Paul Giamatti | Bird Watching

Summary

The Late Show Pod Show with Stephen Colbert

Episode: Paul Giamatti | Bird Watching
Date: January 15, 2026
Guest: Paul Giamatti

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Episode Overview

This episode of The Late Show Pod Show with Stephen Colbert centers around a wide-ranging and entertaining conversation with acclaimed actor Paul Giamatti. The primary focus is Giamatti’s new role in the highly anticipated series Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, his longstanding love of the Star Trek franchise, behind-the-scenes anecdotes about acting under prosthetics and performing as a "half-Klingon, half-Tellarite" villain, and insights into his personal life—including his perfect day, current reading habits, and the story of rescuing his beloved cat. Throughout, Colbert’s signature wit and rapport shine, creating a lively, warmth-filled episode for both Trekkies and those simply eager for good conversation.

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Main Segments & Key Discussion Points

1. Opening Monologue – Political Satire & The News

(Timestamp: 01:47 – 18:45)

• Satirical breakdown of recent political events, including changes to dietary guidelines, milk in schools, and President Trump’s public outbursts.
  • Colbert ridicules the confusing messaging around milk policy:
    • “At today’s signing, Trump made it clear that when it comes to milk, just like his skull, he’s 100% full fat.” (03:19)
  • Skewers Trump’s actions in Detroit, including a new “national bird” (the middle finger) and the ongoing saga of the Epstein files:
    • “That is the most crudely hostile response from the leader of our country since Herbert Hoover’s campaign slogan, ‘I’ll poop in every pot.’” (07:05)
• Auction for charity announcement:
  • Colbert describes auctioning memorabilia from the Ed Sullivan Theater, with proceeds benefitting José Andrés’ World Central Kitchen.
• Riff on government priorities:
  • Mocks the push for deregulating shower head standards:
    • “Grandpa, what did we do when our nation was falling into fascism? We made sure the showers were strong enough to penetrate every fold and cranny of a president who isn’t limber enough to wipe.” (16:40)

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2. Guest Segment: Paul Giamatti

(Timestamp: 19:49 – 31:04)

A. Star Trek Fandom & The Starfleet Academy Role

• Bonding over Trekkie optimism:

  • Colbert and Giamatti agree on the uniquely hopeful spirit of Star Trek fans.
  • Colbert: “In a dark and crazy world, Star Trek fans are fantastic…they’re so hopeful.” (20:45)
  • Giamatti: “I just think about Star Trek and it puts me in a good mood. It makes me happy.” (21:05)

• Colbert's cameo & work dynamics:

  • Both share details about their involvement in the new series; Colbert teases his own guest role:
    • “See if you can find me. I just want you to wondering, how am I as a co-worker?” (21:46)
  • Giamatti, joking: “You are…you need a little work. But you’re an up and comer, I think.” (21:52)

• Dream come true—Playing a Klingon (kind of):

  • Giamatti reminisces about wishing to play a Klingon since childhood:
    • “My dearest wish in the world as a child and until this moment was to be a Klingon basically…” (22:39)
  • Reveals his character is “half Klingon, half Tellarite,” delighting in the role’s aggression.
  • On Klingon allure: “I play a lot of kind of ineffectually aggressive people. I thought I want to play an actually aggressive person.” (23:50)

B. The Art and Ordeals of Playing Nusbraka

• Under the prosthetics:

  • Giamatti details the reality of heavy rubber makeup and increasingly elaborate finger-jewelry as the show progresses.
  • “Oh, with the hot rubber on, once that was glued to my head…I was just—you couldn’t hold me back. You couldn’t restrain me.” (24:09)
  • On the design: “They had to glue them [metal finger tips] to my hands because…the first time they put them on, they were firing off my fingers like bullets, just all over the bridge.” (26:10)

• Playing a villain:

  • Revels in the theatrical, Shakespearean dimension to Star Trek villains:
    • “There’s no cap to it… especially if you’re a Klingon. Nobody says tone it down…there was kind of no cap…you know, it’s like a cosmic villain.” (26:40)
  • Favorite villain inspirations: Ricardo Montalban’s Khan and Deep Space Nine’s Gul Dukat.

