this show of compassion, with this show of compassion and courage, I believe that Lander will go down in New York history with all the other great comptrollers. Like I want to say, there was a mark. There was a mark. Something. Was it Mark or Mike? Mike. Microsoft Excel. That's who it was. Now on the west coast, over in la, things have cooled down considerably. So much so that last night Mayor Karen Bass lifted the curfew in downtown la, saying that the curfew had been a success and had helped protect stores, restaurants and residents from bad actors. Thank God Los Angeles is finally safe from Steven Seagal. That's a very flattering photo of Steven Seagal. So the curfew was lifted and things are quieting down, which is why last night the Pentagon sent an extra 2,000 National Guard troops to LA at the direction. Yes, they were sent there at the direction of Defense Secretary and hair gel host organism Pete Hegseth. Hegseth was on Capitol Hill today and while defending the use of active duty troops in American cities, he dismissed a little thing called the judicial system. Will you follow a court's order regarding whether or not this deployment is legal? I don't believe district courts should be determining national security policy. So you will not be following that when it goes to the Supreme Court. We'll see. Oh, so only the Supreme Court and even then, he'll see. That's going to change a lot of television. In the criminal justice system, the people are represented by two the police, who can do whatever they want, and the courts, which are just for funsies. Fun. At one point, at one point, Michigan Senator Alyssa Slotkin posed this important question.
Alison Williams
Have you given the order to be.
Stephen Colbert
Able to shoot at unarmed protesters in any way? I'm just asking the question. Don't laugh. Like the whole country. And by the way, my colleagues across the state, what is that based? On? What evidence would you have that an order like that Donald Trump given that order to your predecessor, to a Republican.
Alison Williams
Secretary of defense who I give a.
Stephen Colbert
Lot of credit to, because he didn't accept the order. He had more guts and balls than you. I think she does too, actually. But then again, pretty much everybody's got more balls than Hegseth because Hegseth's balls are in a little pouch on Donald Trump's desk. We'll be right back with Allison Williams. Now streaming. When everything's on the line, real heroes rise to the occasion. TV's hottest show is Fire Country. We're firefighters. We're gonna find a way to get you out of here. We take the hitch together.
Alison Williams
We're on the same team.
Stephen Colbert
I'm right here with you no matter what. I would never leave you hanging in the deep end. This place is a way of giving you new family. Fire Country. All episodes now streaming on Paramount. Plus this season, let your shoes do the talking. Designer Shoe Warehouse is packed with fresh styles that speak to your whole vibe without saying a word. From cool sneakers that look good with everything to easy sandals you'll want to wear on repeat. DSW has you covered. Find a shoe for every heel from the brands you love, like Birkenstock, Nike, Adidas, New Balance and more. Head to your DSW store or visit dsw.com today. Shop 4th of July Savings at the Home Depot right now and get up to 40% off. Plus up to an extra $600 off select appliances with free delivery like Samsung. Or from all in one washer dryers to smart refrigerators. Upgrade to tech you can trust with Samsung appliances. The Home Depot has what you need to simplify your routine. Don't miss 4th of July appliance savings at the Home Depot. Free delivery on appliance purchases of $396 or more. Offer valid June 18 through July 9, US only. See store or online for details. Welcome back, ladies and gentlemen, folks. My first guest tonight is an actor you know from Girls get out and Megan. She now stars in Megan 2.0.
Alison Williams
You've been here this whole time?
Stephen Colbert
Well, I've been many places, but yes. I've been keeping an eye on you.
Alison Williams
You're behind all this, aren't you? You're Amelia.
Stephen Colbert
Oh, no, I can't take credit for that. That one has your greasy prints all over it. You should have upgraded your file security.
Alison Williams
Why are you still here? What do you want?
Stephen Colbert
Did you ever stop to think about what we could have achieved together? Did you ever consider the idea that killing me was slightly disproportionate to the crime?
Alison Williams
You threatened to rip out my tongue and put me in a wheelchair.
Stephen Colbert
I was upset. Please welcome back to the Late show, Alison Williams. I see it again. Um, okay, let's talk about Meghan for a second. Ok, if you don't mind. Yeah. So when the world was introduced to Meghan, how many years ago?
Alison Williams
The first time, it was 2020. Well, we filmed it in 2021. It came out in 2020. Two.
Stephen Colbert
Okay. So were you at all surprised how much people were captivated by a murderous little girl doll?
Alison Williams
When you put it like that, it is surprising.
Stephen Colbert
No, because it became instantly like, a cultural touchstone.
Alison Williams
It did.
Stephen Colbert
Fairly fair. Why is everyone so obsessed with Meghan? Okay, this is a great one from them. Why does Meghan have the queer community in a chokehold?
Alison Williams
That sounds like I hate crime.
Stephen Colbert
I want to check out later. Okay. Glamour. Long live Meghan. Instant horror icon and the Daily Beast, Alison Williams deserves all the hype in the world for Megan.
Alison Williams
Oh, my goodness.
Stephen Colbert
Who put that there? Who put that there? You set me there. Thank you.
Alison Williams
So I set my own props.
