Hugh Jackman | Winter Blunderland

Summary

The Late Show Pod Show with Stephen Colbert

Episode: Hugh Jackman | Winter Blunderland
Release Date: December 19, 2025

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Episode Overview

This festive episode of The Late Show Pod Show features host Stephen Colbert with special guest Hugh Jackman, promoting his new film Song Sung Blue. The conversation blends Colbert’s razor-sharp political satire with Jackman’s trademark charm and reflections on his career, creative inspiration, and love of theater. The show takes a humorous look at current events, pop culture, and the enduring power of holiday traditions. The episode ends on a musical high, with Jackman delivering a heartwarming version of “Sweet Caroline” with a twist.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Stephen Colbert's Opening Monologue: Political Satire & Trump Coverage

[03:55–13:20]

• Trump’s Uninspired Speech:
  • Colbert lampoons Donald Trump’s latest public address, comparing it to historic presidential moments and mocking its lack of substance and charisma.
  • Quote:

    “I think we’ll all remember where we were when we did not watch Donald Trump’s speech last night.” — Stephen Colbert [03:57]

  • Trump’s speech is described as a retread of his “greatest hits,” focusing on hot-button issues without new substance.
  • Even Trump supporters decried the speech as “panicked” and lacking energy.
• Trump Kennedy Center Scandal:
  • Breaking news: Trump’s hand-picked board has reportedly renamed the Kennedy Center after himself, causing backlash and confusion.
  • Colbert jokes about the absurdity and impossibility of the move:

    “He can't have his name on a memorial. He’s alive. Or so his doctors claim.” — Stephen Colbert [08:57]

• Epstein Files Release:
  • Colbert notes the looming legal deadline for the DOJ to release the Epstein files, poking fun at the idea of accountability for the powerful.
  • Quote:

    “Don’t forget to leave Santa some cookies and a barf bag.” — Stephen Colbert [10:41]

• Oscars Move to YouTube:
  • Satirical announcement about the Oscars shifting to YouTube from traditional TV.
  • Quote:

    “Back then the show was famously hosted by cocaine.” — Stephen Colbert [12:17]

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2. Hugh Jackman Interview: Holiday Traditions, Theater, and Music

[15:30–19:17; 20:31–29:46]

a. Holiday Traditions and Upbringing

• Jackman fondly recalls Australian Christmases, “hot” weather, and his tradition of watching Elf, Home Alone, and Singin’ in the Rain.
• Colbert shares his own family tradition of watching Iron Giant.
• Quote:

  “I was given the VHS of Singing in the Rain on Christmas when I was 18. So I watch that every year. ‘Cause it’s a perfect movie.” — Hugh Jackman [17:14]

b. Together Theater Company & Accessibility in the Arts

• Jackman explains the mission of his new theater company, “Together,” which aims to make theater intimate and affordable.
• Performances are held in a small venue, focusing on the craft with minimal sets and affordable tickets (quarter of tickets free, another quarter at $35).
• Shows are recorded for Audible, increasing accessibility.
• Quote:

  “We do it in a relatively small space... It’s really focusing on the word, the play, and the actor. And I wanted to take away all the obstacles, so I really wanted to make it affordable for people.” — Hugh Jackman [17:57]

c. Transformative Haircuts for Roles

• The duo laugh over Jackman’s iconic hair in various films (e.g., Chappie, Pan, Van Helsing, and Wolverine).
• Jackman’s favorite: shaving his head for Pan.
• Colbert shares his own shaved head story (on air, for the troops in Baghdad).
• Memorable Moment:

  “My favorite of that was Pan. Everyone should do that once in your life—jump in the ocean with a shaved head.” — Hugh Jackman [22:15]

d. New Film: Song Sung Blue

• Jackman stars in Song Sung Blue, a film based on the real-life story of Milwaukee performers Lightning and Thunder—a Neil Diamond interpreter and a Patsy Cline impersonator.
• The film is about working-class dreams, resilience, and enduring love.
• Quote:

  “...for all the left turns, they show up for each other, they rescue each other, and their whole community comes together. It’s just a beautiful true love story... hopefully this time of year in the holidays, gives everyone a lift.” — Hugh Jackman [24:22]

e. Love of Neil Diamond & Karaoke with the Legend

• Jackman relives meeting Neil Diamond, who granted full catalog rights for the film and even sang karaoke with Jackman and Kate Hudson.
• Quote:

  “I will never forget it—Neil Diamond is sitting at the head of this family, he goes, ‘You want to do karaoke?’ I’m like, hell yeah.” — Hugh Jackman [26:46]

f. What Makes "Sweet Caroline" So Universal

• Colbert and Jackman discuss the song’s international appeal across sports and generations.
• Quote:

  “You go to Germany, you go to the races in Australia, 120,000 people are singing it as though they’ve made it up... you can’t even say the words without wanting to sing it.” — Hugh Jackman [27:34]

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “You monologue the best.” — Hugh Jackman (singing to Colbert, during “Sweet Caroline” sendup) [28:52]
• Jackman changes lyrics for Colbert in a musical tribute, blending sincerity with playful humor.
• The episode ends with festive camaraderie and Jackman’s enthusiasm for Song Sung Blue.

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Important Timestamps

| Timestamp | Segment/Highlight | |-----------|---------------------------------------------------------------| | 03:55 | Colbert opens political monologue & Trump’s awkward speech | | 09:29 | Trump Kennedy Center renaming ridicule | | 10:38 | Upcoming DOJ Epstein files deadline satirized | | 12:11 | Oscars moving to YouTube, broadcast nostalgia | | 15:30 | Hugh Jackman introduction and interview begins | | 17:00 | Holiday movie traditions | | 17:47 | “Together” Theater Company—affordable, accessible theater | | 20:43 | The Internet buzz about Jackman’s film roles, hair | | 22:15 | Jackman on shaving his head for a role | | 23:21 | Discussion of Song Sung Blue: the story and inspiration | | 24:46 | Neil Diamond’s influence and granting music rights | | 25:51 | Jackman on karaoke night at Neil Diamond’s house | | 27:31 | Why “Sweet Caroline” resonates globally | | 28:52 | Jackman’s “Sweet Caroline” homage to Colbert |

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Tone & Style

The episode’s tone is lively, witty, and festive—balancing political satire, celebrity banter, and end-of-year warmth. Colbert’s irreverence meets Jackman’s affable energy, delivering a feel-good exploration of performance, tradition, and universal songs as a balm for complicated times.

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Transcript

[A]

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.

[B]

It's a hard nut smooth.

[A]

Exactly. I mean, even out of the shell, it's still a nut.

[B]

We can't disparage the nuts. You.

[A]

I'm not disparaging the nut. I'm describing the nut.

[B]

Don't disparage any flavors.

[A]

I'm not. I am celebrating the pistachio right now. I'm on board. I love pistachios.

[C]

I love.

[A]

I love crushed pistachio. Like a pistachio crusted trout. Oh, unbelievable. Instead of a trout amandine, a trout pistachio. Fantastic. Enough butter? Who cares?

[B]

Very good.

[A]

And I love pistachio ice cream.

[B]

Have you had the sea salt and vinegar? Wonderful pistachio. It's delicious. I get them.

[A]

I didn't even know I get them.

[B]

Before the softball games.

[A]

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.

[D]

Yeah.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

Wow.

[A]

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[B]

That was a wonderful.

[A]

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.

[B]

They got a bunch of flavors. They got dill pickle, jalapeno lime, as we learned, smoky barbecue. There's a lot of different flavors.

[D]

Wow.

[A]

And I would not disparage any of them.

[B]

No, no, no.

[A]

Bring it on.

[B]

Nothing bad to say.

[A]

Nut me, nut. Nut me with nut meat.

[B]

We're nut.

[A]

No, we got nothing but nut. Nutty, nutty, nutty, nutty. Talk about, talk about, talk about, talk about, talk about nutty. Good.