• Fight scenes at (almost) 60:

  • On doing his own stunts:
    • “They came to me...all it said was, ‘we push each other around.’ Then Alex Kurtzman said, ‘we really want a violent fight.’ And I said, I’m almost 60, you know…and I have bad knees.” (27:29)
    • “I could have used the stuntman. Are you kidding me?” (28:04)

C. Life, Leisure, and Reading Jane Austen

• A perfect day for Giamatti:
  • “I watched Deep Space Nine. I have a nice new home in Connecticut…nice and snowy out...watching Star Trek on the TV with the cat sitting, you know.” (28:47)
• Surprising current reading choice:
  • “For the first time in my life, I’m reading Jane Austen.” (29:21)
  • “I’m reading Emma...I’m like, this is pretty good. This is not bad. I’m like, this is funny. Could use some Klingons.” (29:32)

D. On Cats, Rescue Adventures, and Customs

• On finding his cat:
  • Found while filming in the Canary Islands, took months of paperwork to bring home.
  • “I saw him running around the set, little two month old guy. It was a whole huge process getting him out…my girlfriend had to go through…all this stuff. It took her months with the Spanish government, the US government…” (30:25)
  • On bringing the cat through US customs:
    • “She’s coming through American customs. She’s got this folder like this with all of this stuff. And the guy goes, ‘Is that a cat?’ And she goes, ‘Yes.’ He goes, ‘Yeah. So fine. Don’t, don’t worry about it.’” (31:04)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Colbert on Star Trek fans:
  • “In a dark and crazy world, Star Trek fans are fantastic…they’re so hopeful.” (20:45)
• Giamatti on getting his dream role:
  • “My dearest wish in the world as a child and until this moment was to be a Klingon basically…” (22:39)
• Giamatti’s summary of Emma and Star Trek:
  • "I’m reading Emma...I’m like, this is pretty good. This is not bad. I’m like, this is funny. Could use some Klingons.” (29:32)
• The customs story:
  • “‘Is that a cat?’ And she goes, ‘Yes.’ He goes, ‘Yeah. So fine. Don’t worry about it.’” (31:04)

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Key Timestamps

• [01:47–18:45] — Colbert's satirical take on recent news and government priorities, Late Show auction announcement
• [19:49] — Guest Paul Giamatti introduced
• [20:45] — Discussion of Star Trek fandom and premiere
• [22:39] — Giamatti discusses lifelong dream of playing a Klingon
• [23:50] — On relishing the role’s aggression
• [24:09] — Behind the make-up: prosthetics and hot rubber
• [26:40] — The joy of playing an unrestrained villain
• [27:29] — Fight choreography and stunt double regrets
• [28:47] — Giamatti’s ideal day at home
• [29:21] — Discovery of Jane Austen; adding Klingons to literature
• [30:25] — The rescue and adoption of his cat, overcoming international bureaucracy
• [31:04] — Cat through customs: a classic anticlimax

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Tone & Style

The episode is rich in playful banter, affectionate teasing, and authentic warmth. Colbert brings his usual mix of quick wit and sharp satire, particularly in the monologue, while Paul Giamatti oscillates between self-deprecating humor and genuine, heartfelt enthusiasm for sci-fi, literature, and animals. Their conversation is loose, joyous, and replete with memorable asides for fans of both Star Trek and great storytelling.

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Takeaways

• Paul Giamatti finally achieves his long-held dream of joining the Star Trek universe, playing a complex villainous character in Starfleet Academy.
• The camaraderie and optimism of the Star Trek fandom is celebrated.
• Giamatti’s personal anecdotes—from fight scenes at sixty to the adoption of a stray cat in Spain—are as delightful as his on-screen performances.
• Colbert’s lampooning of current events provides a spirited, comedic counterpoint to the more earnest guest segment.
• The episode balances thoughtful, nerdy fandom discussion with the heart and humor that characterizes both Giamatti and Colbert’s best work.