Stephen Colbert
Thanks very much. So anyway, people did. People did love me. The Megan. Yeah.
Alison Williams
Well, I think. Okay, there's a lot of things. First of all, I think AI and Kids is something that we all kind of privately are terrified about, but it's something that's easier to talk about in the context of that doll who's kind of got a perfect blowout and is terrifying. And.
Stephen Colbert
Yeah, that is. It is.
Alison Williams
She's. Yeah. The quality of the blowout is scary. And by the way, it takes a lot of time to maintain that perfect between takes. Yeah, literally, it does. It takes more time than you can imagine. But I think putting it in that conversation, in that packaging just made it easier. And she's like. She's got so much attitude. She doesn't care what anyone thinks about her. All she cares about is protecting the character who's my niece in the movies. And she is willing. Yes. To kill a child to achieve that, if she must.
Stephen Colbert
I mean, that is a dog.
Alison Williams
A neighbor.
Stephen Colbert
Sure.
Alison Williams
Yeah.
Stephen Colbert
Get over it.
Alison Williams
It happens.
Stephen Colbert
So what can we expect from 2.0? How is Meghan. Meghaning this time?
Alison Williams
Well, so spoiler alert, she's back.
Stephen Colbert
That only hinted at in the title, but go ahead.
Alison Williams
We thought. Yeah, we thought it was safe to spoil here. That she's back. Basically, she's gone into the ether of the Internet as code would for all of this time. And in that scene, you see she's kind of like, back in virtual forms. All over Gemma's house, there is a new doll that's a rogue AI that has just gone missing and has stopped listening to her directives. And she is kind of taking over the world. And it looks like Gemma and Cady are in her crosshairs.
Stephen Colbert
Okay.
Alison Williams
So they have no choice, obviously, but to bring back the doll that killed people and a dog to be, like, help.
Stephen Colbert
To protect them.
Alison Williams
To maybe protect them. But Gemma said that this isn't gonna work.
Stephen Colbert
This is a Terminator 2 situation.
Alison Williams
Well, here's the thing a little bit.
Stephen Colbert
Do you have any theories about why Meghan has the gay community in a chokehold again? That sounds like it says there on them. It sounds bad, but I had that fact checked today, that headline. Yeah. And she does, evidently.
Alison Williams
Well, it is a. Honestly, what I have been told is that watching a female character rendered so unapologetically being her full self and her full presentation of self is a kind of gesture of openness to everybody in the way they show up.
Stephen Colbert
Oh, I see.
Alison Williams
But I really think. I don't know. Horror is really fun because you get to talk about things that are existentially terrifying, but then with a little scary and a little funny.
Stephen Colbert
Did you have a favorite horror movie growing up or anything like that?
Alison Williams
A favorite? Well, Sixth Sense had, like, My generation. My generation chokehold. Yeah. Misha Barton under the bed is like a core memory for me.
Stephen Colbert
What irrational things scared you growing up?
Alison Williams
None of them were irrational. They were all rational and everything really.
Stephen Colbert
Everything scares you?
Alison Williams
Everything scared me. Well, the thing that scared me the most, and this is gonna be. Warning. This is gonna make me sound extremely cool, so.
Stephen Colbert
Warning. This is gonna make you sound cool?
Alison Williams
Yeah. I just don't wanna lose everybody, you know? Like, I just wanna be on everyone's side. But what scared me the most were kids that didn't follow directions.
Stephen Colbert
And then. So that makes you cool. Cause you were a rule follower. All the coolest kids.
Alison Williams
Like I was saying, I didn't wanna lose the audience with how cool I am now. I have, like, a James Dean quality to me now that he didn't Before.
Stephen Colbert
I was a little bit of a.
Alison Williams
I was, like, inaccessible. And now. Yeah.
Stephen Colbert
Are you still a rule follower?
Alison Williams
Yes.
Stephen Colbert
We have to take a quick break. Hey, everybody. We're back with the star of the new Megan 2.0, Allison Williams. We don't have a ton of time here, but I want to ask you a great question that we got from one of your friends. You. You have a podcast with two of your lifelong best friends called Landlines.
Alison Williams
Yes.
Stephen Colbert
And it's basically. It's your text chain come to life, essentially. And two of your pod co hosts, Jamie and Hope, sent a question for me to ask you, and I really want to get this in, if possible. What'd you do in the evenings when you were 13, knowing that a certain someone was looking through your window and watching your every move?
Alison Williams
What? Okay. Oh, okay. I know what they're talking about.
Stephen Colbert
Does that sound. That Sounds like a horror movie.
Alison Williams
That does sound like a horror movie.
Stephen Colbert
Yes.
Alison Williams
Okay. So full of hope and hormones at 13.
Stephen Colbert
Yeah.
Alison Williams
Picture me with a big, big crush on someone I will not name. I want to keep them humble.
Stephen Colbert
Sure.
Alison Williams
All these years later, I went to bed every night thinking in a very narcissistic, egocentric, full of hope kind of way, that there was a small chance that he was going to watch me sleep through my window. I just thought. I thought. I thought there was a chance. I just. I thought it was a non.