[B]

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[A]

Welcome one and all to the Late Show. I'm your host, Stephen Colbert. Folks, you know, ladies and gentlemen, I believe that years from now, I think we'll all remember where we were when we did not watch Donald Trump's speech last night. Yesterday, Old Man Baloney Hands somehow convinced every network to preempt their primetime programming to air a presidential address from the White House. Now, usually these only happen for something really big, like George W. Bush declaring the war on terror, Obama revealing that American forces had killed bin Laden, or Joe Biden announcing that the Amtrak dining car now has warm cookies. That was a big one. That was a big speech. A big speech. So what was the big national emergency this time? Tell us, Mr. President. Good evening, America. Eleven months ago, I inherited a message and I'm fixing it. And it's gonna be great. Do not be alarmed that the forest has begun to reclaim the White House. And I know there's no one in this tiny room but me and the cameraman right there who made sure to crank up this giant mic that covers my waddle. Now. Okay, now, now that you've Got our attention. Would you like to bellow any economic numbers without pausing to breathe? Under the Biden administration, car prices rose 22% and in many states, 30% or more. Gasoline rose 30 to 50%. Hotel rates rose 37%, airfares rose 31%. Now, under our leadership, they are all coming down and coming down fast. Sir, based on the speed of that delivery, I think you're going to be coming down real fast because. Whatever he's on, I'd like some daddy wants speech candy. I'm not sure what the emergency was here other than his poll numbers because he just played the old hits. We had men playing in women's sports, transgender for everybody, crime at record levels with law enforcement, and words such as that just absolutely forbidden. Yes, yes. Words such as that were forbidden. Under Biden. You couldn't say that. You had to say this, but over there. But under Trump, under Donald Trump, we're finally saying marry. That must again. It seems like even Trump might have felt uncertain about his performance because after he finished his speech, he turned to the press and said, you think that's easy, giving that speech? Yeah, I do. Watching it, on the other hand. Then Trump asked his chief of staff, they're very kind. Then Trump asked his chief of staff, Susie Wiles, how he had done. And she said, I told you 20 minutes and you were 20 minutes on the dot. What a glowing review. It's like asking your parents, what did you think of my flute solo? Well, I know I'm your dad, but I thought it was exactly 3 minutes and 14 seconds. Even people in MAGA world thought it was a bad speech. One Trump supporter posted, he seems panicked. I've never seen him like this and I have attended 42 of his rallies. Move over, Hemingway. We have a new saddest story ever. For sale. Baby shoes. I've been to 42 Trump rallies. One big time MAGA podcaster said of the speech. The charisma was gone, the aura was gone, the swagger was gone. Yeah, but he still has the riz. In fact, rumor has it he wears absorbent undergarments for when he rizzes himself. Jimmy.

[D]

Gotcha.

[A]

I beat you to it. Beat you to it. To make everyone forget how bad last night was, he did something worse. Today, just before taping, we learned that Trump's hand picked Kennedy center board voted to rename the Kennedy center to the Trump Kennedy Center. I have a feeling you just found out too. Yeah, it's true. The official name is now the Donald J. Trump and the John F. Kennedy. Memorial center for the Performing Arts. He can't have his name on a memorial. He's alive. Or so his doctors claim. White House press gremlin Caroline Levitt dropped the news in a tweet, saying, I have just been informed that the highly respected Kennedy center just voted unanimously to rename the Kennedy center to the Trump Kennedy center, adding, congratulations to President Donald J. Trump. And likewise, congratulations to President Kennedy.

[B]

What?

[A]

Congratulations to President Kennedy. Did she tweet that on her phone or a Ouija board? Now, legal experts say this is up the. The name. I don't want to get technical. I don't want to. The name can only be changed by an act of Congress. Plus, the Kennedy center is more than just a name. Former Kennedy Center President Michael Kaiser explained. We always called it a living memorial to President Kennedy. We would have a hard time imagining the Washington Monument or Lincoln Memorial named for someone other than Washington or Lincoln. Well, I've got a few ideas, so buckle up, America, before this is over. He's gonna rub his balls on everything. I mean, he's just gonna. Why not just replace the Liberty Bell with Trump? I mean, he's got a bigger crack.