Transcript

[A]

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[A]

Welcome one and all. How kind of you. How generous. Welcome ladies and gentlemen. Welcome one and all to the Late Show. I'm your host, Stephen Colbert. You guys know better than anybody on any given night there are all kinds of things that we can. Things are a little bit crazy these days, but I think just for our own mental health, I'd like to start off with something a little silly tonight. And it has to do with HHS Secretary and horrified saddlebag RFK Jr. Yesterday, Secretary Kennedy, he's been pushing all kinds of dietary guidelines. Was it just last week they announced their first flipping the food pyramid. And that looks unstable. And on Sunday, the White House followed that up with this post. We are ending the war on protein. It's true. Oh no, no, ladies and gentlemen, it's true. The war on protein is Over. Americans are finally saying Mary Beefmas. Again, one of my. Thank you. One of my favorites and really one of Bobby's favorites. One of Bobby's favorite proteins out there is milk. So today, Trump reversed some Obama era rules by signing a bill allowing schools to offer whole and 2%. And this is great news for the many Americans who have been demanding this change. How many? About 2%. There you go. We're back. We're back, baby. At today's signing, Trump made it clear that when it comes to milk, just like his skull, he's 100% full fat. Through this legislation, schools will finally be able to expand their offerings to include nutritious whole milk. It's actually a legal definition. Whole milk. And it's whole with a W for those of you that have a problem. Yes, yes. Very important distinction. That's whole milk with a W, not whole milk with an H. Very different.

[C]

Okay.

[A]

Trump had to make that distinction. Okay. To avoid copyright infringement because whole milk without the W. Pretty sure is the plot of heated rivalry. By the way, somebody over there. You watch that. You watch that. Okay. By the way, just do not Google whole milk with an H on your computer or you will hear from hr. In order to tout the benefits of pure uncut udder juice, Trump turned to former secretary of I forgot what his job was. Ben Carson. So milk would help your cognitive ability? Absolutely. You can tell who's been treated. Taking cognitive tests. I've taken a lot of.

[C]

I've got.

[A]

I've aced every one of them. Because I drink milk. Yes, yes. I've aced. I've aced all the, all the tests they put on the carton. I put all the tests. I love all the tests. Find the spout under the cap. Find the missing kid. Just circle the picture on the carton. Found him. Next, the ceremony, culmination of a campaign that began when the USDA posted this picture of Trump with a milk mustache. Look at that charming scowl. That is the most threatening ad for a food since Arby's changed their slogan to we have your family. USDA with a little horsey sauce. USDA also put Ben Carson in this mind boggling video.

[C]

Three cheers for whole milk. Good stuff.

[A]

That is a 13 second video and I would like to unpack it like it was the Zapruder film. I have so many questions. Why does it have the Stranger Things theme music? Why do they end on a freeze frame that makes it look like an immemorium reel? And that he died of milk? Also, when Carson is finished with his milk cup. He has no milk mustache. And then it changes to the same image where he has a milk mustache. That is just insane. I mean, I need a drink of milk. Normal man. Good stuff. Yesterday, Trump was in Detroit touring a Ford assembly plant when he encountered a heckler, and it did not go well. Reportedly, he said you twice and then did one other thing. Take a look. Yeah, yeah, You saw that, right? Apparently, Trump has designated a new national bird. That's a new one. The President of the United States publicly F bombs and then flips somebody off. That is the most crudely hostile response from the leader of our country since Herbert Hoover's campaign slogan, I'll poop in every pot. You gotta. Took you by surprise. You did not see that joke coming. Okay, you gotta hand it to that auto worker for getting under Trump's skin like compound butter on a Thanksgiving turkey. And all because he brought up the Epstein files. Which reminds me, where are the Epstein files? Where are they? We were.

[C]

I thought. I don't know.

