Intro Rewind: RuPaul's Colbert Questionert

Summary

The Late Show Pod Show with Stephen Colbert

Episode: Intro Rewind: RuPaul’s Colbert Questionnaire
Date: August 24, 2025
Host: Stephen Colbert
Guest: RuPaul
Producer/Co-host: Becca

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Episode Overview

This episode of The Late Show Pod Show highlights a recent and memorable Colbert Questionnaire session with RuPaul, the iconic drag performer and host. The main purpose of the episode is to reveal unexpected and intimate facets of RuPaul’s personality through Colbert’s signature quick-hit, revealing questions. The show opens with light banter between Stephen and producer Becca, segues into a charming discussion about Stephen's dog Benny, and then dives into RuPaul’s responses to the Colbert Questionnaire—a blend of humor, candor, and RuPaul’s trademark warmth.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Opening Banter & The Mystery Guest (02:12–03:28)

• Stephen and Becca set a friendly and relaxed tone. Stephen quizzes Becca to guess which celebrity answered “James Brown” as their first concert, leading up to the reveal: RuPaul.
• Quote:
  • Stephen: “He’s a very fabulous man.” (03:02)
  • Becca: “Are you saying he’s gay? Is that what you mean by fabulous?” (03:05)

2. The Benny Discussion (03:44–07:00)

• Anecdotes about Benny, Stephen’s Boykin Spaniel, offer a behind-the-scenes glimpse of life at the Ed Sullivan Theater.
• Benny’s quirks: Loves to sit in the same chair, watches rehearsals like a human, and is highly intelligent but needs a job due to his working-dog nature.
• Quotes:
  • Becca: “He sits up like a human in the chair and looks so intently that it really looks like he’s about to give me notes, and I wish he would.” (04:12)
  • Stephen: “He’s got the girly ears… like an Egyptian pharaoh’s headdress.” (05:23)
  • Becca: “He’s super smart, which is one of the problems with him.” (04:35)

3. RuPaul Takes the Colbert Questionnaire (07:18–13:48)

Setting the Stage (07:18–08:03)

• Stephen praises RuPaul: “You’re a mood elevator. You’re better than Xanax.”
• Explains the purpose of the Questionnaire as a way to get to the "true them."

Questionnaire Highlights

Best Sandwich

• RuPaul: "BLT." (08:12)
• Stephen probes: “How much T?”
  • RuPaul: “All tea, no shade.” (08:26)

First Concert Attended

• RuPaul: “James Brown at the San Diego Sports Arena in July of 1969.” (08:32)
• Shares a memory of meeting James Brown, who owned “36 cars” in Augusta, Georgia. (08:43–09:00)

Scariest Animal

• RuPaul: “Human.” (09:02)

Apples or Oranges

• RuPaul: “Oranges.” (09:10)

Ever Asked for an Autograph?

• RuPaul: “Yes.” Diana Ross, who signed a CD for RuPaul. (09:16–09:26)
• “That’s lovely.” —Becca (09:29)

What Happens When We Die?

• RuPaul: “We are done. Here’s what happens. Energy is forever, right? And we are energy. But these bodies, they’re going to be turned to dust. That’s it. It’s ok. Ok. It’s fine.” (09:34)
• Stephen: “I don’t know about the OK part…” (09:46)

Favorite Action Movie

• RuPaul: “Mr. And Mrs. Smith,” but can always watch a James Bond movie. (09:53–10:10)
• Favorite Bond: “Roger Moore because of the humor.” (10:19)

Window or Aisle?

• RuPaul: Aisle in the theater (“because I’m tall”), window on a plane (“I don’t want anybody rubbing up against me”). (10:24–10:41)

Favorite Smell

• “Moonlight Rose by Van Cleef and Arpels.” (11:02)
• Playful sponsor banter follows. (11:11–11:14)

Earliest Memory

• Watching his mother wash his younger sister Rozzie in the sink, probably age three. (11:27–11:51)

Cats or Dogs?

• RuPaul: “Dogs. We have lots of dogs.” (11:53)

One Song for the Rest of Your Life

• RuPaul: “‘Take Me to Your Heart’ by Rick Astley. I’m a music freak… On a big Shaka thing right now… But Rick Astley, it is just beautiful. If we start talking about the Bee Gees right now, I will start to cry. I will. I’m in love.” (12:03)
• Stephen shares a humorous story about Barry Gibb owning “every car on the street” in Mayfair. (12:43–13:21)

What Number Am I Thinking Of?