[D]

There.

[A]

You know what I'm thinking? I'm thinking all of this nonsense is just to change the subject because legally, the DOJ must release the Epstein files by tomorrow. Yes. Oh, yes, my friends. Oh, yes, it's Epstein files. Eve, don't forget to leave Santa some cookies and a barf bag. The DOJ specifically has to release searchable and downloadable copies. And here's the kicker. The law says records can't be withheld, delayed, or redacted due to concerns about embarrassment, reputational harm, or political sensitivity. Okay, but what if. And hear me out here. What if this is the end of the road for you and you've wriggled out of everything else, but for some reason, this is the one they won't let go of. No matter how many East Wings you tear down, you can see the end is in sight. Which is crazy, because you've always believed that nothing bad could ever happen to you because the world's an illusion and you're the only one that's real. How about that? Do I still have to release them? Yes. Okay, then how about this one? Joe Biden was Epstein the whole time. How about that? Anything? Anything. Oh, Ladies and gentlemen, the award winning grunt of Al Pacino only means one thing. There's Oscar news. It's just been announced that the Oscars will move to YouTube. Yeah, it's surprising, but you know what was bound to happen. We all remember Sally Field's famous acceptance speech.

[B]

And I can't deny the fact that.

[A]

You like and subscribe this agreement this agreement ends an exclusive run on ABC that started in 1976. Yeah, back then the show was famously hosted by cocaine. But have no fear, because ABC will continue to broadcast the ceremony through 2020, a year that will mark the 100th Oscars. I can't believe it. There have been 100 years of Oscars and I haven't been nominated for one. Yeah, that all. That all changes this year thanks to my moving performance in Hamnet, where I play the ham. This deal this deal with YouTube is a major turning point in entertainment as it marks the first of the big four award shows to completely jettison broadcast television. And that's just beginning. I hear soon the Grammys will be on TikTok, the Emmys will be on reels, and the Tonys are going to be on those little TVs at the gas station. We got a great show for you tonight.

[B]

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[C]

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[A]

Audio. Ladies and gentlemen, my guest tonight is a Tony, Grammy and Emmy award winning actor. You know, from Les Miserables, the greatest showman, and as Wolverine in the X Men series of instructional videos. He now stars in the new movie song Sung.

[D]

Blue. For these occasions, I have created a Persona. It's like a. It's like a superhero of rock and roll. I mean, I got no cape or nothing. I got no mask, but I got a bolt. You know why I got a lightning bolt? Because they call me lightning. Oh, yeah. Leiden's a.

[A]

Star. Please welcome back to the Late Show, Hugh Jackman. What a.

[D]

Great. Thank.

[A]

You. So nice to see you. What a great way to end the year with our final guest. This is, we call this getaway day. This is the last show before a two week break.

[D]

Yeah. When I came in, I was like, wow, everyone's really, really happy to see me. This is so lovely. No, they're just like.

[A]

Awesome. We're out of.

[D]

Here. Let's go, let's.

[A]

Go. No, no, listen, the holiday's coming up. Have you had a chance to prepare? Are you ready for the holidays? Cause you've been on this press.

[D]

Tour. I'm a famously last minute, like up all night rapping. But I actually am doing okay.

[A]

Now. What about holiday traditions? Do you have any of those you particularly enjoy Every year when I.

[D]

Grew up, I grew up in Australia, so. It's.

[A]

Hot. Yeah, I got that much.

[D]

Yeah. Yeah. But it was for me every year. It's Elf, it's Home Alone, and weirdly, it's not a Christmas movie at all. But I first saw, I was given the VHS of Singing in the Rain on Christmas when I was 18. So I watched that every year. Cause it's a perfect.

[A]

Movie. Sure, it's as happy as.

[D]

Christmas. It's true. Great. What about.