[A]

We were told. We were told that there would be Epstein files. In fact, you signed a law mandating that you would have to release the Epstein files by the middle of last month, but you still haven't. It kind of makes seem like a. What's the phrase? Pedophile protector. And props to that autoworker for using precise language. He could have shouted pedophile. But until the full Epstein files are released, that's just an unverified claim. Whereas pedophile protector is fairly in evidence at this point. And that's the kind of attention to detail you can expect in your F150. There's a reason. There's a reason. Their motto is Ford. Not sure if this will ever come up, but for the record, we don't like pedophiles. The auto worker, they don't. They. They do not like him. The auto worker who shouted at the President has been identified is TJ Sabula. Unfortunately, Sabula has been suspended from his job pending an investigation. An investigation into what? Yelling something true at Donald Trump isn't the worst thing that's happened at a Ford plant. That would be the Pinto. Today, we learned that Sebullah's union, the uaw, vows to fight for rights of Ford worker flipped off by President Donald Trump. Damn straight. Damn straight. Good for them. Watch out, buddy. You do not mess with the auto workers union. They kick ass, take a mandated break, and then take names. While he was down in Detroit, Trump sat down with new CBS News anchor Tony decouple and then stood back up and wandered over to an active assembly line where they covered pressing topics like the economy, Minnesota and Iran. I think cuz the whole thing sounded like this. Mr. President, thank you very much for doing this. We really appreciate it. We're standing here on an active Ford assembly line. A little bit of loud, incredible symbol of American manufacturing power. What? I can't hear you. You're standing on an active Ford assembly line. Why are you doing that? Was Niagara Falls booked? There hasn't been a presidential interview.

[B]

Really?

[A]

Oh, that's nice. Thank you. Thank you. Yeah, it was a little confusing. There hasn't been a presidential interview this noisy since Frost sat down with Nixon inside a cement mixer. Eventually the cacophony was interrupted by some questions like this very terrifying one. Is there anything that limits your power, your movement, your action here other than your own morality? When I talk about morality, I'm a moral person. I don't like seeing death. Slow down there, Nelson Mandela. Give us mere mortals a moment to catch up with your brave opposition to death. I'm sorry sir, I interrupted you while you were channeling Gandhi. Go on. So, yeah, it's limited by my morality and I have a very high grade of morality, so therefore it's limited. I've never. I've never heard morality described that way before. It's available in very small quantities. Because it's so high grade. Look, look, I'll tell you, I can't give you much because I'm dealing some primo uncut blue flake morality. It's none of that street stepped on ethics they cut with baby formula. No. Okay, all you need is a little bump in the men's room and you'll be handcuffing yourself to a Sequoia. We got a great show for you tonight.

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[A]

Folks. If you watch the show, you may have heard the late show will be going to a farm upstate in May. It's going to be great. We can run, chase rabbits. We're going to be so much happier. Since we'll be moving out of the Ed Sullivan Theater. At that time, we thought it might be a good idea to sell off some of the great stuff that we've acquired during our decade here at the Sullivan and then donate the proceeds to Jose Andres World Central Kitchen, which is a fantastic organization that feeds people in times of crisis. Now, back before the holidays, I was joined by Paul Rudd, star of both Ant man. Star of both Ant man and your aunt's sexual fantasies. And we launched a home shopping segment to auction off artifacts from the Late show as well as some great items. Paul contributed, though he did refuse to sell the painting in his attic that decays while he remains young. And I'm happy to say thanks to the generosity of you good people out there, that auction raised an impressive grand total of 160,000 doll. And tonight I am announcing that I, Stephen Colbert, will personally be matching and thereby doubling that $27.99. There you go. Thank you. Thank you. That got bigger applause than I thought. And because of the incredible response to this wonderful auction, we are now adding even more Late show memorabilia to our auction site at colbertlateshow.com eBay or that little thing right there. As of right now, we are selling some great pieces of Late show wardrobe, like several Armani and Zegna suits that I wore on the show and signed and the jacket I wore when I played Hungry for Power Games host Julius Flickerman, the outfit I wore when I played Chicago and Donnie Franks, including fanny pack and goatee. And if you're a true fashion hound, we're even selling the Corn man suit that has been worn many times on the show, including once by Oscar nominated actor Michael Shannon. Is this the role that got him the Oscar nomination? No. Is it the role that cost him the Oscar? Quite possibly. So head to Late Show. Head to something, I don't know, whatever it says down here or go to that thing right there to bid on these items for a great cause. Let's just keep going. Just keep going. There are a lot of things about this show that I'm gonna miss. Mostly the people I work with and the people I get to do it for every night. One thing, one thing I will not miss that much is the news. Because it's so dumb, it hurts. With all the problems, the United States has heavily armed federal agents attacking citizens in the streets, our allies fleeing for the exits, our oceans pre frying our shrimp. Congress has turned its attention to President Trump's second first priority by advancing legislation to loosen federal efficiency standards for shower heads. Grandpa, what did we do when our nation was falling into fascism? We made sure the showers were strong enough to penetrate every fold and cranny of a president who isn't limber enough to wipe. Grandpa, what's a shower? You mean the communal scraping rock? No, it was a wet little room where we went into to cry. The bill. Really an actor? The bill. The bill has called the Saving homeowners from over regulation with exceptions or Shower Act Exceptional Rinsing. That is so dumb. Or duly Umbrella Man Banana, one of the Republican sponsors of the bill emphasized the importance of consumer choice, saying if they want to nozzle the dribbles on their head, well then go get one of those. If you want something that slices an orange, well then go get one of those. No, definitely don't get the orange slicing one. That's why Gillette had to recall their five blade bidet. The lubricating strip did not help at all. Anyway, everything's dumb. And we'll be right back with Paul Giamatti.

