Jeremy Strong | Things Keep Escalating

Summary

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Podcast Summary

Podcast: The Late Show Pod Show with Stephen Colbert
Episode: Jeremy Strong | Things Keep Escalating
Date: September 26, 2025
Guest: Jeremy Strong
Key Theme: Exploring artistic authenticity, acting, Bruce Springsteen, and the urgency of climate change.

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Episode Overview

This episode features actor Jeremy Strong, known for his acclaimed roles in "Succession," "The Trial of the Chicago 7," and his Tony-winning theater work. Strong joins Stephen Colbert to discuss his latest film “Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere,” in which he plays legendary music producer John Landau, and his new Netflix documentary "The White House Effect" about the political and scientific origins of the climate crisis. The conversation dives deep into artistic integrity, the creative process, and the responsibilities artists and citizens face in a turbulent world.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Stephen Colbert's Opening Monologue: Political Satire (01:34–14:27)

• Trump and the "UN Escalator" Incident:

  • Colbert humorously recounts Trump’s recent obsession with an escalator malfunction at the UN, mocking his melodramatic social media response and satirizing the situation as a CBS procedural (“Escalator Investigator”).
  • Notable Quote:

    "The White House has already demanded the UN Find whoever was responsible for this escalator escapade. And in his post, Trump went further, saying the people that did it should be arrested. Yes, it's a police matter now." — Stephen Colbert (03:29)

• Government Shutdown and White House Décor:

  • Colbert pokes fun at Trump’s gaudy redecorating, including a "Presidential Walk of Fame" and the childish portrayal of Biden.
  • Satire on the axing of the Defense Advisory Committee on Women in the Services by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, criticizing the war on "woke" initiatives.

2. Jeremy Strong on "Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere" (14:37–19:55)

• The Film’s Subject:

  • The film isn’t a typical biopic; it tells the story of Bruce Springsteen’s creation of the album "Nebraska," centering on a period of integrity and healing in Springsteen’s life.
  • Strong’s Perspective:

    "It's a story about a time in Bruce's life in 1982 where he was, I would say, trying to find, in James Baldwin's words, an honest place to stand." — Jeremy Strong (16:13)

• The Character of John Landau:

  • Landau is depicted as more than a manager—mentor, producer, and Springsteen’s closest collaborator.

    "John has been friend, mentor, manager, producer, co-pilot for near on 50 years." — Jeremy Strong (18:25)

• Production Details:

  • Springsteen and Landau were present on set nearly every day. Jeremy Allen White plays Bruce Springsteen.
  • Strong says his immersion in character allowed him to interact authentically with Landau, blurring lines between performance and reality.
  • On Filming:

    "Jeremy had to play Born in the USA inside the power station studio A, a few blocks from here... while Bruce and John sat there." — Jeremy Strong (19:49)

3. The Role of Artists in Society (20:25–21:51)

• Strong Discusses Artistic Responsibility:
  • Artists must offer “poems of love to a burning world,” especially in crisis.
  • Strong quotes Bruce Springsteen:

    "A song is life in 180 seconds and if you get it right, it has the power of prayer." — Jeremy Strong (21:13)

  • Emphasizes the power of art to create empathy and healing.

4. Climate Crisis and "The White House Effect" Documentary (21:58–25:31)

• About the Documentary:

  • Explores the origins of today’s climate crisis and why political inaction has prevailed.
  • Strong’s Advocacy:

    "I really think it's like mandatory viewing for anyone who cares about our planet." — Jeremy Strong (22:15)

• Clip Highlight:

  • Bill Riley, former EPA administrator, laments the missed opportunity for bipartisan climate action under President H.W. Bush.
  • Notable Quote (Clip):

    "If President Bush had committed to seriously undertake the reduction of greenhouse gases... we might have removed the partisan nature of the dialogue in the United States." — Bill Riley (23:10)

• Strong Reads NASA Scientist’s Warning:

  • Jeremy shares words from friend and NASA scientist Peter (paraphrased for clarity):

    "We risk losing essentially everything... Destruction of the Earth's rainforests, corals and other biodiversity. Unprecedented heat waves... Food system declines and subsequent famines... a spiraling out of control of deadly migrations and wars we're starting already to see. There's a path out... coming together to end fossil fuels as though our species depended on it. Which it does." — Jeremy Strong reading NASA scientist's letter (24:39)

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Memorable Quotes

• Jeremy Strong (on John Landau):
  "He consumed music as if it were the staff of life." (17:38)

• Stephen Colbert (satirizing Trump):
  "This can only mean one thing. I'm getting a primetime special episode. Escalator Investigator. Triple sabotage at the U.N." (04:28)