• RuPaul: “7.” (13:28)

Describe the Rest of Your Life in 5 Words

• RuPaul: “Laughing his ass off. Honey.” (13:36)

Stephen’s Closing Line

• “Congratulations Ru. You are known.” (13:43)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• RuPaul, on the “scariest animal”:
  • “Human.” (09:02)
• RuPaul, on the afterlife:
  • “Energy is forever, right? And we are energy. But these bodies, they’re going to be turned to dust.” (09:34)
• RuPaul, on his musical taste:
  • “If we start talking about the Bee Gees right now, I will start to cry. I will. I’m in love.” (12:07)
• RuPaul, five words for the rest of life:
  • “Laughing his ass off. Honey.” (13:36)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

| Segment | Timestamp | |-------------------------------------------|------------| | Opening Banter & Guest Guessing | 02:12–03:28| | Benny the Dog Stories | 03:44–07:00| | Introducing RuPaul & Questionnaire Start | 07:18–08:03| | BLT and “All tea, no shade” | 08:12–08:26| | First Concert & James Brown Anecdotes | 08:32–09:00| | Scariest Animal, Oranges, & Diana Ross | 09:02–09:26| | RuPaul on Life, Death, and Dogs | 09:34–12:07| | Bee Gees Story | 12:43–13:21| | Five Words for Life | 13:36 | | Episode Wrap-Up and Goodbye | 13:43–13:48|

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Tone and Atmosphere

• The tone is witty, candid, and heartfelt, marked by Stephen’s signature humor and RuPaul’s self-assured warmth.
• Interactions are friendly, playful, and often laced with knowing humor and mutual respect.

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Summary

This episode brings out both the pleasures of unscripted conversation and the depth that can come from incisive questions. RuPaul’s responses are quick, sincere, and sprinkled with his characteristic wit—whether discussing sandwiches (“All tea, no shade”), the meaning of death, or his affection for Rick Astley and the Bee Gees. The dog stories open a window into Colbert’s behind-the-scenes life, giving fans a soft, personal touch before the star segment. The episode is ideal for anyone wanting a mix of humor, heart, and insight into RuPaul’s world—in Colbert’s own words, “Congratulations Ru. You are known.”

Transcript

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[Stephen Colbert]

Hey everybody, you're listening to the late show pod show and I'm joined here by our host, Stephen Colbert.

[Stephen Colbert (Host)]

Hi Becca.

[Becca (Producer/Co-host)]

Good to see you again.

[Stephen Colbert]

Great to see you. Thanks for doing these podcasts. We love to get you in the back.

[Becca (Producer/Co-host)]

It's my pleasure. This is enjoy our little moments together here.

[Stephen Colbert]

I love them too.

[Becca (Producer/Co-host)]

They're just, they're quiet and they're friendly and you're really doing most of the work. So that's I Enjoy.

[Stephen Colbert]

I love to surprise you with the podcast we have today here.

[Becca (Producer/Co-host)]

Who do we got?

[Stephen Colbert]

We have a Colbert questionnaire.

[Becca (Producer/Co-host)]

Oh. And you're gonna make me guess who it is?

[Stephen Colbert]

I would like for you to guess. Yes. It's a recent one.

[Becca (Producer/Co-host)]

Okay.

[Stephen Colbert]

And the first show, the first concert they'd ever been to. James Brown.

[Becca (Producer/Co-host)]

It's a man. Oh, Jeff Bridges.

[Stephen Colbert]

No, no.

[Becca (Producer/Co-host)]

Oh, my gosh. We've done somebody since Jeff Bridges. This person was. Oh, wait. Damn.

[RuPaul]

Give me.

[Stephen Colbert]

He's a very fabulous man.

[Becca (Producer/Co-host)]

Very fab. Are you saying he's gay? Is that what you mean by fabulous?

[Stephen Colbert]

He's a host of a very popular show. That is a pun on a car race. I don't know.

[Becca (Producer/Co-host)]

Oh, is it Ru?

[Stephen Colbert]

It's Ru. It's Ru.

[Becca (Producer/Co-host)]

Ru Paul. Okay. There you go.

[Stephen Colbert]

Yeah. James Brown. Great first concert. Sort of hard to beat at that point. Yeah.