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[A]

Welcome back ladies and gentlemen. Stay. My first guest tonight is an Emmy award winning actor. You know from Billions, Sideways and John Adams. Tomorrow he joins the Star Trek universe in the new series Star Starfleet Academy. Please welcome back to The Late Show Mr. Paul Giamatti. Paul, very generous, very generous of you to allow the fans to drink you.

[C]

In to bask in my glory. Thank you.

[A]

Nice to see you. One of the nice reasons to have a show like this, you get to talk to Paul Giamatti but I get to talk to you off camera too.

[C]

It's true.

[A]

Because you and I were hanging out together at the Star Starfleet Academy premiere last week. The American Museum of Natural History. Come on.

[C]

Look at those.

[A]

Have that framed.

[C]

Look at those guys. Okay.

[A]

Did you. It was a fun night.

[C]

Oh, it was fantastic. I loved it.

[A]

You know what I love is that I didn't have this experience before. Is that. And I suspected this was true. In a dark and crazy world. Star Trek fans are fantastic.

[C]

They are.

[A]

They're so hopeful.

[C]

They really are.

[A]

I think it's like Gene Roddenberry's vision is one of the reasons why they're. He's got nice fans.

[C]

Something like that and everybody involved in it. And then when you went and did the thing, the crew and everybody, everybody loves it. I just think about Star Trek and it puts me in a good mood. It makes me happy.

[A]

Progress. The perfectibility of mankind.

[C]

Decency.

[A]

Exactly.

[C]

Openness. It's fantastic.

[A]

Communication between different cultures, all of it.

[C]

It's just. It makes me feel really, really happy.

[A]

And now I should be open here is that I'm getting my own bagel buttered with this promotion because not only are you in the new Star Trek Starfield Academy, I am also. I play a role in the series. See if you can find me. See if you can find me. I just want you to wondering how am I as a co worker?

[C]

You are. You need a little work. But you're an up and comer I think.

[A]

Thank you very much.

[C]

You've got a future. You definitely.

[A]

Would you recommend me? Because I'm gonna be looking for a G.

[C]

Definitely. You know, I envy what you had to do in this because you know, not. Not to give too much away but you got to sit in a nice warm studio and record something.

[A]

Yes, I. It was me and a mic.

[C]

Yes. And I'm under like layers of hot rubber stuff.

[A]

We're going to get to the hot rubber.

[C]

Hot rubber.

[A]

How do you know I wasn't wearing layers of hot rubber in the sound booth having nothing to do? Sounds like Star Trek. Okay, don't yuck my yum now. Okay. You've wanted to play a Klingon for a long time. So long in fact that many years ago you said this on this show.

[C]

My dearest wish in the world as a child and until this moment was to be a Klingon basically, or to be something you would make a great king. I sort of play a Klingon on Billions. I sort of play a Klingon a little bit. But I would love to play a Klingon or something. But I've never. I've never. For some reason those jobs don't come well.