• Jeremy Strong (on artists' function):
  "Our job is to train ourselves in the midst of a burning world to offer poems of love to a burning world." (21:01)

• NASA Scientist (read by Jeremy Strong):
  "Some of the things that keep me up at night... it's irresponsible to act like things will be fine at higher levels of global heating." (24:39)

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Important Timestamps & Segments

• 01:34–14:27: Colbert’s satirical monologue on Trump, the UN escalator, and government news.
• 14:37–19:55: Interview Part 1 - Jeremy Strong discusses "Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere", playing John Landau, filming with Springsteen present.
• 20:25–21:51: Strong on the role of the artist; art as prayer and empathy.
• 21:58–25:31: Interview Part 2 - Introducing "The White House Effect" documentary, climate crisis discussion, and reading the NASA scientist’s letter.

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Tone and Style

Colbert’s trademark blend of sharp political satire and warmth sets a humorous, slightly irreverent tone. Strong’s presence brings thoughtful gravitas, particularly regarding purpose in art and urgent climate advocacy. Their rapport is friendly, insightful, and mutually respectful.

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Summary for New Listeners

If you missed this episode, you’ll find Colbert’s wit on full display as he lampoons current political absurdities before shifting to a soulful and substantive conversation with Jeremy Strong. The interview offers fans insight into the making of a unique Springsteen film, the importance of artistic integrity, and a passionate, fact-based call to action on the climate emergency. The episode balances humor with pressing cultural and environmental commentary—a signature late-night mix that both entertains and enlightens.

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Transcript

[Stephen Colbert]

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[Kelly Clarkson]

It's Kelly Clarkson here to talk all things Wayfair. The best place to buy furniture, decor and anything else you can think of to create a home you absolutely love. I know when I shop with Wayfair, I find options for every style. Whether I'm feeling boho or farmhouse, modern, traditional French country, I can find exactly what I need for my home and more. No matter your space, style or budget. Shopwayfair.com to make your home way more you, Wayfair. Every style, every home.

[Stephen Colbert]

Welcome. Welcome to the Late show one and all. I am your host, Stephen Colbert, folks. Nice group of people. Nice group of people. Really nice. You know, I don't know if you've been noticed, but ever since Trump got back into office, he's been waging a campaign of vengeance against his enemies who he believes have been trying to take him down. Now he's focused all of his rage on the one foe who refused to take him up. And that is the UN Escalator. So right now, let's take a fond look back at what happened on Tuesday. Trump walks up to the escalator, steps on and uh. Oh, no. That sudden stop was a close call, especially for the first lady because he almost touched her. Yeah. Yeah, they should put, they should slide in some sort of shield like those pieces of paper they put between slices of cheese.

[Jeremy Strong]

Just.

[Stephen Colbert]