Stephen Colbert
I thought. And that was okay with you?
Alison Williams
Oh, it wasn't okay with me. I would be. I would have been devastated to know that definitively. He had not. I wanted him to watch me more than okay.
Stephen Colbert
It was like a deep desire to. Desire for that.
Alison Williams
Desire for that to happen. Yes. So I wanted.
Stephen Colbert
You became an actress. Who would have. Who would have possibly imagined that you wanted to be?
Alison Williams
So when I went to bed each night, I would go to sleep in some, like, you know, kind of perfect sleeping position.
Stephen Colbert
Perfect blowout.
Alison Williams
Perfect blowout. A Megan blowout facing the window, you know, opened up towards his POV onto me. Early staging. Yeah. Pinch my cheeks for some natural blush. And then I would hope that by the time I woke up in the morning, I'd get some word somehow. Or he'd leave, like, a handprint on the window and I'd know, like a sex. See Peter Pan, that he had been staring at me in my sleep. This is something I wanted to happen to me.
Stephen Colbert
Please make this movie.
Alison Williams
That is it.
Stephen Colbert
And then. Yeah. And get. For Megan 3. Please get Megan 3. The girl is. Could you please just get Megan in there? And she chops his hand off.
Alison Williams
Yeah, I was gonna say. I don't know if it's a full movie. It feels just like an episode of Dateline.
Stephen Colbert
Honestly, it doesn't feel so lovely to see you. Thank you, Alison, 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. What is dadication? The thing that drives me every day as a dad is Dariona. We call him Day Date for short. Every day he's hungry for something, whether it's attention, affection, knowledge. And there's this huge responsibility in making sure that when he's no longer under my wing that he's a good person. I want him to be able to sit back one day and go, we worked together. We did a good job. That's dedication. Find out more@fatherhood.gov brought to you by the U.S. department of Health and Human Services and the Ad Council. Now streaming. When everything's on the line, real heroes rise to the occasion. TV's hottest show is Fire Country. More firefighters. We're gonna find a way to get you out of here. We take the hits together.
Alison Williams
We're on the same team.
Stephen Colbert
I'm right here with you no matter what. I would never leave you hanging in the deep end. This place is a way of giving you new family. Fire Country. All episodes now streaming on Paramount. Plus.
The Late Show Pod Show with Stephen Colbert: Episode Summary
Episode: Allison Williams | Will He Or War He?!
Release Date: June 19, 2025
Navigating the Brink of War
The episode opens with Stephen Colbert delving into a hyperbolic and satirical portrayal of geopolitical tensions between the United States and Iran. Colbert humorously imagines former President Donald Trump’s dramatic declaration to erect two "beautiful flagpoles" on the White House lawns as a misguided gesture amidst escalating conflicts. This absurd scenario serves as a lampoon of real-world political antics and decision-making.
Mocking Political Figures and Policies
Colbert continues his satire by addressing the fictionalized aggressive stance of Trump towards Iran, including exaggerated threats of military action. He mocks the hyperbolic nature of political rhetoric and the media's role in amplifying such narratives.
Domestic Policy and Law Enforcement Satire
Shifting focus to domestic issues, Colbert addresses the fictional scenario of ICE violently detaining New York City comptroller Brad Lander. This segment caricatures law enforcement overreach and the erosion of civil liberties, emphasizing the absurdity through exaggerated humor.
Defense and Judicial Oversight Parody
Colbert mocks Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s stance on deploying National Guard troops without judicial approval, highlighting the tension between national security and legal oversight. This segment underscores the importance of checks and balances in governance through humor.
Exploring "Megan 2.0"
The highlight of the episode is an engaging interview with actress Allison Williams, known for her role in the horror-thriller "Megan 2.0." Colbert and Williams discuss the film’s themes of artificial intelligence and horror, blending insightful conversation with comedic banter.
Themes of AI and Representation
Williams explores how her character Megan embodies a powerful, unapologetic presence that resonates with audiences, particularly within the queer community. The discussion highlights the intersection of horror and representation, emphasizing the character’s impact on viewers’ perceptions of strength and identity.
Personal Anecdotes and Childhood Fears
The conversation shifts to personal reflections, with Williams sharing childhood experiences and fears that influence her work. She humorously recounts being a rule follower and her rational fears, adding depth to her portrayal of Megan.
Colbert wraps up the episode by thanking Allison Williams for her participation and promoting additional content related to "The Late Show Pod Show." The light-hearted banter continues, leaving listeners entertained and eager for future episodes.
This episode of The Late Show Pod Show with Stephen Colbert masterfully blends sharp political satire with an insightful and entertaining interview. Stephen Colbert’s humorous critique of political figures and policies is balanced by a meaningful conversation with Allison Williams about her role in "Megan 2.0" and the broader themes of AI and representation in horror. The episode stands out for its ability to entertain while providing thoughtful commentary on contemporary issues and popular culture.
Notable Quotes with Timestamps:
This comprehensive summary captures the essence of the episode, highlighting key discussions, humorous exchanges, and insightful commentary, making it valuable for listeners who haven't tuned in.