[A]

It came to you.

[C]

It sure did.

[A]

When is that from 2019.

[C]

Boy, I've been shooting my mouth off about that for years.

[A]

Yes, well, somebody listened. Somebody listened up there who likes you because here you are as Nusbraka. Yeah, Hot. Now, only half Klingon, right?

[C]

Only half Klingon. Half Klingon, half Tellarite. And for Telluride, some guy out there go, yeah.

[A]

Oh yeah. Those are residents of Telluride, Colorado. What is Tellurite? What is Telluride?

[C]

That's what a Telluride. Tellarites are kind of argumentative pig people. And yes, when they told me I was gonna be a half teller, I was very excited. Very wonderful.

[A]

Okay.

[C]

Very excited.

[A]

So why did you want to be. Why do you Klingons so badly? I'm just curious.

[C]

Well, I think they're super aggressive and they're super violent and they're really powerful. And I play a lot of kind of ineffectually aggressive people. I play a lot of kind of half assed aggressive people. I thought I want to play an actually aggressive person.

[A]

And how did it feel once you actually got in the rubber and everything?

[C]

Oh, with the hot rubber on once that was glued to my head. I was just. You couldn't hold me back. You couldn't restrain me.

[A]

You were in a masterpiece.

[C]

I need to be sedated. I was so like, wow. Yeah. Combined with a disputatious argumentative pig person. I was extra violent and aggressive.

[A]

Right. And we have a clip here. Oh, it's you as Nusbraka. It's you with the new captain Nala.

[C]

Holly Hunter plays Holly Hunter, the new captain and head of Starfleet Academy, which is on this ship, the whole thing.

[A]

Starfleet Academy is On a ship. Exactly. Because it goes on missions and she.

[C]

Has a complicated history of my character. And I show up again having escape from prison.

[A]

Yes. Some like 17 years before or something.

[C]

Yeah, 17 years before she threw me in the slammer.

[A]

And I'm out. Move on. Power supply is fluctuating. Ship wide adaptant instructors in lockdown.

[C]

Starboard phaser strip.

[A]

Incoming holo Transmission.

[B]

Padget through.

[C]

15 long years.

[A]

But you look radiant as ever, Captain Aker.

[B]

New Spraka.

[C]

So many things I didn't get to say when last we met. For instance, time, with its infinite sense of humor, will always fall upon itself like an origami chicken. Yeah. And this moment, Captain Ake, this moment. Is that chicken.

[A]

In other words, payback. A. Oh, yeah. Yeah. Origami chicken.

[C]

Yeah. Good job. He's kind of a. He's kind of a space biker. He's kind of like. Yeah.

[A]

Space hells and what is. He's got jewelry on the tips of his fingers.

[C]

He's got these weird silver metal sort of things on the tips of his fingers. And they get more elaborate as it goes on. I get more and more of these steel plates on my hands. Yes. You're not punching guys with it and stuff.

[A]

It's great. Is that hard to have those on all day?

[C]

It was interesting they had to glue them to my hands because the first time they put them on, they're very heavy. And I was, you know, overacting and gesturing a lot and these things were firing off my fingers like bullets, just all over the bridge.

[A]

Everybody was like, you know, I mean, he's a real. He's a real villain. There's a maniacal quality to him. Yeah. Just psychopaths and he's psychopath and I've seen the entire episode. And you were having a great time. I was having a really great time. What do you like about being a villain?

[C]

There's no cap to it. Especially like if you're. If you're a Klingon.

[A]

No one says tone it down.

[C]

Nobody did. No, no. Maybe somebody should have, but nobody did. It's like nobody did. There was kind of no cap that kind of. You know, it's like a cosmic villain. It's a kind of. You know, and Star Trek's got this great kind of Shakespearean quality to it. Sure. Yeah. You know, very theatrical. So you're kind of off the leash.

[A]

Do you have favorite villains?

[C]

Yes. I mean, there's been so many great villains on that thing. Ricardo Montalban as Khan.

[A]

Sure.

[C]

Right. There's a guy I love deep Space nine, which is a really great one. And there's a guy in that named Gul Dukat who is this kind of. That's so awesome.