That was just two days ago, right? That was two days ago. Nobody was hurt. They walked up the stopped escalator, sometimes known as Stairs. But Trump just will not let it go. Last night, he went on social media and wrote all this about it. Skip recipe. Skip to recipe. I don't want to know about your grandmother's childhood in Moldova. Just how do you make borscht? I don't want to know. In the post, he described his harrowing experience the day the escalator died. The escalator going up to the main speaking floor came to a screeching halt. It stopped on a dime. It's amazing that Melania and I didn't fall forward onto the sharp edges of those steel steps face first. Now, usually when a drama queen throws that much of a hissy, at least Andy Cohen interviews them after the show. This. No, that's the basic idea, right? That's the basic idea. The White House has already demanded the UN Find whoever was responsible for this escalator escapade. And in his post, Trump went further, saying the people that did it should be arrested. Yes, it's a police matter now. Which brings us to another installment of our hit new CBS procedural, Escalator Investigator. Welcome, longtime viewers of Escalator Investigator may recall that on our first episode, which was yesterday, the UN Explained that the escalator stopped after a built in safety mechanism was likely triggered by Trump's videographer, who, as you can see in this footage, is riding ahead of Trump on the escalator. Case closed. Or is it? Yes, it is. But what's that? I'm being told there's more to invescalate because again, in his post, Trump says there were not one, not two, but three very sinister events. This was triple sabotage at the U.N. my God, this can only mean one thing. I'm getting a primetime special episode. Escalator Investigator. Triple sabotage at the U.N. welcome. Triple sabotage at the U.N. of course, also the title of your book your dad bought at the airports. So what was the second UN Sabotage? My teleprompter didn't work. It was stone cold dark. I then proceeded to make a speech without a teleprompter. Very few people could have done what I did. You mean read your speech from the grandpa? Easy eye print right in front of you with certain difficult to sound out words in all caps like grocery and gasoline. Let's see here, we got grockery and gas, gas, gas. Acetaminophen. Is that right? Is that good enough? Is that close enough? But nice, nice. But this clear case of teleprompter sabotage means I have no choice but to call in an expert. Welcome. So, are there any subtle Clues about who sabotaged the President's teleprompter. So far, all we know, according to the UN Is that the teleprompter for the President is operated by the White House. So looks like our whodunit has become a who dum dum. But wait, we haven't. Wait, we haven't solved the third sabotage? After making the speech, I was told that the sound was completely off in the auditorium, and world leaders, unless they use the interpreter's earpieces, couldn't hear a thing. What? The sound in the auditorium was compromised, which means it's time for ineffective acoustics. Detective. Smooth fix. Well, welcome. Our third mystery. Why did people have trouble hearing Trump in the room? So far, the only evidence we have is the answer, which is that it's always quiet in the auditorium because the UN Sound system was designed to allow people to hear speeches through earpieces. Oh, oh, oh, right. Let's check the return policy at Spirit Halloween. Would you please rise for those. Get to the seats. We don't have to. How much do those. How much do those hats cost to rent? $40 million. Oh, here's something from the grin bin. The government could shut down in less than a week. A complete shutdown. What would that even look like? There you go. There you go. I'm so. Oh. Terrifying. Terrifying. I'm so glad neither of those two people were injured, because I will enjoy showing that footage every night until May. Whatever happens. Over in the White House, Trump's been taking a bunch of decorative dumps on everything, overseen by his lead designer. Can of gold spray paint. The latest addition is a new Presidential Walk of Fame featuring portraits of past presidents, an idea he says was inspired by a display he Hilton next to Gerald Ford. Over here, you got a steam tray of scrambled eggs and the code for the wi fi. The pool. The pool and the gym are on the fourth floor and they're closed forever. This is so dumb. The White House doesn't need a tribute to presidents. The White House is a tribute to presidents. But Trump always. Trump always has an ulterior motive, and it's always being a jerk. Cuz take a look at the video the White House released. There's Obama and there's Trump and, oh, hardy har har. It's Biden as an auto pen. And I know, isn't that so childish? And is this. I'm told we have a response from Joe Biden.

[Kelly Clarkson]

Why are you so obsessed with me?

[Stephen Colbert]

I mean, legitimate question. I got. He looks. He looks. Looks really nice. He's Been getting some rest and extensions, obviously. This is pathetic. Joe Biden is in full retirement. He's not out there attacking Trump. He's on the beach in Delaware reading triple sabotage at the U.N. but Trump still. Nice callback. But Trump's still mad about the whole. Everybody knows Biden beat him in 2020, and ever since, he's been harping about Joe's auto pen, even though Trump himself has said he used auto pens. Well, of course he needs help with his signature. He's a busy man. And those pubes don't draw themselves speaking. He's a busy. He's a busy man. He's a busy, busy man. Oh, speaking of bad people doing stuff, we just found out that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has axed a panel that encourages women to enter the military. And I'm being told we have a lot of footage tonight. I've been told we have. No, it's true. We have footage of Hegseth axing the panel. Who's going to win this battle in Columbus? Don't worry. The drummer was hurt. The panel he's eliminating has helped recruit as many as 225,000 women in our military and has called the Defense Advisory Committee on Women in the Services, or dacaweets, which is also what Pete Hegseth orders when he's hammered at the Swim up bar. Hey, buddy. Buddy, can I. I want two strawberry Daiquawitz. The extra umbrella, could you put. Babe. Babe, I'm getting this Dacowetz. Babe. Babe. No, I'm so. This move is part of Hagseth's war on Woke, Even though the committee was created in 1951 under President Harry Truman. Ah, yes, that famous liberal snowflake. Who can forget when he held up that newspaper that said Dewey defeats Truman? He. Him. Despite. Despite the program's long and storied history, Hagseth says the move will help him rid the Pentagon of efforts that don't fit into his warrior ethos. So women can't be warriors. I know one woman who's not going to be happy about that. We got a great show for you tonight.

[Kelly Clarkson]

Coming up. Jeremy Strong.

[Stephen Colbert]

Ladies and gentlemen, my friends and neighbors, Roman's countrymen. Ladies and gentlemen, my first guest tonight is an Emmy and Tony winning actor. You know, from the trial of the Chicago Seven, the Apprentice and Succession. He now stars in Springsteen, Deliver Me from Nowhere.