[Becca (Producer/Co-host)]

Amazing.

[Stephen Colbert]

Yeah.

[Becca (Producer/Co-host)]

Yeah.

[Stephen Colbert]

But something I want to ask you about the Colbert questionnaire. I know that you will not answer the questions. I'm not gonna ask you to.

[Becca (Producer/Co-host)]

I don't answer the questions for the Colbert questionnaire.

[Stephen Colbert]

But one of the questions.

[Becca (Producer/Co-host)]

I will someday.

[Stephen Colbert]

Someday you will.

[Becca (Producer/Co-host)]

And that's how I will let people know that I'm no longer doing the show.

[Stephen Colbert]

Yes.

[Becca (Producer/Co-host)]

I'll just do the Colbert questionnaire.

[Stephen Colbert]

Yes. But one of the questions is cats or dogs. Ru answered dogs without having to think about it.

[Becca (Producer/Co-host)]

I heard that.

[RuPaul]

Yeah.

[Stephen Colbert]

We have never talked about Benny in here. In the podcast, I want to talk about Benny because he sits. I don't know if the people. This is mostly a story I want to tell the people at home, which is that Benny is the best little boy.

[Becca (Producer/Co-host)]

Steven's dog, Benny, in rehearsal, he's a very good boy.

[Stephen Colbert]

He runs across the stage to sit in a chair in the theater, in the Ed Sullivan Theater.

[Becca (Producer/Co-host)]

Same chair every time.

[Stephen Colbert]

Sits up, just watches Steven.

[Becca (Producer/Co-host)]

He sits up like a human in the chair and looks so intently that it really looks like he's about to give me notes, and I wish he would.

[Stephen Colbert]

He has a really stoic face. The eyes.

[RuPaul]

Yeah.

[Becca (Producer/Co-host)]

Intensely interested in where I am at all times. Follows me around the room, but doesn't.

[Stephen Colbert]

Get, like, wiggly, you know?

[Becca (Producer/Co-host)]

He's super good about it. He seems to know what it means to be an audience member.

[Stephen Colbert]

Yeah.

[Becca (Producer/Co-host)]

Yeah. He's super smart, which is one of the problems with him.

[Stephen Colbert]

What do you mean?

[Becca (Producer/Co-host)]

He's a working dog, and so he wants a task. He wants to get something done. He believes he's a goal oriented dog. And I am not a hunter. You Know, I'm not a farmer, but I've got really, I've kind of got a hunting or a farm dog here, so. And boykins, he's a boykin spaniel, which is the state dog of South Carolina. They're beautiful dogs. Sometimes called, they're sometimes called swamp poodles or chocolate possums because they're all a deep chocolate brown. Like, they're gorgeous. As Evie likes to say to him, you are lucky you're good looking because he gets away with a lot because he's just so damn handsome.

[Stephen Colbert]

He's beautiful.

[RuPaul]

Yeah.

[Stephen Colbert]

He's got the girly ears.

[Becca (Producer/Co-host)]

Yeah. They kind of drape down over his shoulders like an Egyptian pharaoh's headdress. And a piercing gaze and just a good jawline. I'd give anything for Benny's jawline.

[Stephen Colbert]

Yeah.

[Becca (Producer/Co-host)]

And. But he's, you know, they call them destroykins because they, they, they, they can get hyper unless you use them.

[Stephen Colbert]

Yeah.

[Becca (Producer/Co-host)]

And so all of his bad behavior is my fault because I just, I'm not exercising him enough.

[Stephen Colbert]

Is the hunting. Does it come to play when he's walking around New York City? Is he looking for rats? Is it an issue?

[Becca (Producer/Co-host)]

He, he definitely. He's. He wants. I don't let him. He'll lunge at pigeons. Oh, the interesting thing about. He's very, he's a very good walker in the city. Like loosely walking in the city because the city puts him back on his heels. He feels like he's kind of king of the mountain when he's out in the country, but when he's in the city, he always stays close to my heel and is always checking in, going, you still there? You still there? Because the city freaks him out a little bit.

[Stephen Colbert]

It's really overstimulating.

[Becca (Producer/Co-host)]

And when he lunges at a group of pigeons and they don't move, it really confuses him. The first time it happened, he lunged a group of pigeons and they just looked at him and said, what? And then he looked at me with so clearly in his eyes. What he was saying is, did you see that?

