The Late Show Pod Show with Stephen Colbert

Episode Title: Audience Questions | Bagel Order
Date: August 18, 2025
Host: Stephen Colbert

Episode Overview

In this lively Q&A-packed episode, Stephen Colbert welcomes audience questions, digging into personal preferences, comedic insights, and moments from late night television history. The conversation flows with Colbert’s signature wit, touching on dinosaurs, bagels, fatherhood, desserts, presidential jokes, and the legacy of classic late night shows. The episode is peppered with spontaneous humor, quick banter with show staff, and memorable asides that highlight Colbert’s rapport with both his team and his audience.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Pistachio Banter & Flavors Galore

(00:00–03:19)

• Colbert opens with a comedic riff on Wonderful Pistachios, recalling his past as their spokesperson.
• The team discusses pistachio applications—crusted trout, pistachio ice cream, and a wild array of flavored nuts (dill pickle, jalapeno lime, sea salt & vinegar, smoky barbecue).
• Notable quote:
  • Stephen Colbert: "No guilt. Just glory, glory in our nuts." (00:27)
  • Colbert and producers volley nut puns and flavor enthusiasm, keeping the tone playful:
  • Stephen Colbert: "Nut me with nut meat." (03:07)

2. Rapid-Fire Audience Q&A

(03:56–10:56)

a. Dinosaurs and Childhood Favorites

(04:00–04:55)

• Asked about his favorite dinosaur, Colbert chooses stegosaur for its iconic fins and spiky tail, explaining its childhood appeal.
• He quizzes the audience in return, engaging over choices like "protoceratops" and their fun, house-friendly size.
• Notable quote:
  • Stephen Colbert: "My favorite dinosaur is probably the stegosaur. Cause I like those fins along the back and the spiky tail." (04:02)

b. The Perfect Bagel Order

(04:59–05:07)

• On bagels, Colbert spares no detail:
  • "Everything toasted with cream cheese, lox, caper, onions and tomato... and a cup of coffee. Milk."
• He jokes not to disturb him during consumption:
  • Stephen Colbert: "Don't talk to me until I'm done with a bagel, because this is gonna be almost erotic." (05:07)

c. Fatherhood, Grown-up Style

(05:13–05:27)

• Recent lesson: to get all grown children on a vacation, simply pay for the drinks.
• Colbert’s insight:
  • Stephen Colbert: "[I've learned] that you can get all of your children, even if they're all grown up, to go on a vacation with you if you pay for the drinks." (05:27)

d. Favorite Desserts and Sweets

(05:50–06:57)

• Questioned on dessert "spots," Colbert shares an appreciation for Amarino gelato—first discovered in France, then Italy, and now located in New York.
• Discussion takes a detour into baked goods and cookie cravings (and the disappointment of mistaking pretzels for cookies).

e. Dream Late Night Appearances

(06:57–10:00)

• Colbert reflects on the meta nature of being both host and "guest" during his Colbert Report days.
• Expresses a wish to experience the earliest Tonight Show with Steve Allen or to have witnessed the lost Johnny Carson episodes at 30 Rock.
• He references his recent assignment writing for The New Yorker’s 100th anniversary issue, responding to Kenneth Tynan's 22,000-word article on Carson.
• Notable quotes:
  • "I was the guest every night." (07:21)
  • "I would love to have seen the [Johnny] Carson [show] from 30 Rock. ... They just threw them all out." (08:41–08:50)

f. Joking About Presidents

(10:00–10:56)

• Colbert’s favorite president to joke about: Warren G. Harding.
• Claims Harding was "the most corrupt—until recently," and tells the tale of Harding losing the White House china in a poker game.
• Notable quote:
  • "Warren G. Harding lost the White House China in a poker game. Isn't that great? I long for those ethics." (10:22–10:30)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Nutty Enthusiasm:
  • "Nutty, nutty, nutty, nutty. Talk about, talk about, talk about, talk about nutty." – Stephen Colbert (03:09)
• On Bagel Ritual:
  • “Don't talk to me until I'm done with a bagel, because this is gonna be almost erotic.” – Stephen Colbert (05:07)
• On TV History Loss:
  • "NBC just destroyed them at a certain point. ... Who cared about tv? That was the idea. TV was not an art form." – Stephen Colbert (08:46–08:54)
• On Presidential Scandals:
  • “I long for those ethics.” – Stephen Colbert (10:30)

Important Segment Timestamps

• Pistachio sponsor banter & nut puns – 00:00–03:19
• Audience Q&A starts – 03:56
  • Favorite dinosaur – 04:00
  • Bagel order – 05:01
  • Fatherhood lessons – 05:13
  • Favorite dessert spots – 05:50
  • Dream talk show spots – 06:57
  • Presidential joke favorites – 10:00

Tone & Takeaway

This episode is classic Colbert—warm, irreverent, and interactive—with playful sidebars between host, staff, and audience. The Q&A format provides both lighthearted personal detail and showbiz history, delivered in Colbert’s inviting and joke-laden style. For those who missed it, you’ll come away knowing Stephen’s breakfast order, his respect for talk show pioneers, and, of course, his undying affection for a well-timed presidential roast.