[A]

You? Oh, for.

[D]

Me?

[A]

Yeah. Oh, well, I mean, Lord of the Rings is always fun. That's always Iron Giant. Iron Giant is a holiday for us when the kids were little. I still enjoy.

[D]

That. It's a great one. I'm going to bring that one back.

[A]

Thanks. I want to get to Your new movie. But first I want to ask you about something else you did this year. You started a company called.

[D]

Together. Yeah. Theater.

[A]

Company. Yeah. It says it focuses on, quote, offering audiences a chance to experience theater in a fresh and engaging way. I'll bite. What's that.

[D]

Mean? Well, first of all, we do it in a relatively small space. We did it at the Audible Theater down in Minetta Lane. So there's like 390 seats. It was nice and everyone was close. Not a lot of set. It's really focusing on the word, the play and the actor. And I wanted to take away all the obstacles, so I really wanted to make it affordable for.

[A]

People. And do these become things available on.

[D]

Audible? Yeah, and then you can. So you can listen to it. So we did a season last year. We're gonna do another season, but a quarter of our tickets are free. Another quarter of them were 35 bucks. And so pretty much everyone got to see it if they wanted.

[A]

To. Well, what inspired this? I'm just curious. That's.

[D]

Great.

[A]

Yeah. You know this. During the Depression, this theater, which was built by Hammerstein, was taken over by the wpa. It was taken over. It was part of the Federal Works project. And you can see it play here for 25.

[D]

Cents. Wow. Yeah, I want people to see theatre. I grew up going to the theater, you know, it wasn't crazy expensive. So listen, I also wanted to make it for me, easy to go and do. So we have two or three plays in rep. So it's not eight shows a week, it's four. Four shows a week. And we do it. It's just nice and easy and relaxed and I love it. So it'll be next March, April. If anyone's in town, come. If anyone is coming to New York, come and check it.

[A]

Out. Excellent. We have to take a quick break. We're right back with more Hugh Jackman, everybody. Hey, Ryan Reynolds here wishing you a very happy half off holiday because right now Mint Mobile is offering you the gift of 50% off unlimited. To be clear, that's half the price, not half the service. Mint is still premium unlimited wireless for a great price. So that means half.

[D]

Day.

[A]

Yeah. Give it a [e-mail] switch up.

[B]

Front. Payment of $45. Three month plan equivalent to $15 per month required new customer offer for first three months only. Speed slow after 35 gigabytes of network's busy. Taxes and fees extra. See mint.

[A]

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[B]

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[A]

Mobile.Com. Hey everybody. We're back with the star of Song Tsung Blue, Hugh Jackman. The Internet. You know the.

[D]

Internet. The.

[A]

Internet. You know the.

[D]

Internet. The.

[A]

Interweb. The interweb, Exactly. The world wide web. The information superhighway has been buzzing over a sneak peek that was released of you as Robin.

[D]

Hood.

[A]

Right. There you are. First of all, you do grizzled very.

[D]

Well. Thank.

[A]

You. You actually make it look.

[D]

Good. When I first put it on, Sean Flanagan, who created that, all the hair and the thing he put it on and he goes, hello, hot.

[A]

Santa. That is. That's kind of bad boy Santa right there. That's some memorable hair. I assume this is not body hair. This is the jacket right here. But you've got a series of pretty memorable hair. And let's go through some of your famous haircuts. Here you are. This is you with a mullet in.

[D]

Chappie.

[A]

Yep. Okay. You make a mullet look good. There you are as Blackbeard. Right? Blackbeard and pan. There you go. Of course, Van Helsing had the fantastic.

[C]

Locks. All.

[A]

Right. And your most famous hair of all. There you.

[D]

Are. There you.

[A]

Are. Wolverine. Wolverine. Lot of hairspray there. You've done you. I've done it all. You've had some famous.

[D]

Hair. Oh.

[A]

Yeah. What is that? Like, no one ever gives me a haircut other than this. This is. That's.

[D]

It. You've had that since you were.