[Jeremy Strong]

You should know. No singles, no tour, no press.

[Stephen Colbert]

No really.

[Jeremy Strong]

No joke. He's not even putting his face on the album cover.

[Stephen Colbert]

What?

[Jeremy Strong]

Nothing.

[Stephen Colbert]

You're being serious. This is not gonna be good for either one of us.

[Jeremy Strong]

I'm not asking for your understanding, and I'm not here to explain Bruce's thinking or justify his artistic choices. I am here to make sure the album is released precisely the way he wants. That's it.

[Stephen Colbert]

Yeah.

[Jeremy Strong]

Okay. Whether or not you believe in this particular album, in this office, my office, we believe in Bruce Springsteen.

[Stephen Colbert]

Please welcome back to the Late Show. Jeremy Strong. Nice to see you again.

[Jeremy Strong]

Good to see you.

[Stephen Colbert]

We just saw you in the clip from Springsteen, Deliver Me From Nowhere. It's not what we think of as a traditional biopic.

[Jeremy Strong]

No.

[Stephen Colbert]

Okay, so tell the people what story it's telling.

[Jeremy Strong]

Well, I think there's a movie about integrity and authenticity and healing. It's a story about a time in Bruce's life in 1982 where he was, I would say, trying to find, in James Baldwin's words, an honest place to stand. And the album Nebraska, which is what the movie is about, the making of the album Nebraska, which is.

[Stephen Colbert]

Yeah.

[Jeremy Strong]

One of the great albums of all time, I think, is about someone struggling with a feeling of being unfit to live, which is a lyric in the album. And so that's what the movie kind of telescopes in on. And I'm someone who, you know, I had a song of his played at my wedding, if I Should Fall Behind. And Nebraska is an album that I've always loved. So to be able to give back even, you know, a modicum of something to give back to someone who's given so much to all of us, you.

[Stephen Colbert]

Play John Landau, who's his manager, but more than his manager, tell. Tell the people who Landau is to Bruce.

[Jeremy Strong]

So Landau is really a legend in the music business. He was the guy that Jan Wenner called when he was founding Rolling Stone magazine to be their first rock critic. And he, in his words, consumed music as if it were the staff of life. And John famously wrote an article in 1974 where he said that, I have seen rock and roll's future, and its name is Bruce Springsteen. And it was.

[Stephen Colbert]

That was the London concert. Is that what it was? Was that in London? I think it was, yeah. Yeah.

[Jeremy Strong]

I think it was seeing him at a place called Charlie's in Harvard Square. Okay, but cut that out if I'm wrong, okay? And, you know, it kind of changed the trajectory of Bruce's life. And then they started working together. And John has been friend, mentor, manager, producer, co pilot for near on 50 years.

[Stephen Colbert]

You got to hang out a little bit here you guys are. This is Lando over here. Now, Obviously you. This is the director and the Miller, Scott Cooper, Bruce Springsteen and then Jeremy Allen White, who plays Springsteen in there.

[Jeremy Strong]

Who'S incredible in the movie. He's incredible.

[Stephen Colbert]

Was he ever on set?

[Jeremy Strong]

Bruce and John were on set almost every day.

[Stephen Colbert]

Okay. I mean, you're famous for going deeply into character. Did you even notice him or did you notice him more because you were so him?

[Jeremy Strong]

I think I was able to relate to him as John in a sense. You know, part of what you have to do is you walk out on this limb, you find ways to believe in what you're doing, you know, and in a way, if John Landau, if I'm John Landau, who's that guy over there? You know, and that becomes.

[Stephen Colbert]

It'S, you know, it's like that episode in Star Trek where there's two Kirks and two Spocks and everything.

[Jeremy Strong]

But it worked out, you know, and Jeremy really had to wear the cape. You know, Jeremy had to play Born in the USA inside the power station studio A, a few blocks from here.

[Stephen Colbert]

Where it was recorded, which is where.

[Jeremy Strong]

It was recorded while Bruce and John sat there.

[Stephen Colbert]

Oh God. And oh my Lord.

[Jeremy Strong]

And that was an amazing day.

[Stephen Colbert]

We have to take a quick break. We'll be right back with more Jeremy Strong, everybody. Hey everybody. We're back with Jeremy Strong. Let's talk about your finding a place to stand. An honest place to stand. Is it? What do you think, what do you think your role is as an artist? How do you define what you do?

[Jeremy Strong]

Well, you know, I think I'll start by saying what you do is so invaluable to our society and our world.

[Stephen Colbert]

Thank you. Not to everyone evidently, and very kind of you to say.