[A]

A lot of rubber on that guy, too.

[C]

Lot of rubber on that guy.

[A]

You also have a fight scene in this. I do. It is Giamatti kicking a little ass.

[C]

Definitely it is, yes. They came to me and said in the script, all it said was, I kind of like, we pushed each other around. Then they came. Alex Kurtzman said, we really want a violent fight. And I said, I'm almost 60, you know. And I said, and I have bad knees. I can't, like, run around. Said, you don't have to worry about it. Just, you're an alien. You can move slow. You can move slow.

[A]

But when you grab somebody.

[C]

Yeah, I said, but, but, but Sandro, the guy, he's like three times my son. He said, alien strength. You have alien strength.

[A]

I like that.

[C]

I got. So I throw in the kid around and stuff. It's fantastic.

[A]

Fantastic. They didn't give you a stuntman.

[C]

They had stuntmen. And I didn't. I thought, oh, no, I gotta do it all myself. And then afterwards they said, you know, it's really awesome you did that, because most of the time people use the stuntman. And I was like, I could have used the stuntman. Are you kidding me?

[A]

Like, what an idiot for the rest of the season is more stunt man.

[C]

Yeah, I can take my double now because I can't walk now.

[A]

We have to take a quick break. When you're not working.

[C]

Yes.

[A]

What is a perfect day like for Paul Giamatti watching Star Trek this past?

[C]

Yeah. Honest to God, I watched Deep Space Nine. I have a nice new home in Connecticut. I'm very lucky. I could get a nice home and nice and snowy out. And I was watching Star Trek on the TV with the cat sitting, you know.

[A]

Oh, yeah, that's lovely. That does sound nice.

[C]

Peaceful.

[A]

Do you still.

[C]

Peaceful, Peaceful.

[A]

Do you still. A little fire burning there?

[C]

Little fire burning, yeah. The fire actually worked. I didn't screw it up. The house wasn't filled with smoke, you know, it was really nice.

[A]

You still spend a lot of your time with the. Reading science fiction.

[C]

I do.

[A]

What's the lesson on the Giamatti nightstand? Oh, you know what?

[C]

I actually. I didn't. The thing I'm reading right now is not science fiction. For the first time in my life, I'm reading Jane Austen. Wow, that's amazing. Wow.

[A]

What are we reading, Emma? What are we reading, Emma?

[C]

That's what I'm reading.

[A]

Really?

[C]

That's a good one. I'd never read. I'd never read it before. I've never read it before. I'm like, this is pretty good. Yeah, this is not bad. I'm like, this is funny.

[A]

Could use some Klingons. But other than.

[C]

Transported to.

[A]

Exactly. Sense sensibility and Klingons would be a lot of fun. Okay, so you say you got a cat and people enjoy your cat. Tell me about this, Tell me about this fella here and then tell me what you love about cats. Oh, come on. That cat is lady or lad or lady. I don't know who this is.

[C]

That is a sexy cat, isn't it? I found that cat. I was shooting an HBO Spanish language television show. Don't ask. I just was. And we were in the Canary Islands and I him on one of the Canary Islands, Fuerteventura, which is a desert island.

[A]

They let you take a cat.

[C]

We had to extract him out of there. I saw him running around the set, little two month old guy. It was a whole huge process getting him out. And my girlfriend had to go through a whole heaven and earth with all of these forms and letters and all this stuff. It took her months with the Spanish government, the US government and the shots.

[A]

And Kat had to take the SATs. Totally.

[C]

And she had to go back, back to this little island to bring him back.

[A]

Wow.

[C]

And she had everything ready. She's coming through American customs. She's got this folder like this with all of this stuff. And the guy goes, is that a cat? And she goes, yes. He goes, yeah. So fine. Don't, don't worry about it.

[A]

She's like, paul, great to see you. Thanks for being here. Star Trek Starfleet Academy premieres tomorrow on Paramount. It's Paul Giamatti, 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.

[B]

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[A]

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[B]

Bam.

[A]

Let's go. One subscription.

[C]

I'm.

[A]

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