[A]

Nine? Pretty much. Pretty much. I remember getting going down to John's barbershop when I was 13 and saying, make me look like an adult. And what about. So do you enjoy the wigs and everything or. It seems like it might be a bit.

[B]

Really?

[A]

Yeah. It's not a.

[D]

Household. My favorite of that was Pan. Cause I got to shave my head. So. And there's. Oh, everyone should do that at one point in your life. Like just jump in the ocean with a shaved head or have a bath. Yeah. Oh, it's the.

[A]

Greatest. I shaved my head once. I took the show, the old show. We went and did a USO show in Baghdad for the.

[D]

Troops.

[A]

Yeah. And President Obama commanded General Odierno to shave my head on.

[D]

Air.

[A]

Okay. So he shaved my head on air. And when I came back after a week over in Baghdad, Evie said. My wife said it's like sleeping with a stranger. But she didn't say whether that was a good thing or a bad.

[D]

Thing. The voice you gave just then made it sound like it was a good.

[A]

Thing. Yeah, I think so. Maybe a little bit. So it's never a pain in the butt to have the long.

[D]

Hair. Van Helsing was like. It was extensions. And it took like. They said the extensions are gonna be a lot easier than doing a wig. So it's like. It took 12.

[A]

Hours. And I would, like, weave it into the.

[D]

Hair. Yeah, they weave it in. And I gotta tell you, when you wake up in the morning and there's an extension on the pillow, that is not hot. That's not. I'm like. That's not sexy at all.

[A]

No. Well, you're now starring in the new movie song Sung Blue, which I can't wait to see. But tell the people what it's about and who you.

[D]

Play. So some people think it's a Neil diamond biopic, but it's not. It is a true story about Mike and Claire.

[A]

Sardina. And here they are right there. That's.

[D]

You. That's me and Kate Hudson. Yeah. Kate Hudson plays Claire. So in the mid-90s in Milwaukee, they were. They. They met. He was a Neil diamond interpreter, she was a patsy, client, impersonator. And they were sort of struggling to get by, and they came together and they were magic. His name was Lightning. Hers was Thunder. They were Lightning and Thunder. They opened for Pearl Jam. They were. They were the bomb. And then. And their story, it's just a beautiful true love story about this working class couple struggling with this crazy dream that one day they might get to a casin or maybe perform on a cruise. They weren't thinking Madison Square Garden. They were just. They just wanted to get up. And their life just goes into places you cannot believe. Like, if you wrote it as fiction, it'd be thrown out. But their story, ultimately, for all the left turns, they show up for each other, they rescue each other, and their whole community comes together. And it's just a beautiful true love story that is inspiring. And hopefully this time of year in the holidays, gives everyone a lift. That's.

[A]

Now. I was wondering whether did you grow up listening to Neil Diamond? Because Hot August Night, one of the greatest album, One of the greatest live albums of all.

[D]

Time. Right? You couldn't ride your bike down a street in Australia without hearing every third house, Hot August night. So I. That was it. And so I thought I knew Neil's music, but when he gave. By the way, Neil loved the movie and he knew, sorry, this movie's based on a documentary which he'd seen. So he gave his catalog to us, which was incredible. Cause he doesn't give that away. And he just. That's when I got to really know his music. That's when I got to listen to so many songs that I didn't know. I mean, I knew Sweet Caroline. I knew you know the hits. But I, I, I just am such a fan. He's a beautiful.

[A]

Beautiful. Do you have a favourite? Do you have a favorite.

[D]

Dildo? I love I am. I said I.

[A]

Am. I said to. And no one heard at all not even the chair Leaving me lonely still boy Know the lyrics of everything. You got to. You know nothing too. I'm jealous of something. I don't often get jealous of my guests, but I'm a huge Neil diamond fan. You did karaoke with Neil.

[D]

Diamond? I.

[A]

Did. How did that.

[D]

Happen? Because I invited myself to his house. I.

[A]

Did. Did you just knock on the.

