Podcast Summary: The Late Show Pod Show with Stephen Colbert

Episode: Meanwhile | Adult Hoola Hooping
Date: September 21, 2025
Host: Stephen Colbert

Overview

In this “Meanwhile” segment episode, Stephen Colbert delivers a fast-paced, witty series of monologue riffs blending topical news, pop culture oddities, and classic Colbert humor. The main theme is the celebration of life’s quirks—spanning everything from adult hula hooping retreats to emotional support alligators—after an Emmy Awards win for The Late Show team. Laced throughout are clever jokes, satirical asides, and signature “Meanwhile” headlines that turn the day's headlines into comedic gold.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Emmy Win Celebration (01:38 – 02:40)

• Backstage Camaraderie:
  Stephen and Lewis reminisce about the team’s recent Emmy win, sharing a vivid story about their excitement and joy backstage.

  • “One of my favorite parts of it is when we found out that we won. I kissed Evie. I stood up and turned around and told everybody, come on, come on down.” (Lewis, 01:42)
  • “I see this flash from over here and it's you hurling yourself out of the seat, out of one of the rows, tackle me basically around the chest…” (Stephen, 01:50)

• Monologue as Art:
  Colbert playfully compares crafting his monologues to sculpting ancient Greek statues—“the timeless winged victory of Samothrae.”—then jokes that an Emmy is just as satisfying as artistic immortality.

Meanwhile Segment: Topical Humor and Satire (02:41 – 08:05)

1. Adult Hula Hooping Retreat (02:41)

• In Michigan, grown-ups unwind and build confidence with hula hooping.
• “There's even a workshop for boob hooping, which is also what you have to ask your grandpa not to call the WNBA.” (Stephen Colbert, 02:45)

2. Novo Nordisk Layoffs (03:10)

• Danish pharmaceutical giant (maker of Ozempic) lays off 9,000.
• “The company is slimming down and will soon look like a weird, skinny version of its old self with the same giant head.” (Stephen Colbert, 03:15)

3. Emotional Support Alligator (03:35)

• Pennsylvania man’s emotional support alligator is banned from Walmart.
• “Shocking this story did not happen in Florida.”
• “Just how much emotional support can you get from an alligator? It's a reptile. It's incapable of feeling. Wait, you put it in a sweater? I stand corrected.” (Stephen Colbert, 03:50)
• Lists man’s other reptiles; jokes about the second, sweater-less alligator.

4. Woman Punches Alligator to Save Dog (04:20)

• Florida woman rescues dog by punching alligator.
• Jokes about “emotional support kiss” and confirms, “That one did happen in Florida.”

5. Europe Bans Nail Polish Chemical (04:45)

• Europe prohibits a gel nail polish chemical as a “reproductive toxicant.”
• “Which raises the disturbing... where are they brushing on that polish?” (Stephen Colbert, 04:50)

6. Papa John’s Croissant Pizza (05:00)

• Liveries a playful international relations jab:
  • “They know France has nuclear weapons, right?” (Stephen Colbert, 05:05)

7. AOL Shuts Down Dial-Up Internet (05:20)

• Marks the end of an era and teases a “tribute video” to AOL.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “This is the only prize I ever need. Meanwhile.”
  —Stephen Colbert, 02:39
• “[About hula hooping] There's even a workshop for boob hooping, which is also what you have to ask your grandpa not to call the WNBA.”
  —Stephen Colbert, 02:45
• “I gotta guess, just how much emotional support can you get from an alligator? It's a reptile. It's incapable of feeling. Wait, you put it in a sweater? I stand corrected.”
  —Stephen Colbert, 03:50
• “We all remember Chris Evans in Knives Out—okay, murder me, Daddy. I don't know what that means. I just would read some of the prompter.”
  —Stephen Colbert, 04:05
  (Playfully breaking the fourth wall with a meta joke)
• “Just because it's in a cute sweater does not make it any less threatening.”
  —Stephen Colbert, 04:00
• “Papa John's—the inventors of the Shackaroni pizza and the subsequent shack cardiac arrest.”
  —Stephen Colbert, 05:02

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 01:38 – Post-Emmy celebration stories, backstage antics
• 02:39 – Stephen’s monologue-as-art metaphor and Emmy reflection
• 02:41 – Meanwhile begins: Adult hula hooping retreat in Michigan
• 03:10 – Novo Nordisk Ozempic layoffs punchline
• 03:35 – Emotional support alligator story and sweater joke
• 04:20 – Florida woman saves dog from alligator
• 04:45 – European ban on gel polish chemical
• 05:00 – Papa John’s Croissant Pizza jab
• 05:20 – AOL dial-up service ends, tribute tease

Tone & Style Notes

• The episode is playful, relentlessly witty, and self-aware, with rapid-fire punchlines built on topical news and pop culture.
• Colbert’s signature mix of deadpan and satirical asides invites the audience into a shared inside joke, making even the strangest headlines feel approachable and hilarious.

Summary Takeaway

This episode epitomizes the “Meanwhile” segment’s ability to take odd or mundane headlines—from hula hooping adults in Michigan to emotional support reptiles in Walmart—and render them hilariously absurd with smart, subversive humor and a dash of late-night warmth. Colbert’s Emmy night reflections offer a celebratory tone that threads through the rapid-fire comedic commentary, cementing “Meanwhile” as a fan-favorite bit on The Late Show.