The Late Show Pod Show with Stephen Colbert

Episode: Amanda Seyfried | Wrong! Said Fed
Date: January 14, 2026
Guest: Amanda Seyfried

Episode Overview

This episode opens with Stephen Colbert’s signature monologue, blending sharp political satire with the absurd—taking aim at the Trump administration’s controversial actions regarding the Federal Reserve and a bizarre, ongoing “Monkey Mergency” in St. Louis. Afterward, Colbert is joined by Emmy and Golden Globe-winning actress Amanda Seyfried for a lively “Community Calendar” segment celebrating her Allentown, Pennsylvania roots and a wide-ranging interview. Seyfried discusses family, life with a menagerie of animals, experiences at awards shows, her daughter’s honest reactions to her films, and the inspiration behind her latest role as Ann Lee in the new movie The Testament of Ann Lee.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Monologue Highlights: Trump, the Fed, and Minnesota (01:45–11:56)

• Political Satire on Trump vs. The Fed (01:45–05:45):

  • Colbert lampoons the Trump administration’s “malicious prosecution” of Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell.
  • Emphasizes the Fed’s need for independence and warns of market repercussions, with a blend of jokes and serious undertone.
  • Quote:

    “That’s what keeps the entire global financial system from collapsing and all of us going back to bartering with bales of indigo and little bags of toddler teeth.” (Stephen Colbert, 02:16)

• Minnesota News: ICE Raids and Federal Lawsuits (05:45–09:00):

  • Discusses alarming ICE actions in Minneapolis, including shootings and increased federal presence.
  • Critiques the Trump administration’s response and local prosecutors’ resignations in protest.
  • Notes a new lawsuit by Minnesota and Illinois over federal overreach.
  • Quote:

    “The Trump administration is trying to smear Renee Goode’s family,” (Stephen Colbert, 07:30)

• Local Color & Comedic Riffs:

  • Jokes about Minnesota’s “resources” (“best he’s going to get is 50 million barrels of cream of mushroom soup,” 06:15)
  • Satirizes Trump’s social media fear-mongering about “convicted murderers, drug dealers, and addicts” at the Mall of America (07:55).

2. Monkey Mergency: Animals, AI, and Escaping Goats (09:13-11:56)

• Reports on escaped monkeys and a goat in St. Louis, complicated by AI-generated “sightings” confusing officials.
• Colbert imagines a movie “Termuncinator 2: Judgment Age,” lampooning the AI-animal chaos.
• Quote:

  “My screenplay for Paramount’s next blockbuster. Termuncinator 2. Judgment Age. David Ellison, call me.” (Stephen Colbert, 10:56)

3. Community Calendar with Amanda Seyfried: Allentown Events (13:07–16:59)

• Seyfried helps Colbert highlight quirky, real-life upcoming events in Allentown, PA and Lehigh County, including:
  • All-you-can-eat pasta nights, pirate-themed murder mysteries, speed dating for singles 50–60 (“so we’re using the word speed generously,” Colbert, 15:23), Fastnacht Day donut festivities, crafting classes, adult painting classes, and a risqué “Naked Magicians” show.
• The two exchange regional wit and inside jokes.
• Quote:

  “You don’t have to be high to love Lehigh, but it doesn’t hurt.” (Amanda Seyfried, 16:59)

4. Interview: Amanda Seyfried on Family, the Golden Globes, and Acting (18:50–27:34)

a. Life on the Farm: Chickens, Horses, and (No) Monkeys (18:50–19:52)

• Seyfried shares her love for raising animals on her upstate New York property.
• Confirms no monkeys allowed by NY state law, much to Colbert’s feigned disappointment.
• Quote:

  “Trust me, I researched.” (Amanda Seyfried, on NY’s ban on primates, 19:49)

b. Golden Globes Experience (19:52–21:49)

• Seyfried recounts the fun and chaos of the awards, comparing it to other shows.
• Notes more backstage food and drinks at the Globes vs. the Emmys.
• Quote:

  “There were so many celebrities there.” (Amanda Seyfried, 19:57)

c. Kids and Movies: Motherhood Reflections (21:49–23:48)

• Seyfried discusses her children’s ages (5 and 8) and their reactions to her work, especially Mean Girls and Mamma Mia! (“She didn’t think it was that funny, but she really thought I was lovely in it,” 23:42).
• Touching on Kids Pitch—a segment where children create TV/movie ideas, expressing her daughter’s wish to join in a future installment.

d. Mamma Mia! and Prospects for a Sequel (23:52–24:16)

• Colbert presses for news on Mamma Mia 3.
• Seyfried echoes fan enthusiasm:
  • Quote:

    “Yes, yes, yes.” (Amanda Seyfried, on Mamma Mia 3, 23:53)

e. Testament of Ann Lee: History, Women’s Leadership & Shaker Culture (24:38–27:34)

• Seyfried gives a moving account of Ann Lee, founder of the Shaker movement, emphasizing her leadership, equality advocacy, and the movement’s celibacy rule rooted in personal tragedy.
• Colbert marvels at the persistence of the sect, noting there are still a few devotees after 250 years.
• Discussion of Shaker worship through ecstatic dance and the well-known song “Simple Gifts.”
• Seyfried shares plans for a musical event involving the film’s music and famed cellist Yo-Yo Ma.
• Notable Quotes:

  • “She took this group of eight people in 1778 to America from Manchester and created an entire movement...she didn’t care about her legacy. So therefore no one knew who she was. But if she had been a man, sorry, I think we might know about him.” (Amanda Seyfried, 24:38–25:52)

  • “It was a movement...and that it’s a bad idea to not have sex.” (Colbert, 26:10–26:19)

  • “Simple Gifts is the Shaker song, the most well known Shaker song...Yo-Yo [Ma] just played it for me in the dressing room.” (Amanda Seyfried, 27:02–27:12)

Notable Quotes by Timestamp

• “Our money is under attack thanks to the Trump administration’s malicious prosecution of Fed Chair and Keebler Elf at the funeral for Snap, Crackle and Pop Jerome Powell.”
  Stephen Colbert, 01:54

• “How dare you, sir? It’s called the Mall of America. And I’ll have you know, it has three separate lids, not counting the lids at Macy’s.”
  Stephen Colbert, 08:03

• “I for one do not want to live in a world where I can’t believe in monkeys.”
  Stephen Colbert, 11:06

• “You’ll be all in on Allentown.”
  Amanda Seyfried, 14:40

• “You don’t have to be high to love Lehigh, but it doesn’t hurt.”
  Amanda Seyfried, 16:59

• “They [the chickens] are all alive and producing like hotcakes.”
  Amanda Seyfried, 19:03

• “There were so many celebrities there.”
  Amanda Seyfried, 19:57

• “Yes, yes, yes!” [on Mamma Mia 3]
  Amanda Seyfried, 23:53

• “She was the leader for female leader of a spiritual movement...to have a space for equality between gender and race in the 18th century.”
  Amanda Seyfried, 24:38

Important Segment Timestamps

• Monologue – Trump, Fed, and Minnesota: 01:45–11:56
• Monkey Emergency Updates: 09:13–11:56
• Community Calendar (with Amanda Seyfried): 13:07–16:59
• Seyfried Interview—Family, Showbiz, & Films: 18:50–27:34
• Testament of Ann Lee Discussion: 24:38–27:34

Episode Tone & Takeaways

• Tone: Signature Colbert—satirical, irreverent, playful, warm during the guest segment.
• Guest Dynamic: Amanda Seyfried brings a sincere, humorous, and down-to-earth energy. She engages fully in the quirky “Community Calendar,” is candid about family life and career moments, and offers thoughtful insight into women’s underrecognized historical leadership.
• For Listeners New to the Show: This episode is an exemplar of Colbert’s blend of smart political commentary, absurdist local news, and affectionate, revealing chats with stars, all laced with quick wit and warmth.

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