[Stephen Colbert]

Yeah.

[Becca (Producer/Co-host)]

What's happening? Why didn't. I don't understand. I'm like, don't mess with those guys.

[Stephen Colbert]

Oh, man.

[Becca (Producer/Co-host)]

Do not mess. You do not mess with those guys, buddy. Just move on. Just move on.

[Stephen Colbert]

Yeah, well, Benny's a great boy.

[Becca (Producer/Co-host)]

He's a tourist too. Like, it takes a long time for me to walk to work because he wants to stop and sniff everything. New York is a pan. It's a kaleidoscope for him.

[Stephen Colbert]

Yeah, yeah. That's their. You know, that's how, that's how they read their papers in the morning. You know, it's big for them, getting the news. Yeah, well, all right. We love Benny. We also love RuPaul. This is RuPaul taking the Colbert Questionnaire on the show. Pod show. Thanks so much for listening.

[Stephen Colbert (Host)]

Hey, everybody. Hey, look at here. You know him, you Love him. It's RuPaul. Ru, thank you so much for being here. I always like talking to you. You're a mood elevator. You're better than Xanax. Now here's the thing, is that I have had the opportunity to talk to you many times. I've enjoyed it every time. But there's only so much that you can find out about somebody in one of these short little interviews here. Usually we're talking about a wonderful book like the House of Hidden Meanings, this book right here from RuPaul. But I love getting to know people on a deeper level. And so we have something called the Colbert Questionnaire where we ask a star of a certain stature, a star of a certain stat, we ask these penetrating questions to reveal the true them to the entire world. Are you ready? Do you have the courage to face the Colbert questionnaire?

[RuPaul]

You had me at penetrating.

[Stephen Colbert (Host)]

RuPaul. What is the best sandwich?

[RuPaul]

BLT.

[Stephen Colbert (Host)]

Oh, very important follow up question because I have feelings about this. How much tea?

[RuPaul]

All tea, no shade.

[Stephen Colbert (Host)]

What was your first concert you attended?

[RuPaul]

I attended. The first concert was James Brown at the San Diego Sports arena in July of 1969. Wow.

[Stephen Colbert (Host)]

That's pretty hip.

[RuPaul]

Yeah. He was also the first superstar I ever met because my brother in law was buying cars and we went to Augusta, Georgia. James Brown at the time had 36 cars. So we went down there to check out some of his cars. We didn't buy any because they were filled with rust.

[Stephen Colbert (Host)]

What is the scariest animal?

[RuPaul]

Human.

[Stephen Colbert (Host)]

Apples or oranges?

[RuPaul]

Oranges.

[Stephen Colbert (Host)]

Interesting. Have you ever asked someone for their autograph?

[RuPaul]

Yes.

[Stephen Colbert (Host)]

May I ask who?

[RuPaul]

Diana Ross.

[Stephen Colbert (Host)]

Did you get it?

[RuPaul]

Yeah.

[Stephen Colbert (Host)]

That's nice. Was just her. Did she sign anything else or just her name?

[RuPaul]

I had her sign a cd. Yeah.

[Becca (Producer/Co-host)]

That's lovely.

[Stephen Colbert (Host)]

What do you think happens when we die?

[RuPaul]

We are done. We are done. Here's what happens. Energy is forever, right? And we are energy. But these bodies, they're going to be turned to dust. That's it. It's ok. Ok. It's fine.

[Stephen Colbert (Host)]

I don't know about the OK part. I agree with you. I understand what you're saying.

[Becca (Producer/Co-host)]

Okay.

[Stephen Colbert (Host)]

Do you have A favorite action movie?

[RuPaul]

Yes. Okay. Oh, I love Mr. And Mrs. Smith.

[Stephen Colbert (Host)]

Oh, sure. The original or the new one with Donald Glover?

[RuPaul]

I like the original one. But, you know, I can sit down and watch a James Bond movie any time of the day because I'm of a certain age.

[Stephen Colbert (Host)]

Sure.

[RuPaul]

I can watch a James Bond movie anytime. If it's right on. Right now, I'll start watching.

[Stephen Colbert (Host)]

Favorite Bond. Come on.

[RuPaul]

You know what? I love Roger Moore because of the humor.

[Stephen Colbert (Host)]

Sure.

[RuPaul]

Yeah, Sure. I do.

[Stephen Colbert (Host)]

Window or aisle?