[Jeremy Strong]

And I think that.

[Kelly Clarkson]

Thank you.

[Stephen Colbert]

No, no, no, no, no, no, wait, wait til I'm the guest on the show.

[Jeremy Strong]

You know, I think that the role of artists in our society right now is a really critical one. And you know, I did a play a couple years ago down the, a few blocks down the road and I had a poem on my dressing room mirror by a poet named Katie Faris. And it said that our job is to train ourselves in the midst of a burning world to offer poems of love to a burning world. And you know, Bruce once said that a song is life in 180 seconds and if you get it right, it has the power of prayer. And so I think that's our role. You know, one of the things that I wanted to talk to you about is.

[Stephen Colbert]

Well, I wanted to talk to you about some other things.

[Jeremy Strong]

Well, I want to talk to you about some other things.

[Stephen Colbert]

I want to talk about the Burning world.

[Jeremy Strong]

Yes. Yes.

[Stephen Colbert]

You have a documentary about our burning world?

[Jeremy Strong]

Yeah, I executive produced an incredible documentary called the White House Effect that is coming out on Netflix at the end of next month. It's coming out on Netflix on October 31st. And thank you for giving me a chance to talk about it. You know, I really think it's like mandatory viewing for anyone who cares about our planet.

[Stephen Colbert]

Is this about global warming or.

[Jeremy Strong]

Yeah, it's about. The film is a kind of origin story of the climate crisis and how we got into the kind of political quagmire that we're in now that has prevented any real action. And it's. Yeah, it's. What can I say about it?

[Stephen Colbert]

You don't have to say too much more because we do have a clip.

[Jeremy Strong]

Great. Yeah.

[Stephen Colbert]

Anything we need to know about the person who's talking here?

[Jeremy Strong]

So I think this is a clip of Bill Riley, who was the head of the EPA during the administration of George H.W. bush. And I'll.

[Stephen Colbert]

Jim, the advantage we might have had.

[Jeremy Strong]

If President Bush had committed to seriously undertake the reduction of greenhouse gases is.

[Stephen Colbert]

That we might have removed the partisan nature of the dialogue in the United States.

[Jeremy Strong]

A Republican President, after all, that would.

[Stephen Colbert]

Have made some difference. And I regret that we weren't able finally to do that. So.

[Jeremy Strong]

You know, a couple of days ago, on Tuesday, our President spoke to the UN and said that climate change is a hoax and that it is the biggest con job ever perpetrated in the world and that it was something that was made up by stupid people. And so if it's okay, you know, I have a friend who is a climate scientist. He works at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory with a bunch of other stupid rocket scientists. And I told him I was coming on your show and I asked him, you know, what he might want me to say. Is it okay if I read something?

[Kelly Clarkson]

Sure.

[Stephen Colbert]

Well, hopefully, I hope we do.

[Jeremy Strong]

I said, peter, what will happen if we don't do anything to stop the course we're on? He says, in my opinion, we risk losing essentially everything. Some of the things that keep me up at night. Destruction of the Earth's rainforests, corals and other biodiversity. Unprecedented heat waves that trigger blackouts and kill a million plus people at a shot. Food system declines and subsequent famines and a spiraling out of control of the deadly migrations and wars we're starting already to see. I hate being a downer, but at the same time it's irresponsible to act like things will be fine at higher levels of global heating. Again, there's a path out of all of this coming together across partisan lines and national boundaries to end fossil fuels as though our species depended on it. Which it does.

[Stephen Colbert]

Thank you for that. Thank you for being here. Springsteen Deliver Me From Nowhere is in theaters October 24th. His documentary the White House Effect premieres on Netflix October 31st. Jeremy Strong, 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.

[Kelly Clarkson]

Hey, girl, this is a legging emergency. My favorite Lululemon leggings, the ones you got me years ago, I think they're a line. Maybe. Well, I just got back from my trip and I think I left them at the B and B. Girl, I need to replace these. Could you send me the link to where you got them? I need a pair asap. Also, my birthday's coming up, so. Anyways, thanks, girl. Talk soon. Looking for Your newest? Go to's Lululemon what's New gear drops on Tuesdays. Every Tuesday, head to Lululemon.com to shop what's New gear?

[Stephen Colbert]

Tulsa is my home now. Academy Award nominee Sylvester Stallone stars in the Paramount plus original series Tulsa King. This distillery is a very interesting business. And we got to know the enemy from Taylor Sheridan, co creator of Landman. What are you saying? I'm over at? If you think you're going to take me out, it's going to be really difficult. Tulsa King New season now streaming exclusively on Paramount plus.