[D]

Door? Kate. Kate Hudson, wench. They're neighbors. So she went home and she sent me a little thing of her and Neil on the porch. And literally an hour later, Neil rang me. It was a phone call, and I picked it up. It was Neil, who'd seen the movie and was crying. And he and his wife Katie just loved it. So I went, I just got bold. And I said, hey, I'd love to come over for, like, a cup of tea. And there was a bit of an awkward pause. And Neil's like, okay, yeah. And Katie gets on the phone, and Katie's like, you know, we live in Colorado. I'm like, yeah, that's cool. I'll still come. She goes, so you want to sleep the night? And I was like, that'd be great. Thanks. So we had dinner and we sat down for dinner. And I will never forget it. Neil diamond is sitting at the head of this family. He goes, you want to do karaoke? I'm like, hell.

[A]

Yeah.

[D]

Fantastic. And we did. He sang I Dreamed a Dream. It was the first song solo. Beautiful. I asked him, why did you sing that song? And he goes, that's such a pretty tune. And then we sang Can't Help. Falling in love. And then we sang Sweet.

[A]

Caroline.

[D]

Extraordinary.

[A]

Yeah. Okay, that was cool. We're going to take another little break here. Hey, everybody. We're back with Hugh Jackman. His new film is Song. Your character in the film says there's more to Neil diamond than Sweet.

[D]

Caroline.

[A]

Right. And yet that's the most popular Neil diamond.

[D]

Song.

[A]

Yeah. And I'm. What. What do you think it is about Sweet Caroline that makes it so powerful for so many.

[D]

People? It's just such an anthem. It's like. I don't know, it's been adopted by the Red Sox. But also the English. Yeah, they're the English football soccer team. Like, you go to Germany, you go to the races in Australia. 120,000 people are singing it as though they've made it up. And you can't go to a karaoke bar without someone singing it. I just. You know what? You can't even say the words without wanting to sing it. Have you got a microphone.

[A]

Lewis? Hey, Lewis, you ready? Oh, yeah.

[D]

Man. So I thought I might. I thought I might sing. Now I know what happens. I've sung this song before in concerts and everyone wants to. And you're going to want to sing along, but do me a favor. Don't, okay? No, it's just. You're gonna ruin it. No, I'm kidding. You're not gonna ruin it. It's just I've got. This is a surprise for you, and I've got a few little lyrics changed. But you're still gonna come in. You know when to come in, right? I mean, you know when to come in where you belong. Right here behind this desk, sir. You monologue the best. It's.

[A]

True.

[D]

Yeah. Night's full of laughs even when times get heavy. And if we're lucky, we get heavy.

[A]

Too. Show. Oh.

[D]

Yeah. Jokes. Telling jokes. Joking.

[A]

Jokes. Joking me joking you. Come on.

[D]

Ste. Nowhere. Oh, why do you have to.

[A]

Go? Don't go. Don't go. Don't.

[D]

Go. Hey, can I.

[A]

Swear I just love this mother. Show. Blue opens in theaters on Christmas Day. Hugh Jackman, everybody. 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.

[D]

Exclusives. Now streaming on Paramount. Plus, it's the epic return of mayor of Kingstowne Warden. You know who I.

[A]

Am. Starring Academy award nominee Jeremy.

[D]

Renner. I swear in these walls. Emmy award winner Edie Falco. You're an ex con who ran this place for years. And.

[A]

Now. Now you can't do.

[D]

That. And BAFTA award winner Lennie James. You're about to have a plague of outsiders descend on your town. Let me tell you this. There's gonna be consequences. Mayor of Kingstowne. New season now streaming on.

[A]

Paramount. Plus, can you believe it's finally Christmas? We made it forever to sing this song. The Paw Patrol is on a roll to the North Pole. Until it all goes downhill, Christmas is.

[D]

Mine. Oh.

[A]

No. Santa needs our help. Can these paws save Santa Claus? We're not gonna let Santa down on our watch. Find out in the brand new special of Paw Patrol Christmas now streaming on.