[RuPaul]

Aisle.

[Stephen Colbert (Host)]

Fo qua.

[RuPaul]

Oh, now in the theater, the aisle because I'm tall.

[Stephen Colbert (Host)]

Ok. On a plane.

[RuPaul]

The window. Oh, okay. Yeah, yeah.

[Becca (Producer/Co-host)]

All right.

[Stephen Colbert (Host)]

Because you just. You don't care about going to the bathroom.

[RuPaul]

Well, no, because I don't want anybody rubbing up against me.

[Stephen Colbert (Host)]

Favorite smell.

[RuPaul]

Hmm. Okay.

[Stephen Colbert (Host)]

Oh, my God, I love so many of them.

[RuPaul]

Oh. Oh, you know what? My favorite one right now, today. And I've ordered like three of them. It's Van Cleef and Arpels. They have something called Midnight Rose, Moonlight Rose by Van Cleef and Arpels.

[Stephen Colbert (Host)]

I am in love with it as a cologne.

[RuPaul]

It's a fragrance. Yeah, it's a fragrance. Yeah. Moonlight Rose by Van Cleef and Arpels.

[Stephen Colbert (Host)]

Are they a sponsor?

[RuPaul]

Yeah. Yeah, right.

[Becca (Producer/Co-host)]

I don't think they're least.

[Stephen Colbert (Host)]

Favorite smell.

[RuPaul]

Rats.

[Becca (Producer/Co-host)]

That's a good one.

[Stephen Colbert (Host)]

Earliest memory. I bet it's pretty young. That's my guess.

[RuPaul]

It's very young. My sister Rozzie is a year younger than me. My earliest memory is me in the kitchen watching my mother give Rosie a bath in the sink. And I'm looking up and my mother is there and she's bathing Rozzie in the sink.

[Stephen Colbert (Host)]

Do you have a sense of how old you were?

[RuPaul]

She's probably about a year and a half, maybe two years. So I'm probably three.

[Stephen Colbert (Host)]

Wow.

[RuPaul]

Yeah.

[Stephen Colbert (Host)]

That's young. Cats or dogs?

[RuPaul]

Dogs. Okay.

[Becca (Producer/Co-host)]

Do you have a dog?

[RuPaul]

Yeah, we have lots of dogs.

[Stephen Colbert (Host)]

You only get one song to listen to for the rest of your life. What is it?

[RuPaul]

It's Rick Astley, Take Me to youo Heart.

[Becca (Producer/Co-host)]

Oh, wow.

[RuPaul]

Rick Astley, Take Me to your heart. I'm a music freak, right? I always have been. I'm on a big Shaka thing right now. Like, crazy for Shaka, right? But Rick Astley, Take Me to youo Heart is a stock Aiken Waterman production, 1988 or something like that. And it is just beautiful. Beautiful. You know what? If we start talking about the Bee Gees right now, I will start to Cry. I will. I'm in love.

[Stephen Colbert (Host)]

Tragedy. Do you ever hear this story? Did you ever hear this story about the Bee Gees? They're on someplace. They're in, like, Mayfair in London. They've got an apartment in Mayfair in London and somebody comes over to visit them and they're looking out the window and it's a beautiful day and they said, hey, let's go for a ride or something like that. One of their friends and. And they look out and they go, yeah, let's take. My car is out front. And the guy looks out and they're looking down the street in Mayfair and London as far as I can see. And he goes, which one is yours? And Barry Gibbs says, all of them.

[RuPaul]

Oh, my God.

[Stephen Colbert (Host)]

Every car on the street was his. Oh, my gosh. Oh, okay. What number am I thinking of?

[RuPaul]

7.

[Stephen Colbert (Host)]

No. Describe the rest of your life in five words.

[RuPaul]

Laughing his ass off. Honey.

[Stephen Colbert (Host)]

That honey comes in handy. Congratulations, Ru. You are known.

[RuPaul]

Thank you.

[Stephen Colbert (Host)]

The house of Hidden meanings is out now. RuPaul, 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 exclusives.

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[Stephen Colbert (Host)]

September 4th on Paramount Plus.

[Brett Podolsky]

Someone is trying to frame us until our names are cleared, we're fugitives from interval like Bonnie and Clyde with better snacks.

[Stephen Colbert (Host)]

NCIS Tony and Ziva. Streaming September 4th on Paramount Plus.